Fragrance comparison

True Red vs Taro

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 184 ratings analysed

6 wins

True Red

Marks & Spencer

4.1494 votes

Rank #13,011 SweetMusky

Full profile Similar & dupes

42%scent match

Some overlap

Taro

Botanicae

4.0290 votes

Rank #13,471 Warm SpicyFruity

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

True Red takes 6 of 7 categories.

True Red
Choose it for a sweet and musky character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.
Taro
Choose it for a warm spicy and fruity character. Wins on longevity. Best in spring.

True Red6/7

Taro1/7

Ratings & consensus: True Red
Community sentiment: True Red
Longevity: Taro
Sillage & projection: True Red
Value for money: True Red
Versatility: True Red
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

TaroBotanicae

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.14/ 5 · 94 votes

Have 31%Had 34%Want 35%

4.02/ 5 · 90 votes

Have 37%Had 11%Want 51%

Category winnerTrue RedRating 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

51%Love

22%Like

9%Ok

13%Dislike

4%Hate

90 votes

Category winnerTrue RedMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity65

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate78

⏱ Longevity76

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityTaro

SillageTrue Red

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value80

¤ Price value52

Category winnerTrue RedBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

sweet100%

musky92%

fruity84%

patchouli77%

citrus69%

woody61%

warm spicy100%

fruity92%

sweet84%

tropical77%

metallic69%

amber61%

Scent match42%Some overlap · both sweet and fruity

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

PineappleSaffron

Heart

SageJasmine

Base

LabdanumOudPatchouli

InformationalShared notesPineapple, Sage, Jasmine 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

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter45

Day–

Night–

Category winnerTrue RedMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men7

Unisex14

Women79

Men49

Unisex37

Women14

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#13,011

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews18

Overall rank#13,471

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 →

Botanicae Taro opens with a bold clash of tart pineapple and metallic saffron. The immediate brightness punches through with a dry, slightly spicy prickle that prevents the tropical fruit from turning into candy. Within twenty minutes, clary sage and jasmine quiet the sharp top, smoothing the transition into a darker …

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 Taro?

True Red takes 6 of 7 categories. True Red is rated 4.14/5 from 94 votes; Taro is rated 4.02/5 from 90 votes. Choose True Red for a sweet and musky character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Taro for a warm spicy and fruity character. Wins on longevity. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, True Red or Taro?

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

Which projects more, True Red or Taro?

Projection is very close: True Red 67/100, Taro 65/100 for sillage.

Do True Red and Taro smell similar?

Some overlap: a 42% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share sweet and fruity accords. Common notes include Pineapple, Sage, Jasmine and Patchouli.

Is True Red or Taro 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. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in True Red and Taro?

True Red has top notes of Pineapple and Orange, heart notes of Sage and Jasmine, a base of Patchouli and Musk. Taro has top notes of Pineapple and Saffron, heart notes of Sage and Jasmine, a base of Labdanum, Oud and Patchouli.