Fragrance comparison

Asana vs Version Black

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

Updated 24 Oct 2026 42 ratings analysed

Asana

Amouage

3.405 votes

Rank #63,271 WoodyFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

44%scent match

Some overlap

Version Black

Ulric de Varens

3.9537 votes

Rank #18,062 CitrusWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2.

Asana
Choose it for a woody and floral character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.
Version Black
Choose it for a citrus and woody character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Asana2/4

Version Black2/4

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

AsanaAmouage

Version BlackUlric de Varens

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.40/ 5 · 5 votes

Have 18%Had 3%Want 80%

3.95/ 5 · 37 votes

Have 59%Had 15%Want 26%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

20%Love

20%Like

40%Ok

20%Dislike

0%Hate

5 votes · too few to score

19%Love

65%Like

8%Ok

8%Dislike

0%Hate

37 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage83

♥ Love / hate60

⏱ Longevity55

〰 Sillage52

♥ Love / hate74

Category winners

LongevityAsana

SillageAsana

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

¤ Price value93

Category winnerVersion BlackBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

floral92%

amber84%

aromatic77%

white floral69%

powdery61%

citrus100%

woody92%

warm spicy84%

aromatic77%

lavender69%

floral61%

Scent match44%Some overlap · both woody, aromatic and floral

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Mandarin OrangeCardamomNutmeg

Heart

JasmineVioletFreesiaApricot BlossomCyclamen

Base

CedarAmyrisOlibanumAmberTonka Bean

Top15-30 mins

CitrusesCardamomMandarin OrangePineappleNutmeg

Heart2-3 hrs

LavenderFreesiaViolet

Base4-6 hrs

MuskWoody NotesTonka BeanPalisander Rosewood

InformationalShared notesMandarin Orange, Cardamom, Nutmeg and Violet. Durations are only published for Version Black, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring0

Summer0

Fall50

Winter100

Day–

Night100

Spring100

Summer100

Fall42

Winter17

Day100

Night32

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex50

Women50

Men81

Unisex15

Women4

Casual 47%Work 32%Date 12%Party 9%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#63,271

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#18,062

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews9

Category winnerVersion BlackHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Amouage Asana blends clean floral notes with dry cardamom spice to create a quiet, woody warmth. Initially launched in 2005 as a limited Harrods exclusive, this unisex fragrance is best suited for quiet autumn evenings when the dry air needs a gentle touch of olibanum incense.

Reviews →

Do not let the dark name fool you. Version Black by Ulric de Varens is not a heavy, brooding night scent. Instead, it bursts open with a bright blast of mandarin orange, tart pineapple, and fresh cardamom. The initial alcohol lift settles quickly on skin, revealing a clean heart of French lavender, delicate violet, an…

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, Asana or Version Black?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2. Asana is rated 3.40/5 from 5 votes; Version Black is rated 3.95/5 from 37 votes. Choose Asana for a woody and floral character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Version Black for a citrus and woody character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Asana or Version Black?

Asana lasts longest (Asana 80/100, Version Black 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Asana or Version Black?

Asana projects furthest (Asana 83/100, Version Black 52/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Asana and Version Black smell similar?

Some overlap: a 44% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, aromatic and floral accords. Common notes include Mandarin Orange, Cardamom, Nutmeg and Violet.

Is Asana or Version Black better for summer or winter?

Asana suits evening wear; Version Black suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Asana and Version Black?

Asana has top notes of Mandarin Orange, Cardamom and Nutmeg, heart notes of Jasmine, Violet, Freesia and Apricot Blossom, a base of Cedar, Amyris, Olibanum and Amber. Version Black has top notes of Citruses, Cardamom, Mandarin Orange and Pineapple, heart notes of Lavender, Freesia and Violet, a base of Musk, Woody Notes, Tonka Bean and Palisander Rosewood.