FRAGRANXE
Fragrance comparison

Nostos vs 40 Knots

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

Updated 4,975 ratings analysed
Closely related
Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 7 categories split 3–3.

  • Nostos

    Choose it for a marine and salty character. Wins on community sentiment, longevity and value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear.

  • 40 Knots

    Choose it for a woody and marine character. Wins on ratings & consensus, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Nostos3/7
40 Knots3/7
Ratings & consensus
40 Knots
Community sentiment
Nostos
Longevity
Nostos
Sillage & projection
Tie
Value for money
Nostos
Versatility
40 Knots
Note pyramid (duration)
Not scored
Fragranxe ranking
40 Knots

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance
NostosL'Erbolario
40 KnotsXerjoff
Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split
4.07/ 5 · 28 votes
Have 14%Had 18%Want 68%
4.27/ 5 · 4,947 votes
Have 80%Had 20%Want 0%
Category winner40 KnotsRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate
29%Love
61%Like
0%Ok
11%Dislike
0%Hate

28 votes

57%Love
24%Like
10%Ok
7%Dislike
2%Hate

4,947 votes

Category winnerNostosMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores
⏱ Longevity80
〰 Sillage68
♥ Love / hate77
⏱ Longevity79
〰 Sillage68
♥ Love / hate82
Category winners

LongevityNostos

SillageTie

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it
¤ Price value88
¤ Price value39
Category winnerNostosBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both
marine100%
salty77%
aromatic53%
aquatic30%
woody100%
marine83%
salty65%
green48%
aromatic30%
Scent match57%Closely related · both marine, salty and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

No top / heart / base split published

Notes
Woody NotesCedarSaltSea waterGreen Notes

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesSea water and Salt. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season
Spring50
Summer100
Fall17
Winter22
Day100
Night22
Spring100
Summer98
Fall0
Winter46
Day–
Night–
Category winner40 KnotsMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes
Men0
Unisex100
Women0
Men68
Unisex28
Women4
InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#20,717

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews10

Overall rank#342

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews210

Category winner40 KnotsHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

L'Erbolario Nostos hits the nose with direct sea water and harsh salt crystals right from the initial spray. This Italian creation bypasses the synthetic melon notes common in mass market nineties aquatics. Instead, it relies on a raw aromatic structure that feels like walking along a storm-swept coastal bluff. Marine…

Reviews →

Xerjoff 40 Knots opens with a sharp flash of sea water and salty air before settling into polished cedar and warm amber. Contrary to its fresh aquatic branding, the scent sits heavy and sweet on skin, leaning closer to a glass of spiced cola than a breezy beach day. It wears best on cool spring evenings, seaside dinn…

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.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Nostos or 40 Knots?

No clear winner: the 7 categories split 3–3. Nostos is rated 4.07/5 from 28 votes; 40 Knots is rated 4.27/5 from 4,947 votes. Choose Nostos for a marine and salty character. Wins on community sentiment, longevity and value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear. Choose 40 Knots for a woody and marine character. Wins on ratings & consensus, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Nostos or 40 Knots?

They last about the same: Nostos 80/100, 40 Knots 79/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Nostos or 40 Knots?

Projection is very close: Nostos 68/100, 40 Knots 68/100 for sillage.

Do Nostos and 40 Knots smell similar?

Closely related: a 57% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share marine, salty and aromatic accords. Common notes include Sea water and Salt.

Is Nostos or 40 Knots better for summer or winter?

For summer, Nostos is the stronger pick. For winter, 40 Knots is the stronger pick. Nostos suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Nostos and 40 Knots?

Nostos features Sea water and Salt. 40 Knots features Woody Notes, Cedar, Salt, Sea water and Green Notes.

Recent comparisons

Head-to-head activity from live history
Add to comparison

Find a fragrance