FEBRUARY 16, 2026

Some people don’t like ranking fragrances and ‘love them all equally’… I don’t. Taste is subjective. My favorites and especially the order may change every single day, but at least once a year, I thoroughly assess my collection, to see how my taste has changed and how my feelings towards certain fragrances change after more time with them.

This year. the list grows from a Top 50 to a Top 60. Instead of doing a separate analysis after the list, I’m adding a write-up below each entry, which includes my deliberations. You can check out previous rankings here: April 2025, April 2024, July 2023.

🥇 ROJA PARFUMS TAIF AOUD
Taif Aoud has overtaken Enigma Pour Homme as my favorite Roja Parfums London. I really struggled with picking a #1 this year, but I think Taif Aoud strikes a balance between something that I wear regularly, and something that feels special, luxurious and ‘elevated’. Taif Aoud is the most versatile and comfortably wearable between Aoud, Amber Aoud, Musk Aoud & it, while still being fully part of that same DNA. Soapy bright rose, with that signature oudy-ambery base. And with all the changes at Roja, I wonder if we will ever get a fragance from them at this level again.

🥈 PUREDISTANCE PAPILIO
My favorite release of 2023 enters my top 3 for the first time. Papilio is the perfect leather for people like me, who aren’t always comfortable wearing heavy leather scents. It’s bright, it’s sparkling with citrussy, floral and sweet facets, all dancing around a classy, modern leather core. Fancy, without being overbearing; this has been my go-to pick for dining out for example. PureDistance is probably my favorite brand alongside Frederic Malle at the moment and one of the few remaining houses that hasn’t devolved in recent years.

🥉 XERJOFF IRISSS
Iris is my favorite note in perfumery. While I have many iris loves, Irisss feels the most regal. While not 100% soliflore, due to its strong bergamot opening, I feel confident in saying that this is an iris that only appeals to true fans of the note. It’s a more singular, earthy, rooty and cool take with a bit of a carrot scent, rather than a floral, brighter interpretation or one with significant distractions. I’ve always considered it to be the ‘Queen’ of my collection and I can’t imagine it leaving the top 10.

04. MARC-ANTOINE BARROIS GANYMEDE EDP
Last year’s #1. Arguably the most influential niche perfume to come out since Aventus & Baccarat Rouge. I consider Quentin Bisch the most influential perfumer of this decade, by a large margin and I feel that Ganymede was the catalyst for what feels like a new genre of perfumery with this mineralic, spicy feeling (often tied to akigalawood). And I think that Ganymede EDP is still the best version of it. When I smelled it, it was a very rare instance of discovering something new and unique after smelling thousands of fragrances. If I had to pick one signature scent, this would probably be the one.

05. FREDERIC MALLE PORTRAIT OF A LADY
Portrait Of A Lady was one of my first ever niche purchases and it’s been in my top 10 since. And every year, I think I’m going to rank it lower. This is the second year that I contemplated ranking Malle’s Rose Tonnerre over it. And every year, I can’t get myself to do so. There’s an uplifting, feel-good quality to POAL that is hard to beat, and being one of my first fragrances, nostalgia plays a factor too. Maybe next year Rose Tonnerre, maybe.

06. GUERLAIN MITSOUKO PARFUM (VINTAGE)
A previous #1. Ranking vintage fragrances (and even fragrances from a decade ago, given how much reformulations have changed some popular perfumes) alongside newer versions is quite complicated. I think in particular, it’s hard to recommend or explain vintages to other people, as no two bottles will smell the same. I’ve had 4 different versions of old Mitsouko and they differ vastly; not even smelling like the same fragrance. My favorite is my pristine bottle that is from between 1967 and 1976. Much sweeter and less green than modern Mitsouko, with a stronger ylang-ylang tropical twist and what smells like chocolate-heavy patchouli (at times reminiscent of the Chanel Coromandel Parfum). If this had better performance (and a sprayer), it may still be my #1.

07. FREDERIC MALLE ROSE TONNERRE
When this was released as Une Rose, I didn’t instantly love it. When it came out as Rose Tonnerre (which was barely different in my opinion), I didn’t instantly love it. I got my hands on a bottle randomly through a swap and I’ve liked it more with each time that I wear it. It may very well dethrone Portrait Of A Lady as my favorite Malle; I definitely wore it more in the past year. Both earthy and sweet, but Rose Tonnerre is slightly more mature and dark. I called POAL uplifting, I think Rose Tonnerre is more mysterious and serious.

08. FRAGRANCE DU BOIS SAHRAA [#AD]
Sahraa held the crown for multiple years. I’m as amazed by it every time that I wear it, but I do wear it less these days. For a brand that has received quite some criticism (not in the least from myself), I think Sahraa is an absolute gem, with a real oud-kick in the opening and to this day, I have not come across a fragrance that could be a great alternative for it.

09. AMOUAGE EPIC 56
A greener, more aromatic fragrance than I ever expected to love this much. Texture-wise this is one of the greatest feeling, thick, dense, liquid fragrances in my collection and the performance never fails to impress me. For me, the best fragrance from Amouage. Significantly better than Epic Woman (which is still awesome at a lower price) and better performance and value versus Rose Aqor attar (which is a warmer, sweeter take on the same DNA in my opinion). The ideal balance and the best green rose out there.

10. PUREDISTANCE DIVANCHE
The highest newcomer! In my recent Best Of 2025 list, I crowned Maison Crivelli Safran Secret over it, and I do think that Safran Secret offers better value for most people. However, I’m already finding that I’m choosing to wear Divanché a lot more. This is an easy reach, one that I can wear to the office and frankly, if I had to chose a signature scent for the rest of my life today, this could give Ganymede a run for its money. I’ve been drawn more and more to brighter, easier to wear fragrances throughout the years and Divanche is one of the nicest, soapy, musky clean scents I could imagine, without feeling bareboned or generic.

11. ROJA PARFUMS ENIGMA POUR HOMME [#AD]
After several years with it, the opening with its signature sparkling cola vibe, is still one of the best in the world. This Pour Homme version is a lot more interesting than the flatter, more vanillic Parfum Cologne (which is still a good fragrance). Longer sparkling texture, more mossy, more complex overall. It does dry down to a less interesting vanilla with light tobacco hints, which is why Taif Aoud has surpassed it for me. Then again, if you view this as a tobacco scent, as many do, I think it’s arguably the best one on the market.

12. PRISSANA MANDARAVA
A big jump in the ranking for Mandarava. This feels as opulent and regal as its dark juice suggests. Prin Lomros makes a lot of interesting (and wildy varying) fragrances, with Mandarava feeling more Eastern and traditional. This to me exceeds what I’ve smelled from Ensar, Areej, Bortnikoff so far (which is limited to be fair). Given the price point, it’s a true gem. The dark, metallic florals in it remind me of vintage jasmine as well, like Jean Patou Joy, which you’ll find later in this list.

13. ONE DAY JEJU [#AD]
The second highest newcomer. One Day is probably the best brand that I’ve discovered in recent years and Jeju is hard not to instantly love. I wonder how I feel about this ranking next year, as Jeju feels more like a typical fresh, citrussy scent for every day wear, and less ‘special’, different or luxurious than many high ranked fragrances on the list. However, it’s my single most worn fragrance since I got it and it’s the perfect scent for the office and warm weather. What makes it more than generic is the way it uses tomato leaf for sweetness; something that colognes have done before, but this is the first time that it has clicked for me.

14. OSTENS IMPRESSION JASMINE ABSOLUTE [#AD]
Fresh jasmine that doesn’t get too sweet, too musky, too… different, from what I want a jasmine to be like? Ostens created everything that I miss in 95% of the jasmines that I sample with Impression Jasmine Absolute. Very floral, sunny, uplifting, but without feeling thin or light. And according to your taste, you can layer it with their own jasmine oil, which is a bit darker and more indolic. The best bright jasmine that I’ve smelled.

15. FREDERIC MALLE NOIR EPICES
While I can see how some people wouldn’t like this at all (it’s rather sharp, shouty, kitschy), I think it’s one of the most underrated fragrances there is. Especially amongst Malle enthusiasts; I’ve seen many a top x Malle list, without Noir Epices getting as much as a mention. This is spicy, but also citrussy; I don’t think the ‘dark’ in its moniker makes sen