Fragrance comparison

Malbec vs No. 20

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

Updated 22 Oct 2026 2,018 ratings analysed

Malbec

O Boticário

3.432,011 votes

Rank #28,304 WoodyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

46%scent match

Some overlap

No. 20

The Fragrance Design Studio

3.437 votes

Rank #55,133 CitrusWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2.

Malbec
Choose it for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
No. 20
Choose it for a citrus and woody character. Wins on longevity and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Malbec2/4

No. 202/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: No. 20
Sillage & projection: Malbec
Value for money: No. 20
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Malbec

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

MalbecO Boticário

No. 20The Fragrance Design Studio

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.43/ 5 · 2,011 votes

Have 40%Had 60%Want 0%

3.43/ 5 · 7 votes

Have 16%Had 5%Want 79%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

21%Love

40%Like

10%Ok

19%Dislike

10%Hate

2,011 votes

14%Love

43%Like

14%Ok

29%Dislike

0%Hate

7 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate61

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage56

♥ Love / hate61

Category winners

LongevityNo. 20

SillageMalbec

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value57

¤ Price value75

Category winnerNo. 20Best value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

warm spicy92%

amber84%

citrus77%

earthy69%

mossy61%

citrus100%

woody88%

fresh spicy77%

aromatic65%

powdery53%

warm spicy42%

Scent match46%Some overlap · both woody, citrus and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Virginia CedarIncensePepperLimeMandarin OrangeCassisBergamotViolet Leaf

Heart

CedarPatchouliSandalwood

Base

OakmossAmberBenzoinMusk

Notes

BergamotSandalwoodAmalfi LemonPepperVirginia CedarRoseAmber

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesCedar, Pepper, Bergamot 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

Spring37

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring25

Summer25

Fall100

Winter100

Day100

Night40

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men96

Unisex3

Women2

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#28,304

PerfumerNapoleão Bastos

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#55,133

PerfumerCecile Hua

Launched—

Reviews2

Category winnerMalbecHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

O Boticário Malbec is a grounded woody spicy fragrance that balances dry cedarwood with zesty citrus and dark warmth. It opens with a lively burst of lime, bergamot, and crushed black pepper before settling into a sturdy heart of Virginia cedar, earthy patchouli, and smooth sandalwood. Inspired by traditional wine agi…

Reviews →

No. 20 by The Fragrance Design Studio pairs bright citrus notes with dry woods and spice. Created by perfumer Cecile Hua in 2013, the blend opens with sharp black peppercorn, fresh bergamot, and Amalfi lemon zest. As the top notes settle, rose water softens the peppery kick before dry Virginia cedarwood and creamy san…

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, Malbec or No. 20?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2. Malbec is rated 3.43/5 from 2,011 votes; No. 20 is rated 3.43/5 from 7 votes. Choose Malbec for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter. Choose No. 20 for a citrus and woody character. Wins on longevity and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Malbec or No. 20?

They last about the same: No. 20 73/100, Malbec 71/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Malbec or No. 20?

Malbec projects furthest (Malbec 66/100, No. 20 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Malbec and No. 20 smell similar?

Some overlap: a 46% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, citrus and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Cedar, Pepper, Bergamot and Sandalwood.

Is Malbec or No. 20 better for summer or winter?

No. 20 suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Malbec and No. 20?

Malbec has top notes of Virginia Cedar, Incense, Pepper and Lime, heart notes of Cedar, Patchouli and Sandalwood, a base of Oakmoss, Amber, Benzoin and Musk. No. 20 features Bergamot, Sandalwood, Amalfi Lemon, Pepper and Virginia Cedar.