Zen Original
ShiseidoEau de Parfum1964
Side by side
Zen Original vs. Ispahan
Is Zen Original better than Ispahan?
Ispahan wears longer on skin.
Why this score
Performance proximity
Accord profile overlap
Gender alignment
MuskBergamotSandalwoodJasmineMimosaAmberRose
floralwoodypowderyyellow floral
This match is a verified relationship from our fragrance graph. The score weighs each fragrance's notes, accords, mood, occasion, weather fit, gender, and performance — the same scale as the badges on every “reminds of” rail.
The essentials
What's different between Zen Original and Ispahan?
| Zen Original | Ispahan | |
|---|---|---|
| Concentration | Eau de Parfum | Eau de Toilette |
| Launched | 1964 | 1977 |
| Gender | Female | Female |
| Perfumer | Josephine Catapano | Maurice Roucel |
| Best season | Fall | Fall |
Scent DNA
How do Zen Original and Ispahan smell?
Zen Original
Floral
Green
Woody
Powdery
Earthy
Aromatic
Mossy
Yellow Floral
Ispahan
Yellow Floral
Vanilla
Amber
Fresh Spicy
Sweet
Floral
Warm Spicy
Powdery
Shared between both fragrances
The pyramid
What notes do Zen Original and Ispahan share?
Top
HyacinthGalbanumBergamotOrange Blossom
BergamotMandarin OrangeAldehydesFruity Notes
Heart
CarnationOrris RootNarcissusJasmineMimosaVioletRose
Ylang-YlangMimosaRoseJasmineLily of the ValleyCloveCinnamon
Base
OakmossMuskSandalwoodCedarAmber
NutmegBenzoinVanillaTonka BeanFrankincenseTolu BalsamAmberSandalwoodPatchouliMusk
Notes both fragrances share
Shared note families
Floral Notes
HyacinthCarnationNarcissusJasmineOrange BlossomMimosaVioletRose
Ylang-YlangMimosaRoseJasmineLily of the Valley
Woody Notes
SandalwoodCedar
Sandalwood
Amber
Amber
Amber
Citric Notes
Bergamot
Bergamot
Musk
Musk
Musk
Resinous Notes
Galbanum
Frankincense
Where they fit
When and where do Zen Original and Ispahan work?
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Community taste
Which performs better, Zen Original or Ispahan?
| Zen Original | Ispahan | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 |
| Longevity | 4-6 hours | 6-10 hours |
| Sillage | moderate | strong |
No varnish
What do reviewers say about Zen Original and Ispahan?
Classic chypres don't get the love they used to. Zen Original is the proof that the genre still has teeth, green and floral and mossy in a way that newer scents just can't fake. It's a quiet flex.Zen Original
It smells like a time when fragrance was an event, not a background. Powdery, warm, aldehydes-forward, if you want quiet, look elsewhere. But if you want something that lingers and deepens.Ispahan
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