Fragrance comparison

Vanilla Smoke vs Makalu

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 368 ratings analysed

Vanilla Smoke

Phlur

3.50354 votes

Rank #11,383 AmberSmoky

Full profile Similar & dupes

56%scent match

Closely related

Makalu

Alchimista

4.0014 votes

Rank #54,623 WoodyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 5 categories split 2–2.

Vanilla Smoke
Choose it for a amber and smoky character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
Makalu
Choose it for a woody and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.

Vanilla Smoke2/5

Makalu2/5

Ratings & consensus: Makalu
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Tie
Sillage & projection: Makalu
Value for money: Vanilla Smoke
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Vanilla Smoke

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Vanilla SmokePhlur

MakaluAlchimista

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.50/ 5 · 354 votes

Have 48%Had 4%Want 48%

4.00/ 5 · 14 votes

Have 25%Had 11%Want 64%

Category winnerMakaluRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

35%Love

30%Like

13%Ok

18%Dislike

4%Hate

304 votes

43%Love

29%Like

14%Ok

14%Dislike

0%Hate

14 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity64

〰 Sillage56

♥ Love / hate68

⏱ Longevity64

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevityTie

SillageMakalu

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value70

¤ Price value44

Category winnerVanilla SmokeBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

smoky92%

balsamic84%

vanilla77%

warm spicy69%

leather61%

woody100%

amber92%

balsamic84%

smoky77%

leather69%

warm spicy61%

Scent match56%Closely related · both amber, smoky and balsamic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

BirchPink PepperBergamot

Heart

VanillaCacaoTonka Bean

Base

IncensePeru BalsamAmber

Top

Peru BalsamMimosaGeraniumRoseAgarwood (Oud)ChamomileLeather

Heart

IncenseClovesJasmineYlang-YlangIrisOrange BlossomAmber

Base

BirchCedarGuaiac WoodBrown sugarSandalwoodTonka BeanPatchouli

InformationalShared notesBirch, Tonka Bean, Incense and Peru Balsam. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring22

Summer8

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring50

Summer25

Fall63

Winter100

Day89

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men14

Unisex63

Women24

Men25

Unisex75

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#11,383

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews19

Overall rank#54,623

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerVanilla SmokeHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Vanilla Smoke by Phlur is a resinous, smoky scent anchored by warm incense and birch. Designed for both men and women, this 2025 release leans into a sultry profile perfect for cold autumn evenings. It opens with sharp spice and settles into a deep, creamy vanilla base that hugs the skin for hours in low-temperature s…

Reviews →

Makalu by Alchimista is a resinous, smoky floral woody scent with a soft leather edge. It opens balsamic and slightly sweet, then turns incense-led with jasmine, orange blossom and a warm amber glow. The dry-down leans woody and musky, with birch smoke, sandalwood and a hint of brown sugar and tonka that keeps it cosy…

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.

Recent comparisons

Head-to-head activity from live history

Saffron AmberIlluminumRUNNER-UP vs

Septieme Sens (7e Sens)Sonia RykielWINNER

1 person compared this today

Fancy NightsJessica SimpsonRUNNER-UP vs

Nino Cerruti Pour FemmeCerrutiWINNER

3 people compared this today

Sweet DreamsHouse Of SillageWINNER vs

Safari ElixirAthoor Al AlamRUNNER-UP

1 person compared this today

PrometheuNecalliWINNER vs

Bruno ImperialAnfar LondonRUNNER-UP

1 person compared this today

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Vanilla Smoke or Makalu?

No clear winner: the 5 categories split 2–2. Vanilla Smoke is rated 3.50/5 from 354 votes; Makalu is rated 4.00/5 from 14 votes. Choose Vanilla Smoke for a amber and smoky character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter. Choose Makalu for a woody and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Vanilla Smoke or Makalu?

They last about the same: Vanilla Smoke 64/100, Makalu 64/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Vanilla Smoke or Makalu?

Makalu projects furthest (Makalu 64/100, Vanilla Smoke 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Vanilla Smoke and Makalu smell similar?

Closely related: a 56% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, smoky and balsamic accords. Common notes include Birch, Tonka Bean, Incense and Peru Balsam.

Is Vanilla Smoke or Makalu better for summer or winter?

Makalu suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Vanilla Smoke and Makalu?

Vanilla Smoke has top notes of Birch, Pink Pepper and Bergamot, heart notes of Vanilla, Cacao and Tonka Bean, a base of Incense, Peru Balsam and Amber. Makalu has top notes of Peru Balsam, Mimosa, Geranium and Rose, heart notes of Incense, Cloves, Jasmine and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Birch, Cedar, Guaiac Wood and Brown sugar.