Fragrance comparison

The Smart Set vs Qahwa

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 106 ratings analysed

6 wins

The Smart Set

M.INT

3.9470 votes

Rank #16,654 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

64%scent match

Closely related

Qahwa

Rasei Fort

3.8036 votes

Rank #24,143 Warm SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

The Smart Set takes 6 of 7 categories.

The Smart Set
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Qahwa
Choose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on longevity. Best in fall, day or night wear.

The Smart Set6/7

Qahwa1/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

The Smart SetM.INT

QahwaRasei Fort

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.94/ 5 · 70 votes

Have 30%Had 16%Want 54%

3.80/ 5 · 36 votes

Have 35%Had 11%Want 55%

Category winnerThe Smart SetRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

36%Love

39%Like

11%Ok

13%Dislike

1%Hate

70 votes

34%Love

28%Like

21%Ok

7%Dislike

10%Hate

29 votes

Category winnerThe Smart SetMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity69

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate69

Category winners

LongevityQahwa

SillageThe Smart Set

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value47

¤ Price value39

Category winnerThe Smart SetBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

aromatic90%

warm spicy80%

citrus70%

fresh spicy60%

earthy50%

warm spicy100%

woody92%

amber84%

fresh spicy77%

aromatic69%

citrus61%

Scent match64%Closely related · both woody, warm spicy and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

PepperGrapefruitBergamot

Heart

CedarClovesPlum

Base

VetiverPatchouliCoffee

Notes

BirchCoffeeCardamomAgarwood (Oud)LabdanumClovesOrangeSandalwoodPepperFrankincenseVetiverBergamot

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesPepper, Bergamot, Cloves 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

Spring77

Summer50

Fall100

Winter45

Day100

Night63

Spring62

Summer23

Fall100

Winter77

Day100

Night100

Category winnerThe Smart SetMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men33

Unisex63

Women4

Men47

Unisex47

Women7

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#16,654

PerfumerNathalie Lorson

Launched—

Reviews7

Overall rank#24,143

PerfumerRasei Fort

Launched—

Reviews6

Category winnerThe Smart SetHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

M.INT's The Smart Set opens with a sharp burst of pink pepper, crushed grapefruit peel, and bergamot before settling into crisp cedar needles and juicy plum. Formulated by Nathalie Lorson in 2016, this unisex scent anchors its fruity spice on damp vetiver, earthy patchouli, and roasted coffee beans. It wears clean for…

Reviews →

Rasei Fort Qahwa is a spicy, woody composition designed for those who enjoy the ritual of coffee. Inspired by traditional Arab hospitality, it blends natural cardamom and pepper with a rich coffee tincture, dried fruits, and a base of Thai oud. This unisex fragrance wears well in autumn and winter, offering a warm and…

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 Smart Set or Qahwa?

The Smart Set takes 6 of 7 categories. The Smart Set is rated 3.94/5 from 70 votes; Qahwa is rated 3.80/5 from 36 votes. Choose The Smart Set for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Qahwa for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on longevity. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, The Smart Set or Qahwa?

They last about the same: Qahwa 71/100, The Smart Set 69/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, The Smart Set or Qahwa?

Projection is very close: The Smart Set 65/100, Qahwa 64/100 for sillage.

Do The Smart Set and Qahwa smell similar?

Closely related: a 64% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, warm spicy and aromatic accords. Common notes include Pepper, Bergamot, Cloves and Vetiver.

Is The Smart Set or Qahwa better for summer or winter?

For summer, The Smart Set is the stronger pick. For winter, Qahwa is the stronger pick. The Smart Set suits daytime wear; Qahwa suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in The Smart Set and Qahwa?

The Smart Set has top notes of Pepper, Grapefruit and Bergamot, heart notes of Cedar, Cloves and Plum, a base of Vetiver, Patchouli and Coffee. Qahwa features Birch, Coffee, Cardamom, Agarwood (Oud) and Labdanum.