Midnight Special vs Al Bashiq
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
17%scent match
Clearly different
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Al Bashiq takes 4 of 7 categories.
Midnight SpecialChoose it for a warm spicy and oud character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear.
Al BashiqChoose it for a amber and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter.
Midnight Special3/7
Al Bashiq4/7
- Ratings & consensus
- Midnight Special
- Community sentiment
- Midnight Special
- Longevity
- Al Bashiq
- Sillage & projection
- Al Bashiq
- Value for money
- Al Bashiq
- Versatility
- Midnight Special
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- Al Bashiq
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
Midnight SpecialEx NihiloAl BashiqNabeelWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split4.12/ 5 · 347 votes
Have 76%Had 24%Want 0%
4.14/ 5 · 177 votes
Have 88%Had 12%Want 0%
Category winnerMidnight SpecialRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate45%Love
35%Like
9%Ok
10%Dislike
1%Hate
347 votes
56%Love
23%Like
7%Ok
8%Dislike
6%Hate
177 votes
Category winnerMidnight SpecialMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityAl Bashiq
SillageAl Bashiq
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerAl BashiqBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothwarm spicy100%
oud92%
rose84%
vanilla77%
citrus69%
fresh spicy61%
amber100%
woody92%
warm spicy84%
aromatic77%
balsamic69%
leather61%
Scent match17%Clearly different · both warm spicy
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop15-30 mins
SaffronCinnamonBlack Pepper
Heart2-4 hrs
Turkish RoseRoseGrapefruit
Base8-12 hrs
Agarwood (Oud)VanillaPatchouli
Top
LeatherIncenseCypressStyraxSaffronCardamomLavenderArtemisia
Heart
Agarwood (Oud)MyrrhBalsamic NotesEarthy NotesGuaiac WoodOlibanumLabdanumCedar
Base
VetiverAmberTobaccoTolu BalsamBenzoinPatchouliSweet NotesAmbergris
InformationalShared notesSaffron, Agarwood (Oud) and Patchouli. Durations are only published for Midnight Special, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring52
Summer0
Fall0
Winter100
Day32
Night100
Spring32
Summer14
Fall0
Winter100
Day–
Night–
Category winnerMidnight SpecialMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#4,717
PerfumerOlivier Pescheux
Launched—
Reviews29
Overall rank#4,188
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews19
Category winnerAl BashiqHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotMidnight Special by Ex Nihilo opens with a bold spark of black pepper, warm cinnamon, and bittersweet saffron, immediately cutting through the cold air. Right behind the spice, a rich Turkish rose unfolds, soaked in tangy grapefruit nectar that keeps the floral heart brisk rather than powdery. As the fragrance settles…
Reviews →Al Bashiq by Nabeel delivers a heavy dose of leather, dark resins, and bitter almond. It is a bold, cold weather scent that cuts through freezing air, pairing best with heavy wool coats or leather jackets during winter nights.
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.
Guided comparison
Ask about this matchup
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Midnight Special or Al Bashiq?
Al Bashiq takes 4 of 7 categories. Midnight Special is rated 4.12/5 from 347 votes; Al Bashiq is rated 4.14/5 from 177 votes. Choose Midnight Special for a warm spicy and oud character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Al Bashiq for a amber and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter.
Which lasts longer, Midnight Special or Al Bashiq?
Al Bashiq lasts longest (Al Bashiq 82/100, Midnight Special 78/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Midnight Special or Al Bashiq?
Al Bashiq projects furthest (Al Bashiq 75/100, Midnight Special 72/100), based on community performance votes.
Do Midnight Special and Al Bashiq smell similar?
Clearly different: a 17% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy accords. Common notes include Saffron, Agarwood (Oud) and Patchouli.
Is Midnight Special or Al Bashiq better for summer or winter?
For summer, Al Bashiq is the stronger pick. For winter, Midnight Special is the stronger pick. Midnight Special suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Midnight Special and Al Bashiq?
Midnight Special has top notes of Saffron, Cinnamon and Black Pepper, heart notes of Turkish Rose, Rose and Grapefruit, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Vanilla and Patchouli. Al Bashiq has top notes of Leather, Incense, Cypress and Styrax, heart notes of Agarwood (Oud), Myrrh, Balsamic Notes and Earthy Notes, a base of Vetiver, Amber, Tobacco and Tolu Balsam.
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