Fragrance comparison

Only The Brave vs Malbec

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

Updated 5 Nov 2026 5,531 ratings analysed

5 wins

Only The Brave

Diesel

3.873,520 votes

Rank #26,166 AmberCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

42%scent match

Some overlap

Malbec

O Boticário

3.432,011 votes

Rank #29,649 WoodyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Only The Brave takes 5 of 7 categories.

Only The Brave
Choose it for a amber and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Malbec
Choose it for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter.

Only The Brave5/7

Malbec2/7

Ratings & consensus: Only The Brave
Community sentiment: Only The Brave
Longevity: Malbec
Sillage & projection: Malbec
Value for money: Only The Brave
Versatility: Only The Brave
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Only The Brave

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Only The BraveDiesel

MalbecO Boticário

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.87/ 5 · 3,520 votes

Have 52%Had 37%Want 12%

3.43/ 5 · 2,011 votes

Have 40%Had 60%Want 0%

Category winnerOnly The BraveRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

26%Love

51%Like

10%Ok

12%Dislike

1%Hate

3,520 votes

21%Love

40%Like

10%Ok

19%Dislike

10%Hate

2,011 votes

Category winnerOnly The BraveMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity64

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate72

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate61

Category winners

LongevityMalbec

SillageMalbec

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value65

¤ Price value57

Category winnerOnly The BraveBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

citrus90%

leather80%

powdery70%

woody60%

animalic50%

woody100%

warm spicy92%

amber84%

citrus77%

earthy69%

mossy61%

Scent match42%Some overlap · both amber, citrus and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15 to 30 minutes

Amalfi LemonMandarin Orange

Heart2 to 3 hours

VioletVirginia CedarCoriander

Base3 to 6 hours

AmberLeatherBenzoinFrench labdanumStyrax

Top

Virginia CedarIncensePepperLimeMandarin OrangeCassisBergamotViolet Leaf

Heart

CedarPatchouliSandalwood

Base

OakmossAmberBenzoinMusk

InformationalShared notesMandarin Orange, Virginia Cedar, Amber and Benzoin. Durations are only published for Only The Brave, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer86

Fall64

Winter36

Day100

Night55

Spring37

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerOnly The BraveMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men94

Unisex5

Women1

Men96

Unisex3

Women2

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#26,166

PerfumerAlienor Massenet, Olivier Polge, Pierre Wargnye

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#29,649

PerfumerNapoleão Bastos

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerOnly The BraveHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Only The Brave by Diesel is an oriental woody eau de toilette built on a lively contrast of crisp fruit and warm resin. It opens with an energetic splash of Amalfi lemon and mandarin orange, creating an immediate bright lift. As the citrus sparkle settles, a powdery heart of violet leaf and Virginia cedar emerges, acc…

Reviews →

O Boticário Malbec is a grounded woody spicy fragrance that balances dry cedarwood with zesty citrus and dark warmth. It opens with a lively burst of lime, bergamot, and crushed black pepper before settling into a sturdy heart of Virginia cedar, earthy patchouli, and smooth sandalwood. Inspired by traditional wine agi…

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, Only The Brave or Malbec?

Only The Brave takes 5 of 7 categories. Only The Brave is rated 3.87/5 from 3,520 votes; Malbec is rated 3.43/5 from 2,011 votes. Choose Only The Brave for a amber and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Malbec for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Only The Brave or Malbec?

Malbec lasts longest (Malbec 71/100, Only The Brave 64/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Only The Brave or Malbec?

Malbec projects furthest (Malbec 66/100, Only The Brave 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Only The Brave and Malbec smell similar?

Some overlap: a 42% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, citrus and woody accords. Common notes include Mandarin Orange, Virginia Cedar, Amber and Benzoin.

Is Only The Brave or Malbec better for summer or winter?

For summer, Only The Brave is the stronger pick. For winter, Malbec is the stronger pick. Only The Brave suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Only The Brave and Malbec?

Only The Brave has top notes of Amalfi Lemon and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Violet, Virginia Cedar and Coriander, a base of Amber, Leather, Benzoin and French labdanum. Malbec has top notes of Virginia Cedar, Incense, Pepper and Lime, heart notes of Cedar, Patchouli and Sandalwood, a base of Oakmoss, Amber, Benzoin and Musk.