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Round 90 of the AlHimyan Perfume Battle puts the longest reign in the tournament against one of the loudest perfumes in the Gulf. Xerjoff XJ 1861 Naxos arrives with thirty-five straight wins. Its challenger is Montale Arabians Tonka, the 2019 saffron, oud and tonka scent that has become a favourite across the UAE for its strength and its sweetness.

On paper this is a fair fight. Naxos is the better-rated perfume, but Arabians Tonka is famous for lasting all day and filling a room, and it costs a good deal less. Both Fragrantica and Parfumo were read today, so the full five-part scoring formula is in use.

The tale of the tape

Xerjoff XJ 1861 Naxos: the champion

Naxos belongs to the Xerjoff 1861 collection, created for the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy and dedicated to Sicily. It opens with lavender, bergamot and lemon. The heart brings honey, cinnamon and jasmine sambac over soft cashmere wood, and the dry-down of tobacco leaf, tonka bean and vanilla stays warm and creamy without turning sticky.

Community scores: Fragrantica 4.49/5 from 21,394 votes. Parfumo: Scent 8.9/10 from 13,978 ratings, Longevity 8.8, Sillage 8.5, Bottle 9.1, Value for money 7.6.

Montale Arabians Tonka: the challenger

Arabians Tonka was released by the Paris house Montale in 2019. Neither Fragrantica nor Parfumo credits a perfumer for it. Parfumo describes it as an oriental-sweet scent for women and men with above-average projection and longevity, and ranks it 55th among unisex perfumes.

Fragrantica lists saffron and bergamot in the top, agarwood (oud) and Bulgarian rose in the heart, and tonka bean, sugar cane, amber, white musk and oakmoss in the base. Voters name sweet, vanilla, amber, oud, warm spicy and rose as its main accords. Wearers describe a sharp, saffron-heavy opening that settles after about half an hour into a sugary tonka and oud trail with rose in the background.

Community scores: Fragrantica 4.21/5 from 9,083 votes. Parfumo: Scent 7.9/10 from 3,853 ratings, Longevity 9.3, Sillage 9.2, Bottle 6.8, Value for money 8.2.

Head to head

Scent quality. Naxos leads clearly: 4.49 against 4.21 on Fragrantica and 8.9 against 7.9 on Parfumo. Arabians Tonka has a loyal following, but more voters find it too sweet or too strong, and that shows in the scores.

Performance. Arabians Tonka wins both, and by a wide margin. Parfumo users rate its longevity 9.3 against 8.8, and its sillage 9.2 against 8.5. These are some of the highest performance scores any challenger has brought to the tournament. One or two sprays are enough.

Value. Arabians Tonka again. Parfumo users score its value for money at 8.2, against 7.6 for Naxos, and at AlHimyan the same 100 ml size costs much less.

Presentation. Naxos, 9.1 against 6.8. The honeycomb-gold Xerjoff bottle is a collector's piece; the Montale metal flacon is simple and practical. Bottle scores are shown for context only and are not part of the formula.

The verdict

Winner: Xerjoff XJ 1861 Naxos. The champion takes its thirty-sixth consecutive round, but the margin is only 0.21, one of the closest of the whole reign. Arabians Tonka won three of the five categories: longevity, sillage and value. Naxos held on because the two community ratings, which carry 60 percent of the score, still favour it clearly.

A note on method. Fragrantica and Parfumo ratings for both perfumes were read on 15 October 2026. Fragrantica scores are converted to a 10-point scale. Longevity, sillage and value for money come from Parfumo community bars for both perfumes.

Which one should you buy?

Buy Naxos if you want a refined honey-tobacco scent with lavender freshness on top, the most admired unisex perfume on Parfumo, and a bottle that looks as good as it smells.

Buy Arabians Tonka if you want maximum presence for the price: saffron, oud and sweet tonka that last from morning to night and leave a trail people notice. It is a natural pick for anyone who loves Gulf-style sweet oud.

How to wear them in the UAE

Naxos is rich, so go light. Two sprays, one on the neck and one on the chest or the kandura collar, suit cool evenings, air-conditioned majlis gatherings and the winter months from November onwards.

Arabians Tonka is even stronger, so one or two sprays are plenty, especially indoors. It is at its best in the cooler months, at weddings and evening gatherings, and it layers well over a light oud oil or bakhoor-scented clothes. In the summer heat, keep it for the evening.

Frequently asked questions

What does Montale Arabians Tonka smell like? Saffron and bergamot at the start, then oud and Bulgarian rose, drying down to sweet tonka bean, sugar cane, amber, white musk and oakmoss.

Is Arabians Tonka long-lasting? Very. Parfumo users rate its longevity 9.3 out of 10 and its sillage 9.2, among the highest scores in this tournament.

When was it released, and who made it? In 2019, by the French house Montale. Fragrantica and Parfumo do not credit a perfumer.

Is it for men or women? Both. Fragrantica and Parfumo list it for women and men, and AlHimyan sells it as unisex.

Which is sweeter, Naxos or Arabians Tonka? Arabians Tonka. Its top accords are sweet, vanilla and amber, while Naxos balances its honey with lavender and citrus.

Where can I buy them in the UAE? Shop both at AlHimyan: Xerjoff XJ 1861 Naxos Eau de Parfum 100 ml and Montale Arabians Tonka Eau de Parfum 100 ml.

Next round

Naxos has now won thirty-six rounds in a row, but Arabians Tonka came closer than most. A new challenger steps up next time. Follow the Perfume Battle on the AlHimyan blog and on Instagram to see who finally ends the reign.