Fragrance comparison

Ébène vs Raw Passion

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

Updated 24 Oct 2026 138 ratings analysed

4 wins

Ébène

Pierre Balmain · 2024

4.37122 votes

Rank #25,690 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

27%scent match

Clearly different

Raw Passion

Denim

3.5016 votes

Rank #63,079 CinnamonWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Ébène takes 4 of 5 categories.

Ébène
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear.
Raw Passion
Choose it for a cinnamon and warm spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Ébène4/5

Raw Passion1/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

ÉbènePierre Balmain

Raw PassionDenim

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.37/ 5 · 122 votes

Have 64%Had 36%Want 0%

3.50/ 5 · 16 votes

Have 34%Had 34%Want 31%

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

25%Love

44%Like

0%Ok

19%Dislike

13%Hate

16 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity75

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate84

⏱ Longevity53

〰 Sillage54

♥ Love / hate63

Category winners

LongevityÉbène

SillageÉbène

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value45

¤ Price value100

Category winnerRaw PassionBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

woody84%

amber77%

green69%

mossy61%

cinnamon100%

warm spicy92%

vanilla84%

woody77%

lavender69%

aromatic61%

Scent match27%Clearly different · both aromatic and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

MintAldehydesCarawayAniseArtemisiaBasilBergamotLemon

Heart

PineCarnationGeraniumPatchouliJasmineRoseCinnamon

Base

OakmossLeatherLabdanumAmberMuskTonka Bean

Top15-30 mins

LavenderMintBergamot

Heart2-3 hrs

CinnamonCedarOakmoss

Base3-5 hrs

VanillaSandalwood

InformationalShared notesMint, Bergamot, Cinnamon and Oakmoss. Durations are only published for Raw Passion, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring71

Summer34

Fall100

Winter94

Day80

Night100

Spring50

Summer0

Fall100

Winter75

Day57

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men88

Unisex8

Women4

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Casual 32%Date 31%Party 21%Work 16%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#25,690

PerfumerMaurice Roucel

Launched2024

Reviews0

Overall rank#63,079

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerÉbèneHigher 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 →

Denim Raw Passion is an affordable, spicy aromatic splash designed for brisk weather and casual downtime. The first spray punches through with a quick flash of cool mint and sharp lavender before revealing a warm core of sweet cinnamon and dry cedar wood. It has an unapologetic barbershop backbone softened by a powder…

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, Ébène or Raw Passion?

Ébène takes 4 of 5 categories. Ébène is rated 4.37/5 from 122 votes; Raw Passion is rated 3.50/5 from 16 votes. Choose Ébène for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Raw Passion for a cinnamon and warm spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Ébène or Raw Passion?

Ébène lasts longest (Ébène 75/100, Raw Passion 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Ébène or Raw Passion?

Ébène projects furthest (Ébène 69/100, Raw Passion 54/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Ébène and Raw Passion smell similar?

Clearly different: a 27% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic and woody accords. Common notes include Mint, Bergamot, Cinnamon and Oakmoss.

Is Ébène or Raw Passion better for summer or winter?

Ébène suits evening wear; Raw Passion suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Ébène and Raw Passion?

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. Raw Passion has top notes of Lavender, Mint and Bergamot, heart notes of Cinnamon, Cedar and Oakmoss, a base of Vanilla and Sandalwood.