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FRAGRANXE
Fragrance comparison

Basic Black vs Chimilka

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

Updated 656 ratings analysed
Some overlap
Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Basic Black takes 6 of 7 categories.

  • Basic Black

    Choose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in winter.

  • Chimilka

    Choose it for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on longevity. Best in spring.

Basic Black6/7
Chimilka1/7
Ratings & consensus
Basic Black
Community sentiment
Basic Black
Longevity
Chimilka
Sillage & projection
Basic Black
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
ChimilkaVilhelm Parfumerie
Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split
3.86/ 5 · 357 votes
Have 70%Had 30%Want 0%
3.67/ 5 · 299 votes
Have 84%Had 16%Want 0%
Category winnerBasic BlackRating 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

32%Love
32%Like
13%Ok
15%Dislike
7%Hate

299 votes

Category winnerBasic BlackMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores
⏱ Longevity69
〰 Sillage62
♥ Love / hate74
⏱ Longevity72
〰 Sillage59
♥ Love / hate67
Category winners

LongevityChimilka

SillageBasic Black

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it
¤ Price value78
¤ Price value25
Category winnerBasic BlackBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both
warm spicy100%
woody92%
amber84%
floral77%
powdery69%
aromatic61%
fruity100%
sweet92%
warm spicy84%
powdery77%
leather69%
floral61%
Scent match38%Some overlap · both warm spicy, powdery and floral

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared
Top
CarnationYlang-YlangPlumCardamomPeachMandarin OrangeBergamot
Heart
HoneyCorianderRoseTuberoseVioletJasmine
Base
OakmossPatchouliCivetAmberMuskBenzoinSandalwoodStyrax
Top
PeachItalian MandarinVelvetCardamom
Heart
Chinese OsmanthusLeatherOakmossSaffronVioletImmortelle
Base
SugarMuskPatchouliAmber
InformationalShared notesCardamom, Peach, Violet and Oakmoss. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season
Spring53
Summer34
Fall0
Winter100
Day–
Night–
Spring100
Summer0
Fall0
Winter38
Day–
Night–
Category winnerBasic BlackMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes
Men2
Unisex40
Women58
Men6
Unisex44
Women50
InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#3,732

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews71

Overall rank#16,177

PerfumerJérôme Epinette

Launched—

Reviews14

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 →

Chimilka by Vilhelm Parfumerie is a bittersweet leather and fruit composition that pairs ripe peach skin with a heavy dose of dry immortelle and saffron. Designed as a modern unisex scent, it wraps its warm spices in a dusty, metallic base that feels tailored for breezy spring days and smart-casual wear.

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.

Recent comparisons

Head-to-head activity from live history

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Basic Black or Chimilka?

Basic Black takes 6 of 7 categories. Basic Black is rated 3.86/5 from 357 votes; Chimilka is rated 3.67/5 from 299 votes. Choose Basic Black for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in winter. Choose Chimilka for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on longevity. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Basic Black or Chimilka?

Chimilka lasts longest (Chimilka 72/100, Basic Black 69/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Basic Black or Chimilka?

Basic Black projects furthest (Basic Black 62/100, Chimilka 59/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Basic Black and Chimilka smell similar?

Some overlap: a 38% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, powdery and floral accords. Common notes include Cardamom, Peach, Violet and Oakmoss.

Is Basic Black or Chimilka better for summer or winter?

For summer, Basic Black is the stronger pick. For winter, Basic Black is the stronger pick. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Basic Black and Chimilka?

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. Chimilka has top notes of Peach, Italian Mandarin, Velvet and Cardamom, heart notes of Chinese Osmanthus, Leather, Oakmoss and Saffron, a base of Sugar, Musk, Patchouli and Amber.

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