Fragrance comparison

The White vs Diwan

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

Updated 20 Oct 2026 108 ratings analysed

The White

The Sum

3.7633 votes

Rank #21,756 IrisPowdery

Full profile Similar & dupes

20%scent match

Clearly different

5 wins

Diwan

The Spirit of Dubai

4.5275 votes

Rank #24,792 AmberSmoky

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Diwan takes 5 of 7 categories.

The White
Choose it for a iris and powdery character. Wins on versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Diwan
Choose it for a amber and smoky character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

The White2/7

Diwan5/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

The WhiteThe Sum

DiwanThe Spirit of Dubai

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.76/ 5 · 33 votes

Have 12%Had 6%Want 82%

4.52/ 5 · 75 votes

Have 21%Had 4%Want 74%

Category winnerDiwanRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

39%Love

30%Like

0%Ok

27%Dislike

3%Hate

33 votes

73%Love

12%Like

9%Ok

4%Dislike

1%Hate

75 votes

Category winnerDiwanMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity63

〰 Sillage52

♥ Love / hate69

⏱ Longevity88

〰 Sillage80

♥ Love / hate88

Category winners

LongevityDiwan

SillageDiwan

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value25

¤ Price value28

Category winnerDiwanBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

iris100%

powdery86%

woody72%

violet58%

smoky44%

earthy30%

amber100%

smoky92%

fruity84%

woody77%

rose69%

oud61%

Scent match20%Clearly different · both woody and smoky

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

IrisSmokeWoody Notes

No top / heart / base split published

Top

Agarwood (Oud)IncenseSmokeRoseDewberryRaspberryAnimal notesStrawberry

Heart

Taif RoseAmberCoffeeEarthy NotesPowdery NotesGeraniumRhubarbFloral Notes

Base

Indian OudWoody NotesLeatherOlibanumGurjan balsamGuaiac WoodCastoreumMyrhh

InformationalShared notesSmoke and Woody Notes. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer67

Fall83

Winter75

Day100

Night36

Spring84

Summer53

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerThe WhiteMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex50

Women50

Men51

Unisex40

Women9

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#21,756

PerfumerJosh Meyer

Launched—

Reviews8

Overall rank#24,792

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerThe WhiteHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

The White by The Sum pairs crisp iris root with a pale cloud of white smoke and dry woods. Crafted by perfumer Josh Meyer, it feels clean, quiet, and minimalist on skin. It shines in cool spring mornings or quiet office settings, offering a tranquil aura without heavy amber sweetness or dense spice.

Reviews →

Diwan by The Spirit of Dubai hits skin with heavy incense, dark smoke, and raw Indian oud. Sweet dewberry and ripe plum soften the opening bite before Taif rose and roasted coffee settle into thick amber and castoreum. Built for freezing winter nights, it leaves a dense trail of leather and resins that clings to coats…

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 White or Diwan?

Diwan takes 5 of 7 categories. The White is rated 3.76/5 from 33 votes; Diwan is rated 4.52/5 from 75 votes. Choose The White for a iris and powdery character. Wins on versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Diwan for a amber and smoky character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, The White or Diwan?

Diwan lasts longest (Diwan 88/100, The White 63/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, The White or Diwan?

Diwan projects furthest (Diwan 80/100, The White 52/100), based on community performance votes.

Do The White and Diwan smell similar?

Clearly different: a 20% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and smoky accords. Common notes include Smoke and Woody Notes.

Is The White or Diwan better for summer or winter?

For summer, The White is the stronger pick. For winter, Diwan is the stronger pick. The White suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in The White and Diwan?

The White features Iris, Smoke and Woody Notes. Diwan has top notes of Agarwood (Oud), Incense, Smoke and Rose, heart notes of Taif Rose, Amber, Coffee and Earthy Notes, a base of Indian Oud, Woody Notes, Leather and Olibanum.