Fragrance comparison

Black vs Makalu

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

Updated 24 Oct 2026 68 ratings analysed

5 wins

Black

Undergreen

3.9154 votes

Rank #17,856 Warm SpicySmoky

Full profile Similar & dupes

47%scent match

Some overlap

Makalu

Alchimista

4.0014 votes

Rank #49,952 WoodyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Black takes 5 of 5 categories.

Black
Choose it for a warm spicy and smoky character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear.
Makalu
Choose it for a woody and amber character. Best in winter, evening wear.

Black5/5

Makalu0/5

Ratings & consensus: Black
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Black
Sillage & projection: Black
Value for money: Black
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

BlackUndergreen

MakaluAlchimista

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.91/ 5 · 54 votes

Have 25%Had 19%Want 56%

4.00/ 5 · 14 votes

Have 25%Had 11%Want 64%

Category winnerBlackRating 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

43%Love

29%Like

14%Ok

14%Dislike

0%Hate

14 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate73

⏱ Longevity64

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevityBlack

SillageBlack

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value58

¤ Price value44

Category winnerBlackBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

smoky92%

leather84%

soft spicy77%

woody69%

fresh spicy61%

woody100%

amber92%

balsamic84%

smoky77%

leather69%

warm spicy61%

Scent match47%Some overlap · both smoky, woody and warm spicy

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

Peru BalsamMimosaGeraniumRoseAgarwood (Oud)ChamomileLeather

Heart

IncenseClovesJasmineYlang-YlangIrisOrange BlossomAmber

Base

BirchCedarGuaiac WoodBrown sugarSandalwoodTonka BeanPatchouli

InformationalShared notesTonka Bean, Birch, Guaiac Wood and Incense. 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

Spring50

Summer25

Fall63

Winter100

Day89

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men22

Unisex78

Women0

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

Men25

Unisex75

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#17,856

PerfumerFabrice Olivieri

Launched—

Reviews8

Overall rank#49,952

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerBlackHigher 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 →

Makalu by Alchimista is a resinous, smoky floral woody scent with a soft leather edge. It opens balsamic and slightly sweet, then turns incense-led with jasmine, orange blossom and a warm amber glow. The dry-down leans woody and musky, with birch smoke, sandalwood and a hint of brown sugar and tonka that keeps it cosy…

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 Makalu?

Black takes 5 of 5 categories. Black is rated 3.91/5 from 54 votes; Makalu is rated 4.00/5 from 14 votes. Choose Black for a warm spicy and smoky character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Makalu for a woody and amber character. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Black or Makalu?

Black lasts longest (Black 71/100, Makalu 64/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Black or Makalu?

Black projects furthest (Black 67/100, Makalu 64/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Black and Makalu smell similar?

Some overlap: a 47% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share smoky, woody and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Tonka Bean, Birch, Guaiac Wood and Incense.

Is Black or Makalu better for summer or winter?

Black suits evening wear; Makalu suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Black and Makalu?

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). Makalu has top notes of Peru Balsam, Mimosa, Geranium and Rose, heart notes of Incense, Cloves, Jasmine and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Birch, Cedar, Guaiac Wood and Brown sugar.