Fragrance comparison

Makalu vs Ruaa

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

Updated 22 Oct 2026 17 ratings analysed

Makalu

Alchimista

4.0014 votes

Rank #49,638 WoodyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

39%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

Ruaa

Junaid Perfumes

5.003 votes

Rank #33,288 AmberOud

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Ruaa takes 3 of 3 categories.

Makalu
Choose it for a woody and amber character. Best in winter, evening wear.
Ruaa
Choose it for a amber and oud character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, evening wear.

Makalu0/3

Ruaa3/3

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

MakaluAlchimista

RuaaJunaid Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.00/ 5 · 14 votes

Have 25%Had 11%Want 64%

5.00/ 5 · 3 votes

Have 19%Had 0%Want 81%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating 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

100%Love

0%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

3 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity64

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate75

⏱ Longevity100

〰 Sillage100

♥ Love / hate100

Category winners

LongevityRuaa

SillageRuaa

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value44

¤ Price valueN/A

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

amber92%

balsamic84%

smoky77%

leather69%

warm spicy61%

amber100%

oud92%

rose84%

woody77%

powdery69%

warm spicy61%

Scent match39%Some overlap · both amber, woody and warm spicy

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

Rose

Heart

Agarwood (Oud)

Base

SandalwoodAmber

InformationalShared notesRose, Agarwood (Oud), Amber and Sandalwood. 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

Summer100

Fall100

Winter100

Day33

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men25

Unisex75

Women0

Not enough votes yet

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#49,638

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#33,288

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews2

Category winnerRuaaHigher 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 →

Ruaa by Junaid Perfumes is a potent, deep oriental blend centered on a bold rose opening that quickly gives way to dark, resinous agarwood. It is a highly projected fragrance that finds its footing best in evening wear and cooler climates. Those who appreciate traditional, heavy hitting Middle Eastern compositions wil…

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, Makalu or Ruaa?

Ruaa takes 3 of 3 categories. Makalu is rated 4.00/5 from 14 votes; Ruaa is rated 5.00/5 from 3 votes. Choose Makalu for a woody and amber character. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Ruaa for a amber and oud character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Makalu or Ruaa?

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

Which projects more, Makalu or Ruaa?

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

Do Makalu and Ruaa smell similar?

Some overlap: a 39% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, woody and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Rose, Agarwood (Oud), Amber and Sandalwood.

Is Makalu or Ruaa better for summer or winter?

Makalu suits evening wear; Ruaa suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Makalu and Ruaa?

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. Ruaa has top notes of Rose, heart notes of Agarwood (Oud), a base of Sandalwood and Amber.