Fragrance comparison

Istanbul vs Acqua di Nabeel Absolute

Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.

Updated 25 Oct 2026 446 ratings analysed

4 wins

Istanbul

Unique'e Luxury

4.32432 votes

Rank #1,831 SweetCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

42%scent match

Some overlap

Acqua di Nabeel Absolute

Nabeel

3.9314 votes

Rank #47,469 SweetCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Istanbul takes 4 of 5 categories.

Istanbul
Choose it for a sweet and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.
Acqua di Nabeel Absolute
Choose it for a sweet and citrus character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Istanbul4/5

Acqua di Nabeel Absolute1/5

Ratings & consensus: Istanbul
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Istanbul
Sillage & projection: Istanbul
Value for money: Acqua di Nabeel Absolute
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Istanbul

Head-to-head breakdown

Every category side by side, with the winner called out.

Fragrance

IstanbulUnique'e Luxury

Acqua di Nabeel AbsoluteNabeel

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.32/ 5 · 432 votes

Have 80%Had 20%Want 0%

3.93/ 5 · 14 votes

Have 62%Had 4%Want 35%

Category winnerIstanbulRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

58%Love

25%Like

8%Ok

6%Dislike

2%Hate

432 votes

43%Love

21%Like

21%Ok

14%Dislike

0%Hate

14 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity82

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate83

⏱ Longevity66

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate73

Category winners

LongevityIstanbul

SillageIstanbul

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value46

¤ Price value81

Category winnerAcqua di Nabeel AbsoluteBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

sweet100%

citrus92%

vanilla84%

white floral77%

fresh69%

fruity61%

sweet100%

citrus92%

white floral84%

warm spicy77%

aromatic69%

woody61%

Scent match42%Some overlap · both sweet, citrus and white floral

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared

Top15-30 mins

GrapesCitrusesTeaParsleyLemon

Heart2-4 hrs

NeroliJasminePink PepperGeranium

Base8-12+ hrs

ToffeeVanillaMuskWoody Notes

Top

Star AniseIncenseWhite FlowersSweet OrangeGrapefruitSea NotesLemonRose

Heart

Sweet NotesNeroliCoconutJasmineOudLily of the ValleySandalwoodHeliotrope

Base

MuskGuaiac WoodBenzoinOakmossVetiverCedarAmberSpun Sugar

InformationalShared notesLemon, Neroli, Jasmine and Musk. Durations are only published for Istanbul, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring97

Summer63

Fall0

Winter100

Day53

Night100

Spring70

Summer60

Fall100

Winter70

Day88

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men5

Unisex41

Women53

Date 40%Party 33%Casual 18%Work 10%

Men29

Unisex64

Women7

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#1,831

PerfumerJorge Lee, Sylvain Cara

Launched—

Reviews70

Overall rank#47,469

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerIstanbulHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Istanbul by Unique'e Luxury delivers an extravagant gourmand experience built around dark concord grapes, syrupy toffee, and creamy bourbon vanilla. The initial spray crackles with tart lemon, aromatic tea, and a curious pinch of herbal parsley. That brisk opening settles within twenty minutes. Soon, opulent orange bl…

Reviews →

Acqua di Nabeel Absolute by Nabeel is a dense oriental spicy fragrance that pairs a sharp citrus opening with warm spices. Star anise, grapefruit, and a dry incense lead into a deep heart of leather and sweet notes before settling on a heavy base of oud and vanilla. It is best suited for cold autumn evenings.

Reviews →

InformationalRead bothTaste is personal

How we score: ratings blend public fragrance ratings with Fragranxe member votes; longevity, sillage, value and sentiment are community vote scores, and season bars are relative to each fragrance's strongest season. Categories with too little data are shown but not scored. The scent match weighs accord overlap (60%) and shared notes (40%). More in the FAQ.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Istanbul or Acqua di Nabeel Absolute?

Istanbul takes 4 of 5 categories. Istanbul is rated 4.32/5 from 432 votes; Acqua di Nabeel Absolute is rated 3.93/5 from 14 votes. Choose Istanbul for a sweet and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Acqua di Nabeel Absolute for a sweet and citrus character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Istanbul or Acqua di Nabeel Absolute?

Istanbul lasts longest (Istanbul 82/100, Acqua di Nabeel Absolute 66/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Istanbul or Acqua di Nabeel Absolute?

Istanbul projects furthest (Istanbul 75/100, Acqua di Nabeel Absolute 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Istanbul and Acqua di Nabeel Absolute smell similar?

Some overlap: a 42% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share sweet, citrus and white floral accords. Common notes include Lemon, Neroli, Jasmine and Musk.

Is Istanbul or Acqua di Nabeel Absolute better for summer or winter?

Istanbul suits evening wear; Acqua di Nabeel Absolute suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Istanbul and Acqua di Nabeel Absolute?

Istanbul has top notes of Grapes, Citruses, Tea and Parsley, heart notes of Neroli, Jasmine, Pink Pepper and Geranium, a base of Toffee, Vanilla, Musk and Woody Notes. Acqua di Nabeel Absolute has top notes of Star Anise, Incense, White Flowers and Sweet Orange, heart notes of Sweet Notes, Neroli, Coconut and Jasmine, a base of Musk, Guaiac Wood, Benzoin and Oakmoss.