Fragrance comparison

Side Effect vs The King

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

Updated 8 Nov 2026 9,182 ratings analysed

Side Effect

Initio Parfums Prives · 2016

4.359,127 votes

Rank #200 Warm SpicyTobacco

Full profile Similar & dupes

43%scent match

Some overlap

5 wins

The King

Boadicea the Victorious

4.5155 votes

Rank #7,713 Warm SpicySweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

The King takes 5 of 7 categories.

Side Effect
Choose it for a warm spicy and tobacco character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
The King
Choose it for a warm spicy and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, daytime wear.

Side Effect2/7

The King5/7

Ratings & consensus: The King
Community sentiment: The King
Longevity: The King
Sillage & projection: Side Effect
Value for money: The King
Versatility: The King
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 KingBoadicea the Victorious

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.35/ 5 · 9,127 votes

Have 84%Had 16%Want 0%

4.51/ 5 · 55 votes

Have 33%Had 10%Want 57%

Category winnerThe KingRating 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

64%Love

24%Like

13%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

55 votes

Category winnerThe KingMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity79

〰 Sillage70

♥ Love / hate84

⏱ Longevity81

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate88

Category winners

LongevityThe King

SillageSide Effect

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value34

¤ Price value36

Category winnerThe KingBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

tobacco88%

rum84%

cinnamon77%

woody71%

sweet67%

warm spicy100%

sweet91%

leather83%

tobacco74%

amber65%

smoky56%

Scent match43%Some overlap · both warm spicy, tobacco 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

PlumSaffronRumCinnamonCardamomCloves

Heart

ImmortelleRoseGeraniumHeliotrope

Base

TobaccoIncenseLeatherVanillaLabdanumCastoreumOakmossPatchouli

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–

Spring67

Summer12

Fall97

Winter100

Day100

Night–

Category winnerThe KingMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men46

Unisex46

Women9

Men67

Unisex28

Women5

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#200

PerfumerNot listed

Launched2016

Reviews209

Overall rank#7,713

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews15

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 King by Boadicea the Victorious hits skin with an intense surge of dark plum, saffron, and spiced rum. Cinnamon and cardamom sharpen the rich fruit, giving the opening a sharp bite of dry spice that cuts through crisp winter air. The plum feels stewed and dark rather than fresh or sugary. As the scent settles, de…

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 King?

The King takes 5 of 7 categories. Side Effect is rated 4.35/5 from 9,127 votes; The King is rated 4.51/5 from 55 votes. Choose Side Effect for a warm spicy and tobacco character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter. Choose The King for a warm spicy and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Side Effect or The King?

They last about the same: The King 81/100, Side Effect 79/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Side Effect or The King?

Projection is very close: Side Effect 70/100, The King 68/100 for sillage.

Do Side Effect and The King smell similar?

Some overlap: a 43% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, tobacco and sweet accords. Common notes include Rum, Tobacco, Cinnamon and Saffron.

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

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

What are the notes in Side Effect and The King?

Side Effect features Rum, Tobacco, Cinnamon, Saffron and Sandalwood. The King has top notes of Plum, Saffron, Rum and Cinnamon, heart notes of Immortelle, Rose, Geranium and Heliotrope, a base of Tobacco, Incense, Leather and Vanilla.