Fragrance comparison

Black vs Napoleon

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 26 ratings analysed

2 wins

Black

Lanoe

3.4518 votes

Rank #25,115 Fresh SpicyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

60%scent match

Closely related

Napoleon

JoAnne Bassett

3.508 votes

Rank #25,148 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Black takes 2 of 3 categories.

Black
Choose it for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Napoleon
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Black2/3

Napoleon1/3

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

BlackLanoe

NapoleonJoAnne Bassett

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.45/ 5 · 18 votes

Have 0%Had 0%Want 100%

3.50/ 5 · 8 votes

Have 26%Had 6%Want 68%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

0%Love

100%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

1 vote · too few to score

25%Love

38%Like

0%Ok

38%Dislike

0%Hate

8 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate56

⏱ Longevity70

〰 Sillage86

♥ Love / hate63

Category winners

LongevityBlack

SillageNapoleon

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price valueN/A

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fresh spicy100%

aromatic83%

warm spicy65%

woody48%

earthy30%

woody100%

aromatic90%

fresh spicy80%

warm spicy70%

citrus60%

amber50%

Scent match60%Closely related · both fresh spicy, aromatic and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Juniper BerriesCitruses

Heart

ClovesPepperCumin

Base

VetiverCedarPatchouliLeather

Top15-30 mins

LimeAmalfi LemonVerbena

Heart2-4 hrs

Juniper BerriesCloveTobaccoPepperImmortelleRosemaryWoodsy Notes

Base6-8+ hrs

Virginia CedarMyrhhBlack SpruceLabdanumCitrusesVetiverJasmine

InformationalShared notesJuniper Berries, Citruses, Pepper and Vetiver. Durations are only published for Napoleon, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer100

Fall100

Winter0

Day100

Night–

Spring75

Summer75

Fall100

Winter50

Day100

Night75

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Not enough votes yet

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#25,115

PerfumerSimone Schmelzer

Launched—

Reviews9

Overall rank#25,148

PerfumerJoAnne Bassett

Launched—

Reviews6

Category winnerBlackHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Black by Lanoe opens with a crisp hit of juniper berries and citrus, then moves into a spiced heart of clove, pepper, and cumin. The dry-down turns woodier and darker, with vetiver, cedar, patchouli, and leather giving it an earthy, aromatic feel. It reads as a sharp, spicy woody scent with a unisex profile. If you en…

Reviews →

Napoleon by JoAnne Bassett opens with an invigorating burst of tart lime, Amalfi lemon, and crushed herbal verbena before plunging into a dense thicket of black spruce, juniper berries, and cured tobacco. It smells like a crisp conifer forest laced with warm clove pomanders and bittersweet myrrh resin. You get pungent…

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 Napoleon?

Black takes 2 of 3 categories. Black is rated 3.45/5 from 18 votes; Napoleon is rated 3.50/5 from 8 votes. Choose Black for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Napoleon for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Black or Napoleon?

They last about the same: Black 72/100, Napoleon 70/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Black or Napoleon?

Napoleon projects furthest (Napoleon 86/100, Black 65/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Black and Napoleon smell similar?

Closely related: a 60% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fresh spicy, aromatic and woody accords. Common notes include Juniper Berries, Citruses, Pepper and Vetiver.

Is Black or Napoleon better for summer or winter?

Black suits daytime wear; Napoleon suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Black and Napoleon?

Black has top notes of Juniper Berries and Citruses, heart notes of Cloves, Pepper and Cumin, a base of Vetiver, Cedar, Patchouli and Leather. Napoleon has top notes of Lime, Amalfi Lemon and Verbena, heart notes of Juniper Berries, Clove, Tobacco and Pepper, a base of Virginia Cedar, Myrhh, Black Spruce and Labdanum.