Fragrance comparison

Ustad vs Kouros

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 8,601 ratings analysed

Ustad

Nabeel

3.5917 votes

Rank #47,171 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

25%scent match

Clearly different

4 wins

Kouros

Yves Saint Laurent

3.618,584 votes

Rank #1,511 MuskyAnimalic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Kouros takes 4 of 5 categories.

Ustad
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, day or night wear.
Kouros
Choose it for a musky and animalic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter.

Ustad1/5

Kouros4/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

UstadNabeel

KourosYves Saint Laurent

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.59/ 5 · 17 votes

Have 44%Had 6%Want 50%

3.61/ 5 · 8,584 votes

Have 68%Had 32%Want 0%

Category winnerKourosRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

18%Love

41%Like

24%Ok

18%Dislike

0%Hate

17 votes · too few to score

40%Love

23%Like

4%Ok

23%Dislike

9%Hate

8,584 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate65

⏱ Longevity85

〰 Sillage79

♥ Love / hate65

Category winners

LongevityKouros

SillageKouros

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value69

¤ Price value58

Category winnerUstadBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

citrus84%

mossy77%

lavender69%

herbal61%

musky100%

animalic92%

aromatic84%

powdery77%

earthy69%

leather61%

Scent match25%Clearly different · both aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

BergamotLemonBasil

Heart

LavenderCinnamonGeraniumArtemisiaClary SageYlang-Ylang

Base

OakmossMuskCumin

Top

AldehydesCorianderClary SageArtemisiaBergamot

Heart

PatchouliCarnationVetiverJasmineGeraniumOrris RootCinnamonLavender

Base

CivetMuskHoneyLeatherOakmossAmberTonka BeanVanilla

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Lavender, Cinnamon and Geranium. 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

Summer44

Fall100

Winter89

Day100

Night100

Spring57

Summer36

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men85

Unisex15

Women0

Men92

Unisex6

Women2

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#47,171

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews3

Overall rank#1,511

PerfumerPierre Bourdon

Launched—

Reviews209

Category winnerKourosHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Nabeel Ustad delivers a classical aromatic fougere profile that balances sharp green herbs with warm spices. Bergamot and basil spark the opening, before settling into a soapy lavender and geranium heart. A dry down of cumin, oakmoss, and clean musk makes it a traditional scent for active daytime wear in warm weather.

Reviews →

Yves Saint Laurent Kouros is a legendary aromatic fougere that balances squeaky clean freshness with a warm, gritty punch. Built around a striking contrast between fizzy aldehydes, sweet golden honey, and a notorious civet musk base, it smells like stepping out of a steaming hot shower after scrubbing with classic her…

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, Ustad or Kouros?

Kouros takes 4 of 5 categories. Ustad is rated 3.59/5 from 17 votes; Kouros is rated 3.61/5 from 8,584 votes. Choose Ustad for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, day or night wear. Choose Kouros for a musky and animalic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Ustad or Kouros?

Kouros lasts longest (Kouros 85/100, Ustad 68/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Ustad or Kouros?

Kouros projects furthest (Kouros 79/100, Ustad 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Ustad and Kouros smell similar?

Clearly different: a 25% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Lavender, Cinnamon and Geranium.

Is Ustad or Kouros better for summer or winter?

Ustad suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Ustad and Kouros?

Ustad has top notes of Bergamot, Lemon and Basil, heart notes of Lavender, Cinnamon, Geranium and Artemisia, a base of Oakmoss, Musk and Cumin. Kouros has top notes of Aldehydes, Coriander, Clary Sage and Artemisia, heart notes of Patchouli, Carnation, Vetiver and Jasmine, a base of Civet, Musk, Honey and Leather.