Fragrance comparison

Black vs Lao Oud

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

Updated 24 Oct 2026 251 ratings analysed

Black

Undergreen

3.9154 votes

Rank #17,856 Warm SpicySmoky

Full profile Similar & dupes

33%scent match

Clearly different

5 wins

Lao Oud

Bortnikoff

4.27197 votes

Rank #2,397 OudWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Lao Oud takes 5 of 7 categories.

Black
Choose it for a warm spicy and smoky character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear.
Lao Oud
Choose it for a oud and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

Black2/7

Lao Oud5/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

BlackUndergreen

Lao OudBortnikoff

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.91/ 5 · 54 votes

Have 25%Had 19%Want 56%

4.27/ 5 · 197 votes

Have 81%Had 19%Want 0%

Category winnerLao OudRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

41%Love

33%Like

2%Ok

24%Dislike

0%Hate

54 votes

60%Love

20%Like

10%Ok

7%Dislike

3%Hate

197 votes

Category winnerLao OudMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate73

⏱ Longevity81

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate82

Category winners

LongevityLao Oud

SillageLao Oud

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value58

¤ Price value43

Category winnerBlackBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

smoky92%

leather84%

soft spicy77%

woody69%

fresh spicy61%

oud100%

warm spicy92%

woody84%

cacao77%

coffee69%

vanilla61%

Scent match33%Clearly different · both warm spicy and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

PepperCinnamonGinger

Heart2-4 hrs

LicoriceCoffeeTonka Bean

Base6-8+ hrs

BirchGuaiac WoodIncenseAgarwood (Oud)

Top

MagnoliaPink Pepper

Heart

CacaoBeeswaxPeru BalsamChamomileCinnamon

Base

Agarwood (Oud)Indian OudCoffeeGuaiac WoodWoody NotesVanilla AbsoluteBirch TarTonka Bean

InformationalShared notesCinnamon, Coffee, Tonka Bean and Guaiac Wood. Durations are only published for Black, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring59

Summer53

Fall100

Winter59

Day50

Night100

Spring38

Summer16

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerBlackMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men22

Unisex78

Women0

Casual 33%Date 30%Party 22%Work 15%

Men62

Unisex35

Women3

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#17,856

PerfumerFabrice Olivieri

Launched—

Reviews8

Overall rank#2,397

PerfumerDmitry Bortnikoff

Launched—

Reviews60

Category winnerLao OudHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Undergreen Black is a dark, dry woody scent with serious backbone. It does not coddle you. A brisk flash of black pepper and ginger hits the air first before settling into roasted coffee beans and bittersweet licorice. Deep underneath, birch tar and incense create a smoky leather effect that clings close to your skin.…

Reviews →

Lao Oud by Bortnikoff centers on authentic Laotian agarwood oil paired with dark cacao, roasted coffee beans, and warm beeswax. Opening with sharp pink pepper and floral magnolia, the scent settles on skin with resinous warmth. It fits cold winter evenings, outdoor gatherings, and formal nighttime wear when you want 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.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Black or Lao Oud?

Lao Oud takes 5 of 7 categories. Black is rated 3.91/5 from 54 votes; Lao Oud is rated 4.27/5 from 197 votes. Choose Black for a warm spicy and smoky character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Lao Oud for a oud and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Black or Lao Oud?

Lao Oud lasts longest (Lao Oud 81/100, Black 71/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Black or Lao Oud?

Projection is very close: Lao Oud 68/100, Black 67/100 for sillage.

Do Black and Lao Oud smell similar?

Clearly different: a 33% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Cinnamon, Coffee, Tonka Bean and Guaiac Wood.

Is Black or Lao Oud better for summer or winter?

For summer, Black is the stronger pick. For winter, Lao Oud is the stronger pick. Black suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Black and Lao Oud?

Black has top notes of Pepper, Cinnamon and Ginger, heart notes of Licorice, Coffee and Tonka Bean, a base of Birch, Guaiac Wood, Incense and Agarwood (Oud). Lao Oud has top notes of Magnolia and Pink Pepper, heart notes of Cacao, Beeswax, Peru Balsam and Chamomile, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Indian Oud, Coffee and Guaiac Wood.