Fragrance comparison

Northman vs Fou d’Opium

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 36 ratings analysed

3 wins

Northman

Alexander

4.5016 votes

Rank #41,613 AmberWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

47%scent match

Some overlap

Fou d’Opium

DSH Perfumes

4.3520 votes

Rank #22,983 Warm SpicyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Northman takes 3 of 5 categories.

Northman
Choose it for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear.
Fou d’Opium
Choose it for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Northman3/5

Fou d’Opium2/5

Ratings & consensus: Northman
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Northman
Sillage & projection: Northman
Value for money: Fou d’Opium
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Fou d’Opium

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

NorthmanAlexander

Fou d’OpiumDSH Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.50/ 5 · 16 votes

Have 22%Had 4%Want 74%

4.35/ 5 · 20 votes

Have 32%Had 7%Want 62%

Category winnerNorthmanRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

63%Love

25%Like

13%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

16 votes · too few to score

55%Love

30%Like

10%Ok

5%Dislike

0%Hate

20 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity89

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate88

⏱ Longevity87

〰 Sillage53

♥ Love / hate84

Category winners

LongevityNorthman

SillageNorthman

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value44

¤ Price value78

Category winnerFou d’OpiumBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

warm spicy92%

woody84%

aromatic77%

balsamic69%

smoky61%

warm spicy100%

amber92%

woody84%

powdery77%

floral69%

white floral61%

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

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

AbsintheIncenseLime

Heart

SaffronPatchouliRose

Base

Woody NotesTolu BalsamLabdanumVanila

Notes

SpicesCarnationTolu BalsamLabdanumCivetCinnamonNeroliIncenseVanilaAldehydesAmbergrisAustralian Sandalwood

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesIncense, Tolu Balsam, Labdanum and Vanila. Durations are only published for Fou d’Opium, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring27

Summer18

Fall100

Winter100

Day70

Night100

Spring100

Summer82

Fall100

Winter100

Day100

Night91

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men95

Unisex5

Women0

Men0

Unisex78

Women22

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#41,613

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#22,983

PerfumerDawn Spencer Hurwitz

Launched—

Reviews5

Category winnerFou d’OpiumHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Northman is a smoky amber woods scent with a sharp, herbal opening. You get absinthe and incense first, lifted by a squeeze of lime, then a warm heart of saffron with earthy patchouli and a darker rose tone. In the dry-down it turns resinous and cosy, with labdanum, balsams, woods and a soft vanilla glow. It often rea…

Reviews →

Fou d'Opium by DSH Perfumes is a fiery, resinous spicy oriental that revives the opulent spirit of vintage 1970s perfumery. The scent opens with a sharp flash of aldehydes, bergamot, and ripe plum before unleashing a dense swirl of clove bud, cinnamon bark, and powdery carnation. Warm tolu balsam, golden labdanum, and…

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, Northman or Fou d’Opium?

Northman takes 3 of 5 categories. Northman is rated 4.50/5 from 16 votes; Fou d’Opium is rated 4.35/5 from 20 votes. Choose Northman for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Fou d’Opium for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Northman or Fou d’Opium?

They last about the same: Northman 89/100, Fou d’Opium 87/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Northman or Fou d’Opium?

Northman projects furthest (Northman 75/100, Fou d’Opium 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Northman and Fou d’Opium smell similar?

Some overlap: a 47% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, warm spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Incense, Tolu Balsam, Labdanum and Vanila.

Is Northman or Fou d’Opium better for summer or winter?

Northman suits evening wear; Fou d’Opium suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Northman and Fou d’Opium?

Northman has top notes of Absinthe, Incense and Lime, heart notes of Saffron, Patchouli and Rose, a base of Woody Notes, Tolu Balsam, Labdanum and Vanila. Fou d’Opium features Spices, Carnation, Tolu Balsam, Labdanum and Civet.