Fragrance comparison

Smoking Rose vs Makalu

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

Updated 20 Oct 2026 18 ratings analysed

3 wins

Smoking Rose

Sanae Intoxicants

4.254 votes

Rank #42,505 RoseBalsamic

Full profile Similar & dupes

39%scent match

Some overlap

Makalu

Alchimista

4.0014 votes

Rank #49,352 WoodyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Smoking Rose takes 3 of 4 categories.

Smoking Rose
Choose it for a rose and balsamic character. Wins on longevity, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, evening wear.
Makalu
Choose it for a woody and amber character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.

Smoking Rose3/4

Makalu1/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Smoking Rose
Sillage & projection: Makalu
Value for money: Smoking Rose
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Smoking Rose

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Smoking RoseSanae Intoxicants

MakaluAlchimista

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.25/ 5 · 4 votes

Have 25%Had 6%Want 69%

4.00/ 5 · 14 votes

Have 25%Had 11%Want 64%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

50%Love

25%Like

25%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

4 votes · too few to score

43%Love

29%Like

14%Ok

14%Dislike

0%Hate

14 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate81

⏱ Longevity64

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevitySmoking Rose

SillageMakalu

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value75

¤ Price value44

Category winnerSmoking RoseBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

rose100%

balsamic92%

lavender84%

woody77%

aromatic69%

amber61%

woody100%

amber92%

balsamic84%

smoky77%

leather69%

warm spicy61%

Scent match39%Some overlap · both woody, balsamic and amber

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

RosePeru BalsamLavenderGrassSandalwoodGeranium

No top / heart / base split published

Top

Peru BalsamMimosaGeraniumRoseAgarwood (Oud)ChamomileLeather

Heart

IncenseClovesJasmineYlang-YlangIrisOrange BlossomAmber

Base

BirchCedarGuaiac WoodBrown sugarSandalwoodTonka BeanPatchouli

InformationalShared notesRose, Peru Balsam, Sandalwood and Geranium. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring50

Summer100

Fall50

Winter50

Day–

Night100

Spring50

Summer25

Fall63

Winter100

Day89

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex50

Women50

Men25

Unisex75

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#42,505

PerfumerSanae Barber

Launched—

Reviews1

Overall rank#49,352

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerSmoking RoseHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Smoking Rose by Sanae Intoxicants pairs dense jammy rose with sweet smoke and warm Peru balsam. Sanae Barber created this natural floral woody musk perfume in 2010. The fragrance opens with a rich burgundy rose pushed by crisp lavender and crushed grass. As it warms on skin, the floral heart settles into smooth sandal…

Reviews →

Makalu by Alchimista is a resinous, smoky floral woody scent with a soft leather edge. It opens balsamic and slightly sweet, then turns incense-led with jasmine, orange blossom and a warm amber glow. The dry-down leans woody and musky, with birch smoke, sandalwood and a hint of brown sugar and tonka that keeps it cosy…

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, Smoking Rose or Makalu?

Smoking Rose takes 3 of 4 categories. Smoking Rose is rated 4.25/5 from 4 votes; Makalu is rated 4.00/5 from 14 votes. Choose Smoking Rose for a rose and balsamic character. Wins on longevity, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, evening wear. Choose Makalu for a woody and amber character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Smoking Rose or Makalu?

Smoking Rose lasts longest (Smoking Rose 80/100, Makalu 64/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Smoking Rose or Makalu?

Makalu projects furthest (Makalu 64/100, Smoking Rose 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Smoking Rose and Makalu smell similar?

Some overlap: a 39% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, balsamic and amber accords. Common notes include Rose, Peru Balsam, Sandalwood and Geranium.

Is Smoking Rose or Makalu better for summer or winter?

Smoking Rose suits evening wear; Makalu suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Smoking Rose and Makalu?

Smoking Rose features Rose, Peru Balsam, Lavender, Grass and Sandalwood. Makalu has top notes of Peru Balsam, Mimosa, Geranium and Rose, heart notes of Incense, Cloves, Jasmine and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Birch, Cedar, Guaiac Wood and Brown sugar.