Fragrance comparison

Monarch vs Forbidden 2

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 350 ratings analysed

3 wins

Monarch

Vertus

4.28349 votes

Rank #2,557 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

47%scent match

Some overlap

Forbidden 2

The Dua Brand

4.001 votes

Rank #68,469 WoodyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Monarch takes 3 of 4 categories.

Monarch
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.
Forbidden 2
Choose it for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, evening wear.

Monarch3/4

Forbidden 21/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Monarch
Sillage & projection: Monarch
Value for money: Forbidden 2
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Monarch

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

MonarchVertus

Forbidden 2The Dua Brand

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.28/ 5 · 349 votes

Have 46%Had 13%Want 41%

4.00/ 5 · 1 votes

Have 100%Had 0%Want 0%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

55%Love

27%Like

10%Ok

7%Dislike

1%Hate

349 votes

0%Love

100%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

1 vote · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity76

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate82

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevityMonarch

SillageMonarch

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value46

¤ Price value75

Category winnerForbidden 2Best value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

aromatic88%

fresh spicy77%

warm spicy65%

citrus53%

mossy42%

woody100%

warm spicy92%

fresh spicy84%

earthy77%

citrus69%

powdery61%

Scent match47%Some overlap · both woody, fresh spicy and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

JuniperLemonPepper

Heart

CypressClovesJasmine

Base

Woody NotesResinsOakmossMusk

Notes

May RoseOakmossBlack CurrantYlang-YlangImmortellePatchouliBergamotLabdanumJasmineLeatherCoconutViolet

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesJasmine and Oakmoss. Durations are only published for Forbidden 2, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter81

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer0

Fall100

Winter100

Day–

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men84

Unisex15

Women2

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#2,557

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews39

Overall rank#68,469

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerMonarchHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Monarch by Vertus is a crisp woody aromatic blend designed for those who appreciate traditional, structured compositions. It centers on an intense cypress and juniper core, backed by warm cloves and dry oakmoss. This scent serves as a refined, professional signature for cooler spring days and formal settings.

Reviews →

Forbidden 2 by The Dua Brand is an oriental floral extrait de parfum built around a rich structure of woods, spices, and florals. The scent begins with a bright splash of lemon and bergamot before moving into an opulent floral heart. Here, powdery iris, May rose, ylang-ylang, and violet blend with pungent accents of c…

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Monarch or Forbidden 2?

Monarch takes 3 of 4 categories. Monarch is rated 4.28/5 from 349 votes; Forbidden 2 is rated 4.00/5 from 1 votes. Choose Monarch for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring. Choose Forbidden 2 for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Monarch or Forbidden 2?

Monarch lasts longest (Monarch 76/100, Forbidden 2 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Monarch or Forbidden 2?

Monarch projects furthest (Monarch 66/100, Forbidden 2 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Monarch and Forbidden 2 smell similar?

Some overlap: a 47% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, fresh spicy and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Jasmine and Oakmoss.

Is Monarch or Forbidden 2 better for summer or winter?

Forbidden 2 suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Monarch and Forbidden 2?

Monarch has top notes of Juniper, Lemon and Pepper, heart notes of Cypress, Cloves and Jasmine, a base of Woody Notes, Resins, Oakmoss and Musk. Forbidden 2 features May Rose, Oakmoss, Black Currant, Ylang-Ylang and Immortelle.