Fragrance comparison

Makalu vs Nostalgia

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 34 ratings analysed

3 wins

Makalu

Alchimista

4.0014 votes

Rank #54,168 WoodyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

11%scent match

Clearly different

Nostalgia

Ourside

3.6520 votes

Rank #24,688 White FloralYellow Floral

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Makalu takes 3 of 5 categories.

Makalu
Choose it for a woody and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.
Nostalgia
Choose it for a white floral and yellow floral character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Makalu3/5

Nostalgia1/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

MakaluAlchimista

NostalgiaOurside

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.00/ 5 · 14 votes

Have 25%Had 11%Want 64%

3.65/ 5 · 20 votes

Have 32%Had 2%Want 66%

Category winnerMakaluRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

43%Love

29%Like

14%Ok

14%Dislike

0%Hate

14 votes · too few to score

30%Love

45%Like

5%Ok

0%Dislike

20%Hate

20 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity64

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate75

⏱ Longevity64

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate66

Category winners

LongevityTie

SillageMakalu

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value44

¤ Price value43

Category winnerMakaluBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family

woody100%

amber92%

balsamic84%

smoky77%

leather69%

warm spicy61%

white floral100%

yellow floral92%

citrus84%

ozonic77%

floral69%

green61%

Scent match11%Clearly different

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Peru BalsamMimosaGeraniumRoseAgarwood (Oud)ChamomileLeather

Heart

IncenseClovesJasmineYlang-YlangIrisOrange BlossomAmber

Base

BirchCedarGuaiac WoodBrown sugarSandalwoodTonka BeanPatchouli

Top

JasmineGrapefruitViolet LeafMimosaMint

Heart

Ylang-YlangVanillaCedar

Base

Peru BalsamAmberPatchouli

InformationalShared notesPeru Balsam, Mimosa, Jasmine and Ylang-Ylang. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring50

Summer25

Fall63

Winter100

Day89

Night100

Spring100

Summer67

Fall67

Winter83

Day100

Night63

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men25

Unisex75

Women0

Men11

Unisex56

Women33

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#54,168

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#24,688

PerfumerKeta Burke-Williams

Launched—

Reviews5

Category winnerNostalgiaHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Makalu by Alchimista is a resinous, smoky floral woody scent with a soft leather edge. It opens balsamic and slightly sweet, then turns incense-led with jasmine, orange blossom and a warm amber glow. The dry-down leans woody and musky, with birch smoke, sandalwood and a hint of brown sugar and tonka that keeps it cosy…

Reviews →

Nostalgia by Ourside is a unisex fragrance that highlights crisp mint and bright grapefruit, backed by a warm cedarwood and patchouli base. Designed for casual daytime wear, it suits those seeking a natural, non-tropical fresh scent.

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, Makalu or Nostalgia?

Makalu takes 3 of 5 categories. Makalu is rated 4.00/5 from 14 votes; Nostalgia is rated 3.65/5 from 20 votes. Choose Makalu for a woody and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Nostalgia for a white floral and yellow floral character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Makalu or Nostalgia?

They last about the same: Makalu 64/100, Nostalgia 64/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Makalu or Nostalgia?

Makalu projects furthest (Makalu 64/100, Nostalgia 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Makalu and Nostalgia smell similar?

Clearly different: a 11% scent match on Fragranxe. They share few main accords. Common notes include Peru Balsam, Mimosa, Jasmine and Ylang-Ylang.

Is Makalu or Nostalgia better for summer or winter?

Makalu suits evening wear; Nostalgia suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Makalu and Nostalgia?

Makalu has top notes of Peru Balsam, Mimosa, Geranium and Rose, heart notes of Incense, Cloves, Jasmine and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Birch, Cedar, Guaiac Wood and Brown sugar. Nostalgia has top notes of Jasmine, Grapefruit, Violet Leaf and Mimosa, heart notes of Ylang-Ylang, Vanilla and Cedar, a base of Peru Balsam, Amber and Patchouli.