Fragrance comparison

Ébène vs Derby

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 271 ratings analysed

Ébène

Pierre Balmain · 2024

4.37122 votes

Rank #27,956 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

45%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Derby

Roberto Ugolini

4.18149 votes

Rank #7,191 WoodyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Derby takes 4 of 5 categories.

Ébène
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus. Best in fall, evening wear.
Derby
Choose it for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, day or night wear.

Ébène1/5

Derby4/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

ÉbènePierre Balmain

DerbyRoberto Ugolini

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.37/ 5 · 122 votes

Have 64%Had 36%Want 0%

4.18/ 5 · 149 votes

Have 10%Had 0%Want 90%

Category winnerÉbèneRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

59%Love

30%Like

2%Ok

7%Dislike

2%Hate

122 votes

100%Love

0%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

1 vote · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity75

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate84

⏱ Longevity81

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate71

Category winners

LongevityDerby

SillageDerby

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value45

¤ Price value57

Category winnerDerbyBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

woody84%

amber77%

green69%

mossy61%

woody100%

warm spicy92%

aromatic84%

fresh spicy77%

herbal69%

powdery61%

Scent match45%Some overlap · both aromatic, woody and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

MintAldehydesCarawayAniseArtemisiaBasilBergamotLemon

Heart

PineCarnationGeraniumPatchouliJasmineRoseCinnamon

Base

OakmossLeatherLabdanumAmberMuskTonka Bean

Top

ArtemisiaCardamomBasil

Heart

CinnamonJasmineCarawayPimentoMyrrhBark

Base

SandalwoodPatchouliCedarwoodVetiverBirchMusk

InformationalShared notesCaraway, Artemisia, Basil and Patchouli. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring71

Summer34

Fall100

Winter94

Day80

Night100

Spring0

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day100

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men88

Unisex8

Women4

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#27,956

PerfumerMaurice Roucel

Launched2024

Reviews0

Overall rank#7,191

PerfumerCristian Calabro, Maurizio Cerizza

Launched—

Reviews52

Category winnerDerbyHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Ébène by Pierre Balmain delivers a dark wood experience driven by myrrh oil and deep ebony wood. Built for winter evenings in a heavy coat, this scent contrasts hot cinnamon against dry tobacco. It wears heavy and warm on the skin, offering a smoky performance that stands out in cold weather.

Reviews →

Derby by Roberto Ugolini is a striking woody spicy fragrance that highlights a complex herbal opening. Notes of artemisia, cardamom, and basil set a sharp, masculine stage. As it settles, cinnamon and myrrh bring warmth to the heart, while a base of cedarwood and vetiver ensures a long-lasting, sophisticated presence.…

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, Ébène or Derby?

Derby takes 4 of 5 categories. Ébène is rated 4.37/5 from 122 votes; Derby is rated 4.18/5 from 149 votes. Choose Ébène for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Derby for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, Ébène or Derby?

Derby lasts longest (Derby 81/100, Ébène 75/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Ébène or Derby?

Derby projects furthest (Derby 75/100, Ébène 69/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Ébène and Derby smell similar?

Some overlap: a 45% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Caraway, Artemisia, Basil and Patchouli.

Is Ébène or Derby better for summer or winter?

Ébène suits evening wear; Derby suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Ébène and Derby?

Ébène has top notes of Mint, Aldehydes, Caraway and Anise, heart notes of Pine, Carnation, Geranium and Patchouli, a base of Oakmoss, Leather, Labdanum and Amber. Derby has top notes of Artemisia, Cardamom and Basil, heart notes of Cinnamon, Jasmine, Caraway and Pimento, a base of Sandalwood, Patchouli, Cedarwood and Vetiver.