Fragrance comparison

Ébène vs Virilis

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

Updated 8 Nov 2026 164 ratings analysed

Ébène

Pierre Balmain · 2024

4.37122 votes

Rank #27,206 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

46%scent match

Some overlap

5 wins

Virilis

PARIS CORNER

4.3842 votes

Rank #25,278 AmberAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Virilis takes 5 of 7 categories.

Ébène
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus and community sentiment. Best in fall, evening wear.
Virilis
Choose it for a amber and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Ébène2/7

Virilis5/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

ÉbènePierre Balmain

VirilisPARIS CORNER

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.37/ 5 · 122 votes

Have 64%Had 36%Want 0%

4.38/ 5 · 42 votes

Have 41%Had 8%Want 51%

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

60%Love

24%Like

12%Ok

5%Dislike

0%Hate

42 votes

Category winnerÉbèneMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity75

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate84

⏱ Longevity77

〰 Sillage70

♥ Love / hate85

Category winners

LongevityVirilis

SillageVirilis

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value45

¤ Price value81

Category winnerVirilisBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

woody84%

amber77%

green69%

mossy61%

amber100%

aromatic92%

vanilla84%

lavender77%

fresh spicy69%

sweet61%

Scent match46%Some overlap · both aromatic, amber 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

Top45 to 60 minutes

LavenderMintPineappleArtemisiaCinnamonBergamot

Heart2 to 3 hours

AmberAmberwoodBenzoinPatchouli

Base5 to 8 hours

VanillaToffeeOakmossMusk

InformationalShared notesMint, Artemisia, Bergamot and Patchouli. Durations are only published for Virilis, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring71

Summer34

Fall100

Winter94

Day80

Night100

Spring75

Summer25

Fall100

Winter100

Day73

Night100

Category winnerVirilisMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men88

Unisex8

Women4

Men82

Unisex11

Women7

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#27,206

PerfumerMaurice Roucel

Launched2024

Reviews0

Overall rank#25,278

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews4

Category winnerVirilisHigher 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 →

Virilis by PARIS CORNER is an oriental fougere fragrance for men built around aromatic freshness and rich, resinous warmth. The scent opens with a burst of crisp bergamot, sharp mint, and aromatic lavender, cut through by juicy pineapple and warm cinnamon. As the initial brightness settles, an earthy blend of patchoul…

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 Virilis?

Virilis takes 5 of 7 categories. Ébène is rated 4.37/5 from 122 votes; Virilis is rated 4.38/5 from 42 votes. Choose Ébène for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus and community sentiment. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Virilis for a amber and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Ébène or Virilis?

They last about the same: Virilis 77/100, Ébène 75/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Ébène or Virilis?

Projection is very close: Virilis 70/100, Ébène 69/100 for sillage.

Do Ébène and Virilis smell similar?

Some overlap: a 46% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, amber and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Mint, Artemisia, Bergamot and Patchouli.

Is Ébène or Virilis better for summer or winter?

For summer, Ébène is the stronger pick. For winter, Virilis is the stronger pick. Ébène suits evening wear; Virilis suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Ébène and Virilis?

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. Virilis has top notes of Lavender, Mint, Pineapple and Artemisia, heart notes of Amber, Amberwood, Benzoin and Patchouli, a base of Vanilla, Toffee, Oakmoss and Musk.