Portrait of a Lady against The Artist No.1
One number per era rather than one number overall — two fragrances can be
near-identical at the opening and different things by the evening, and an
average hides exactly that.
How close, and when
Across a whole wearing, Frederic Malle Editions de Parfums Portrait of a Lady and Maison Alhambra The Artist No.1 are very close. They are nearest during the opening and furthest apart in the drydown, which is the part a single figure would average away.
95%
opening · 0–1 h
86%
heart · 1–3 h
75%
drydown · 3–8 h
- At the opening, 0 to 1 hour in, the two are all but the same thing.
- At the heart, 1 to 3 hours in, the two are very close.
- At the drydown, 3 to 8 hours in, the two are close.
Measured across all twenty-four facets, from the notes below — not from the
families on the boxes. They share
2 of 24 materials, which is
worth holding beside the figures: a pair can share almost nothing and still
converge, because different materials can smell of the same things.
What AKIN predicts
AKIN predicts these two are alike, and the evidence behind that is substantial.
Two signals sit on this page and are never averaged: what the note
pyramids measure these two to share, and what AKIN’s resemblance
graph predicts. Where they part, that is the finding rather than a fault.
The pyramids, side by side
Compared by material rather than by spelling, so a note recorded two ways is
not counted as a difference.
top
both — Rose
Portrait of a Lady only — Blackcurrant, Cinnamon, Clove, Raspberry, Red Berries
heart
Portrait of a Lady only — Incense, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Turkish Rose, Ylang-Ylang
The Artist No.1 only — Blackcurrant, Clove, Raspberry
base
both — Sandalwood
Portrait of a Lady only — Amber, Ambergris, Benzoin, Cedar, Incense, Musk, Vanilla
The Artist No.1 only — Frankincense, Patchouli
Other comparisons worth reading
Pairs involving one of these two where the notes are fully recorded on
both sides and AKIN has enough evidence for the pair to be worth reading.