Fragrance comparison

Black Afgano vs Carnival of Souls

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 11,644 ratings analysed

4 wins

Black Afgano

Nasomatto · 2009

4.0711,519 votes

Rank #24,425 AmberSmoky

Full profile Similar & dupes

23%scent match

Clearly different

Carnival of Souls

Marissa Zappas

3.87125 votes

Rank #13,660 PowderyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Black Afgano takes 4 of 7 categories.

Black Afgano
Choose it for a amber and smoky character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.
Carnival of Souls
Choose it for a powdery and amber character. Wins on value for money, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, daytime wear.

Black Afgano4/7

Carnival of Souls3/7

Ratings & consensus: Black Afgano
Community sentiment: Black Afgano
Longevity: Black Afgano
Sillage & projection: Black Afgano
Value for money: Carnival of Souls
Versatility: Carnival of Souls
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Carnival of Souls

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Black AfganoNasomatto

Carnival of SoulsMarissa Zappas

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.07/ 5 · 11,519 votes

Have 78%Had 22%Want 0%

3.87/ 5 · 125 votes

Have 14%Had 2%Want 83%

Category winnerBlack AfganoRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

49%Love

28%Like

7%Ok

11%Dislike

4%Hate

11,519 votes

37%Love

26%Like

27%Ok

6%Dislike

3%Hate

125 votes

Category winnerBlack AfganoMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity85

〰 Sillage76

♥ Love / hate77

⏱ Longevity57

〰 Sillage41

♥ Love / hate72

Category winners

LongevityBlack Afgano

SillageBlack Afgano

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value40

¤ Price value48

Category winnerCarnival of SoulsBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

smoky79%

woody75%

oud73%

cannabis67%

balsamic64%

powdery100%

amber92%

warm spicy84%

yellow floral77%

violet69%

floral61%

Scent match23%Clearly different · both amber

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

cannabisGreen NotesDavanaSaffronThyme

Heart

ResinsWoodsy NotesTobaccoCoffeeCinnamonVioletRaspberry

Base

Agarwood (Oud)IncenseAmberAnimal notesGuaiac WoodTonkaGurjan balsamMusk

Notes

MimosaVioletMilk CreamIncenseVanillaSaffronPatchouliMuskAmber

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesSaffron, Violet, Incense and Amber. Durations are only published for Carnival of Souls, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring30

Summer17

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring41

Summer29

Fall88

Winter100

Day100

Night64

Category winnerCarnival of SoulsMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men67

Unisex31

Women2

Men10

Unisex43

Women48

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#24,425

PerfumerAlessandro Gualtieri

Launched2009

Reviews0

Overall rank#13,660

PerfumerMarissa Zappas

Launched—

Reviews45

Category winnerCarnival of SoulsHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Black Afgano is a dark, resin-heavy scent built around smoky woods, oud, incense, tobacco and an unmistakably herbal cannabis effect. It opens green and bitter, then turns denser, warmer and more balsamic as it settles. This is a bold unisex fragrance that usually suits cool weather, evenings and confident wearers who…

Reviews →

Carnival of Souls by Marissa Zappas presents a quiet, powdery floral landscape that pairs fluffy yellow mimosa with chilled milk cream and soft violet. An undercurrent of smoky incense and warm spicy saffron cuts through the sweetness, keeping the scent grounded rather than sugary. As it settles, an amber base enriche…

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, Black Afgano or Carnival of Souls?

Black Afgano takes 4 of 7 categories. Black Afgano is rated 4.07/5 from 11,519 votes; Carnival of Souls is rated 3.87/5 from 125 votes. Choose Black Afgano for a amber and smoky character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter. Choose Carnival of Souls for a powdery and amber character. Wins on value for money, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Black Afgano or Carnival of Souls?

Black Afgano lasts longest (Black Afgano 85/100, Carnival of Souls 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Black Afgano or Carnival of Souls?

Black Afgano projects furthest (Black Afgano 76/100, Carnival of Souls 41/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Black Afgano and Carnival of Souls smell similar?

Clearly different: a 23% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber accords. Common notes include Saffron, Violet, Incense and Amber.

Is Black Afgano or Carnival of Souls better for summer or winter?

For summer, Carnival of Souls is the stronger pick. For winter, Black Afgano is the stronger pick. Carnival of Souls suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Black Afgano and Carnival of Souls?

Black Afgano has top notes of cannabis, Green Notes, Davana and Saffron, heart notes of Resins, Woodsy Notes, Tobacco and Coffee, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Incense, Amber and Animal notes. Carnival of Souls features Mimosa, Violet, Milk Cream, Incense and Vanilla.