Fragrance comparison

Oud Isphahan vs Potion

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 1,496 ratings analysed

Oud Isphahan

Ard Al Zaafaran

4.1422 votes

Rank #19,100 WoodyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

50%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Potion

DSQUARED²

4.151,474 votes

Rank #1,225 AmberWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Potion takes 4 of 5 categories.

Oud Isphahan
Choose it for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.
Potion
Choose it for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear.

Oud Isphahan1/5

Potion4/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Oud IsphahanArd Al Zaafaran

PotionDSQUARED²

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.14/ 5 · 22 votes

Have 37%Had 16%Want 46%

4.15/ 5 · 1,474 votes

Have 43%Had 26%Want 31%

Category winnerPotionRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

50%Love

32%Like

9%Ok

0%Dislike

9%Hate

22 votes · too few to score

41%Love

45%Like

2%Ok

12%Dislike

0%Hate

1,474 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity58

〰 Sillage46

♥ Love / hate78

⏱ Longevity66

〰 Sillage54

♥ Love / hate79

Category winners

LongevityPotion

SillagePotion

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value73

¤ Price value58

Category winnerOud IsphahanBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

warm spicy86%

fresh spicy72%

oud58%

patchouli44%

floral30%

amber100%

warm spicy92%

musky84%

cinnamon77%

woody69%

fresh spicy61%

Scent match50%Some overlap · both warm spicy, woody and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

SaffronPepperSpicesFloral NotesThyme

Heart

Woody NotesPatchouliRoseCinnamon

Base

Agarwood (Oud)CedarSandalwoodAmberMusk

Top15 to 30 minutes

AngelicaMintThyme

Heart2 to 3 hours

CinnamonPepperGentianaRose

Base3 to 5 hours

AmberCashmere WoodPatchouliMusk

InformationalShared notesPepper, Thyme, Patchouli and Rose. Durations are only published for Potion, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring70

Summer40

Fall80

Winter100

Day44

Night100

Spring29

Summer10

Fall100

Winter93

Day85

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men71

Unisex25

Women4

Men72

Unisex25

Women3

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#19,100

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews6

Overall rank#1,225

PerfumerAnnick Menardo

Launched—

Reviews151

Category winnerPotionHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Oud Isphahan by Ard Al Zaafaran opens with an intense blast of saffron, sharp black pepper, and dry thyme. As the initial harshness settles, woody notes merge with earthy patchouli, cinnamon, and a subdued rose. The dry-down relies heavily on synthetic agarwood, cedar, and amber, creating a coarse, medicinal heat on s…

Reviews →

Potion by DSQUARED² is a warm, aromatic woody fragrance built around amber, cinnamon, and distinctive herbal accents. Created by perfumer Annick Menardo and launched in 2011 as an Eau de Parfum, it opens with a curious mix of cool mint, aromatic thyme, and green angelica. As the opening settles, the heart reveals crac…

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, Oud Isphahan or Potion?

Potion takes 4 of 5 categories. Oud Isphahan is rated 4.14/5 from 22 votes; Potion is rated 4.15/5 from 1,474 votes. Choose Oud Isphahan for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Potion for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Oud Isphahan or Potion?

Potion lasts longest (Potion 66/100, Oud Isphahan 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Oud Isphahan or Potion?

Potion projects furthest (Potion 54/100, Oud Isphahan 46/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Oud Isphahan and Potion smell similar?

Some overlap: a 50% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, woody and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Pepper, Thyme, Patchouli and Rose.

Is Oud Isphahan or Potion better for summer or winter?

Oud Isphahan suits evening wear; Potion suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Oud Isphahan and Potion?

Oud Isphahan has top notes of Saffron, Pepper, Spices and Floral Notes, heart notes of Woody Notes, Patchouli, Rose and Cinnamon, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Cedar, Sandalwood and Amber. Potion has top notes of Angelica, Mint and Thyme, heart notes of Cinnamon, Pepper, Gentiana and Rose, a base of Amber, Cashmere Wood, Patchouli and Musk.