Fragrance comparison

Oud Shamash vs Saffron

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 688 ratings analysed

Oud Shamash

The Different Company

4.19578 votes

Rank #987 WoodyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

42%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Saffron

Ajmal

4.19110 votes

Rank #4,259 OudRose

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Saffron takes 4 of 7 categories.

Oud Shamash
Choose it for a woody and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
Saffron
Choose it for a oud and rose character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter.

Oud Shamash3/7

Saffron4/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Oud ShamashThe Different Company

SaffronAjmal

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.19/ 5 · 578 votes

Have 76%Had 24%Want 0%

4.19/ 5 · 110 votes

Have 41%Had 8%Want 51%

Category winnerOud ShamashRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

53%Love

33%Like

5%Ok

9%Dislike

1%Hate

295 votes

64%Love

20%Like

6%Ok

8%Dislike

1%Hate

83 votes

Category winnerOud ShamashMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity78

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate83

⏱ Longevity84

〰 Sillage73

♥ Love / hate83

Category winners

LongevitySaffron

SillageSaffron

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value60

¤ Price value65

Category winnerSaffronBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

amber92%

warm spicy84%

oud77%

powdery69%

earthy61%

oud100%

rose92%

fruity84%

sweet77%

woody69%

warm spicy61%

Scent match42%Some overlap · both oud, woody and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

RumSaffronPink PepperCinnamonDavana

Heart

Cypriol Oil or NagarmothaRose

Base

Agarwood (Oud)Tolu BalsamAmberPatchouliFrench labdanumWoodsy NotesSandalwoodLeather

Top

RaspberrySaffronPineapple

Heart

RoseDavana

Base

Agarwood (Oud)Woody NotesAmberCashmere WoodCypriol Oil or Nagarmotha

InformationalShared notesSaffron, Davana, Cypriol Oil or Nagarmotha and Rose. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring51

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring90

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerSaffronMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men56

Unisex41

Women3

Men34

Unisex54

Women13

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#987

PerfumerBertrand Duchaufour

Launched—

Reviews110

Overall rank#4,259

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews14

Category winnerOud ShamashHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Oud Shamash offers a sophisticated look at oud, pairing a boozy rum and saffron opening with a dry, resinous heart. It avoids the typical funk, settling into a balanced, creamy composition of woods and labdanum. Perfect for fall and winter evenings, it suits enthusiasts who appreciate a refined, non-challenging approa…

Reviews →

Ajmal Saffron is a fruity saffron and rose oud that opens bright and jammy, with raspberry and pineapple sweetness before the spice and woods take over. The heart keeps a plush rose feel, then the dry-down turns ambery and woody, with cashmere softness and a slightly earthy edge from cypriol. It is bold, sweet-leaning…

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 Shamash or Saffron?

Saffron takes 4 of 7 categories. Oud Shamash is rated 4.19/5 from 578 votes; Saffron is rated 4.19/5 from 110 votes. Choose Oud Shamash for a woody and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter. Choose Saffron for a oud and rose character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Oud Shamash or Saffron?

Saffron lasts longest (Saffron 84/100, Oud Shamash 78/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Oud Shamash or Saffron?

Saffron projects furthest (Saffron 73/100, Oud Shamash 68/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Oud Shamash and Saffron smell similar?

Some overlap: a 42% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share oud, woody and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Saffron, Davana, Cypriol Oil or Nagarmotha and Rose.

Is Oud Shamash or Saffron better for summer or winter?

For summer, Oud Shamash is the stronger pick. For winter, Oud Shamash is the stronger pick. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Oud Shamash and Saffron?

Oud Shamash has top notes of Rum, Saffron, Pink Pepper and Cinnamon, heart notes of Cypriol Oil or Nagarmotha and Rose, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Tolu Balsam, Amber and Patchouli. Saffron has top notes of Raspberry, Saffron and Pineapple, heart notes of Rose and Davana, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Woody Notes, Amber and Cashmere Wood.