Fragrance comparison

Narcos'is vs Alchemy

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 2,158 ratings analysed

Narcos'is

Vertus

3.692,143 votes

Rank #5,198 FruityAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

36%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Alchemy

Cuarzo The Circle · 2014

4.1315 votes

Rank #50,255 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Alchemy takes 4 of 5 categories.

Narcos'is
Choose it for a fruity and aromatic character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.
Alchemy
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear.

Narcos'is1/5

Alchemy4/5

Ratings & consensus: Alchemy
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Alchemy
Sillage & projection: Alchemy
Value for money: Alchemy
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Narcos'is

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Narcos'isVertus

AlchemyCuarzo The Circle

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.69/ 5 · 2,143 votes

Have 69%Had 31%Want 0%

4.13/ 5 · 15 votes

Have 40%Had 8%Want 53%

Category winnerAlchemyRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

34%Love

31%Like

11%Ok

17%Dislike

7%Hate

2,143 votes

60%Love

20%Like

7%Ok

0%Dislike

13%Hate

15 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity76

〰 Sillage70

♥ Love / hate67

⏱ Longevity92

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate78

Category winners

LongevityAlchemy

SillageAlchemy

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value43

¤ Price value46

Category winnerAlchemyBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fruity100%

aromatic92%

sweet84%

warm spicy77%

tropical69%

amber61%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

rose84%

woody77%

amber69%

warm spicy61%

Scent match36%Some overlap · both aromatic, warm spicy and amber

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

RhubarbCardamomCoffeeMandarin Orange

Heart

MangoGingerAmber

Base

VetiverPeachAmbergris

Top

GeraniumCorianderLavenderNutmegPink PepperCardamomMandarin Orange

Heart

RoseAgarwood (Oud)AmberVetiverSandalwoodMagnoliaVioletPeach

Base

CedarBenzoinMusk

InformationalShared notesCardamom, Mandarin Orange, Amber and Vetiver. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter82

Day–

Night–

Spring25

Summer25

Fall100

Winter75

Day67

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men10

Unisex61

Women29

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#5,198

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews50

Overall rank#50,255

PerfumerRamón Béjar

Launched2014

Reviews0

Category winnerNarcos'isHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Vertus Narcos'is is a heavy fruit-and-smoke signature that pairs tart rhubarb with pulpy tropical mango. This unisex fragrance stands out in warm weather, offering a bold choice for enthusiasts who want to skip clean designer scents in favor of a sweet, weed-like green complexity.

Reviews →

Alchemy by Cuarzo The Circle is a rich woody perfume built around an engaging contrast of zesty spices and deep resinous woods. It opens with an invigorating burst of fresh lavender, crushed coriander seeds, and pink pepper before gently revealing a heart of velvety rose, agarwood oud, and creamy sandalwood. As the fr…

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, Narcos'is or Alchemy?

Alchemy takes 4 of 5 categories. Narcos'is is rated 3.69/5 from 2,143 votes; Alchemy is rated 4.13/5 from 15 votes. Choose Narcos'is for a fruity and aromatic character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring. Choose Alchemy for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Narcos'is or Alchemy?

Alchemy lasts longest (Alchemy 92/100, Narcos'is 76/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Narcos'is or Alchemy?

Alchemy projects furthest (Alchemy 75/100, Narcos'is 70/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Narcos'is and Alchemy smell similar?

Some overlap: a 36% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, warm spicy and amber accords. Common notes include Cardamom, Mandarin Orange, Amber and Vetiver.

Is Narcos'is or Alchemy better for summer or winter?

Alchemy suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Narcos'is and Alchemy?

Narcos'is has top notes of Rhubarb, Cardamom, Coffee and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Mango, Ginger and Amber, a base of Vetiver, Peach and Ambergris. Alchemy has top notes of Geranium, Coriander, Lavender and Nutmeg, heart notes of Rose, Agarwood (Oud), Amber and Vetiver, a base of Cedar, Benzoin and Musk.