Fragrance comparison

Abraj vs Cool Black

Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.

Updated 28 Oct 2026 278 ratings analysed

4 wins

Abraj

The Spirit of Dubai

4.09166 votes

Rank #27,237 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

57%scent match

Closely related

Cool Black

Mandarina Duck

3.95112 votes

Rank #14,029 AromaticCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Abraj takes 4 of 7 categories.

Abraj
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring.
Cool Black
Choose it for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on community sentiment, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Abraj4/7

Cool Black3/7

Ratings & consensus: Abraj
Community sentiment: Cool Black
Longevity: Abraj
Sillage & projection: Abraj
Value for money: Cool Black
Versatility: Abraj
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Cool Black

Head-to-head breakdown

Every category side by side, with the winner called out.

Fragrance

AbrajThe Spirit of Dubai

Cool BlackMandarina Duck

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.09/ 5 · 166 votes

Have 44%Had 13%Want 42%

3.95/ 5 · 112 votes

Have 68%Had 32%Want 0%

Category winnerAbrajRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

49%Love

28%Like

8%Ok

13%Dislike

2%Hate

166 votes

27%Love

54%Like

6%Ok

12%Dislike

1%Hate

112 votes

Category winnerCool BlackMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate77

⏱ Longevity57

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate74

Category winners

LongevityAbraj

SillageAbraj

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value37

¤ Price value72

Category winnerCool BlackBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

aromatic91%

warm spicy83%

fresh spicy74%

citrus65%

powdery56%

aromatic100%

citrus92%

fresh spicy84%

powdery77%

woody69%

violet61%

Scent match57%Closely related · both aromatic, woody and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared

Top

BergamotCardamomSaffronLavenderPetitgrainDamask RosePink PepperPine

Heart

CypressVioletCedarGeraniumRed RoseJasmineThymeLeather

Base

PatchouliMuskOakmossMossSandalwoodVanillaAmberCypriol Oil or Nagarmotha

Top15-30 mins

BergamotBlack PepperLemon Peel

Heart2-4 hrs

VioletelemiHyssop

Base5-7 hrs

MuskCedarMoss

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Violet, Cedar and Musk. Durations are only published for Cool Black, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter44

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter11

Day100

Night39

Category winnerAbrajMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men57

Unisex38

Women6

Men74

Unisex21

Women5

Casual 39%Work 35%Date 15%Party 10%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#27,237

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#14,029

PerfumerNathalie Lorson

Launched—

Reviews21

Category winnerCool BlackHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Abraj opens with a sharp burst of bergamot, black pepper, and saffron, immediately signaling a dense woody chypre architecture. As it warms on skin, dry cedar, cypress, and dark leather take command, anchored by a heavy base of patchouli, cypriol oil, and agarwood. It wears best in crisp autumn or winter air during fo…

Reviews →

Cool Black by Mandarina Duck is a crisp woody aromatic Eau de Toilette built around zesty citrus and leafy violet. The first spray delivers a tart burst of bitter lemon peel and bergamot, sharpened by a kick of freshly crushed black pepper. Give it ten minutes. The citrus sharp edges soften into cool violet petals, he…

Reviews →

InformationalRead bothTaste is personal

How we score: ratings blend public fragrance ratings with Fragranxe member votes; longevity, sillage, value and sentiment are community vote scores, and season bars are relative to each fragrance's strongest season. Categories with too little data are shown but not scored. The scent match weighs accord overlap (60%) and shared notes (40%). More in the FAQ.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Abraj or Cool Black?

Abraj takes 4 of 7 categories. Abraj is rated 4.09/5 from 166 votes; Cool Black is rated 3.95/5 from 112 votes. Choose Abraj for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring. Choose Cool Black for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on community sentiment, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Abraj or Cool Black?

Abraj lasts longest (Abraj 73/100, Cool Black 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Abraj or Cool Black?

Abraj projects furthest (Abraj 68/100, Cool Black 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Abraj and Cool Black smell similar?

Closely related: a 57% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Violet, Cedar and Musk.

Is Abraj or Cool Black better for summer or winter?

For summer, Abraj is the stronger pick. For winter, Abraj is the stronger pick. Cool Black suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Abraj and Cool Black?

Abraj has top notes of Bergamot, Cardamom, Saffron and Lavender, heart notes of Cypress, Violet, Cedar and Geranium, a base of Patchouli, Musk, Oakmoss and Moss. Cool Black has top notes of Bergamot, Black Pepper and Lemon Peel, heart notes of Violet, elemi and Hyssop, a base of Musk, Cedar and Moss.