Fragrance comparison

Red Santal vs Acqua di Selva

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

Updated 9 Oct 2026 311 ratings analysed

Red Santal

Abel

3.57110 votes

Rank #13,712 Fresh SpicyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

53%scent match

Some overlap

5 wins

Acqua di Selva

Visconti di Modrone

3.95201 votes

Rank #7,746 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Acqua di Selva takes 5 of 7 categories.

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

Red Santal2/7

Acqua di Selva5/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Red SantalAbel

Acqua di SelvaVisconti di Modrone

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.57/ 5 · 110 votes

Have 44%Had 22%Want 35%

3.95/ 5 · 201 votes

Have 77%Had 23%Want 0%

Category winnerAcqua di SelvaRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

27%Love

32%Like

17%Ok

20%Dislike

4%Hate

81 votes

39%Love

35%Like

10%Ok

14%Dislike

2%Hate

201 votes

Category winnerAcqua di SelvaMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity62

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate66

⏱ Longevity52

〰 Sillage49

♥ Love / hate74

Category winners

LongevityRed Santal

SillageRed Santal

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value37

¤ Price value81

Category winnerAcqua di SelvaBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fresh spicy100%

warm spicy86%

woody72%

aromatic58%

citrus44%

powdery30%

aromatic100%

woody83%

fresh spicy65%

citrus48%

green30%

Scent match53%Some overlap · both fresh spicy, aromatic and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

ClovesBlack and Pink Pepper

Heart

GingerThymeBergamot

Base

SandalwoodAustralian Sandalwood

Top

LemonBasilBergamotRosemaryLavender

Heart

Pine TreeThymeClary SageGeraniumCloves

Base

PeatVetiverCedarMusk

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

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring68

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer90

Fall75

Winter33

Day–

Night–

Category winnerAcqua di SelvaMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men34

Unisex62

Women3

Men92

Unisex8

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#13,712

PerfumerIsaac Sinclair

Launched—

Reviews25

Overall rank#7,746

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews43

Category winnerAcqua di SelvaHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

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 →

Acqua di Selva is a dry, pine-forward cologne built on classic Italian barbershop traditions. Visconti di Modrone pairs bitter citrus with sharp basil and rosemary before settling into an earthy, mossy base. It suits mature men seeking a clean, bracing green splash for warm summer mornings.

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, Red Santal or Acqua di Selva?

Acqua di Selva takes 5 of 7 categories. Red Santal is rated 3.57/5 from 110 votes; Acqua di Selva is rated 3.95/5 from 201 votes. Choose Red Santal for a fresh spicy and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter. Choose Acqua di Selva for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Red Santal or Acqua di Selva?

Red Santal lasts longest (Red Santal 62/100, Acqua di Selva 52/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Red Santal or Acqua di Selva?

Red Santal projects furthest (Red Santal 55/100, Acqua di Selva 49/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Red Santal and Acqua di Selva smell similar?

Some overlap: a 53% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fresh spicy, aromatic and woody accords. Common notes include Cloves, Thyme and Bergamot.

Is Red Santal or Acqua di Selva better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Red Santal and Acqua di Selva?

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. Acqua di Selva has top notes of Lemon, Basil, Bergamot and Rosemary, heart notes of Pine Tree, Thyme, Clary Sage and Geranium, a base of Peat, Vetiver, Cedar and Musk.