Fragrance comparison

Tempest vs Qessence

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 198 ratings analysed

Tempest

Kemi Blending Magic · 2014

4.35110 votes

Rank #28,047 WoodyCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

39%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Qessence

Missala

3.7988 votes

Rank #14,070 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Qessence takes 4 of 7 categories.

Tempest
Choose it for a woody and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear.
Qessence
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Tempest3/7

Qessence4/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

TempestKemi Blending Magic

QessenceMissala

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.35/ 5 · 110 votes

Have 42%Had 12%Want 46%

3.79/ 5 · 88 votes

Have 25%Had 17%Want 58%

Category winnerTempestRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

56%Love

26%Like

10%Ok

0%Dislike

8%Hate

39 votes

27%Love

50%Like

2%Ok

20%Dislike

2%Hate

66 votes

Category winnerTempestMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity82

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate81

⏱ Longevity83

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate72

Category winners

LongevityQessence

SillageQessence

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value39

¤ Price value64

Category winnerQessenceBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

citrus92%

aromatic84%

fresh spicy77%

powdery69%

oud61%

woody100%

aromatic92%

warm spicy84%

earthy77%

amber69%

rose61%

Scent match39%Some overlap · both woody and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

elemiOrangeLavenderBergamotLemonGingerPetitgrain

Heart

Gurjan balsamRoseCashmeranJasmineCedarCypriol Oil or Nagarmotha

Base

Agarwood (Oud)VetiverSandalwoodPatchouliAmberMusk

Top

ChamomileMarigoldSaffronCorianderCinnamonOrange

Heart

Damask RoseelemiYlang-YlangIrisJasmineCalamus

Base

OakmossOlibanumPatchouliAgarwood (Oud)LabdanumVirginia CedarMuskVetiver

InformationalShared noteselemi, Orange, Rose and Jasmine. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring64

Summer50

Fall86

Winter100

Day75

Night100

Spring48

Summer26

Fall100

Winter74

Day100

Night94

Category winnerTempestMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men45

Unisex36

Women18

Men10

Unisex40

Women50

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#28,047

PerfumerChris Maurice

Launched2014

Reviews0

Overall rank#14,070

PerfumerJean-Claude Astier

Launched—

Reviews9

Category winnerQessenceHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Crafted by Chris Maurice, this oriental woody scent relies on raw agarwood, resinous elemi, and sharp ginger to create a dense scent trail. Bright petitgrain and orange vanish within fifteen minutes, giving way to cashmeran and smoky vetiver. It shines in sub-zero temperatures, though the dark balsamic profile can cho…

Reviews →

Qessence is a dry, spicy rose and incense scent with an old-school oriental feel. It opens herbal and warm, then settles into a balsamic, mossy, woody base with powdery edges. It suits someone who enjoys complex, mature perfumes more than easy crowd-pleasers. The rose, resins and woods can read quite unisex, especial…

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.

Recent comparisons

Head-to-head activity from live history

Saffron AmberIlluminumRUNNER-UP vs

Septieme Sens (7e Sens)Sonia RykielWINNER

1 person compared this today

Fancy NightsJessica SimpsonRUNNER-UP vs

Nino Cerruti Pour FemmeCerrutiWINNER

3 people compared this today

Sweet DreamsHouse Of SillageWINNER vs

Safari ElixirAthoor Al AlamRUNNER-UP

1 person compared this today

PrometheuNecalliWINNER vs

Bruno ImperialAnfar LondonRUNNER-UP

1 person compared this today

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Tempest or Qessence?

Qessence takes 4 of 7 categories. Tempest is rated 4.35/5 from 110 votes; Qessence is rated 3.79/5 from 88 votes. Choose Tempest for a woody and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Qessence for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, Tempest or Qessence?

They last about the same: Qessence 83/100, Tempest 82/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Tempest or Qessence?

Qessence projects furthest (Qessence 75/100, Tempest 71/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Tempest and Qessence smell similar?

Some overlap: a 39% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and aromatic accords. Common notes include elemi, Orange, Rose and Jasmine.

Is Tempest or Qessence better for summer or winter?

For summer, Tempest is the stronger pick. For winter, Tempest is the stronger pick. Tempest suits evening wear; Qessence suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Tempest and Qessence?

Tempest has top notes of elemi, Orange, Lavender and Bergamot, heart notes of Gurjan balsam, Rose, Cashmeran and Jasmine, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Vetiver, Sandalwood and Patchouli. Qessence has top notes of Chamomile, Marigold, Saffron and Coriander, heart notes of Damask Rose, elemi, Ylang-Ylang and Iris, a base of Oakmoss, Olibanum, Patchouli and Agarwood (Oud).