Fragrance comparison

Side Effect vs The Calling

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

Updated 8 Nov 2026 9,291 ratings analysed

Side Effect

Initio Parfums Prives · 2016

4.359,127 votes

Rank #200 Warm SpicyTobacco

Full profile Similar & dupes

51%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

The Calling

Phuong Dang

3.82164 votes

Rank #4,596 Warm SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

The Calling takes 4 of 7 categories.

Side Effect
Choose it for a warm spicy and tobacco character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
The Calling
Choose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Side Effect3/7

The Calling4/7

Ratings & consensus: Side Effect
Community sentiment: Side Effect
Longevity: The Calling
Sillage & projection: The Calling
Value for money: The Calling
Versatility: The Calling
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Side Effect

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Side EffectInitio Parfums Prives

The CallingPhuong Dang

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.35/ 5 · 9,127 votes

Have 84%Had 16%Want 0%

3.82/ 5 · 164 votes

Have 15%Had 6%Want 80%

Category winnerSide EffectRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

61%Love

23%Like

9%Ok

6%Dislike

2%Hate

8,536 votes

29%Love

38%Like

2%Ok

29%Dislike

2%Hate

55 votes

Category winnerSide EffectMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity79

〰 Sillage70

♥ Love / hate84

⏱ Longevity85

〰 Sillage78

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityThe Calling

SillageThe Calling

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value34

¤ Price value49

Category winnerThe CallingBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

tobacco88%

rum84%

cinnamon77%

woody71%

sweet67%

warm spicy100%

woody92%

sweet84%

chocolate77%

aromatic69%

tobacco61%

Scent match51%Some overlap · both warm spicy, woody and sweet

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

RumTobaccoCinnamonSaffronSandalwoodHedione

No top / heart / base split published

Top

RumLavenderPink PepperCardamomCuminGreen MangoCypress

Heart

Guaiac WoodCinnamonSaffronClary SageCarnation

Base

ChocolateTobaccoCaramelVanillaSandalwoodLabdanumMuskPapyrus

InformationalShared notesRum, Tobacco, Cinnamon and Saffron. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring29

Summer11

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring15

Summer8

Fall100

Winter62

Day55

Night100

Category winnerThe CallingMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men46

Unisex46

Women9

Men60

Unisex20

Women20

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#200

PerfumerNot listed

Launched2016

Reviews209

Overall rank#4,596

PerfumerBertrand Duchaufour

Launched—

Reviews42

Category winnerSide EffectHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Side Effect by Initio Parfums Prives is a warm, spicy fragrance that centers on a dominant, boozy rum accord blended with tobacco and cinnamon. It projects a rich, sophisticated profile ideal for cool weather and evening wear, balancing sweetness with deep woods. This unisex scent behaves like a warm embrace on the sk…

Reviews →

The Calling by Phuong Dang delivers a bold, woody spicy profile built around dark chocolate and tobacco. It features an punchy opening of rum and green mango that settles into a resinous, warm heart. Best suited for cooler evenings, this unisex scent offers a complex, unconventional experience for those who appreciate…

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Side Effect or The Calling?

The Calling takes 4 of 7 categories. Side Effect is rated 4.35/5 from 9,127 votes; The Calling is rated 3.82/5 from 164 votes. Choose Side Effect for a warm spicy and tobacco character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter. Choose The Calling for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Side Effect or The Calling?

The Calling lasts longest (The Calling 85/100, Side Effect 79/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Side Effect or The Calling?

The Calling projects furthest (The Calling 78/100, Side Effect 70/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Side Effect and The Calling smell similar?

Some overlap: a 51% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, woody and sweet accords. Common notes include Rum, Tobacco, Cinnamon and Saffron.

Is Side Effect or The Calling better for summer or winter?

For summer, Side Effect is the stronger pick. For winter, Side Effect is the stronger pick. The Calling suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Side Effect and The Calling?

Side Effect features Rum, Tobacco, Cinnamon, Saffron and Sandalwood. The Calling has top notes of Rum, Lavender, Pink Pepper and Cardamom, heart notes of Guaiac Wood, Cinnamon, Saffron and Clary Sage, a base of Chocolate, Tobacco, Caramel and Vanilla.