Fragrance comparison

Black vs Free Spirit

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

Updated 11 Oct 2026 88 ratings analysed

3 wins

Black

Everlast

3.9058 votes

Rank #30,746 AmberWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

36%scent match

Some overlap

Free Spirit

Ajmal

3.2830 votes

Rank #18,960 Fresh SpicyCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Black takes 3 of 5 categories.

Black
Choose it for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.
Free Spirit
Choose it for a fresh spicy and citrus character. Wins on longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Black3/5

Free Spirit2/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

BlackEverlast

Free SpiritAjmal

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.90/ 5 · 58 votes

Have 39%Had 42%Want 19%

3.28/ 5 · 30 votes

Have 58%Had 12%Want 30%

Category winnerBlackRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

29%Love

48%Like

9%Ok

10%Dislike

3%Hate

58 votes

33%Love

25%Like

8%Ok

21%Dislike

13%Hate

24 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity58

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate72

⏱ Longevity63

〰 Sillage49

♥ Love / hate60

Category winners

LongevityFree Spirit

SillageBlack

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value84

¤ Price value74

Category winnerBlackBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

warm spicy92%

woody84%

smoky77%

leather69%

fresh spicy61%

fresh spicy100%

citrus86%

aromatic72%

warm spicy58%

woody44%

green30%

Scent match36%Some overlap · both fresh spicy, warm spicy and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

PepperCardamomCedarFreesia

Heart2-4 hrs

IncenseLeatherGuaiac WoodViolet Leaves

Base4-6+ hrs

AmberCitrusesPatchouliSandalowoodSantolina

Top

BergamotBasilGrapefruit

Heart

NutmegCardamomPepperCinnamon

Base

SandalowoodGuaiac Wood

InformationalShared notesPepper, Cardamom, Guaiac Wood and Sandalowood. Durations are only published for Black, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring54

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day39

Night100

Spring85

Summer100

Fall62

Winter0

Day100

Night36

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men86

Unisex9

Women5

Casual 34%Date 29%Party 22%Work 15%

Men76

Unisex10

Women14

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#30,746

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#18,960

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews5

Category winnerFree SpiritHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Everlast Black hits your skin with an assertive burst of black pepper and crushed cardamom. That initial sharp alcohol flash burns off within three minutes, revealing crisp cedarwood and a pale touch of freesia. Give it twenty minutes. The core settles into dark leather, dry guaiac wood, and smoldering incense. It fee…

Reviews →

Free Spirit by Ajmal is a fresh spicy, citrus aromatic built around grapefruit and bergamot with a green basil lift. The heart turns warmer and drier with cardamom, nutmeg, pepper and cinnamon, then settles into a clean woody base of sandalwood and guaiac wood. It generally reads sporty and daytime-friendly, especial…

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 or Free Spirit?

Black takes 3 of 5 categories. Black is rated 3.90/5 from 58 votes; Free Spirit is rated 3.28/5 from 30 votes. Choose Black for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Free Spirit for a fresh spicy and citrus character. Wins on longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Black or Free Spirit?

Free Spirit lasts longest (Free Spirit 63/100, Black 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Black or Free Spirit?

Black projects furthest (Black 55/100, Free Spirit 49/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Black and Free Spirit smell similar?

Some overlap: a 36% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fresh spicy, warm spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Pepper, Cardamom, Guaiac Wood and Sandalowood.

Is Black or Free Spirit better for summer or winter?

Black suits evening wear; Free Spirit suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Black and Free Spirit?

Black has top notes of Pepper, Cardamom, Cedar and Freesia, heart notes of Incense, Leather, Guaiac Wood and Violet Leaves, a base of Amber, Citruses, Patchouli and Sandalowood. Free Spirit has top notes of Bergamot, Basil and Grapefruit, heart notes of Nutmeg, Cardamom, Pepper and Cinnamon, a base of Sandalowood and Guaiac Wood.