Back to Black vs Živeli
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
36%scent match
Some overlap
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Back to Black takes 4 of 5 categories.
Back to BlackChoose it for a sweet and honey character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter.
ŽiveliChoose it for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on value for money. Best in summer, evening wear.
Back to Black4/5
Živeli1/5
- Ratings & consensus
- Back to Black
- Community sentiment
- Not scored
- Longevity
- Back to Black
- Sillage & projection
- Back to Black
- Value for money
- Živeli
- Versatility
- Not scored
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- Back to Black
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
Back to BlackBy KilianŽiveliBokaWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split3.96/ 5 · 7,584 votes
Have 72%Had 28%Want 0%
3.77/ 5 · 22 votes
Have 9%Had 1%Want 90%
Category winnerBack to BlackRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate44%Love
33%Like
6%Ok
15%Dislike
2%Hate
6,340 votes
68%Love
0%Like
0%Ok
5%Dislike
27%Hate
22 votes · too few to score
Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityBack to Black
SillageBack to Black
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerŽiveliBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothsweet100%
honey92%
tobacco84%
amber77%
fruity69%
cherry61%
fruity100%
sweet92%
floral84%
woody77%
aromatic69%
tobacco61%
Scent match36%Some overlap · both sweet, fruity and tobacco
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedNotes
White HoneyTobaccoCherryVanillaRaspberryAlmondGingerbreadTonka BeanAmberNutmegBenzoinChamomile
No top / heart / base split published
Top
Plum BrandyCherry BlossomRaspberryPink PepperGrapefruitMandarin
Heart
HoneyLeatherDavanaYlang-YlangOrris RootSaffron
Base
TobaccoAmbretteOakVirginia CedarTonka BeanLabdanum
InformationalShared notesTobacco, Raspberry and Tonka Bean. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring24
Summer13
Fall0
Winter100
Day–
Night–
Spring50
Summer100
Fall88
Winter88
Day71
Night100
Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#999
PerfumerCalice Becker
Launched—
Reviews517
Overall rank#24,304
PerfumerBoris Zrnic
Launched—
Reviews6
Category winnerBack to BlackHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotBack to Black by By Kilian offers a rich, honey-drenched tobacco experience that balances gourmand sweetness with woody depth. It is a dense, unapologetic scent tailored for chilly evenings and formal winter gatherings, where its narcotic, warm character can fully project without overwhelming the wearer. This complex …
Reviews →Živeli opens with a boozy plum and bright citrus effect, then turns sweeter and darker as honey, leather, tobacco and woods come forward. It reads fruity first, but not light. This suits someone who likes rich, textured unisex scents with a nightlife mood. The mix of brandy, soft florals, leather and tobacco suggests …
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.
Guided comparison
Ask about this matchup
Get a practical answer grounded in the fragrances currently selected.
Recent comparisons
Head-to-head activity from live history
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Back to Black or Živeli?
Back to Black takes 4 of 5 categories. Back to Black is rated 3.96/5 from 7,584 votes; Živeli is rated 3.77/5 from 22 votes. Choose Back to Black for a sweet and honey character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter. Choose Živeli for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on value for money. Best in summer, evening wear.
Which lasts longer, Back to Black or Živeli?
Back to Black lasts longest (Back to Black 81/100, Živeli 67/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Back to Black or Živeli?
Projection is very close: Back to Black 68/100, Živeli 66/100 for sillage.
Do Back to Black and Živeli smell similar?
Some overlap: a 36% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share sweet, fruity and tobacco accords. Common notes include Tobacco, Raspberry and Tonka Bean.
Is Back to Black or Živeli better for summer or winter?
Živeli suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Back to Black and Živeli?
Back to Black features White Honey, Tobacco, Cherry, Vanilla and Raspberry. Živeli has top notes of Plum Brandy, Cherry Blossom, Raspberry and Pink Pepper, heart notes of Honey, Leather, Davana and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Tobacco, Ambrette, Oak and Virginia Cedar.
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