Fragrance comparison

Quintessence (2020) vs Durra

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

Updated 29 Oct 2026 122 ratings analysed

4 wins

Quintessence (2020)

Manos Gerakinis

3.8643 votes

Rank #26,550 Warm SpicyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

45%scent match

Some overlap

Durra

The Spirit of Dubai

3.7579 votes

Rank #29,739 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Quintessence (2020) takes 4 of 7 categories.

Quintessence (2020)
Choose it for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.
Durra
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear.

Quintessence (2020)4/7

Durra3/7

Ratings & consensus: Quintessence (2020)
Community sentiment: Quintessence (2020)
Longevity: Durra
Sillage & projection: Durra
Value for money: Quintessence (2020)
Versatility: Durra
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Quintessence (2020)

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Quintessence (2020)Manos Gerakinis

DurraThe Spirit of Dubai

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.86/ 5 · 43 votes

Have 33%Had 9%Want 58%

3.75/ 5 · 79 votes

Have 80%Had 20%Want 0%

Category winnerQuintessence (2020)Rating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

37%Love

35%Like

12%Ok

9%Dislike

7%Hate

43 votes

51%Love

14%Like

6%Ok

18%Dislike

11%Hate

79 votes

Category winnerQuintessence (2020)Most positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity65

〰 Sillage53

♥ Love / hate72

⏱ Longevity87

〰 Sillage82

♥ Love / hate69

Category winners

LongevityDurra

SillageDurra

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value43

¤ Price value26

Category winnerQuintessence (2020)Best value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

amber92%

woody84%

patchouli77%

vanilla69%

fresh spicy61%

woody100%

aromatic92%

amber84%

warm spicy77%

fresh spicy69%

sweet61%

Scent match45%Some overlap · both woody, warm spicy and amber

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

SaffronClovesBlack Pepper

Heart2-4 hrs

PatchouliWormwoodAgarwood (Oud)Cedar

Base6-8+ hrs

AmberVanillaBenzoin

Top

Sea NotesWatery NotesAldehydesOzonic notesClary SagePineLavenderCumin

Heart

Agarwood (Oud)Earthy NotesBirch LeafCashmere WoodWoody NotesSandalwoodIncenseVanilla

Base

CastoreumCivettaMuskImmortelleTolu BalsamPrecious WoodsTobaccoVetiver

InformationalShared notesAgarwood (Oud) and Vanilla. Durations are only published for Quintessence (2020), so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring45

Summer25

Fall100

Winter100

Day69

Night100

Spring80

Summer68

Fall72

Winter100

Day83

Night100

Category winnerDurraMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men65

Unisex35

Women0

Work 35%Date 30%Casual 22%Party 14%

Men54

Unisex37

Women9

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#26,550

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews3

Overall rank#29,739

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerQuintessence (2020)Higher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Manos Gerakinis Quintessence (2020) opens with a dry rush of black pepper, clove buds, and leathery saffron. It commands attention immediately. The initial burst carries a sharp alcohol lift that calms within three minutes, revealing an earthy heart of dark patchouli, bitter wormwood, and smooth cedar. You will not fi…

Reviews →

Durra opens with a sharp burst of salty sea notes, cold aldehydes, and clary sage before diving into a dark heart of agarwood and smoky incense. The dry-down settles into heavy castoreum leather, amber, and bitter cumin on skin. It suits cold winter evenings, black-tie dinners, or outdoor gatherings where a dense, mar…

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, Quintessence (2020) or Durra?

Quintessence (2020) takes 4 of 7 categories. Quintessence (2020) is rated 3.86/5 from 43 votes; Durra is rated 3.75/5 from 79 votes. Choose Quintessence (2020) for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Durra for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Quintessence (2020) or Durra?

Durra lasts longest (Durra 87/100, Quintessence (2020) 65/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Quintessence (2020) or Durra?

Durra projects furthest (Durra 82/100, Quintessence (2020) 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Quintessence (2020) and Durra smell similar?

Some overlap: a 45% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, warm spicy and amber accords. Common notes include Agarwood (Oud) and Vanilla.

Is Quintessence (2020) or Durra better for summer or winter?

For summer, Durra is the stronger pick. For winter, Quintessence (2020) is the stronger pick. Quintessence (2020) suits evening wear; Durra suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Quintessence (2020) and Durra?

Quintessence (2020) has top notes of Saffron, Cloves and Black Pepper, heart notes of Patchouli, Wormwood, Agarwood (Oud) and Cedar, a base of Amber, Vanilla and Benzoin. Durra has top notes of Sea Notes, Watery Notes, Aldehydes and Ozonic notes, heart notes of Agarwood (Oud), Earthy Notes, Birch Leaf and Cashmere Wood, a base of Castoreum, Civetta, Musk and Immortelle.