Skip to content
FRAGRANXE
Fragrance comparison

Aramis Black vs Max

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

Updated 203 ratings analysed
Some overlap
Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Aramis Black takes 3 of 4 categories.

  • Aramis Black

    Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

  • Max

    Choose it for a woody and leather character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Aramis Black3/4
Max1/4
Ratings & consensus
Not scored
Community sentiment
Not scored
Longevity
Aramis Black
Sillage & projection
Max
Value for money
Aramis Black
Versatility
Not scored
Note pyramid (duration)
Not scored
Fragranxe ranking
Aramis Black

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance
Aramis BlackAramis
MaxÉsika
Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split
3.70/ 5 · 194 votes
Have 76%Had 24%Want 0%
3.56/ 5 · 9 votes
Have 54%Had 14%Want 32%
Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate
39%Love
47%Like
3%Ok
10%Dislike
1%Hate

135 votes

22%Love
44%Like
11%Ok
11%Dislike
11%Hate

9 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores
⏱ Longevity63
〰 Sillage57
♥ Love / hate77
⏱ Longevity62
〰 Sillage70
♥ Love / hate64
Category winners

LongevityAramis Black

SillageMax

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it
¤ Price value72
¤ Price value71
Category winnerAramis BlackBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both
woody100%
aromatic91%
balsamic83%
amber74%
leather65%
fresh spicy56%
woody100%
leather86%
aromatic72%
earthy58%
animalic44%
smoky30%
Scent match52%Some overlap · both woody, aromatic and leather

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared
Top
elemiMastic or LentisqueGrapefruit
Heart
Woody NotesCognacJuniper
Base
LeatherIncenseVetiverTonka Bean
Notes
VetiverLeatherWoody Notes

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesWoody Notes, Leather and Vetiver. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season
Spring57
Summer31
Fall0
Winter100
Day–
Night–
Spring33
Summer33
Fall100
Winter100
Day100
Night86
Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes
Men81
Unisex19
Women0
Men88
Unisex13
Women0
InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#11,668

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews15

Overall rank#64,968

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerAramis BlackHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Aramis Black is a dry, woody aromatic with a brisk grapefruit and resin opening, then a darker core of juniper, cognac and polished woods. As it settles, leather, incense, vetiver and tonka give it a smoky amber warmth. It usually reads mature, masculine and slightly dressy. If you like your fragrances smooth, woody a…

Reviews →

Max by Ésika is an earthy, direct woody leather cologne built for men who like straightforward masculine scents. It opens with a brisk touch of dry vetiver root before settling into a warm core of worn jacket leather and sturdy cedar-style woody notes. There is a subtle smoky quality in the background that gives the b…

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.

Recent comparisons

Head-to-head activity from live history

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Aramis Black or Max?

Aramis Black takes 3 of 4 categories. Aramis Black is rated 3.70/5 from 194 votes; Max is rated 3.56/5 from 9 votes. Choose Aramis Black for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter. Choose Max for a woody and leather character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Aramis Black or Max?

They last about the same: Aramis Black 63/100, Max 62/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Aramis Black or Max?

Max projects furthest (Max 70/100, Aramis Black 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Aramis Black and Max smell similar?

Some overlap: a 52% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, aromatic and leather accords. Common notes include Woody Notes, Leather and Vetiver.

Is Aramis Black or Max better for summer or winter?

Max suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Aramis Black and Max?

Aramis Black has top notes of elemi, Mastic or Lentisque and Grapefruit, heart notes of Woody Notes, Cognac and Juniper, a base of Leather, Incense, Vetiver and Tonka Bean. Max features Vetiver, Leather and Woody Notes.

Add to comparison

Find a fragrance