Fragrance comparison

Black Angel vs Opium (1977)

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 8,553 ratings analysed

Black Angel

Mark Buxton · 2008

3.96158 votes

Rank #13,935 AmberFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

32%scent match

Clearly different

5 wins

Opium (1977)

Yves Saint Laurent

3.978,395 votes

Rank #416 Warm SpicyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Opium (1977) takes 5 of 7 categories.

Black Angel
Choose it for a amber and fresh spicy character. Wins on community sentiment and versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Opium (1977)
Choose it for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter.

Black Angel2/7

Opium (1977)5/7

Ratings & consensus: Opium (1977)
Community sentiment: Black Angel
Longevity: Opium (1977)
Sillage & projection: Opium (1977)
Value for money: Opium (1977)
Versatility: Black Angel
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Opium (1977)

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Black AngelMark Buxton

Opium (1977)Yves Saint Laurent

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.96/ 5 · 158 votes

Have 39%Had 15%Want 47%

3.97/ 5 · 8,395 votes

Have 53%Had 47%Want 0%

Category winnerOpium (1977)Rating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

31%Love

42%Like

20%Ok

6%Dislike

1%Hate

142 votes

44%Love

32%Like

1%Ok

22%Dislike

1%Hate

8,395 votes

Category winnerBlack AngelMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity59

〰 Sillage60

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity88

〰 Sillage82

♥ Love / hate74

Category winners

LongevityOpium (1977)

SillageOpium (1977)

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value47

¤ Price value53

Category winnerOpium (1977)Best value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

fresh spicy92%

citrus84%

patchouli77%

woody69%

fresh61%

warm spicy100%

amber91%

balsamic83%

woody74%

aromatic65%

powdery56%

Scent match32%Clearly different · both amber and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15 to 30 minutes

GingerCitrusesCardamomMandarin OrangeRosemaryBergamotCorianderOrange

Heart1 to 2 hours

NutmegOrris RootJasmineLily-of-the-Valley

Base3 to 4 hours

AmberGuaiac WoodStyraxPatchouli

Top

ClovesPepperCorianderWest Indian BayPlumJasmineMandarin OrangeBergamot

Heart

CarnationCinnamonSandalwoodPatchouliRoseOrris RootPeachLily-of-the-Valley

Base

IncenseMyrrhTolu BalsamAmberOpoponaxBenzoinLabdanumVanilla

InformationalShared notesMandarin Orange, Bergamot, Coriander and Orris Root. Durations are only published for Black Angel, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring63

Summer47

Fall100

Winter71

Day100

Night77

Spring19

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerBlack AngelMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men23

Unisex63

Women14

Men3

Unisex36

Women61

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#13,935

PerfumerMark Buxton

Launched2008

Reviews9

Overall rank#416

PerfumerJean Amic, Jean-Louis Sieuzac, Raymond Chaillan

Launched—

Reviews204

Category winnerOpium (1977)Higher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Black Angel by Mark Buxton is an aromatic citrus fragrance that pairs brisk orchard fruit with a dark, resinous foundation. The opening delivers a crisp burst of mandarin orange, bergamot, and spicy ginger, sharpened by rosemary, coriander, and green cardamom. As that initial sparkle softens, culinary nutmeg and powde…

Reviews →

Yves Saint Laurent Opium (1977) opens like a warm, crackling hearth on a freezing winter night. The first spray hits with a sharp burst of dried clove buds, fresh black pepper, and dark plum before mellowing into rich cinnamon, spicy red carnation, and creamy sandalwood. As it settles on warm skin, deep frankincense, …

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 Angel or Opium (1977)?

Opium (1977) takes 5 of 7 categories. Black Angel is rated 3.96/5 from 158 votes; Opium (1977) is rated 3.97/5 from 8,395 votes. Choose Black Angel for a amber and fresh spicy character. Wins on community sentiment and versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Opium (1977) for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Black Angel or Opium (1977)?

Opium (1977) lasts longest (Opium (1977) 88/100, Black Angel 59/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Black Angel or Opium (1977)?

Opium (1977) projects furthest (Opium (1977) 82/100, Black Angel 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Black Angel and Opium (1977) smell similar?

Clearly different: a 32% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber and woody accords. Common notes include Mandarin Orange, Bergamot, Coriander and Orris Root.

Is Black Angel or Opium (1977) better for summer or winter?

For summer, Black Angel is the stronger pick. For winter, Opium (1977) is the stronger pick. Black Angel suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Black Angel and Opium (1977)?

Black Angel has top notes of Ginger, Citruses, Cardamom and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Nutmeg, Orris Root, Jasmine and Lily-of-the-Valley, a base of Amber, Guaiac Wood, Styrax and Patchouli. Opium (1977) has top notes of Cloves, Pepper, Coriander and West Indian Bay, heart notes of Carnation, Cinnamon, Sandalwood and Patchouli, a base of Incense, Myrrh, Tolu Balsam and Amber.