Aqua Regia vs Black Vanilla
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
39%scent match
Some overlap
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Aqua Regia takes 4 of 7 categories.
Aqua RegiaChoose it for a powdery and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.
Black VanillaChoose it for a vanilla and powdery character. Wins on value for money, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.
Aqua Regia4/7
Black Vanilla3/7
- Ratings & consensus
- Aqua Regia
- Community sentiment
- Aqua Regia
- Longevity
- Aqua Regia
- Sillage & projection
- Aqua Regia
- Value for money
- Black Vanilla
- Versatility
- Black Vanilla
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- Black Vanilla
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
Aqua RegiaXerjoffBlack VanillaManceraWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split4.08/ 5 · 266 votes
Have 80%Had 20%Want 0%
3.95/ 5 · 1,443 votes
Have 37%Had 14%Want 49%
Category winnerAqua RegiaRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate50%Love
26%Like
11%Ok
10%Dislike
4%Hate
266 votes
37%Love
37%Like
11%Ok
12%Dislike
3%Hate
1,443 votes
Category winnerAqua RegiaMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityAqua Regia
SillageAqua Regia
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerBlack VanillaBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothpowdery100%
woody92%
leather84%
citrus77%
violet69%
fruity61%
vanilla100%
powdery91%
fruity79%
sweet63%
violet60%
musky59%
Scent match39%Some overlap · both powdery, fruity and violet
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop
LeatherCalabrian bergamotBlack Currant
Heart
VioletOrris RootCaramelSingapore Patchouli
Base
CedarMuskMadagascar Vanilla
Top30 to 45 minutes
White PeachBlack CurrantCoconutCalabrian bergamot
Heart2 to 4 hours
VioletEgyptian JasmineBulgarian Rose
Base6 to 8 hours
Madagascar VanillaWhite Musk
InformationalShared notesCalabrian bergamot, Black Currant, Violet and Madagascar Vanilla. Durations are only published for Black Vanilla, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring78
Summer0
Fall0
Winter100
Day–
Night–
Spring61
Summer28
Fall98
Winter100
Day86
Night100
Category winnerBlack VanillaMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#5,264
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews27
Overall rank#2,759
PerfumerPierre Montale
Launched2017
Reviews137
Category winnerBlack VanillaHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotAqua Regia by Xerjoff pairs Calabrian bergamot and dark black currant with a prominent leather note. As it settles, Italian Tuscan orris root and sweet caramel soften the dry woods, creating a clean powdery profile over cedar and musk. Built for cool weather and formal evenings, this unisex composition offers an airy …
Reviews →Black Vanilla by Mancera is a sweet, floral fruity fragrance built around Madagascar vanilla, powdery florals, and juicy fruits. Launched in 2017 and composed by perfumer Pierre Montale, it departs from dark, boozy gourmands in favor of a bright and cheerful profile. The scent opens with white peach, black currant, cr…
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.
Guided comparison
Ask about this matchup
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Recent comparisons
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Aqua Regia or Black Vanilla?
Aqua Regia takes 4 of 7 categories. Aqua Regia is rated 4.08/5 from 266 votes; Black Vanilla is rated 3.95/5 from 1,443 votes. Choose Aqua Regia for a powdery and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter. Choose Black Vanilla for a vanilla and powdery character. Wins on value for money, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.
Which lasts longer, Aqua Regia or Black Vanilla?
Aqua Regia lasts longest (Aqua Regia 80/100, Black Vanilla 76/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Aqua Regia or Black Vanilla?
Projection is very close: Aqua Regia 70/100, Black Vanilla 68/100 for sillage.
Do Aqua Regia and Black Vanilla smell similar?
Some overlap: a 39% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share powdery, fruity and violet accords. Common notes include Calabrian bergamot, Black Currant, Violet and Madagascar Vanilla.
Is Aqua Regia or Black Vanilla better for summer or winter?
For summer, Black Vanilla is the stronger pick. For winter, Aqua Regia is the stronger pick. Black Vanilla suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Aqua Regia and Black Vanilla?
Aqua Regia has top notes of Leather, Calabrian bergamot and Black Currant, heart notes of Violet, Orris Root, Caramel and Singapore Patchouli, a base of Cedar, Musk and Madagascar Vanilla. Black Vanilla has top notes of White Peach, Black Currant, Coconut and Calabrian bergamot, heart notes of Violet, Egyptian Jasmine and Bulgarian Rose, a base of Madagascar Vanilla and White Musk.
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