Fragrance comparison

The Opening vs Umbra Oud

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

Updated 10 Oct 2026 177 ratings analysed

The Opening

NEH

3.6043 votes

Rank #18,408 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

47%scent match

Some overlap

6 wins

Umbra Oud

Anomalia Paris

3.71134 votes

Rank #4,897 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Umbra Oud takes 6 of 7 categories.

The Opening
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Umbra Oud
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, evening wear.

The Opening1/7

Umbra Oud6/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

The OpeningNEH

Umbra OudAnomalia Paris

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.60/ 5 · 43 votes

Have 43%Had 9%Want 48%

3.71/ 5 · 134 votes

Have 27%Had 1%Want 72%

Category winnerUmbra OudRating 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

40%Love

29%Like

10%Ok

4%Dislike

17%Hate

48 votes

Category winnerUmbra OudMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage51

♥ Love / hate65

⏱ Longevity89

〰 Sillage81

♥ Love / hate72

Category winners

LongevityUmbra Oud

SillageUmbra Oud

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value47

¤ Price value54

Category winnerUmbra OudBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

aromatic88%

warm spicy77%

powdery65%

balsamic53%

soft spicy42%

woody100%

aromatic92%

amber84%

oud77%

rose69%

warm spicy61%

Scent match47%Some overlap · both woody, aromatic and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

elemiPink PepperCardamom

Heart

LavenderVioletOrris

Base

SandalwoodCedarwoodVetiverPapyrusGaiacSage

Top

RoseelemiCardamom

Heart

Laotian OudWhite LeatherAmbergris

Base

FrankincenseVetiverCedarwood

InformationalShared noteselemi, Cardamom, Cedarwood and Vetiver. 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

Spring27

Summer9

Fall100

Winter91

Day50

Night100

Category winnerThe OpeningMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men34

Unisex50

Women16

Men47

Unisex50

Women3

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#18,408

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews6

Overall rank#4,897

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews40

Category winnerUmbra OudHigher 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 →

Umbra Oud is a bold rose, leather, and oud fragrance with a soft spicy opening and a smoky resinous base. Wearers describe it as polished and intense, with cardamom, rose, Laotian oud, white leather, incense, vetiver, and cedarwood giving it a dark but refined shape. It suits people who like strong oud scents with ele…

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 Umbra Oud?

Umbra Oud takes 6 of 7 categories. The Opening is rated 3.60/5 from 43 votes; Umbra Oud is rated 3.71/5 from 134 votes. Choose The Opening for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Umbra Oud for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, The Opening or Umbra Oud?

Umbra Oud lasts longest (Umbra Oud 89/100, The Opening 67/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, The Opening or Umbra Oud?

Umbra Oud projects furthest (Umbra Oud 81/100, The Opening 51/100), based on community performance votes.

Do The Opening and Umbra Oud smell similar?

Some overlap: a 47% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, aromatic and warm spicy accords. Common notes include elemi, Cardamom, Cedarwood and Vetiver.

Is The Opening or Umbra Oud better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in The Opening and Umbra Oud?

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. Umbra Oud has top notes of Rose, elemi and Cardamom, heart notes of Laotian Oud, White Leather and Ambergris, a base of Frankincense, Vetiver and Cedarwood.