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Round 96 of the AlHimyan Perfume Battle brings a lion to the ring. Xerjoff XJ 1861 Naxos, the longest-reigning champion in the history of the tournament, arrives with forty-one straight wins. Its challenger is Lattafa Asad, the spicy-sweet men's perfume from the UAE house Lattafa that has become one of the most talked-about Arabian fragrances of recent years. Asad means "lion" in Arabic, and it arrives with a reputation for punching well above its weight.

On paper this is a clash of two worlds: an Italian niche house against a Gulf favourite. Yet the two perfumes share more than you might expect. Both carry tobacco and vanilla, both lean warm and sweet, and both are built for cooler evenings. Fragrantica blocked every request again today, so this round uses the Parfumo-only version of the scoring formula, the same method used in Round 95 and earlier rounds when Fragrantica was unreachable. All numbers below come from Parfumo, read today.

The tale of the tape

Xerjoff XJ 1861 Naxos: the champion

Naxos belongs to the Xerjoff 1861 collection, dedicated to Sicily. Parfumo lists a top of lavender, bergamot, lemon and Omani frankincense. The heart brings honey, cinnamon and jasmine sambac over soft cashmere wood, and the dry-down of tobacco, tonka bean and vanilla stays warm and creamy without turning sticky. Parfumo members still rank it number one among all unisex perfumes on the site, and its rating count keeps climbing every week.

Community scores (Parfumo): Scent 8.9/10 from 14,074 ratings, Longevity 8.8, Sillage 8.5, Bottle 9.1, Value for money 7.6.

Lattafa Asad: the challenger

Asad opens with a sharp, peppery kick. Parfumo lists black pepper, pineapple and tobacco in the top, a combination that feels fresh and smoky at the same time. The heart moves into patchouli, powdery iris and a dark thread of coffee, and the base settles on amber, benzoin, dry woods, labdanum and vanilla. Parfumo members describe its main accords as spicy, sweet, woody and oriental, with a fresh edge in the opening. It is a confident, evening-leaning scent that wears bigger than its modest profile suggests, and it has built a loyal following among men who want warmth and spice in one bottle.

Community scores (Parfumo): Scent 7.6/10 from 2,371 ratings, Longevity 7.9, Sillage 7.7, Bottle 6.6, Value for money 8.9.

Head to head

Asad landed one clean punch, and it was a big one. Parfumo members rate its value for money 8.9 against 7.6 for Naxos, a lead of 1.3 points in that category. That alone pulled Asad closer on the scoreboard. But the champion controlled every other category. Naxos scores 8.9 for scent against 7.6, and it also leads on longevity (8.8 against 7.9) and sillage (8.5 against 7.7). With scent carrying most of the weight today, the lion could not close the gap.

The verdict

Winner: Xerjoff XJ 1861 Naxos, 8.65 to 7.85. That is a 42nd straight win, extending the all-time tournament record. The margin was 0.80, and the challenger won one of the four categories (value for money).

Asad loses the round but leaves with respect. It beat the champion clearly on value for money, and for many buyers that number matters as much as the scent rating.

Which one should you buy?

Choose Naxos if you want a refined, golden scent with honey, tobacco and lavender that works at the office, in an evening majlis and at a wedding alike. It is the smoother, more polished and more versatile of the two, and it suits both men and women.

Choose Asad if you like spicy, peppery and smoky perfumes with a sweet amber base. It is the bolder and more masculine of the two, it has a darker coffee and tobacco character, and Parfumo members rate it highly for what you get from the bottle.

The two make an easy pair in a collection: Asad for casual nights out and Naxos for the occasions that call for something more refined. See today's price for Xerjoff XJ 1861 Naxos and Lattafa Asad on their product pages.

How to wear them in the UAE

Both perfumes are warm and sweet, so the cooler months from November to March are their best season, and that season is just starting. In the heat, keep either one to one or two sprays in the evening or in air conditioning. Asad's black pepper and pineapple opening gives it a little more lift on warm nights, while Naxos is the safer choice for a closed office or a long day of meetings. Asad layers well with a light oud or a dry woody scent, and Naxos pairs nicely with a soft musk.

Frequently asked questions

Who won Perfume Battle Round 96?
Xerjoff XJ 1861 Naxos won with a score of 8.65 against 7.85 for Lattafa Asad.

What does Lattafa Asad smell like?
Black pepper, pineapple and tobacco up top, a heart of patchouli, iris and coffee, and a warm base of amber, benzoin, dry woods, labdanum and vanilla. It smells spicy, sweet and woody.

Are Naxos and Asad similar?
They share tobacco and vanilla and both lean warm and sweet, but the feel is different. Naxos is honey, lavender and frankincense; Asad is pepper, coffee and amber.

Which lasts longer, Naxos or Asad?
Naxos. Parfumo members rate its longevity 8.8 against 7.9 for Asad, and its sillage 8.5 against 7.7.

Where did Asad beat Naxos?
On value for money. Parfumo members rate Asad 8.9 on value against 7.6 for Naxos.

Why is there no Fragrantica score this round?
Fragrantica blocked our requests today. Rather than use an old or guessed number, we scored the round on Parfumo alone, with the Parfumo scent rating taking the Fragrantica weight.

Where can I read about delivery and returns?
See the shipping policy and the refund policy.

Next round

Naxos defends its title again in the next round against a new challenger. Forty-two wins and counting: can anyone end the longest reign in Perfume Battle history? Follow the series on the AlHimyan blog.