Fragrance comparison

Potpourri vs Red Santal

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

Updated 9 Oct 2026 618 ratings analysed

5 wins

Potpourri

Santa Maria Novella · 1828

3.70508 votes

Rank #6,993 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

58%scent match

Closely related

Red Santal

Abel

3.57110 votes

Rank #13,712 Fresh SpicyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Potpourri takes 5 of 7 categories.

Potpourri
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in spring.
Red Santal
Choose it for a fresh spicy and warm spicy character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in winter.

Potpourri5/7

Red Santal1/7

Ratings & consensus: Potpourri
Community sentiment: Potpourri
Longevity: Tie
Sillage & projection: Red Santal
Value for money: Potpourri
Versatility: Potpourri
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Potpourri

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

PotpourriSanta Maria Novella

Red SantalAbel

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.70/ 5 · 508 votes

Have 80%Had 20%Want 0%

3.57/ 5 · 110 votes

Have 44%Had 22%Want 35%

Category winnerPotpourriRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

33%Love

31%Like

16%Ok

13%Dislike

7%Hate

508 votes

27%Love

32%Like

17%Ok

20%Dislike

4%Hate

81 votes

Category winnerPotpourriMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity62

〰 Sillage54

♥ Love / hate67

⏱ Longevity62

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate66

Category winners

LongevityTie

SillageRed Santal

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value47

¤ Price value37

Category winnerPotpourriBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

woody84%

warm spicy77%

balsamic69%

patchouli61%

fresh spicy100%

warm spicy86%

woody72%

aromatic58%

citrus44%

powdery30%

Scent match58%Closely related · both fresh spicy, warm spicy and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

LaurelsBergamotBitter Orange

Heart

ClovesThymeRosemaryLavender

Base

Peru BalsamPatchouliCedar

Top

ClovesBlack and Pink Pepper

Heart

GingerThymeBergamot

Base

SandalwoodAustralian Sandalwood

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Cloves and Thyme. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter97

Day–

Night–

Spring68

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerPotpourriMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men23

Unisex70

Women7

Men34

Unisex62

Women3

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#6,993

PerfumerOfficina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella

Launched1828

Reviews79

Overall rank#13,712

PerfumerIsaac Sinclair

Launched—

Reviews25

Category winnerPotpourriHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Santa Maria Novella Potpourri opens with an invigorating, cooling rush of crushed Tuscan laurel leaves, bitter orange rind, and sharp culinary herbs. Instead of the sweet cinnamon aromas associated with modern decorative bowls, this historic recipe delivers a dry, bracing botanical experience. The heart unfolds with a…

Reviews →

Red Santal is a close-wearing, spice-forward sandalwood that reads more like an aromatherapy blend than a glossy designer woody. It opens peppery and clove-heavy, then warms into ginger, herbs and a soft, slightly powdery sandalwood dry-down. If you want a subtle, naturalistic spice cabinet scent with a clean, soapy e…

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.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Potpourri or Red Santal?

Potpourri takes 5 of 7 categories. Potpourri is rated 3.70/5 from 508 votes; Red Santal is rated 3.57/5 from 110 votes. Choose Potpourri for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in spring. Choose Red Santal for a fresh spicy and warm spicy character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Potpourri or Red Santal?

They last about the same: Potpourri 62/100, Red Santal 62/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Potpourri or Red Santal?

Projection is very close: Red Santal 55/100, Potpourri 54/100 for sillage.

Do Potpourri and Red Santal smell similar?

Closely related: a 58% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fresh spicy, warm spicy and aromatic accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Cloves and Thyme.

Is Potpourri or Red Santal better for summer or winter?

For summer, Potpourri is the stronger pick. For winter, Red Santal is the stronger pick. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Potpourri and Red Santal?

Potpourri has top notes of Laurels, Bergamot and Bitter Orange, heart notes of Cloves, Thyme, Rosemary and Lavender, a base of Peru Balsam, Patchouli and Cedar. Red Santal has top notes of Cloves and Black and Pink Pepper, heart notes of Ginger, Thyme and Bergamot, a base of Sandalwood and Australian Sandalwood.