Fragrance comparison

Makalu vs Othello

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 93 ratings analysed

Makalu

Alchimista

4.0014 votes

Rank #54,485 WoodyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

51%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

Othello

Il Profvmo

3.6279 votes

Rank #15,846 SmokyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Othello takes 3 of 5 categories.

Makalu
Choose it for a woody and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.
Othello
Choose it for a smoky and amber character. Wins on longevity, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Makalu2/5

Othello3/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

MakaluAlchimista

OthelloIl Profvmo

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.00/ 5 · 14 votes

Have 25%Had 11%Want 64%

3.62/ 5 · 79 votes

Have 24%Had 10%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

28%Love

41%Like

7%Ok

21%Dislike

3%Hate

29 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity64

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate75

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage63

♥ Love / hate71

Category winners

LongevityOthello

SillageMakalu

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value44

¤ Price value65

Category winnerOthelloBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

amber92%

balsamic84%

smoky77%

leather69%

warm spicy61%

smoky100%

amber92%

leather84%

woody77%

white floral69%

honey61%

Scent match51%Some overlap · both amber, woody and smoky

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

Passionfruit

Heart

IncenseBirchDaturaPatchouli

Base

HoneyAgarwood (Oud)

InformationalShared notesAgarwood (Oud), Incense, Birch and Patchouli. 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

Spring79

Summer36

Fall100

Winter64

Day100

Night79

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men25

Unisex75

Women0

Men88

Unisex13

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#54,485

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#15,846

PerfumerSilvana Casoli

Launched—

Reviews15

Category winnerOthelloHigher 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 →

Othello by Il Profvmo opens with a brief fruity lift, then quickly settles into a smoky, resinous core where incense, birch and patchouli do most of the talking. The vibe leans dark-amber and slightly leathery, with a sweet touch in the base that can read like honey. Oud is present on paper, but it often comes across …

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 Othello?

Othello takes 3 of 5 categories. Makalu is rated 4.00/5 from 14 votes; Othello is rated 3.62/5 from 79 votes. Choose Makalu for a woody and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Othello for a smoky and amber character. Wins on longevity, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Makalu or Othello?

Othello lasts longest (Othello 73/100, Makalu 64/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Makalu or Othello?

Projection is very close: Makalu 64/100, Othello 63/100 for sillage.

Do Makalu and Othello smell similar?

Some overlap: a 51% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, woody and smoky accords. Common notes include Agarwood (Oud), Incense, Birch and Patchouli.

Is Makalu or Othello better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Makalu and Othello?

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. Othello has top notes of Passionfruit, heart notes of Incense, Birch, Datura and Patchouli, a base of Honey and Agarwood (Oud).