Fragrance comparison

Malabar 2017 vs Acqua di Nabeel Absolute

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

Updated 10 Oct 2026 35 ratings analysed

4 wins

Malabar 2017

House of Hautt

4.2421 votes

Rank #45,324 IrisAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

13%scent match

Clearly different

Acqua di Nabeel Absolute

Nabeel

3.9314 votes

Rank #46,236 SweetCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Malabar 2017 takes 4 of 5 categories.

Malabar 2017
Choose it for a iris and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear.
Acqua di Nabeel Absolute
Choose it for a sweet and citrus character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Malabar 20174/5

Acqua di Nabeel Absolute1/5

Ratings & consensus: Malabar 2017
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Malabar 2017
Sillage & projection: Malabar 2017
Value for money: Acqua di Nabeel Absolute
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Malabar 2017

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Malabar 2017House of Hautt

Acqua di Nabeel AbsoluteNabeel

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.24/ 5 · 21 votes

Have 49%Had 17%Want 34%

3.93/ 5 · 14 votes

Have 62%Had 4%Want 35%

Category winnerMalabar 2017Rating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

48%Love

33%Like

14%Ok

5%Dislike

0%Hate

21 votes · too few to score

43%Love

21%Like

21%Ok

14%Dislike

0%Hate

14 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage78

♥ Love / hate81

⏱ Longevity66

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate73

Category winners

LongevityMalabar 2017

SillageMalabar 2017

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value75

¤ Price value81

Category winnerAcqua di Nabeel AbsoluteBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

iris100%

aromatic92%

powdery84%

earthy77%

violet69%

soft spicy61%

sweet100%

citrus92%

white floral84%

warm spicy77%

aromatic69%

woody61%

Scent match13%Clearly different · both aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

SageMandarin OrangeBergamot

Heart2-4 hrs

IrisCorianderTonka BeanCardamom

Base6-8+ hrs

LeatherCedarAmberOakmossVanilla

Top

Star AniseIncenseWhite FlowersSweet OrangeGrapefruitSea NotesLemonRose

Heart

Sweet NotesNeroliCoconutJasmineOudLily of the ValleySandalwoodHeliotrope

Base

MuskGuaiac WoodBenzoinOakmossVetiverCedarAmberSpun Sugar

InformationalShared notesCedar, Amber and Oakmoss. Durations are only published for Malabar 2017, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring15

Summer23

Fall100

Winter92

Day39

Night100

Spring70

Summer60

Fall100

Winter70

Day88

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Date 35%Work 27%Casual 23%Party 15%

Men29

Unisex64

Women7

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#45,324

PerfumerEdison Fujita

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#46,236

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerMalabar 2017Higher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

House of Hautt Malabar 2017 pairs earthy rootiness with smooth warmth. The scent opens on bitter bergamot and dry sage, giving off a brief aromatic spark before powdery iris takes total command. You will not find soapy florals here. Instead, rich cardamom and sweet tonka bean wrap around the iris heart to create a plu…

Reviews →

Acqua di Nabeel Absolute by Nabeel is a dense oriental spicy fragrance that pairs a sharp citrus opening with warm spices. Star anise, grapefruit, and a dry incense lead into a deep heart of leather and sweet notes before settling on a heavy base of oud and vanilla. It is best suited for cold autumn evenings.

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, Malabar 2017 or Acqua di Nabeel Absolute?

Malabar 2017 takes 4 of 5 categories. Malabar 2017 is rated 4.24/5 from 21 votes; Acqua di Nabeel Absolute is rated 3.93/5 from 14 votes. Choose Malabar 2017 for a iris and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Acqua di Nabeel Absolute for a sweet and citrus character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Malabar 2017 or Acqua di Nabeel Absolute?

Malabar 2017 lasts longest (Malabar 2017 72/100, Acqua di Nabeel Absolute 66/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Malabar 2017 or Acqua di Nabeel Absolute?

Malabar 2017 projects furthest (Malabar 2017 78/100, Acqua di Nabeel Absolute 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Malabar 2017 and Acqua di Nabeel Absolute smell similar?

Clearly different: a 13% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic accords. Common notes include Cedar, Amber and Oakmoss.

Is Malabar 2017 or Acqua di Nabeel Absolute better for summer or winter?

Malabar 2017 suits evening wear; Acqua di Nabeel Absolute suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Malabar 2017 and Acqua di Nabeel Absolute?

Malabar 2017 has top notes of Sage, Mandarin Orange and Bergamot, heart notes of Iris, Coriander, Tonka Bean and Cardamom, a base of Leather, Cedar, Amber and Oakmoss. Acqua di Nabeel Absolute has top notes of Star Anise, Incense, White Flowers and Sweet Orange, heart notes of Sweet Notes, Neroli, Coconut and Jasmine, a base of Musk, Guaiac Wood, Benzoin and Oakmoss.