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Round 101 of the AlHimyan Perfume Battle opens a new century of the tournament. Xerjoff XJ 1861 Naxos is still the champion, and it walks in with forty-six straight wins, the longest reign the tournament has ever seen. Its challenger is DSQUARED2 She Wood, the pink-labelled women's eau de parfum from the Canadian-Italian fashion house, released in 2008 and composed by Daphné Bugey.

These two could hardly be more different. Naxos is a warm, honeyed and smoky gourmand built on lavender, honey and tobacco. She Wood is a fresh, airy woody floral that pairs citrus and neroli with violet, cedarwood and vetiver. Fragrantica blocked automated reading again today, so this round is scored on Parfumo community data only, with the Parfumo scent score carrying the combined 60% weight that Fragrantica and Parfumo normally share.

The tale of the tape

Xerjoff XJ 1861 Naxos: the champion

Naxos belongs to the Xerjoff 1861 collection, a tribute to Sicily. Parfumo lists its top notes as lavender, bergamot, lemon and Omani frankincense. The heart brings honey, cinnamon, jasmine sambac and soft cashmere wood, and the base of tobacco, tonka bean and vanilla stays warm and creamy without turning sticky. Its main accords on Parfumo are sweet, spicy, gourmand, creamy and citrus, and its members still rank it number one among all unisex perfumes.

Community scores (Parfumo): Scent 8.9/10 from 14,136 ratings, Longevity 8.8, Sillage 8.5, Bottle 9.1, Value for money 7.6.

DSQUARED2 She Wood: the challenger

She Wood was created by Daphné Bugey and launched in 2008 alongside its masculine twin, He Wood. The bottle is wrapped in a real wooden sleeve with the brand's maple leaf, a nod to the founders' Canadian roots. Parfumo lists its top notes as lemon, jasmine and neroli, a heart of violet, violet leaf, heliotrope and musk, and a base of cedarwood, vetiver and vegetal amber. Its main accords are woody, fresh, floral, citrus and spicy. It is a clean, slightly green woody scent for women, quieter and lighter than the house's later flankers.

Community scores (Parfumo): Scent 7.4/10 from 213 ratings, Longevity 6.8, Sillage 5.9, Bottle 7.2, Value for money 7.1.

Notes side by side

Both open with lemon, and both carry a floral thread through the heart, Naxos with jasmine sambac and She Wood with violet and heliotrope. From there they part ways. Naxos sinks into honey and tobacco, while She Wood dries down to dry cedar and earthy vetiver.

The scorecard

Naxos leads every category. The scent gap is 1.5 points, Parfumo members rate it 2.0 points higher for longevity and 2.6 points higher for sillage. Value for money is the closest race, with only half a point between them, which shows how much the community likes She Wood as an easy, good-value daily scent.

The verdict

Winner: Xerjoff XJ 1861 Naxos, 8.65 to 7.12. With a margin of 1.53, Naxos opens the second century of the tournament with its forty-seventh straight win. She Wood is a pleasant, fresh woody floral with a charming wooden bottle, but it was never built to compete with a rich niche gourmand on depth or projection.

Which one should you buy?

Choose Naxos if you want a refined, honeyed and smoky scent that leaves a warm trail and suits formal wear, cool evenings and majlis gatherings. It is the richer and more noticeable of the two, and it works for men and women.

Choose She Wood if you want a light, clean scent for daytime. Its lemon, neroli and violet over cedar feel fresh in warm weather, it is easy to wear to the office or university, and it makes a thoughtful gift for someone who prefers soft woody florals over sweet perfumes.

Both have their own pages on alhimyan.com. Open each product page to see today's price for Naxos and see today's price for She Wood.

How to wear them in the UAE

Naxos is happiest from October to March. Its honey and tobacco can feel heavy in midday summer heat, so in warmer months keep it for air-conditioned evenings and apply two or three sprays to the chest and neck. She Wood is the opposite: its citrus and neroli opening feels fresh in warm weather, which makes it a good daytime choice most of the year. Because it sits fairly close to the skin, spray it on pulse points and lightly on clothing to help it last.

Layering tip: Naxos sits well over a plain oud or amber oil for a richer evening trail. She Wood pairs naturally with a white musk or a light sandalwood oil, which adds staying power without hiding its fresh character.

Frequently asked questions

Who created DSQUARED2 She Wood?
Parfumo credits perfumer Daphné Bugey. The fragrance was released in 2008.

Is She Wood a women's perfume?
Yes, Parfumo lists it for women. Its partner for men is He Wood. Naxos is listed for women and men.

Which smells sweeter?
Naxos, clearly. Honey, tonka bean and vanilla make it a gourmand. She Wood is fresh and woody with no gourmand side.

Which lasts longer?
Parfumo members rate Naxos much higher for longevity, 8.8 against 6.8 for She Wood. Results on your own skin will vary with climate and how much you apply.

Why are there no Fragrantica scores this round?
Fragrantica blocked automated reading when this article was prepared. Rather than guess, we scored the round on Parfumo data only and gave its scent score the combined 60% weight.

How do delivery and returns work?
Please read our shipping policy and refund policy for the current details.

Next round

Naxos goes for win number forty-eight in Round 102. Will any challenger end the longest reign in tournament history? Follow every round on the AlHimyan blog.