Fragrance comparison

Arcanum vs Black Walnut

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

Updated 11 Oct 2026 735 ratings analysed

4 wins

Arcanum

Incarna parfums

4.1763 votes

Rank #8,969 AmberWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

40%scent match

Some overlap

Black Walnut

Banana Republic

4.06672 votes

Rank #3,358 WoodyTobacco

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Arcanum takes 4 of 7 categories.

Arcanum
Choose it for a amber and woody character. Wins on community sentiment, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear.
Black Walnut
Choose it for a woody and tobacco character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Arcanum4/7

Black Walnut3/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

ArcanumIncarna parfums

Black WalnutBanana Republic

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.17/ 5 · 63 votes

Have 29%Had 10%Want 62%

4.06/ 5 · 672 votes

Have 77%Had 23%Want 0%

Category winnerBlack WalnutRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

43%Love

40%Like

10%Ok

8%Dislike

0%Hate

63 votes

34%Love

49%Like

7%Ok

8%Dislike

1%Hate

672 votes

Category winnerArcanumMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity78

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate79

⏱ Longevity53

〰 Sillage45

♥ Love / hate77

Category winners

LongevityArcanum

SillageArcanum

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value54

¤ Price value73

Category winnerBlack WalnutBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

woody90%

sweet80%

balsamic70%

warm spicy60%

fruity50%

woody100%

tobacco83%

sweet65%

warm spicy48%

powdery30%

Scent match40%Some overlap · both woody, sweet and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

CognacPlumRose

Heart

TobaccoOakHoneyAlmond

Base

Peru BalsamTolu BalsamAmberMyrrhMossSandalwoodBenzoin

Top

Cognac

Heart

Tobacco

Base

Virginia Cedar

InformationalShared notesCognac and Tobacco. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring13

Summer4

Fall100

Winter79

Day33

Night100

Spring69

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerArcanumMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men9

Unisex70

Women22

Men92

Unisex8

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#8,969

PerfumerNatalia Vitkovskaya

Launched—

Reviews12

Overall rank#3,358

PerfumerHarry Fremont

Launched—

Reviews128

Category winnerBlack WalnutHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Arcanum by Incarna Parfums is a rich unisex scent centered on cognac, dried fruits, and tobacco. Launched in 2018, it delivers a dense, resinous profile ideal for cold weather wear. This fragrance stands out for its deep, honeyed woody character that develops slowly on the skin. It suits those seeking a bold, cozy sig…

Reviews →

Black Walnut opens with a boozy, slightly sweet pour of cognac that commands attention before settling into a dry, woody aroma. As the initial warmth of the alcohol fades, a quiet tobacco note emerges, shifting the character toward a comfortable, clean cedar wood base. It feels dry and structured, avoiding the syrupy …

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, Arcanum or Black Walnut?

Arcanum takes 4 of 7 categories. Arcanum is rated 4.17/5 from 63 votes; Black Walnut is rated 4.06/5 from 672 votes. Choose Arcanum for a amber and woody character. Wins on community sentiment, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Black Walnut for a woody and tobacco character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Arcanum or Black Walnut?

Arcanum lasts longest (Arcanum 78/100, Black Walnut 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Arcanum or Black Walnut?

Arcanum projects furthest (Arcanum 71/100, Black Walnut 45/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Arcanum and Black Walnut smell similar?

Some overlap: a 40% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, sweet and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Cognac and Tobacco.

Is Arcanum or Black Walnut better for summer or winter?

For summer, Arcanum is the stronger pick. For winter, Black Walnut is the stronger pick. Arcanum suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Arcanum and Black Walnut?

Arcanum has top notes of Cognac, Plum and Rose, heart notes of Tobacco, Oak, Honey and Almond, a base of Peru Balsam, Tolu Balsam, Amber and Myrrh. Black Walnut has top notes of Cognac, heart notes of Tobacco, a base of Virginia Cedar.