Fragrance comparison

The Longing vs Niswah

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

Updated 10 Oct 2026 123 ratings analysed

3 wins

The Longing

House of Matriarch

3.72108 votes

Rank #33,347 FloralFruity

Full profile Similar & dupes

47%scent match

Some overlap

Niswah

Ahmed Al Maghribi

3.0715 votes

Rank #22,236 FruitySweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

The Longing takes 3 of 5 categories.

The Longing
Choose it for a floral and fruity character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.
Niswah
Choose it for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear.

The Longing3/5

Niswah2/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

The LongingHouse of Matriarch

NiswahAhmed Al Maghribi

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.72/ 5 · 108 votes

Have 76%Had 24%Want 0%

3.07/ 5 · 15 votes

Have 12%Had 2%Want 86%

Category winnerThe LongingRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

39%Love

28%Like

3%Ok

28%Dislike

3%Hate

108 votes

47%Love

0%Like

7%Ok

7%Dislike

40%Hate

15 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity81

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate68

⏱ Longevity52

〰 Sillage53

♥ Love / hate52

Category winners

LongevityThe Longing

SillageThe Longing

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value25

¤ Price value78

Category winnerNiswahBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

floral100%

fruity92%

white floral84%

amber77%

sweet69%

vanilla61%

fruity100%

sweet92%

amber84%

woody77%

warm spicy69%

floral61%

Scent match47%Some overlap · both fruity, floral and amber

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

PlumButterAgarwood (Oud)JasmineBoronia

Heart3-4 hrs

OsmanthusHoneyGardeniaVanilla OrchidOrange Blossom

Base8-12 hrs

BenzoinSandalwoodVanillaLeatherAmberAmbrette (Musk Mallow)

Top

RaspberryPeonyApplePearBlack CurrantSaffronRed BerriesPink Pepper

Heart

CinnamonFrangipaniCoconutRoseFireGardeniaJasmineNutmeg

Base

AmbroxanTobaccoVanillaOudWhite MuskPatchouliCashmeranBenzoin

InformationalShared notesJasmine, Gardenia, Benzoin and Vanilla. Durations are only published for The Longing, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring47

Summer26

Fall91

Winter100

Day50

Night100

Spring75

Summer100

Fall38

Winter25

Day100

Night33

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men29

Unisex14

Women57

Date 45%Party 28%Casual 16%Work 11%

Men55

Unisex9

Women36

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#33,347

PerfumerChristi Meshell

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#22,236

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews10

Category winnerNiswahHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

The Longing by House of Matriarch is a dense, unapologetic dark gourmand. It opens with rich salted butter melting over stewed purple plum and a sharp kick of raw agarwood. Do not overspray this. Within twenty minutes, the initial shock softens into honeyed orange blossom, thick vanilla orchid, and golden amber resins…

Reviews →

Niswah opens with a bright rush of pear, berries and saffron, then settles into a floral oud wrapped in caramel, vanilla and amber woods. It reads rich, sweet and intentionally dramatic. This is the kind of scent that may suit shoppers who enjoy bold Middle Eastern gourmands with a fruity top and a smoky, woody base. …

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 Longing or Niswah?

The Longing takes 3 of 5 categories. The Longing is rated 3.72/5 from 108 votes; Niswah is rated 3.07/5 from 15 votes. Choose The Longing for a floral and fruity character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Niswah for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, The Longing or Niswah?

The Longing lasts longest (The Longing 81/100, Niswah 52/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, The Longing or Niswah?

The Longing projects furthest (The Longing 64/100, Niswah 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Do The Longing and Niswah smell similar?

Some overlap: a 47% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fruity, floral and amber accords. Common notes include Jasmine, Gardenia, Benzoin and Vanilla.

Is The Longing or Niswah better for summer or winter?

The Longing suits evening wear; Niswah suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in The Longing and Niswah?

The Longing has top notes of Plum, Butter, Agarwood (Oud) and Jasmine, heart notes of Osmanthus, Honey, Gardenia and Vanilla Orchid, a base of Benzoin, Sandalwood, Vanilla and Leather. Niswah has top notes of Raspberry, Peony, Apple and Pear, heart notes of Cinnamon, Frangipani, Coconut and Rose, a base of Ambroxan, Tobacco, Vanilla and Oud.