Fragrance comparison

Mysterious Oud vs Oud Zhen

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 387 ratings analysed

Mysterious Oud

Bortnikoff

4.36258 votes

Rank #2,288 OudWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

61%scent match

Closely related

4 wins

Oud Zhen

Areej Le Doré

4.58129 votes

Rank #3,677 AmberOud

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Oud Zhen takes 4 of 7 categories.

Mysterious Oud
Choose it for a oud and woody character. Wins on versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
Oud Zhen
Choose it for a amber and oud character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

Mysterious Oud2/7

Oud Zhen4/7

Ratings & consensus: Oud Zhen
Community sentiment: Oud Zhen
Longevity: Oud Zhen
Sillage & projection: Tie
Value for money: Oud Zhen
Versatility: Mysterious Oud
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Mysterious Oud

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Mysterious OudBortnikoff

Oud ZhenAreej Le Doré

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.36/ 5 · 258 votes

Have 80%Had 20%Want 0%

4.58/ 5 · 129 votes

Have 48%Had 9%Want 43%

Category winnerOud ZhenRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

60%Love

24%Like

8%Ok

6%Dislike

2%Hate

258 votes

77%Love

13%Like

5%Ok

2%Dislike

3%Hate

129 votes

Category winnerOud ZhenMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity78

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate84

⏱ Longevity87

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate90

Category winners

LongevityOud Zhen

SillageTie

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value38

¤ Price value48

Category winnerOud ZhenBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

oud100%

woody92%

amber84%

citrus77%

warm spicy69%

leather61%

amber100%

oud92%

warm spicy84%

powdery77%

woody69%

leather61%

Scent match61%Closely related · both oud, amber and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

OrangeBergamotCardamomAmber

Heart

CastoreumRoseJasmineMyrrhClovesCinnamonTonka BeanPink Pepper

Base

Agarwood (Oud)Indian OudCedarOpoponaxTolu BalsamSandalwoodLabdanumLotus

Top

Agarwood (Oud)

Heart

Indian OudIndian Saffron

Base

Tolu BalsamMyrrhCastoreumCivetSandalwoodVetiver

InformationalShared notesCastoreum, Myrrh, Agarwood (Oud) and Indian Oud. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring51

Summer21

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring39

Summer18

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerMysterious OudMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men67

Unisex27

Women6

Men68

Unisex30

Women3

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#2,288

PerfumerDmitry Bortnikoff

Launched—

Reviews48

Overall rank#3,677

PerfumerRussian Adam

Launched—

Reviews16

Category winnerMysterious OudHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Bortnikoff Mysterious Oud opens with a bright burst of sweet orange and tart bergamot that quickly collides with funky castoreum and real Indian agarwood. As the top notes settle, warm cardamom, cinnamon, and resinous myrrh emerge over a dense sandalwood base. It shines during cold winter evenings when worn with wool …

Reviews →

Areej Le Doré Oud Zhen opens with dense Indian agarwood and dry saffron, casting a dark, smoky shadow on skin. As it settles, myrrh and tolu balsam join castoreum to build a resinous, slightly chocolatey depth. It thrives outdoors on crisp winter nights, suited for seasoned oud collectors who demand genuine natural wo…

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, Mysterious Oud or Oud Zhen?

Oud Zhen takes 4 of 7 categories. Mysterious Oud is rated 4.36/5 from 258 votes; Oud Zhen is rated 4.58/5 from 129 votes. Choose Mysterious Oud for a oud and woody character. Wins on versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter. Choose Oud Zhen for a amber and oud character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Mysterious Oud or Oud Zhen?

Oud Zhen lasts longest (Oud Zhen 87/100, Mysterious Oud 78/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Mysterious Oud or Oud Zhen?

Projection is very close: Mysterious Oud 71/100, Oud Zhen 71/100 for sillage.

Do Mysterious Oud and Oud Zhen smell similar?

Closely related: a 61% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share oud, amber and woody accords. Common notes include Castoreum, Myrrh, Agarwood (Oud) and Indian Oud.

Is Mysterious Oud or Oud Zhen better for summer or winter?

For summer, Mysterious Oud is the stronger pick. For winter, Mysterious Oud is the stronger pick. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Mysterious Oud and Oud Zhen?

Mysterious Oud has top notes of Orange, Bergamot, Cardamom and Amber, heart notes of Castoreum, Rose, Jasmine and Myrrh, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Indian Oud, Cedar and Opoponax. Oud Zhen has top notes of Agarwood (Oud), heart notes of Indian Oud and Indian Saffron, a base of Tolu Balsam, Myrrh, Castoreum and Civet.