Fragrance comparison

The Aoud vs Istanbul

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

Updated 28 Oct 2026 802 ratings analysed

4 wins

The Aoud

Mancera

3.89266 votes

Rank #3,511 Warm SpicyRose

Full profile Similar & dupes

46%scent match

Some overlap

Istanbul

Atelier Rebul

4.25536 votes

Rank #24,796 Warm SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

The Aoud takes 4 of 7 categories.

The Aoud
Choose it for a warm spicy and rose character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear.
Istanbul
Choose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in winter.

The Aoud4/7

Istanbul3/7

Ratings & consensus: Istanbul
Community sentiment: Istanbul
Longevity: The Aoud
Sillage & projection: The Aoud
Value for money: Istanbul
Versatility: The Aoud
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

IstanbulAtelier Rebul

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.89/ 5 · 266 votes

Have 38%Had 15%Want 47%

4.25/ 5 · 536 votes

Have 85%Had 15%Want 0%

Category winnerIstanbulRating 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

48%Love

38%Like

8%Ok

6%Dislike

1%Hate

536 votes

Category winnerIstanbulMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage74

♥ Love / hate72

⏱ Longevity66

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate81

Category winners

LongevityThe Aoud

SillageThe Aoud

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value54

¤ Price value59

Category winnerIstanbulBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

rose92%

oud84%

woody77%

fresh spicy69%

leather61%

warm spicy100%

woody83%

powdery65%

cinnamon48%

amber30%

Scent match46%Some overlap · 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

CinnamonClovesSaffronBergamot

Heart

Black OrchidVioletJasmine

Base

SandalwoodAmberCedarVanillaPatchouliAgarwood (Oud)Musk

InformationalShared notesCloves, Cinnamon, Bergamot and Saffron. 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

Spring54

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerThe AoudMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men52

Unisex42

Women6

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

Men26

Unisex59

Women14

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#3,511

PerfumerPierre Montale

Launched—

Reviews49

Overall rank#24,796

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 →

Atelier Rebul Istanbul opens with a punch of sharp cinnamon, dried cloves, and bitter bergamot that immediately grabs attention. As the initial spice settles, a velvety heart of black orchid and violet emerges, adding a dusty floral texture over a dark wood foundation. The base rests on warm amber, cedar, and patchoul…

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 Istanbul?

The Aoud takes 4 of 7 categories. The Aoud is rated 3.89/5 from 266 votes; Istanbul is rated 4.25/5 from 536 votes. Choose The Aoud for a warm spicy and rose character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Istanbul for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, The Aoud or Istanbul?

The Aoud lasts longest (The Aoud 80/100, Istanbul 66/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, The Aoud or Istanbul?

The Aoud projects furthest (The Aoud 74/100, Istanbul 59/100), based on community performance votes.

Do The Aoud and Istanbul smell similar?

Some overlap: a 46% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Cloves, Cinnamon, Bergamot and Saffron.

Is The Aoud or Istanbul better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in The Aoud and Istanbul?

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. Istanbul has top notes of Cinnamon, Cloves, Saffron and Bergamot, heart notes of Black Orchid, Violet and Jasmine, a base of Sandalwood, Amber, Cedar and Vanilla.