Dupe review · Scentual Obsessions
Word Is Bond
Word Is Bond is Scentual Obsessions's answer to Frédéric Malle Promise.
- Smells like
- Frédéric Malle Promise
- Price
- $42.99
- Size
- 30ml
- Per 100ml
- $143
- Original per 100ml
- —
- Made by
- Scentual Obsessions
The FragDNA review · on paper
Word Is Bond charts its own aromatic course
FragDNA · compiled from a comparison on paper — the listed notes and prices; nobody has reviewed it yet · 22 October 2026
- Opening
- Apple, pink pepper and clove hint at a bright, spicy opening.
- Dry-down
- Vanilla, labdanum, castoreum and ambroxan suggest a warm, resinous finish.
- Best for
- spicy‑sweet gourmand lovers
The dupe lists a fruit‑forward apple entry point, quickly followed by the zing of pink pepper and the aromatic warmth of clove. Heart notes feature two varieties of rose – Bulgarian and Turkish – supported by patchouli and a touch of amber‑like ambroxan, creating a lush, floral‑spice blend that leans towards gourmand territory rather than the oriental focus of the original.
In contrast, the original Promise leans on cinnamon, cardamom, agarwood (oud) and sandalwood, with cistus and ambrette anchoring its base. Word Is Bond, however, finishes on vanilla, labdanum, castoreum and cypriol oil, offering a sweet, resinous trail. With no listed notes in common, the dupe presents a distinct aromatic profile on paper, and no wearer reviews are available yet.
The verdictOn paper, Word Is Bond diverges markedly from Promise, sharing no listed ingredients and suggesting a different scent direction altogether.
Nobody has reviewed this dupe yet — this compares the published notes and prices. We rewrite it as soon as wearers do.
Worth a try
FragDNA score · on paper
On paper
On paper, Word Is Bond is a reasonable bet if you want Promise for less.
Scentual Obsessions lists 1 of the 7 notes in Promise's pyramid — rose. What it does not list: cinnamon, cardamom, agarwood (oud) and sandalwood; and it adds apple, pink pepper and clove of its own.
At $143 per 100ml it costs 87% less than Promise — the cheapest of 3 twins we can price.
Some wearers dispute how close it gets — the match is the seller's claim, so read the votes before you buy.
Notes compared with Promise
in bothonly in the original+ only in Word Is Bond
Reviewed on paper: from the notes and strength Scentual Obsessions publishes, the price per 100ml, and how firmly the match is claimed. How it really smells on skin is what the votes below are for.
What it's built to smell like
The original opens on cinnamon and cardamom, turns to rose and agarwood (oud), and settles into sandalwood, cistus and ambrette. That is the brief Word Is Bond is working from.
Top
- cinnamon
- cardamom
Heart
- rose
- agarwood (oud)
Base
- sandalwood
- cistus
- ambrette
Cinnamon-dusted rose over oud and sandalwood — warm, spicy and enveloping.
Some fans dispute how close this one gets — it is listed against the original by its seller.
How it ranks against the other twins
Of the 5 twins of Frédéric Malle Promise we can price, Word Is Bond is the cheapest per 100ml.
- 01 Scentual Obsessions Word Is Bond $143/100ml
- 02 Perfume Parlour Word Of Honour $159/100ml
- 03 Oil Perfumery Promise $200/100ml
- 04 Palermo Perfumes Promise $22.75
- 05 Bujairami Al Waad inspired $32.50
More from Scentual Obsessions
Every Scentual Obsessions fragrance →-
Double Takesmells like Amouage Reflection Man $41.99 -
Into the Sunsetsmells like Bath & Body Works Into The Night $41.99 -
Breakfast in Haarlemsmells like Bond No. 9 New Haarlem $41.99 -
Greenwich Obsessionsmells like Bond No. 9 Greenwich Village $42 -
Purple Reignsmells like Bond No. 9 Andy Warhol $41.99 -
King Andysmells like Bond No. 9 Andy Warhol $41.99 -
Andysmells like Bond No. 9 Andy Warhol $99.99 -
Private Islandsmells like Bond No. 9 Island $41.99
The community
What people say about Word Is Bond
Rating
—How close to Promise
—Would buy again
—Longevity
Projection
Best in
No reviews yet. Be the first to say how it wears.
In the forum
Start a discussion →Questions
What does Scentual Obsessions Word Is Bond smell like?
It is built to smell like Frédéric Malle Promise — cinnamon and cardamom up top, rose and agarwood (oud) in the heart, sandalwood, cistus and ambrette in the base.
Is Scentual Obsessions Word Is Bond a dupe of Frédéric Malle Promise?
Yes — Scentual Obsessions sells it as its version of Frédéric Malle Promise.
Where can I buy Scentual Obsessions Word Is Bond?
It is in stock at $42.99 for 30ml — the link on this page goes straight to the shop.