Potion vs Oud Isphahan
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
50%scent match
Some overlap
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Potion takes 4 of 5 categories.
PotionChoose it for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear.
Oud IsphahanChoose it for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.
Potion4/5
Oud Isphahan1/5
- 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
PotionDSQUARED²Oud IsphahanArd Al ZaafaranWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split4.15/ 5 · 1,474 votes
Have 43%Had 26%Want 31%
4.14/ 5 · 22 votes
Have 37%Had 16%Want 46%
Category winnerPotionRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate41%Love
45%Like
2%Ok
12%Dislike
0%Hate
1,474 votes
50%Love
32%Like
9%Ok
0%Dislike
9%Hate
22 votes · too few to score
Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityPotion
SillagePotion
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerOud IsphahanBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothamber100%
warm spicy92%
musky84%
cinnamon77%
woody69%
fresh spicy61%
woody100%
warm spicy86%
fresh spicy72%
oud58%
patchouli44%
floral30%
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 = sharedTop15 to 30 minutes
AngelicaMintThyme
Heart2 to 3 hours
CinnamonPepperGentianaRose
Base3 to 5 hours
AmberCashmere WoodPatchouliMusk
Top
SaffronPepperSpicesFloral NotesThyme
Heart
Woody NotesPatchouliRoseCinnamon
Base
Agarwood (Oud)CedarSandalwoodAmberMusk
InformationalShared notesThyme, Cinnamon, Pepper and Rose. Durations are only published for Potion, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring29
Summer10
Fall100
Winter93
Day85
Night100
Spring70
Summer40
Fall80
Winter100
Day44
Night100
Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#1,225
PerfumerAnnick Menardo
Launched—
Reviews151
Overall rank#19,100
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews6
Category winnerPotionHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotPotion 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 →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 →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.
Guided comparison
Ask about this matchup
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Potion or Oud Isphahan?
Potion takes 4 of 5 categories. Potion is rated 4.15/5 from 1,474 votes; Oud Isphahan is rated 4.14/5 from 22 votes. Choose Potion for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Oud Isphahan for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.
Which lasts longer, Potion or Oud Isphahan?
Potion lasts longest (Potion 66/100, Oud Isphahan 58/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Potion or Oud Isphahan?
Potion projects furthest (Potion 54/100, Oud Isphahan 46/100), based on community performance votes.
Do Potion and Oud Isphahan smell similar?
Some overlap: a 50% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, woody and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Thyme, Cinnamon, Pepper and Rose.
Is Potion or Oud Isphahan better for summer or winter?
Potion suits evening wear; Oud Isphahan suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Potion and Oud Isphahan?
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. 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.
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