Fragrance comparison

The Opening vs Cirrus

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

Updated 10 Oct 2026 68 ratings analysed

4 wins

The Opening

NEH

3.6043 votes

Rank #18,408 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

43%scent match

Some overlap

Cirrus

Soma Parfums

3.8025 votes

Rank #35,743 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

The Opening takes 4 of 7 categories.

The Opening
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, value for money and versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Cirrus
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear.

The Opening4/7

Cirrus3/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

The OpeningNEH

CirrusSoma Parfums

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.60/ 5 · 43 votes

Have 43%Had 9%Want 48%

3.80/ 5 · 25 votes

Have 33%Had 13%Want 54%

Category winnerCirrusRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

35%Love

23%Like

19%Ok

14%Dislike

9%Hate

43 votes

44%Love

24%Like

12%Ok

8%Dislike

12%Hate

25 votes

Category winnerCirrusMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage51

♥ Love / hate65

⏱ Longevity66

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate70

Category winners

LongevityThe Opening

SillageCirrus

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value47

¤ Price value45

Category winnerThe OpeningBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

aromatic88%

warm spicy77%

powdery65%

balsamic53%

soft spicy42%

aromatic100%

woody92%

iris84%

lavender77%

musky69%

earthy61%

Scent match43%Some overlap · both woody and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

elemiPink PepperCardamom

Heart

LavenderVioletOrris

Base

SandalwoodCedarwoodVetiverPapyrusGaiacSage

Top

LavenderBlack CurrantSageBergamotCardamom

Heart

OrrisPink PepperPatchouli

Base

MuskVetiverAmberVanilla

InformationalShared notesPink Pepper, Cardamom, Lavender and Orris. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring87

Summer67

Fall100

Winter100

Day100

Night86

Spring100

Summer100

Fall89

Winter22

Day100

Night50

Category winnerThe OpeningMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men34

Unisex50

Women16

Men75

Unisex25

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#18,408

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews6

Overall rank#35,743

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews4

Category winnerThe OpeningHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

The Opening by NEH is a woody aromatic fragrance built around cardamom, violet, and dry cedarwood. It opens with a crisp pop of pink pepper and resinous elemi before settling into a cool, powdery heart of orris. Suited for crisp autumn mornings, professional office wear, and quiet evenings, it stays close to the skin …

Reviews →

Cirrus by Soma Parfums combines crisp bergamot and herbaceous lavender with a dark slice of black currant in the opening. As it sits on skin, powdery orris and pink pepper bring a clean, soapy texture before drying down into warm musk, vetiver, and subtle vanilla. It suits cool spring mornings and professional office …

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 Opening or Cirrus?

The Opening takes 4 of 7 categories. The Opening is rated 3.60/5 from 43 votes; Cirrus is rated 3.80/5 from 25 votes. Choose The Opening for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, value for money and versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Cirrus for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, The Opening or Cirrus?

They last about the same: The Opening 67/100, Cirrus 66/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, The Opening or Cirrus?

Cirrus projects furthest (Cirrus 55/100, The Opening 51/100), based on community performance votes.

Do The Opening and Cirrus smell similar?

Some overlap: a 43% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and aromatic accords. Common notes include Pink Pepper, Cardamom, Lavender and Orris.

Is The Opening or Cirrus better for summer or winter?

For summer, Cirrus is the stronger pick. For winter, The Opening is the stronger pick. The Opening suits daytime wear; Cirrus suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in The Opening and Cirrus?

The Opening has top notes of elemi, Pink Pepper and Cardamom, heart notes of Lavender, Violet and Orris, a base of Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Vetiver and Papyrus. Cirrus has top notes of Lavender, Black Currant, Sage and Bergamot, heart notes of Orris, Pink Pepper and Patchouli, a base of Musk, Vetiver, Amber and Vanilla.