Frederic Malle
Portrait of a Lady
Last updated
Eau de Parfum2010WomenFranceLongevity · Long LastingSillage · Strong$95 retail★ 4.1 community ratingBuy on FragranceNet $420 →
A voluptuous rose wrapped in dark spices and smoky incense, grounded by creamy amber and sensual musk
Top Notes
RoseCloveRaspberryBlack CurrantCinnamon
Heart Notes
PatchouliIncenseSandalwood
Base Notes
MuskBenzoinAmber
Accords
warm spicy· Dominantamber· Dominantrose· Dominantwoody· Prominentpatchouli· Prominentbalsamic· Moderatefruity· Moderatesmoky· Moderatefloral· Moderatepowdery· Moderate
Best Clone
The best clone of Frederic Malle Portrait of a Lady is Rosa Nectar by Dua, with a 82% accuracy score. Available from Dua for $60, about 37% cheaper than the $95 original.
Best Seasons
Spring52%
Summer25%
Fall / Autumn100%
Winter98%
Best Occasions
Night Out100%
Professional41%
Casual18%
Community Insights
★ 4.1 from 12K ratingsWhat people who wear Frederic Malle Portrait of a Lady report, based on votes and reviews from a large fragrance community. Created by Dominique Ropion.
Main accords
warm spicy
amber
rose
woody
patchouli
balsamic
fruity
smoky
Longevity
Very weak2%
Weak3%
Moderate16%
Long lasting40%
Eternal38%
Sillage
Intimate5%
Moderate25%
Strong43%
Enormous27%
Who wears it
Female23%
More female25%
Unisex46%
More male4%
Male2%
Listed as Women
Day or night
Day
Night
Value for money
Way overpriced24%
Overpriced36%
Ok31%
Good value6%
Great value3%
People say it reminds them of
Diptyque Eau Capitale Eau de Parfum 534Tiziana Terenzi Porpora 504Matière Première Radical Rose 232Chopard Love Chopard 229Guerlain Rose Amira 145Maison Alhambra The Artist No.1 130
What people like
- Red rose velvety incense earthy patchouli
- Bold and spicy rose fragrance
- Majestic and regal scent
- Exceptional longevity and powerhouse performance
What people dislike
- Expensive price point
- May feel overly mature or dated
- Room-filling sillage can be polarizingly loud
- Dominant earthy patchouli is not for everyone
What wearers say
“Does new batches of 2025 really bad now? I don’t get any rose in it during the first 5 mins. thru the dry down. I just smell dusty and powdery smell in it with burst of harsh berry or champagne like smell at the opening. I test it every day to check if it would change I dont know if I’m also getting noseblind with it because it feels like it only last for 4 hours on skin. I got a 2025 of MAY batch. I also noticed that it has a pale yellow color juice. Do I have to let it sit for a couple of months to test it out again? Any one who can help?”
“POAL is very good and has excellent performance. This is a Rose-Oud frag in the style of Xerjoff More than words and Rhodanthe by Electimuss. Its better than both of them. For me MFKs Oud Silk Mood is better than this and has similar performance. I also prefer Ramon Monegals Alhambra Oud which is much more airy. Tom Fords Oud Fleur also smells slightly better than this to me, but has much less performance. Overall, this a solid top5 ROSE-OUD in scent and performance. Its a 8.5/10. The clove note is a bit too forward for me to give it a perfect score.”
“I saw once a rose that smelled exactly of POAL: a white climbing rose with dark green leaves and a cold, woody smell, not too many petals and not creamy or pinkish, just crisp white.I wear this marvel mostly in summer, and I get compliments. Creamy sandalwood, patchouli, rose, powdery sweet, a perfect oud scent - without any oud, actually. As roses bloom in summer, I also recommend to try POAL in summertime, you would be amazed of the beauty of this rose.”
8 Clones Found
Best Match
Maison Alhambra
The Artist No. 2
81%accuracy
$20
FragranceNet
6-8 hours
Longevity
Moderate to Strong
Sillage
The clone shows slightly reduced longevity and a marginally less prominent benzoin sweetness in the dry-down. Sillage is comparable, though the original projects with slightly more warmth and amber-musk complexity.
JomashopFragranceNet $20Amazon
Maison Alhambra
The Artist No. 1
76%accuracy
$22
FragranceNet
6-8 hours
Longevity
Moderate to Strong
Sillage
While the note profile is nearly identical, The Artist No. 1 tends to feel slightly flatter in the incense and musk layers, with less nuanced development over time. The clone performs adequately but doesn't quite achieve the luxurious depth and longevity of the Frederic Malle original.
AmazonJomashopFragranceNet $22
Al Haramain
Portfolio Floral Sculpture
76%accuracy
$33
FragranceShop
6-8 hours
Longevity
Moderate to Strong
Sillage
The clone lacks the full aromatic complexity and longevity of the original, particularly in the drydown where Portrait of a Lady's incense-amber interplay becomes more prominent. Al Haramain's version is slightly more linear and less provocative overall.
AmazonJomashopFragranceNet $80
Paris Corner
Identity Unique Portrait
74%accuracy
-
Price
5-7 hours
Longevity
Moderate
Sillage
The clone's longevity is noticeably shorter (4-5 hours vs 8+ hours), and sillage is more subdued. The heart notes lack the creamy, rose-forward elegance of the original, instead leaning into a drier, more peppery spice profile that doesn't settle into the same luxurious base.
AmazonJomashop
Aroma West
Portrait d'Une Dame
73%accuracy
-
Price
4-6 hours
Longevity
Moderate
Sillage
The clone matches the note structure well but lacks the depth and evolution of the original's mid-stage development. Longevity and sillage are also noticeably reduced, with the fragrance fading more quickly than the designer version.
AmazonJomashop
Rogue Perfumes
Her Portrait
72%accuracy
-
Price
4-6 hours
Longevity
Moderate
Sillage
The clone's projection and longevity are noticeably shorter, lasting 4-5 hours versus the original's 6-8 hours. The incense and patchouli accord feels less pronounced and refined, making Her Portrait read as a more generic oriental rather than the artistic statement of the original.
JomashopAmazon
Fragrance World
French Portrait
72%accuracy
-
Price
5-7 hours
Longevity
Moderate
Sillage
The clone exhibits slightly shorter longevity (4-5 hours vs 7+ hours) and a more prominent sweetness in the base that masks some of the original's woody sophistication. Sillage is comparable, but the fragrance lacks the sophisticated layering and development arc of the designer version.
AmazonJomashop
Dua
Rosa Nectar
82%accuracy
$60
Dua
-
Longevity
-
Sillage
The clone delivers similar note progression but with less refinement in base note blending; Portrait of a Lady exhibits more sophisticated spice-amber-incense layering that Rosa Nectar struggles to fully replicate. Longevity is notably shorter on the clone, with the designer version maintaining presence for 8+ hours versus the clone's typical 5-6 hour performance.
Dua $60
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