Fragrance comparison

Basic Black vs Chandigarh Express

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 626 ratings analysed

Basic Black

Bill Blass

3.86357 votes

Rank #3,741 Warm SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

42%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Chandigarh Express

Ex Nihilo

4.06269 votes

Rank #7,611 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Chandigarh Express takes 4 of 7 categories.

Basic Black
Choose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on value for money, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
Chandigarh Express
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.

Basic Black3/7

Chandigarh Express4/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Basic BlackBill Blass

Chandigarh ExpressEx Nihilo

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.86/ 5 · 357 votes

Have 70%Had 30%Want 0%

4.06/ 5 · 269 votes

Have 80%Had 20%Want 0%

Category winnerChandigarh ExpressRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

37%Love

41%Like

4%Ok

17%Dislike

1%Hate

313 votes

44%Love

34%Like

10%Ok

9%Dislike

4%Hate

269 votes

Category winnerChandigarh ExpressMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity69

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage63

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityChandigarh Express

SillageChandigarh Express

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value78

¤ Price value26

Category winnerBasic BlackBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

woody92%

amber84%

floral77%

powdery69%

aromatic61%

aromatic100%

woody92%

leather84%

warm spicy77%

citrus69%

green61%

Scent match42%Some overlap · both woody, warm spicy and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

CarnationYlang-YlangPlumCardamomPeachMandarin OrangeBergamot

Heart

HoneyCorianderRoseTuberoseVioletJasmine

Base

OakmossPatchouliCivetAmberMuskBenzoinSandalwoodStyrax

Top20-30 mins

CardamomMandarin OrangeBergamot

Heart3-4 hrs

LeatherBalsam FirDavanaMahonialJasmine

Base7-10 hrs

VetiverBenzoinTonkaPatchouli

InformationalShared notesCardamom, Mandarin Orange, Bergamot and Jasmine. Durations are only published for Chandigarh Express, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring53

Summer34

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring66

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day79

Night100

Category winnerBasic BlackMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men2

Unisex40

Women58

Men65

Unisex33

Women2

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#3,741

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews71

Overall rank#7,611

PerfumerGaël Montero

Launched—

Reviews31

Category winnerBasic BlackHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Basic Black by Bill Blass is a spicy, mossy floral chypre with a vintage dressed-up attitude. Reviewers often notice carnation, coriander, oakmoss, musk and honeyed florals, with an opening that can feel sharp, soapy or animalic before it settles. It suits people who enjoy bold 80s and early 90s style perfumes, powder…

Reviews →

Chandigarh Express by Ex Nihilo opens with a brisk dash of green cardamom, sunlit mandarin orange, and tangy bergamot. The scent quickly settles into a core of smooth leather, pine-scented balsam fir, and fruity davana. It feels like stepping into a stylish modern building bordered by lush greenery, where the cool air…

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, Basic Black or Chandigarh Express?

Chandigarh Express takes 4 of 7 categories. Basic Black is rated 3.86/5 from 357 votes; Chandigarh Express is rated 4.06/5 from 269 votes. Choose Basic Black for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on value for money, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter. Choose Chandigarh Express for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Basic Black or Chandigarh Express?

Chandigarh Express lasts longest (Chandigarh Express 73/100, Basic Black 69/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Basic Black or Chandigarh Express?

Projection is very close: Chandigarh Express 63/100, Basic Black 62/100 for sillage.

Do Basic Black and Chandigarh Express smell similar?

Some overlap: a 42% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, warm spicy and aromatic accords. Common notes include Cardamom, Mandarin Orange, Bergamot and Jasmine.

Is Basic Black or Chandigarh Express better for summer or winter?

For summer, Basic Black is the stronger pick. For winter, Basic Black is the stronger pick. Chandigarh Express suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Basic Black and Chandigarh Express?

Basic Black has top notes of Carnation, Ylang-Ylang, Plum and Cardamom, heart notes of Honey, Coriander, Rose and Tuberose, a base of Oakmoss, Patchouli, Civet and Amber. Chandigarh Express has top notes of Cardamom, Mandarin Orange and Bergamot, heart notes of Leather, Balsam Fir, Davana and Mahonial, a base of Vetiver, Benzoin, Tonka and Patchouli.