Fragrance comparison

Ambre Noir vs Background

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 217 ratings analysed

4 wins

Ambre Noir

Jinkoh Store

4.5636 votes

Rank #7,699 AmberWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

41%scent match

Some overlap

Background

Jil Sander

4.52181 votes

Rank #4,595 AnisVanilla

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Ambre Noir takes 4 of 7 categories.

Ambre Noir
Choose it for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on community sentiment, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.
Background
Choose it for a anis and vanilla character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Ambre Noir4/7

Background3/7

Ratings & consensus: Background
Community sentiment: Ambre Noir
Longevity: Ambre Noir
Sillage & projection: Ambre Noir
Value for money: Background
Versatility: Ambre Noir
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Background

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Ambre NoirJinkoh Store

BackgroundJil Sander

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.56/ 5 · 36 votes

Have 28%Had 13%Want 60%

4.52/ 5 · 181 votes

Have 30%Had 25%Want 45%

Category winnerBackgroundRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

61%Love

33%Like

6%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

36 votes

61%Love

33%Like

2%Ok

4%Dislike

0%Hate

181 votes

Category winnerAmbre NoirMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity91

〰 Sillage80

♥ Love / hate89

⏱ Longevity77

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate88

Category winners

LongevityAmbre Noir

SillageAmbre Noir

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value53

¤ Price value54

Category winnerBackgroundBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

warm spicy91%

sweet83%

balsamic74%

fruity65%

woody56%

anis100%

vanilla92%

amber84%

warm spicy77%

aromatic69%

sweet61%

Scent match41%Some overlap · both amber, warm spicy and sweet

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

CloveHeliotropeCinnamonBergamotCardamomBark

Heart

ApricotPlumDried PlumCarnationPowdery NotesRoseDried FruitsDates

Base

Peru BalsamAmberMyrrhAmbergrisMuskVanillaOpoponaxSpanish Labdanum

Top

AniseRaspberryTarragonLavenderBergamotLemon

Heart

CinnamonCarnationJasmineLily-of-the-ValleyHeliotropeRose

Base

BenzoinVanillaCedarTonka BeanAmberSandalwoodMusk

InformationalShared notesHeliotrope, Cinnamon, Bergamot and Carnation. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring35

Summer20

Fall90

Winter100

Day63

Night100

Spring92

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerAmbre NoirMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men30

Unisex61

Women9

Men75

Unisex22

Women3

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#7,699

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews10

Overall rank#4,595

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews16

Category winnerBackgroundHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Ambre Noir by Jinkoh Store opens with a dark, mouthwatering rush of simmered plum jam, spicy clove, and warm cinnamon. Rather than smelling like a dusty spice cabinet, the top notes sparkle with zesty bergamot and a velvety, almond-like heliotrope petal texture. As the fragrance warms on your skin, a feast of sticky d…

Reviews →

Background by Jil Sander is a distinctive oriental fougere that opens with a brisk combination of sweet anise, tart raspberry, and herbal lavender. As the initial freshness settles on the skin, a warm core of cinnamon, carnation, and powdery heliotrope emerges, adding a cozy spicy sweetness. The base grounds the fragr…

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Ambre Noir or Background?

Ambre Noir takes 4 of 7 categories. Ambre Noir is rated 4.56/5 from 36 votes; Background is rated 4.52/5 from 181 votes. Choose Ambre Noir for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on community sentiment, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Background for a anis and vanilla character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Ambre Noir or Background?

Ambre Noir lasts longest (Ambre Noir 91/100, Background 77/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Ambre Noir or Background?

Ambre Noir projects furthest (Ambre Noir 80/100, Background 68/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Ambre Noir and Background smell similar?

Some overlap: a 41% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, warm spicy and sweet accords. Common notes include Heliotrope, Cinnamon, Bergamot and Carnation.

Is Ambre Noir or Background better for summer or winter?

For summer, Ambre Noir is the stronger pick. For winter, Ambre Noir is the stronger pick. Ambre Noir suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Ambre Noir and Background?

Ambre Noir has top notes of Clove, Heliotrope, Cinnamon and Bergamot, heart notes of Apricot, Plum, Dried Plum and Carnation, a base of Peru Balsam, Amber, Myrrh and Ambergris. Background has top notes of Anise, Raspberry, Tarragon and Lavender, heart notes of Cinnamon, Carnation, Jasmine and Lily-of-the-Valley, a base of Benzoin, Vanilla, Cedar and Tonka Bean.