Fragrance comparison

Leather of Istanbul vs Défi

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

Updated 7 Nov 2026 6 ratings analysed

Leather of Istanbul

The Dua Brand

5.001 votes

Rank #48,208 SweetRose

Full profile Similar & dupes

38%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Défi

Synthèse Atelier de Parfum

4.205 votes

Rank #38,734 AmberSweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Défi takes 4 of 4 categories.

Leather of Istanbul
Choose it for a sweet and rose character. Best in spring, day or night wear.
Défi
Choose it for a amber and sweet character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Leather of Istanbul0/4

Défi4/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Défi
Sillage & projection: Défi
Value for money: Défi
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Défi

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Leather of IstanbulThe Dua Brand

DéfiSynthèse Atelier de Parfum

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

5.00/ 5 · 1 votes

Have 80%Had 0%Want 20%

4.20/ 5 · 5 votes

Have 70%Had 0%Want 30%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

100%Love

0%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

1 vote · too few to score

60%Love

0%Like

40%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

5 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate100

⏱ Longevity88

〰 Sillage85

♥ Love / hate80

Category winners

LongevityDéfi

SillageDéfi

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

¤ Price value65

Category winnerDéfiBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

sweet100%

rose30%

amber100%

sweet92%

fresh spicy84%

smoky77%

tobacco69%

oud61%

Scent match38%Some overlap · both sweet

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

LoukhoumAmbergrisLabdanumLeatherIncenseSuedeCacaoDatesRakiOud

No top / heart / base split published

Top

NutmegDates

Heart

IncenseTobaccoLavender

Base

LeatherAmberOud

InformationalShared notesLeather, Incense, Dates and Oud. Durations are only published for Leather of Istanbul, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall100

Winter100

Day100

Night100

Spring33

Summer33

Fall100

Winter100

Day67

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#48,208

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews1

Overall rank#38,734

PerfumerAbdullah Kuruş

Launched—

Reviews3

Category winnerDéfiHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Leather of Istanbul by The Dua Brand is an Extrait de Parfum built around sweet confections and rich leather. It opens with an unusual pairing of boozy anise from Turkish raki alongside syrupy dates and sugary loukhoum. As the initial sweetness settles, a dark suede texture emerges, supported by bitter cacao nibs and …

Reviews →

Défi by Synthèse Atelier de Parfum is a heavy leather fragrance that opens with a dense mix of dates and nutmeg. It features a smoky heart of tobacco and incense, eventually settling into a dark base of oud and amber. This scent is designed for cold weather and offers eternal longevity for those who prefer bold, anima…

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Leather of Istanbul or Défi?

Défi takes 4 of 4 categories. Leather of Istanbul is rated 5.00/5 from 1 votes; Défi is rated 4.20/5 from 5 votes. Choose Leather of Istanbul for a sweet and rose character. Best in spring, day or night wear. Choose Défi for a amber and sweet character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Leather of Istanbul or Défi?

Défi lasts longest (Défi 88/100, Leather of Istanbul 80/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Leather of Istanbul or Défi?

Défi projects furthest (Défi 85/100, Leather of Istanbul 75/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Leather of Istanbul and Défi smell similar?

Some overlap: a 38% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share sweet accords. Common notes include Leather, Incense, Dates and Oud.

Is Leather of Istanbul or Défi better for summer or winter?

Leather of Istanbul suits day or night wear; Défi suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Leather of Istanbul and Défi?

Leather of Istanbul features Loukhoum, Ambergris, Labdanum, Leather and Incense. Défi has top notes of Nutmeg and Dates, heart notes of Incense, Tobacco and Lavender, a base of Leather, Amber and Oud.