Fragrance comparison

Secret Oud vs Oud Isphahan

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

Updated 13 Oct 2026 137 ratings analysed

Secret Oud

Caron · 2011

3.89115 votes

Rank #26,632 RoseOud

Full profile Similar & dupes

44%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

Oud Isphahan

Ard Al Zaafaran

4.1422 votes

Rank #17,134 WoodyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Oud Isphahan takes 3 of 5 categories.

Secret Oud
Choose it for a rose and oud character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear.
Oud Isphahan
Choose it for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.

Secret Oud2/5

Oud Isphahan3/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Secret OudCaron

Oud IsphahanArd Al Zaafaran

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.89/ 5 · 115 votes

Have 49%Had 9%Want 42%

4.14/ 5 · 22 votes

Have 37%Had 16%Want 46%

Category winnerOud IsphahanRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

21%Love

36%Like

21%Ok

12%Dislike

9%Hate

33 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

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage63

♥ Love / hate62

⏱ Longevity58

〰 Sillage46

♥ Love / hate78

Category winners

LongevitySecret Oud

SillageSecret Oud

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value30

¤ Price value73

Category winnerOud IsphahanBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

rose100%

oud92%

earthy84%

woody69%

fresh spicy53%

herbal46%

woody100%

warm spicy86%

fresh spicy72%

oud58%

patchouli44%

floral30%

Scent match44%Some overlap · both woody, oud and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

SaffronGreen Notes

Heart2-4 hrs

RoseNard Himalayan (Jatamansi)SpicesJasmine

Base6-10 hrs

Agarwood (Oud)oak mossCedarMusk

Top

SaffronPepperSpicesFloral NotesThyme

Heart

Woody NotesPatchouliRoseCinnamon

Base

Agarwood (Oud)CedarSandalwoodAmberMusk

InformationalShared notesSaffron, Rose, Spices and Agarwood (Oud). Durations are only published for Secret Oud, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring22

Summer33

Fall100

Winter78

Day47

Night100

Spring70

Summer40

Fall80

Winter100

Day44

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex57

Women43

Date 35%Work 29%Casual 24%Party 11%

Men71

Unisex25

Women4

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#26,632

PerfumerRichard Fraysse

Launched2011

Reviews1

Overall rank#17,134

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews6

Category winnerOud IsphahanHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Caron Secret Oud cuts through modern perfume clutter by ditching sugar entirely. It gets straight to business. The opening hits with sharp saffron and crushed green stems, creating an astringent botanical jolt that prickles the senses. Within twenty minutes, a dusty crimson rose emerges alongside Himalayan nard, addin…

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.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Secret Oud or Oud Isphahan?

Oud Isphahan takes 3 of 5 categories. Secret Oud is rated 3.89/5 from 115 votes; Oud Isphahan is rated 4.14/5 from 22 votes. Choose Secret Oud for a rose and oud character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Oud Isphahan for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Secret Oud or Oud Isphahan?

Secret Oud lasts longest (Secret Oud 71/100, Oud Isphahan 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Secret Oud or Oud Isphahan?

Secret Oud projects furthest (Secret Oud 63/100, Oud Isphahan 46/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Secret Oud and Oud Isphahan smell similar?

Some overlap: a 44% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, oud and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Saffron, Rose, Spices and Agarwood (Oud).

Is Secret Oud or Oud Isphahan better for summer or winter?

Secret Oud suits evening wear; Oud Isphahan suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Secret Oud and Oud Isphahan?

Secret Oud has top notes of Saffron and Green Notes, heart notes of Rose, Nard Himalayan (Jatamansi), Spices and Jasmine, a base of Agarwood (Oud), oak moss, Cedar 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.