Fragrance comparison

The Aoud vs Acqua di Nabeel Absolute

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

Updated 29 Oct 2026 280 ratings analysed

4 wins

The Aoud

Mancera

3.89266 votes

Rank #3,511 Warm SpicyRose

Full profile Similar & dupes

22%scent match

Clearly different

Acqua di Nabeel Absolute

Nabeel

3.9314 votes

Rank #47,876 SweetCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

The Aoud takes 4 of 5 categories.

The Aoud
Choose it for a warm spicy and rose character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.
Acqua di Nabeel Absolute
Choose it for a sweet and citrus character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

The Aoud4/5

Acqua di Nabeel Absolute1/5

Ratings & consensus: The Aoud
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: The Aoud
Sillage & projection: The Aoud
Value for money: Acqua di Nabeel Absolute
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: The Aoud

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

The AoudMancera

Acqua di Nabeel AbsoluteNabeel

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.89/ 5 · 266 votes

Have 38%Had 15%Want 47%

3.93/ 5 · 14 votes

Have 62%Had 4%Want 35%

Category winnerThe AoudRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

41%Love

32%Like

5%Ok

19%Dislike

3%Hate

266 votes

43%Love

21%Like

21%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

〰 Sillage74

♥ Love / hate72

⏱ Longevity66

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate73

Category winners

LongevityThe Aoud

SillageThe Aoud

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value54

¤ Price value81

Category winnerAcqua di Nabeel AbsoluteBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

rose92%

oud84%

woody77%

fresh spicy69%

leather61%

sweet100%

citrus92%

white floral84%

warm spicy77%

aromatic69%

woody61%

Scent match22%Clearly different · both warm spicy and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

ClovesCinnamonWhite PepperBergamot

Heart2-4 hrs

RoseSaffronGeranium

Base8-12+ hrs

Agarwood (Oud)LeatherWoody NotesSandalwoodCedarWhite Musk

Top

Star AniseIncenseWhite FlowersSweet OrangeGrapefruitSea NotesLemonRose

Heart

Sweet NotesNeroliCoconutJasmineOudLily of the ValleySandalwoodHeliotrope

Base

MuskGuaiac WoodBenzoinOakmossVetiverCedarAmberSpun Sugar

InformationalShared notesRose, Sandalwood and Cedar. Durations are only published for The Aoud, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring48

Summer22

Fall0

Winter100

Day37

Night100

Spring70

Summer60

Fall100

Winter70

Day88

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men52

Unisex42

Women6

Date 39%Party 33%Casual 17%Work 11%

Men29

Unisex64

Women7

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#3,511

PerfumerPierre Montale

Launched—

Reviews49

Overall rank#47,876

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerThe AoudHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Do not overspray this. Mancera The Aoud opens with an aggressive blast of medicinal agarwood, biting cloves, and sharp cinnamon that commands immediate attention. A quick flash of bergamot tries to cut through the spice, but the composition pivots swiftly into a dark, thorny rose wrapped in dry saffron. As the fragran…

Reviews →

Acqua di Nabeel Absolute by Nabeel is a dense oriental spicy fragrance that pairs a sharp citrus opening with warm spices. Star anise, grapefruit, and a dry incense lead into a deep heart of leather and sweet notes before settling on a heavy base of oud and vanilla. It is best suited for cold autumn evenings.

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, The Aoud or Acqua di Nabeel Absolute?

The Aoud takes 4 of 5 categories. The Aoud is rated 3.89/5 from 266 votes; Acqua di Nabeel Absolute is rated 3.93/5 from 14 votes. Choose The Aoud for a warm spicy and rose character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Acqua di Nabeel Absolute for a sweet and citrus character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, The Aoud or Acqua di Nabeel Absolute?

The Aoud lasts longest (The Aoud 80/100, Acqua di Nabeel Absolute 66/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, The Aoud or Acqua di Nabeel Absolute?

The Aoud projects furthest (The Aoud 74/100, Acqua di Nabeel Absolute 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Do The Aoud and Acqua di Nabeel Absolute smell similar?

Clearly different: a 22% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Rose, Sandalwood and Cedar.

Is The Aoud or Acqua di Nabeel Absolute better for summer or winter?

The Aoud suits evening wear; Acqua di Nabeel Absolute suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in The Aoud and Acqua di Nabeel Absolute?

The Aoud has top notes of Cloves, Cinnamon, White Pepper and Bergamot, heart notes of Rose, Saffron and Geranium, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Leather, Woody Notes and Sandalwood. Acqua di Nabeel Absolute has top notes of Star Anise, Incense, White Flowers and Sweet Orange, heart notes of Sweet Notes, Neroli, Coconut and Jasmine, a base of Musk, Guaiac Wood, Benzoin and Oakmoss.