Fragrance comparison

The Perfect Smoking vs Targa

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 131 ratings analysed

4 wins

The Perfect Smoking

Zara

4.4740 votes

Rank #14,988 WoodyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

61%scent match

Closely related

Targa

Blackbird

3.9391 votes

Rank #9,892 WoodyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

The Perfect Smoking takes 4 of 7 categories.

The Perfect Smoking
Choose it for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Targa
Choose it for a woody and amber character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

The Perfect Smoking4/7

Targa3/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

The Perfect SmokingZara

TargaBlackbird

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.47/ 5 · 40 votes

Have 42%Had 9%Want 49%

3.93/ 5 · 91 votes

Have 32%Had 8%Want 60%

Category winnerThe Perfect SmokingRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

55%Love

40%Like

3%Ok

3%Dislike

0%Hate

40 votes

41%Love

33%Like

7%Ok

19%Dislike

1%Hate

91 votes

Category winnerThe Perfect SmokingMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity55

〰 Sillage56

♥ Love / hate87

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage60

♥ Love / hate73

Category winners

LongevityTarga

SillageTarga

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value86

¤ Price value49

Category winnerThe Perfect SmokingBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

warm spicy90%

fresh spicy80%

amber70%

smoky60%

balsamic50%

woody100%

amber90%

balsamic80%

fresh spicy70%

aromatic60%

warm spicy50%

Scent match61%Closely related · both woody, amber and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Black PepperBergamotNutmeg

Heart

IncenseSaffronStar AniseJasmine

Base

SandalwoodVetiverCedar

Top

Green Bell PepperOpoponaxOlibanumCarawayBergamotGeraniumCitruses

Heart

ResinsCypriol Oil or NagarmothaChoya LobanBlack PepperNutmeg

Base

IncenseGuaiac WoodOakAgarwood (Oud)Teak WoodCedarSandalwoodMyrrh

InformationalShared notesBlack Pepper, Bergamot, Nutmeg and Incense. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring86

Summer18

Fall100

Winter59

Day100

Night88

Spring17

Summer12

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerThe Perfect SmokingMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men67

Unisex33

Women0

Men50

Unisex50

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#14,988

PerfumerMarine Ipert

Launched—

Reviews10

Overall rank#9,892

PerfumerAaron Way

Launched—

Reviews27

Category winnerTargaHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

The Perfect Smoking by Zara delivers a surprisingly dry, peppery wood profile that punches above its price point. It centers around a transparent cedar and incense backbone, offering a clean yet smoky wear for casual fall days.

Reviews →

Blackbird Targa opens with an intense blast of choya loban, green bell pepper, and burning cedar that smells like fresh asphalt beside a winter campfire. Omani frankincense and opoponax add a dry resinous backbone, while caraway and black pepper spark a sharp, prickling heat across the opening. As the acrid top settle…

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, The Perfect Smoking or Targa?

The Perfect Smoking takes 4 of 7 categories. The Perfect Smoking is rated 4.47/5 from 40 votes; Targa is rated 3.93/5 from 91 votes. Choose The Perfect Smoking for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Targa for a woody and amber character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, The Perfect Smoking or Targa?

Targa lasts longest (Targa 72/100, The Perfect Smoking 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, The Perfect Smoking or Targa?

Targa projects furthest (Targa 60/100, The Perfect Smoking 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Do The Perfect Smoking and Targa smell similar?

Closely related: a 61% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, amber and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Black Pepper, Bergamot, Nutmeg and Incense.

Is The Perfect Smoking or Targa better for summer or winter?

For summer, The Perfect Smoking is the stronger pick. For winter, Targa is the stronger pick. The Perfect Smoking suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in The Perfect Smoking and Targa?

The Perfect Smoking has top notes of Black Pepper, Bergamot and Nutmeg, heart notes of Incense, Saffron, Star Anise and Jasmine, a base of Sandalwood, Vetiver and Cedar. Targa has top notes of Green Bell Pepper, Opoponax, Olibanum and Caraway, heart notes of Resins, Cypriol Oil or Nagarmotha, Choya Loban and Black Pepper, a base of Incense, Guaiac Wood, Oak and Agarwood (Oud).