Fragrance comparison

Oud Zhen vs Mysterious Oud

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 387 ratings analysed

4 wins

Oud Zhen

Areej Le Doré

4.58129 votes

Rank #3,677 AmberOud

Full profile Similar & dupes

61%scent match

Closely related

Mysterious Oud

Bortnikoff

4.36258 votes

Rank #2,288 OudWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Oud Zhen takes 4 of 7 categories.

Oud Zhen
Choose it for a amber and oud character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.
Mysterious Oud
Choose it for a oud and woody character. Wins on versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Oud Zhen4/7

Mysterious Oud2/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Oud ZhenAreej Le Doré

Mysterious OudBortnikoff

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.58/ 5 · 129 votes

Have 48%Had 9%Want 43%

4.36/ 5 · 258 votes

Have 80%Had 20%Want 0%

Category winnerOud ZhenRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

77%Love

13%Like

5%Ok

2%Dislike

3%Hate

129 votes

60%Love

24%Like

8%Ok

6%Dislike

2%Hate

258 votes

Category winnerOud ZhenMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity87

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate90

⏱ Longevity78

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate84

Category winners

LongevityOud Zhen

SillageTie

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value48

¤ Price value38

Category winnerOud ZhenBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

oud92%

warm spicy84%

powdery77%

woody69%

leather61%

oud100%

woody92%

amber84%

citrus77%

warm spicy69%

leather61%

Scent match61%Closely related · both oud, amber and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Agarwood (Oud)

Heart

Indian OudIndian Saffron

Base

Tolu BalsamMyrrhCastoreumCivetSandalwoodVetiver

Top

OrangeBergamotCardamomAmber

Heart

CastoreumRoseJasmineMyrrhClovesCinnamonTonka BeanPink Pepper

Base

Agarwood (Oud)Indian OudCedarOpoponaxTolu BalsamSandalwoodLabdanumLotus

InformationalShared notesAgarwood (Oud), Indian Oud, Tolu Balsam and Myrrh. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring39

Summer18

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring51

Summer21

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerMysterious OudMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men68

Unisex30

Women3

Men67

Unisex27

Women6

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#3,677

PerfumerRussian Adam

Launched—

Reviews16

Overall rank#2,288

PerfumerDmitry Bortnikoff

Launched—

Reviews48

Category winnerMysterious OudHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Areej Le Doré Oud Zhen opens with dense Indian agarwood and dry saffron, casting a dark, smoky shadow on skin. As it settles, myrrh and tolu balsam join castoreum to build a resinous, slightly chocolatey depth. It thrives outdoors on crisp winter nights, suited for seasoned oud collectors who demand genuine natural wo…

Reviews →

Bortnikoff Mysterious Oud opens with a bright burst of sweet orange and tart bergamot that quickly collides with funky castoreum and real Indian agarwood. As the top notes settle, warm cardamom, cinnamon, and resinous myrrh emerge over a dense sandalwood base. It shines during cold winter evenings when worn with wool …

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 Zhen or Mysterious Oud?

Oud Zhen takes 4 of 7 categories. Oud Zhen is rated 4.58/5 from 129 votes; Mysterious Oud is rated 4.36/5 from 258 votes. Choose Oud Zhen for a amber and oud character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter. Choose Mysterious Oud for a oud and woody character. Wins on versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Oud Zhen or Mysterious Oud?

Oud Zhen lasts longest (Oud Zhen 87/100, Mysterious Oud 78/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Oud Zhen or Mysterious Oud?

Projection is very close: Oud Zhen 71/100, Mysterious Oud 71/100 for sillage.

Do Oud Zhen and Mysterious Oud smell similar?

Closely related: a 61% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share oud, amber and woody accords. Common notes include Agarwood (Oud), Indian Oud, Tolu Balsam and Myrrh.

Is Oud Zhen or Mysterious Oud better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Oud Zhen and Mysterious Oud?

Oud Zhen has top notes of Agarwood (Oud), heart notes of Indian Oud and Indian Saffron, a base of Tolu Balsam, Myrrh, Castoreum and Civet. Mysterious Oud has top notes of Orange, Bergamot, Cardamom and Amber, heart notes of Castoreum, Rose, Jasmine and Myrrh, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Indian Oud, Cedar and Opoponax.