Fragrance comparison

Altaro vs Les 4 Saisons: Black Sea

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

Updated 17 Oct 2026 152 ratings analysed

4 wins

Altaro

The Body Shop

4.2255 votes

Rank #18,514 Warm SpicyPowdery

Full profile Similar & dupes

56%scent match

Closely related

Les 4 Saisons: Black Sea

M. Micallef

4.0297 votes

Rank #28,992 Warm SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Altaro takes 4 of 7 categories.

Altaro
Choose it for a warm spicy and powdery character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.
Les 4 Saisons: Black Sea
Choose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Altaro4/7

Les 4 Saisons: Black Sea3/7

Ratings & consensus: Altaro
Community sentiment: Altaro
Longevity: Les 4 Saisons: Black Sea
Sillage & projection: Les 4 Saisons: Black Sea
Value for money: Altaro
Versatility: Les 4 Saisons: Black Sea
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Altaro

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

AltaroThe Body Shop

Les 4 Saisons: Black SeaM. Micallef

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.22/ 5 · 55 votes

Have 23%Had 41%Want 37%

4.02/ 5 · 97 votes

Have 29%Had 19%Want 53%

Category winnerAltaroRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

45%Love

42%Like

2%Ok

11%Dislike

0%Hate

55 votes

33%Love

52%Like

0%Ok

15%Dislike

0%Hate

97 votes

Category winnerAltaroMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity63

〰 Sillage56

♥ Love / hate80

⏱ Longevity69

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityLes 4 Saisons: Black Sea

SillageLes 4 Saisons: Black Sea

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value100

¤ Price value33

Category winnerAltaroBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

powdery90%

cinnamon80%

amber70%

vanilla60%

woody50%

warm spicy100%

woody83%

amber65%

smoky48%

cinnamon30%

Scent match56%Closely related · both warm spicy, amber and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

CinnamonAldehydes

Heart

CloveSandalwood

Base

AmberVanilleMusk

Top

SpicesGuaiac WoodCypress

Heart

SaffronCloveCinnamonFloral NotesLily-of-the-Valley

Base

IncenseVirginia CedarSandalwoodAmberVanille

InformationalShared notesCinnamon, Clove, Sandalwood and Amber. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring19

Summer24

Fall67

Winter100

Day56

Night100

Spring68

Summer21

Fall100

Winter95

Day100

Night31

Category winnerLes 4 Saisons: Black SeaMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex50

Women50

Men50

Unisex50

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#18,514

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews18

Overall rank#28,992

PerfumerJean-Claude Astier

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerAltaroHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Altaro by The Body Shop is a warming Oriental Spicy fragrance that highlights the fusion of cinnamon and aldehydes. Launched in 2004, it settles into a comforting base of amber and vanilla. This scent excels during chilly winter evenings, providing a nostalgic, spicy embrace that works well for those who appreciate a …

Reviews →

Black Sea by M. Micallef opens with a sharp, resinous blend of cypress and guaiac wood that sets an immediate, outdoorsy tone. As it settles, warm spices like saffron and cinnamon emerge, providing a cozy contrast against the cooling incense base. This is a versatile, woody scent that works best during crisp, transiti…

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, Altaro or Les 4 Saisons: Black Sea?

Altaro takes 4 of 7 categories. Altaro is rated 4.22/5 from 55 votes; Les 4 Saisons: Black Sea is rated 4.02/5 from 97 votes. Choose Altaro for a warm spicy and powdery character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Les 4 Saisons: Black Sea for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Altaro or Les 4 Saisons: Black Sea?

Les 4 Saisons: Black Sea lasts longest (Les 4 Saisons: Black Sea 69/100, Altaro 63/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Altaro or Les 4 Saisons: Black Sea?

Les 4 Saisons: Black Sea projects furthest (Les 4 Saisons: Black Sea 61/100, Altaro 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Altaro and Les 4 Saisons: Black Sea smell similar?

Closely related: a 56% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, amber and woody accords. Common notes include Cinnamon, Clove, Sandalwood and Amber.

Is Altaro or Les 4 Saisons: Black Sea better for summer or winter?

For summer, Altaro is the stronger pick. For winter, Altaro is the stronger pick. Altaro suits evening wear; Les 4 Saisons: Black Sea suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Altaro and Les 4 Saisons: Black Sea?

Altaro has top notes of Cinnamon and Aldehydes, heart notes of Clove and Sandalwood, a base of Amber, Vanille and Musk. Les 4 Saisons: Black Sea has top notes of Spices, Guaiac Wood and Cypress, heart notes of Saffron, Clove, Cinnamon and Floral Notes, a base of Incense, Virginia Cedar, Sandalwood and Amber.