Midnight Special vs Moth
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
30%scent match
Clearly different
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Midnight Special takes 4 of 7 categories.
Midnight SpecialChoose it for a warm spicy and oud character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.
MothChoose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on longevity, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
Midnight Special4/7
Moth3/7
- Ratings & consensus
- Midnight Special
- Community sentiment
- Midnight Special
- Longevity
- Moth
- Sillage & projection
- Midnight Special
- Value for money
- Moth
- Versatility
- Midnight Special
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- Moth
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
Midnight SpecialEx NihiloMothZoologist PerfumesWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split4.12/ 5 · 347 votes
Have 76%Had 24%Want 0%
3.83/ 5 · 2,445 votes
Have 81%Had 19%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
42%Love
27%Like
12%Ok
16%Dislike
4%Hate
1,999 votes
Category winnerMidnight SpecialMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityMoth
SillageMidnight Special
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerMothBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothwarm spicy100%
oud92%
rose84%
vanilla77%
citrus69%
fresh spicy61%
warm spicy100%
woody92%
powdery84%
fresh spicy77%
honey69%
smoky61%
Scent match30%Clearly different · both warm spicy and fresh 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
CloveBlack PepperSaffronCuminNutmegCinnamonLemon
Heart
HeliotropeMimosaIrisRoseJasmineLily-of-the-Valley
Base
HoneySmokeAgarwood (Oud)ResinsMuskGuaiac WoodAmbergrisCypriol Oil or Nagarmotha
InformationalShared notesSaffron, Cinnamon, Black Pepper and Rose. 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
Spring34
Summer0
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#987
PerfumerTomoo Inaba
Launched—
Reviews423
Category winnerMothHigher 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 →Zoologist Moth opens as a dense swirl of spices, dust, smoke and old-fashioned florals, then settles into honeyed rose, dry woods and incense. It feels gothic, powdery and atmospheric rather than conventionally pretty. This is a fragrance for people who enjoy mood, texture and strangeness. It wears best in cold weathe…
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 Moth?
Midnight Special takes 4 of 7 categories. Midnight Special is rated 4.12/5 from 347 votes; Moth is rated 3.83/5 from 2,445 votes. Choose Midnight Special for a warm spicy and oud character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Moth for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on longevity, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
Which lasts longer, Midnight Special or Moth?
Moth lasts longest (Moth 82/100, Midnight Special 78/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Midnight Special or Moth?
Projection is very close: Midnight Special 72/100, Moth 70/100 for sillage.
Do Midnight Special and Moth smell similar?
Clearly different: a 30% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Saffron, Cinnamon, Black Pepper and Rose.
Is Midnight Special or Moth better for summer or winter?
For summer, Midnight Special 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 Moth?
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. Moth has top notes of Clove, Black Pepper, Saffron and Cumin, heart notes of Heliotrope, Mimosa, Iris and Rose, a base of Honey, Smoke, Agarwood (Oud) and Resins.
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