Fragrance comparison

Black Intensitive Aoud vs Istanbul

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 1,064 ratings analysed

4 wins

Black Intensitive Aoud

Mancera

3.77528 votes

Rank #5,506 Warm SpicyOud

Full profile Similar & dupes

51%scent match

Some overlap

Istanbul

Atelier Rebul

4.25536 votes

Rank #26,659 Warm SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Black Intensitive Aoud takes 4 of 7 categories.

Black Intensitive Aoud
Choose it for a warm spicy and oud character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear.
Istanbul
Choose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in winter.

Black Intensitive Aoud4/7

Istanbul3/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Black Intensitive AoudMancera

IstanbulAtelier Rebul

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.77/ 5 · 528 votes

Have 44%Had 21%Want 35%

4.25/ 5 · 536 votes

Have 85%Had 15%Want 0%

Category winnerIstanbulRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

32%Love

37%Like

9%Ok

19%Dislike

3%Hate

528 votes

48%Love

38%Like

8%Ok

6%Dislike

1%Hate

536 votes

Category winnerIstanbulMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity81

〰 Sillage74

♥ Love / hate69

⏱ Longevity66

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate81

Category winners

LongevityBlack Intensitive Aoud

SillageBlack Intensitive Aoud

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value52

¤ Price value59

Category winnerIstanbulBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

oud92%

rose84%

woody77%

sweet69%

powdery61%

warm spicy100%

woody83%

powdery65%

cinnamon48%

amber30%

Scent match51%Some overlap · both warm spicy, woody and powdery

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top30 to 45 minutes

ClovesPeachChili Pepper

Heart3 to 5 hours

RoseSaffronSugarJasmineViolet

Base8 to 12+ hours

Agarwood (Oud)SandalwoodGurjan balsamMoroccan Cedar

Top

CinnamonClovesSaffronBergamot

Heart

Black OrchidVioletJasmine

Base

SandalwoodAmberCedarVanillaPatchouliAgarwood (Oud)Musk

InformationalShared notesCloves, Saffron, Jasmine and Violet. Durations are only published for Black Intensitive Aoud, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring42

Summer22

Fall90

Winter100

Day69

Night100

Spring54

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerBlack Intensitive AoudMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men24

Unisex52

Women24

Men26

Unisex59

Women14

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#5,506

PerfumerPierre Montale

Launched—

Reviews58

Overall rank#26,659

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerBlack Intensitive AoudHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Black Intensitive Aoud by Mancera is a dense, warm spicy blend centered on syrupy rose, dry woods, and biting spice. The scent opens with a sharp burst of cloves, piquant chili pepper, and sweet peach flesh before melting into a powdery floral heart of rose, violet, jasmine, and spun sugar. Rather than a dark, animali…

Reviews →

Atelier Rebul Istanbul opens with a punch of sharp cinnamon, dried cloves, and bitter bergamot that immediately grabs attention. As the initial spice settles, a velvety heart of black orchid and violet emerges, adding a dusty floral texture over a dark wood foundation. The base rests on warm amber, cedar, and patchoul…

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 Intensitive Aoud or Istanbul?

Black Intensitive Aoud takes 4 of 7 categories. Black Intensitive Aoud is rated 3.77/5 from 528 votes; Istanbul is rated 4.25/5 from 536 votes. Choose Black Intensitive Aoud for a warm spicy and oud character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Istanbul for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Black Intensitive Aoud or Istanbul?

Black Intensitive Aoud lasts longest (Black Intensitive Aoud 81/100, Istanbul 66/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Black Intensitive Aoud or Istanbul?

Black Intensitive Aoud projects furthest (Black Intensitive Aoud 74/100, Istanbul 59/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Black Intensitive Aoud and Istanbul smell similar?

Some overlap: a 51% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, woody and powdery accords. Common notes include Cloves, Saffron, Jasmine and Violet.

Is Black Intensitive Aoud or Istanbul better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Black Intensitive Aoud and Istanbul?

Black Intensitive Aoud has top notes of Cloves, Peach and Chili Pepper, heart notes of Rose, Saffron, Sugar and Jasmine, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Sandalwood, Gurjan balsam and Moroccan Cedar. Istanbul has top notes of Cinnamon, Cloves, Saffron and Bergamot, heart notes of Black Orchid, Violet and Jasmine, a base of Sandalwood, Amber, Cedar and Vanilla.