Fragrance comparison

Black vs Shomal

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

Updated 13 Nov 2026 6,635 ratings analysed

4 wins

Black

Bvlgari

3.946,516 votes

Rank #1,424 LeatherVanilla

Full profile Similar & dupes

21%scent match

Clearly different

Shomal

Botanicae

3.87119 votes

Rank #16,373 GreenPatchouli

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Black takes 4 of 7 categories.

Black
Choose it for a leather and vanilla character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in winter.
Shomal
Choose it for a green and patchouli character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in spring.

Black4/7

Shomal2/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

BlackBvlgari

ShomalBotanicae

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.94/ 5 · 6,516 votes

Have 62%Had 38%Want 0%

3.87/ 5 · 119 votes

Have 51%Had 14%Want 35%

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

29%Love

40%Like

21%Ok

10%Dislike

0%Hate

119 votes

Category winnerBlackMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity66

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate78

⏱ Longevity66

〰 Sillage54

♥ Love / hate72

Category winners

LongevityTie

SillageBlack

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value57

¤ Price value67

Category winnerShomalBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

leather100%

vanilla91%

powdery83%

animalic74%

woody65%

amber56%

green100%

patchouli92%

earthy84%

woody77%

warm spicy69%

citrus61%

Scent match21%Clearly different · both woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Green TeaBergamotRose

Heart

SandalwoodCedarJasmine

Base

LeatherVanillaAmberMuskOakmoss

Top

Green TeaHyacinthMandarin

Heart

PatchouliJasmineSaffron

Base

VanillaOakmossAmber

InformationalShared notesGreen Tea, Jasmine, Vanilla and Amber. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring42

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer76

Fall0

Winter28

Day–

Night–

Category winnerShomalMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men48

Unisex47

Women5

Men26

Unisex58

Women16

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#1,424

PerfumerAnnick Menardo

Launched—

Reviews127

Overall rank#16,373

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews7

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 →

Botanicae Shomal opens with a bright flash of mandarin orange and crisp green tea before settling into a cool, grassy hyacinth. The heart introduces earthy patchouli, clean jasmine, and a touch of dry saffron. It fits crisp spring mornings, casual office wear, and breezy weekend walks, clinging to cotton shirts with a…

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 Shomal?

Black takes 4 of 7 categories. Black is rated 3.94/5 from 6,516 votes; Shomal is rated 3.87/5 from 119 votes. Choose Black for a leather and vanilla character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in winter. Choose Shomal for a green and patchouli character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Black or Shomal?

They last about the same: Black 66/100, Shomal 66/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Black or Shomal?

Projection is very close: Black 55/100, Shomal 54/100 for sillage.

Do Black and Shomal smell similar?

Clearly different: a 21% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody accords. Common notes include Green Tea, Jasmine, Vanilla and Amber.

Is Black or Shomal better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Black and Shomal?

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. Shomal has top notes of Green Tea, Hyacinth and Mandarin, heart notes of Patchouli, Jasmine and Saffron, a base of Vanilla, Oakmoss and Amber.