Fragrance comparison

Majalis vs Smuggler's Notch

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

Updated 20 Oct 2026 293 ratings analysed

4 wins

Majalis

The Spirit of Dubai

4.20268 votes

Rank #24,424 SweetWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

21%scent match

Clearly different

Smuggler's Notch

Folkwinds

3.2025 votes

Rank #22,674 GreenWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Majalis takes 4 of 7 categories.

Majalis
Choose it for a sweet and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.
Smuggler's Notch
Choose it for a green and woody character. Wins on value for money, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.

Majalis4/7

Smuggler's Notch3/7

Ratings & consensus: Majalis
Community sentiment: Majalis
Longevity: Majalis
Sillage & projection: Majalis
Value for money: Smuggler's Notch
Versatility: Smuggler's Notch
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Smuggler's Notch

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

MajalisThe Spirit of Dubai

Smuggler's NotchFolkwinds

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.20/ 5 · 268 votes

Have 83%Had 17%Want 0%

3.20/ 5 · 25 votes

Have 9%Had 9%Want 83%

Category winnerMajalisRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

56%Love

23%Like

8%Ok

10%Dislike

3%Hate

268 votes

36%Love

16%Like

4%Ok

20%Dislike

24%Hate

25 votes

Category winnerMajalisMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity84

〰 Sillage76

♥ Love / hate80

⏱ Longevity77

〰 Sillage56

♥ Love / hate55

Category winners

LongevityMajalis

SillageMajalis

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value24

¤ Price value35

Category winnerSmuggler's NotchBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

sweet100%

warm spicy92%

fruity84%

amber77%

woody69%

balsamic61%

green100%

woody92%

fresh spicy84%

musky77%

aromatic69%

fruity61%

Scent match21%Clearly different · both woody and fruity

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

IncenseStrawberryRaspberryPeachOlibanumPink PepperRoseCardamom

Heart

DatesSaffronGuaiac WoodPatchouliClovesVetiverFlowersPowdery Notes

Base

TobaccoAgarwood (Oud)Woodsy NotesMyrhhHoneyBenzoinLabdanumLeather

Notes

HayFlouveNatural MuskAppleOakAgarwood (Oud)ClovesTobaccoSandalwoodPine tarBalsam FirCassis

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesCloves, Tobacco and Agarwood (Oud). Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring69

Summer35

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring20

Summer10

Fall100

Winter80

Day88

Night100

Category winnerSmuggler's NotchMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men36

Unisex54

Women10

Men58

Unisex33

Women8

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#24,424

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#22,674

PerfumerJono Bornstein

Launched—

Reviews11

Category winnerSmuggler's NotchHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Majalis by The Spirit of Dubai pairs roasted Arabic coffee, chewy dates, and smoky incense against a thick pop of strawberry and rose. Built for freezing winter evenings and formal cold-weather gatherings, this heavy Oriental composition wraps warm cardamom, honey, and dark agarwood around rich tobacco leaves.

Reviews →

Smuggler's Notch by Folkwinds opens with a sharp flash of tart apple and bruised green flouve grass before heavy forest resin takes control. Perfumer Jono Bornstein pairs crisp orchard fruit with dark pine tar, wet hay, and earthy agarwood, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of northern Vermont woods after autumn rain…

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, Majalis or Smuggler's Notch?

Majalis takes 4 of 7 categories. Majalis is rated 4.20/5 from 268 votes; Smuggler's Notch is rated 3.20/5 from 25 votes. Choose Majalis for a sweet and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter. Choose Smuggler's Notch for a green and woody character. Wins on value for money, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Majalis or Smuggler's Notch?

Majalis lasts longest (Majalis 84/100, Smuggler's Notch 77/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Majalis or Smuggler's Notch?

Majalis projects furthest (Majalis 76/100, Smuggler's Notch 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Majalis and Smuggler's Notch smell similar?

Clearly different: a 21% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and fruity accords. Common notes include Cloves, Tobacco and Agarwood (Oud).

Is Majalis or Smuggler's Notch better for summer or winter?

For summer, Majalis is the stronger pick. For winter, Majalis is the stronger pick. Smuggler's Notch suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Majalis and Smuggler's Notch?

Majalis has top notes of Incense, Strawberry, Raspberry and Peach, heart notes of Dates, Saffron, Guaiac Wood and Patchouli, a base of Tobacco, Agarwood (Oud), Woodsy Notes and Myrhh. Smuggler's Notch features Hay, Flouve, Natural Musk, Apple and Oak.