Fragrance comparison

Black Extreme vs Earl Grey

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

Updated 28 Oct 2026 257 ratings analysed

4 wins

Black Extreme

Mandarina Duck

4.39239 votes

Rank #3,284 VanillaCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

66%scent match

Closely related

Earl Grey

The Lab Fragrances

4.0618 votes

Rank #45,818 CitrusVanilla

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Black Extreme takes 4 of 5 categories.

Black Extreme
Choose it for a vanilla and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.
Earl Grey
Choose it for a citrus and vanilla character. Wins on longevity. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Black Extreme4/5

Earl Grey1/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Black ExtremeMandarina Duck

Earl GreyThe Lab Fragrances

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.39/ 5 · 239 votes

Have 45%Had 11%Want 44%

4.06/ 5 · 18 votes

Have 27%Had 9%Want 64%

Category winnerBlack ExtremeRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

58%Love

29%Like

7%Ok

5%Dislike

0%Hate

239 votes

50%Love

28%Like

11%Ok

0%Dislike

11%Hate

18 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity69

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate85

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage54

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityEarl Grey

SillageBlack Extreme

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value71

¤ Price value52

Category winnerBlack ExtremeBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

vanilla100%

citrus92%

woody84%

sweet77%

white floral69%

fresh spicy61%

citrus100%

vanilla92%

powdery84%

white floral77%

fresh spicy69%

sweet61%

Scent match66%Closely related · both vanilla, citrus and white floral

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

TangerineBergamotPepper

Heart2-4 hrs

Tonka BeanOrange BlossomTiare Flower

Base6-8+ hrs

VanillaSandalwoodCedar

Top

TeaLimeBergamot

Heart

Orange BlossomTiare FlowerHeliotropePepper

Base

VanillaAmberMuskSandalwood

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Pepper, Orange Blossom and Tiare Flower. Durations are only published for Black Extreme, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring84

Summer30

Fall100

Winter90

Day79

Night100

Spring83

Summer100

Fall67

Winter83

Day100

Night63

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men76

Unisex24

Women0

Date 30%Casual 26%Party 24%Work 20%

Men0

Unisex77

Women23

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#3,284

PerfumerNathalie Lorson

Launched—

Reviews63

Overall rank#45,818

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerBlack ExtremeHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Mandarina Duck Black Extreme puts a rich, comforting spin on the modern oriental fougere category. Spray it on and you immediately get a bright burst of juicy tangerine and bergamot, cut swiftly by a dash of prickly black pepper. Within twenty minutes, the citrus settles into a warm, creamy heart where toasted tonka b…

Reviews →

Earl Grey by The Lab Fragrances delivers a refreshing twist on classic black tea by pairing bright bergamot and crisp lime with cozy vanilla and warm sandalwood. The opening hits your skin like a freshly poured cup of citrus-infused tea, crisp and uplifting without sharp chemical edges. As the initial zest settles, so…

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 Extreme or Earl Grey?

Black Extreme takes 4 of 5 categories. Black Extreme is rated 4.39/5 from 239 votes; Earl Grey is rated 4.06/5 from 18 votes. Choose Black Extreme for a vanilla and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Earl Grey for a citrus and vanilla character. Wins on longevity. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Black Extreme or Earl Grey?

Earl Grey lasts longest (Earl Grey 73/100, Black Extreme 69/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Black Extreme or Earl Grey?

Black Extreme projects furthest (Black Extreme 64/100, Earl Grey 54/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Black Extreme and Earl Grey smell similar?

Closely related: a 66% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share vanilla, citrus and white floral accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Pepper, Orange Blossom and Tiare Flower.

Is Black Extreme or Earl Grey better for summer or winter?

Black Extreme suits evening wear; Earl Grey suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Black Extreme and Earl Grey?

Black Extreme has top notes of Tangerine, Bergamot and Pepper, heart notes of Tonka Bean, Orange Blossom and Tiare Flower, a base of Vanilla, Sandalwood and Cedar. Earl Grey has top notes of Tea, Lime and Bergamot, heart notes of Orange Blossom, Tiare Flower, Heliotrope and Pepper, a base of Vanilla, Amber, Musk and Sandalwood.