Fragrance comparison

Mesquite vs Sonnet XVII

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

Updated 22 Oct 2026 208 ratings analysed

Mesquite

Demeter Fragrance

3.2914 votes

Rank #55,626 BalsamicAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

39%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Sonnet XVII

Olympic Orchids Artisan Perfumes

3.45194 votes

Rank #7,884 FloralEarthy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Sonnet XVII takes 4 of 5 categories.

Mesquite
Choose it for a balsamic and aromatic character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear.
Sonnet XVII
Choose it for a floral and earthy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Mesquite1/5

Sonnet XVII4/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

MesquiteDemeter Fragrance

Sonnet XVIIOlympic Orchids Artisan Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.29/ 5 · 14 votes

Have 14%Had 9%Want 77%

3.45/ 5 · 194 votes

Have 36%Had 12%Want 51%

Category winnerSonnet XVIIRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

29%Love

21%Like

14%Ok

21%Dislike

14%Hate

14 votes · too few to score

31%Love

20%Like

14%Ok

30%Dislike

5%Hate

147 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity64

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate57

⏱ Longevity81

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate62

Category winners

LongevitySonnet XVII

SillageMesquite

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value25

¤ Price value65

Category winnerSonnet XVIIBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

balsamic100%

aromatic77%

terpenic53%

woody30%

floral100%

earthy92%

woody84%

aromatic77%

balsamic69%

amber61%

Scent match39%Some overlap · both balsamic, aromatic and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

Mastic or LentisqueWoody Notes

No top / heart / base split published

Top

ChampacaMastic or LentisqueCubeb or Tailed pepperCitron

Heart

OsmanthusOrchid

Base

Nard Himalayan (Jatamansi)AmbergrisMuskOakmossHaitian VetiverWoody NotesBourbon Vanilla

InformationalShared notesMastic or Lentisque and Woody Notes. Durations are only published for Mesquite, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring0

Summer33

Fall100

Winter33

Day44

Night100

Spring89

Summer43

Fall100

Winter74

Day100

Night73

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men50

Unisex50

Women0

Casual 48%Date 22%Party 19%Work 11%

Men12

Unisex60

Women28

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#55,626

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews4

Overall rank#7,884

PerfumerEllen Covey

Launched—

Reviews49

Category winnerSonnet XVIIHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Demeter Fragrance Mesquite delivers an unapologetic blast of real outdoor woodsmoke. It pulls no punches. You get dry timber, bitter mastic resin, and the savory char of a Texas barbecue pit right from the first spray. A fleeting whiff of solvent alcohol gives way within ninety seconds to authentic glowing embers and …

Reviews →

Sonnet XVII is a challenging, earthy, and animalic scent by Olympic Orchids, centering on champaca and osmanthus. Designed for those seeking a primitive, introverted floral experience, it performs best in cooler weather when its musk, vetiver, and ambergris notes can truly settle into the skin. This is a bold choice f…

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, Mesquite or Sonnet XVII?

Sonnet XVII takes 4 of 5 categories. Mesquite is rated 3.29/5 from 14 votes; Sonnet XVII is rated 3.45/5 from 194 votes. Choose Mesquite for a balsamic and aromatic character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Sonnet XVII for a floral and earthy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Mesquite or Sonnet XVII?

Sonnet XVII lasts longest (Sonnet XVII 81/100, Mesquite 64/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Mesquite or Sonnet XVII?

Mesquite projects furthest (Mesquite 75/100, Sonnet XVII 68/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Mesquite and Sonnet XVII smell similar?

Some overlap: a 39% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share balsamic, aromatic and woody accords. Common notes include Mastic or Lentisque and Woody Notes.

Is Mesquite or Sonnet XVII better for summer or winter?

Mesquite suits evening wear; Sonnet XVII suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Mesquite and Sonnet XVII?

Mesquite features Mastic or Lentisque and Woody Notes. Sonnet XVII has top notes of Champaca, Mastic or Lentisque, Cubeb or Tailed pepper and Citron, heart notes of Osmanthus and Orchid, a base of Nard Himalayan (Jatamansi), Ambergris, Musk and Oakmoss.