Fragrance comparison

Black vs Iris

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

Updated 13 Nov 2026 6,568 ratings analysed

5 wins

Black

Bvlgari

3.946,516 votes

Rank #1,424 LeatherVanilla

Full profile Similar & dupes

20%scent match

Clearly different

Iris

MARIA CHER.

3.2552 votes

Rank #30,250 FreshCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Black takes 5 of 7 categories.

Black
Choose it for a leather and vanilla character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.
Iris
Choose it for a fresh and citrus character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Black5/7

Iris2/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

BlackBvlgari

IrisMARIA CHER.

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.94/ 5 · 6,516 votes

Have 62%Had 38%Want 0%

3.25/ 5 · 52 votes

Have 51%Had 22%Want 27%

Category winnerBlackRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

44%Love

39%Like

3%Ok

14%Dislike

1%Hate

5,962 votes

27%Love

25%Like

10%Ok

23%Dislike

15%Hate

52 votes

Category winnerBlackMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity66

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate78

⏱ Longevity49

〰 Sillage41

♥ Love / hate56

Category winners

LongevityBlack

SillageBlack

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value57

¤ Price value70

Category winnerIrisBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

leather100%

vanilla91%

powdery83%

animalic74%

woody65%

amber56%

fresh100%

citrus92%

fruity84%

green77%

musky69%

powdery61%

Scent match20%Clearly different · both powdery

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Green TeaBergamotRose

Heart

SandalwoodCedarJasmine

Base

LeatherVanillaAmberMuskOakmoss

Top15-30 mins

Bitter OrangeSorbetPink PepperRaspberryRed Currant

Heart2-3 hrs

Green TeaGreen AppleVioletJasminePeony

Base4-6 hrs

MuskCedarOakmossAmber

InformationalShared notesGreen Tea, Cedar, Jasmine and Amber. Durations are only published for Iris, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring42

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring49

Summer100

Fall17

Winter7

Day100

Night6

Category winnerIrisMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men48

Unisex47

Women5

Men0

Unisex23

Women77

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#1,424

PerfumerAnnick Menardo

Launched—

Reviews127

Overall rank#30,250

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews4

Category winnerBlackHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Black by Bvlgari is a smoky leather vanilla fragrance with a cult urban character. It opens with green tea, bergamot and rose, then moves into dry woods before settling into rubbery leather, amber, musk and soft vanilla. It suits cooler weather and people who enjoy unusual designer fragrances. Sample first if you disl…

Reviews →

Iris by MARIA CHER opens with a brisk, thirst-quenching splash of bitter orange, tart red currant, and cool fruit sorbet spiced with a pinch of pink pepper. As the sharp citrus fizz calms down, a crisp heart of green tea, tart green apple, and clean peony emerges, giving the scent a breezy, freshly washed brightness. …

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, Black or Iris?

Black takes 5 of 7 categories. Black is rated 3.94/5 from 6,516 votes; Iris is rated 3.25/5 from 52 votes. Choose Black for a leather and vanilla character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter. Choose Iris for a fresh and citrus character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Black or Iris?

Black lasts longest (Black 66/100, Iris 49/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Black or Iris?

Black projects furthest (Black 55/100, Iris 41/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Black and Iris smell similar?

Clearly different: a 20% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share powdery accords. Common notes include Green Tea, Cedar, Jasmine and Amber.

Is Black or Iris better for summer or winter?

For summer, Iris is the stronger pick. For winter, Black is the stronger pick. Iris suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Black and Iris?

Black has top notes of Green Tea, Bergamot and Rose, heart notes of Sandalwood, Cedar and Jasmine, a base of Leather, Vanilla, Amber and Musk. Iris has top notes of Bitter Orange, Sorbet, Pink Pepper and Raspberry, heart notes of Green Tea, Green Apple, Violet and Jasmine, a base of Musk, Cedar, Oakmoss and Amber.