Fragrance comparison

True Red vs Al Batal

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 119 ratings analysed

True Red

Marks & Spencer

4.1494 votes

Rank #13,011 SweetMusky

Full profile Similar & dupes

17%scent match

Clearly different

5 wins

Al Batal

Ard Al Zaafaran

4.6825 votes

Rank #19,810 Warm SpicyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Al Batal takes 5 of 7 categories.

True Red
Choose it for a sweet and musky character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.
Al Batal
Choose it for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.

True Red1/7

Al Batal5/7

Ratings & consensus: Al Batal
Community sentiment: Al Batal
Longevity: Al Batal
Sillage & projection: Tie
Value for money: Al Batal
Versatility: Al Batal
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: True Red

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

True RedMarks & Spencer

Al BatalArd Al Zaafaran

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.14/ 5 · 94 votes

Have 31%Had 34%Want 35%

4.68/ 5 · 25 votes

Have 45%Had 1%Want 54%

Category winnerAl BatalRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

43%Love

41%Like

3%Ok

13%Dislike

0%Hate

94 votes

76%Love

20%Like

0%Ok

4%Dislike

0%Hate

25 votes

Category winnerAl BatalMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity65

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate78

⏱ Longevity76

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate92

Category winners

LongevityAl Batal

SillageTie

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value80

¤ Price value90

Category winnerAl BatalBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

sweet100%

musky92%

fruity84%

patchouli77%

citrus69%

woody61%

warm spicy100%

amber92%

aromatic84%

smoky77%

balsamic69%

woody61%

Scent match17%Clearly different · both woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20 to 30 minutes

PineappleOrange

Heart2 to 3 hours

SageJasmine

Base3 to 5 hours

PatchouliMusk

Top

CardamomPineapple

Heart

IncenseSageVanille

Base

PatchouliSandalwoodTonka Bean

InformationalShared notesPineapple, Sage and Patchouli. Durations are only published for True Red, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring36

Summer19

Fall64

Winter100

Day69

Night100

Spring50

Summer11

Fall83

Winter100

Day41

Night100

Category winnerAl BatalMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men7

Unisex14

Women79

Men94

Unisex6

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#13,011

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews18

Overall rank#19,810

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews6

Category winnerTrue RedHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

True Red by Marks & Spencer is a chypre floral fragrance for women that balances vibrant fruit with a deeper earthy finish. It opens with a bright splash of juicy orange and tart pineapple, giving the introduction a lively citrus and tropical energy. As the fruit softens, the scent reveals an aromatic heart where clea…

Reviews →

Al Batal by Ard Al Zaafaran opens with sharp cardamom and sweet pineapple before settling into a warm core of incense, sage, and vanilla. Anchored by patchouli, sandalwood, and tonka bean, this amber spicy fragrance projects strongly in cold autumn air. It suits casual evening wear for men seeking an affordable altern…

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, True Red or Al Batal?

Al Batal takes 5 of 7 categories. True Red is rated 4.14/5 from 94 votes; Al Batal is rated 4.68/5 from 25 votes. Choose True Red for a sweet and musky character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Al Batal for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, True Red or Al Batal?

Al Batal lasts longest (Al Batal 76/100, True Red 65/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, True Red or Al Batal?

Projection is very close: True Red 67/100, Al Batal 67/100 for sillage.

Do True Red and Al Batal smell similar?

Clearly different: a 17% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody accords. Common notes include Pineapple, Sage and Patchouli.

Is True Red or Al Batal better for summer or winter?

For summer, True Red is the stronger pick. For winter, True Red is the stronger pick. True Red suits evening wear; Al Batal suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in True Red and Al Batal?

True Red has top notes of Pineapple and Orange, heart notes of Sage and Jasmine, a base of Patchouli and Musk. Al Batal has top notes of Cardamom and Pineapple, heart notes of Incense, Sage and Vanille, a base of Patchouli, Sandalwood and Tonka Bean.