Shaghaf vs John Varvatos Oud
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
53%scent match
Some overlap
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
John Varvatos Oud takes 4 of 7 categories.
ShaghafChoose it for a amber and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear.
John Varvatos OudChoose it for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.
Shaghaf3/7
John Varvatos Oud4/7
- Ratings & consensus
- John Varvatos Oud
- Community sentiment
- John Varvatos Oud
- Longevity
- Shaghaf
- Sillage & projection
- Shaghaf
- Value for money
- John Varvatos Oud
- Versatility
- Shaghaf
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- John Varvatos Oud
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
ShaghafAnfasJohn Varvatos OudJohn VarvatosWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split3.97/ 5 · 76 votes
Have 40%Had 10%Want 50%
4.16/ 5 · 569 votes
Have 80%Had 20%Want 0%
Category winnerJohn Varvatos OudRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate54%Love
18%Like
9%Ok
8%Dislike
11%Hate
76 votes
46%Love
37%Like
7%Ok
9%Dislike
2%Hate
569 votes
Category winnerJohn Varvatos OudMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityShaghaf
SillageShaghaf
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerJohn Varvatos OudBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothamber100%
woody92%
oud84%
warm spicy77%
sweet69%
fresh spicy61%
amber100%
warm spicy92%
fresh spicy84%
aromatic77%
woody69%
balsamic61%
Scent match53%Some overlap · both amber, warm spicy and woody
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop
CardamomGingerCitruses
Heart
TobaccoCedarLeatherCashmeran
Base
Agarwood (Oud)PatchouliVanillaAmberOpoponaxTolu Balsam
Top15-30 mins
TobaccoNutmegJuniper BerriesCypressSage
Heart2-4 hrs
CinnamonTurkish RosePepperCardamomClovesSaffronEgyptian JasmineOsmanthus
Base5-7 hrs
IncenseAgarwood (Oud)MyrhhLeatherOpoponaxLabdanumCedarAmber
InformationalShared notesCardamom, Tobacco, Cedar and Leather. Durations are only published for John Varvatos Oud, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring44
Summer26
Fall96
Winter100
Day75
Night100
Spring48
Summer0
Fall0
Winter100
Day60
Night100
Category winnerShaghafMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#31,678
PerfumerChristian Carbonnel
Launched—
Reviews0
Overall rank#2,178
PerfumerRodrigo Flores-Roux
Launched—
Reviews111
Category winnerJohn Varvatos OudHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotChristian Carbonnel engineered Shaghaf to hit the nose with immediate spice before sinking into a thick resinous core. The opening crackles with green cardamom and sharp ginger, though the fleeting citrus top notes quickly recede. Within twenty minutes, dry tobacco leaf and cashmeran take control of the heart, adding …
Reviews →John Varvatos Oud takes a notoriously heavy scent profile and dials it back into something smooth, warm, and exceptionally wearable. Instead of a funky barnyard oud, you get a rush of dry tobacco leaves, cracked nutmeg, and brisk cypress needle right off the nozzle. Within twenty minutes, sweet cinnamon and clove heat…
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
Get a practical answer grounded in the fragrances currently selected.
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Shaghaf or John Varvatos Oud?
John Varvatos Oud takes 4 of 7 categories. Shaghaf is rated 3.97/5 from 76 votes; John Varvatos Oud is rated 4.16/5 from 569 votes. Choose Shaghaf for a amber and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose John Varvatos Oud for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.
Which lasts longer, Shaghaf or John Varvatos Oud?
Shaghaf lasts longest (Shaghaf 77/100, John Varvatos Oud 61/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Shaghaf or John Varvatos Oud?
Shaghaf projects furthest (Shaghaf 68/100, John Varvatos Oud 54/100), based on community performance votes.
Do Shaghaf and John Varvatos Oud smell similar?
Some overlap: a 53% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, warm spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Cardamom, Tobacco, Cedar and Leather.
Is Shaghaf or John Varvatos Oud better for summer or winter?
For summer, Shaghaf is the stronger pick. For winter, Shaghaf is the stronger pick. Shaghaf suits evening wear; John Varvatos Oud suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Shaghaf and John Varvatos Oud?
Shaghaf has top notes of Cardamom, Ginger and Citruses, heart notes of Tobacco, Cedar, Leather and Cashmeran, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Patchouli, Vanilla and Amber. John Varvatos Oud has top notes of Tobacco, Nutmeg, Juniper Berries and Cypress, heart notes of Cinnamon, Turkish Rose, Pepper and Cardamom, a base of Incense, Agarwood (Oud), Myrhh and Leather.
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