Fragrance comparison

Zelen vs Malbec

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 2,125 ratings analysed

5 wins

Zelen

Boka

4.42114 votes

Rank #2,859 CitrusWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

40%scent match

Some overlap

Malbec

O Boticário

3.432,011 votes

Rank #30,962 WoodyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Zelen takes 5 of 7 categories.

Zelen
Choose it for a citrus and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.
Malbec
Choose it for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in winter.

Zelen5/7

Malbec1/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

ZelenBoka

MalbecO Boticário

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.42/ 5 · 114 votes

Have 87%Had 13%Want 0%

3.43/ 5 · 2,011 votes

Have 40%Had 60%Want 0%

Category winnerZelenRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

73%Love

14%Like

7%Ok

3%Dislike

3%Hate

88 votes

21%Love

40%Like

10%Ok

19%Dislike

10%Hate

2,011 votes

Category winnerZelenMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity79

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate87

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate61

Category winners

LongevityZelen

SillageTie

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value54

¤ Price value57

Category winnerMalbecBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

woody91%

aromatic83%

earthy74%

green65%

fresh spicy56%

woody100%

warm spicy92%

amber84%

citrus77%

earthy69%

mossy61%

Scent match40%Some overlap · both woody, citrus and earthy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

LimeYuzuBergamot

Heart

Pink PepperBeeswaxCardamom

Base

Haitian VetiverVirginia CedarMysore Sandalwood

Top

Virginia CedarIncensePepperLimeMandarin OrangeCassisBergamotViolet Leaf

Heart

CedarPatchouliSandalwood

Base

OakmossAmberBenzoinMusk

InformationalShared notesLime, Bergamot and Virginia Cedar. 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

Summer96

Fall73

Winter52

Day–

Night–

Spring37

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerZelenMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men33

Unisex63

Women5

Men96

Unisex3

Women2

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#2,859

PerfumerBoris Zrnic

Launched—

Reviews51

Overall rank#30,962

PerfumerNapoleão Bastos

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerZelenHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Zelen is a bright green vetiver built around bitter citrus, cool spice, and a creamy beeswax twist. Lime, yuzu, and bergamot give it a sparkling start, then cardamom, pink pepper, and woods pull it into a smoother, more textured dry-down. It suits readers who like polished citrus woods with a natural feel rather than …

Reviews →

O Boticário Malbec is a grounded woody spicy fragrance that balances dry cedarwood with zesty citrus and dark warmth. It opens with a lively burst of lime, bergamot, and crushed black pepper before settling into a sturdy heart of Virginia cedar, earthy patchouli, and smooth sandalwood. Inspired by traditional wine agi…

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, Zelen or Malbec?

Zelen takes 5 of 7 categories. Zelen is rated 4.42/5 from 114 votes; Malbec is rated 3.43/5 from 2,011 votes. Choose Zelen for a citrus and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring. Choose Malbec for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Zelen or Malbec?

Zelen lasts longest (Zelen 79/100, Malbec 71/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Zelen or Malbec?

Projection is very close: Zelen 66/100, Malbec 66/100 for sillage.

Do Zelen and Malbec smell similar?

Some overlap: a 40% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, citrus and earthy accords. Common notes include Lime, Bergamot and Virginia Cedar.

Is Zelen or Malbec better for summer or winter?

For summer, Zelen is the stronger pick. For winter, Malbec is the stronger pick. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Zelen and Malbec?

Zelen has top notes of Lime, Yuzu and Bergamot, heart notes of Pink Pepper, Beeswax and Cardamom, a base of Haitian Vetiver, Virginia Cedar and Mysore Sandalwood. Malbec has top notes of Virginia Cedar, Incense, Pepper and Lime, heart notes of Cedar, Patchouli and Sandalwood, a base of Oakmoss, Amber, Benzoin and Musk.