Black Oudh vs James
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
54%scent match
Some overlap
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
James takes 3 of 5 categories.
Black OudhChoose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.
JamesChoose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.
Black Oudh2/5
James3/5
- Ratings & consensus
- Black Oudh
- Community sentiment
- Not scored
- Longevity
- James
- Sillage & projection
- James
- Value for money
- Black Oudh
- Versatility
- Not scored
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- James
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
Black OudhReissJamesAtkinsonsWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split4.36/ 5 · 22 votes
Have 44%Had 12%Want 44%
3.65/ 5 · 410 votes
Have 80%Had 20%Want 0%
Category winnerBlack OudhRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate55%Love
36%Like
0%Ok
9%Dislike
0%Hate
22 votes · too few to score
27%Love
38%Like
20%Ok
10%Dislike
6%Hate
200 votes
Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityJames
SillageJames
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerBlack OudhBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothwoody100%
aromatic83%
fresh spicy65%
earthy48%
warm spicy30%
aromatic100%
woody92%
earthy84%
citrus77%
patchouli69%
warm spicy61%
Scent match54%Some overlap · both woody, aromatic and earthy
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop
LaurelsClary SageElemi resin
Heart
CypressViolet LeafJasmine
Base
SequoiaVetiverCashmere MuskAgarwood (Oud)Amber
Top
Clary SageBergamotFinger LimePink Pepper
Heart
Elemi resinViolet LeafWhite Flowers
Base
VetiverPatchouliAkigalawoodMusk
InformationalShared notesClary Sage, Elemi resin, Violet Leaf and Vetiver. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring54
Summer23
Fall85
Winter100
Day69
Night100
Spring100
Summer48
Fall0
Winter79
Day–
Night–
Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#18,862
PerfumerChristian Provenzano
Launched—
Reviews6
Overall rank#4,517
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews89
Category winnerJamesHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotBlack Oudh by Reiss wears like a dark, natural woods and vetiver scent with a brisk aromatic start. Think laurel, clary sage and elemi up top, then cypress and green violet leaf over a dry, earthy base of vetiver, woods, amber and soft musk. Despite the name, many wearers find the oud effect subtle, more “forest floor…
Reviews →James is a green, woody vetiver fragrance with a sharp aromatic opening and a darker, earthier drydown. Reviews point to bright lime, sage and pepper up top, then a damp, inky vetiver and patchouli base that can feel polished, moody, and slightly old-school. It suits wearers who enjoy dry vetiver, modern fougeres, and…
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.
Guided comparison
Ask about this matchup
Get a practical answer grounded in the fragrances currently selected.
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Black Oudh or James?
James takes 3 of 5 categories. Black Oudh is rated 4.36/5 from 22 votes; James is rated 3.65/5 from 410 votes. Choose Black Oudh for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose James for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.
Which lasts longer, Black Oudh or James?
James lasts longest (James 74/100, Black Oudh 52/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Black Oudh or James?
James projects furthest (James 61/100, Black Oudh 53/100), based on community performance votes.
Do Black Oudh and James smell similar?
Some overlap: a 54% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, aromatic and earthy accords. Common notes include Clary Sage, Elemi resin, Violet Leaf and Vetiver.
Is Black Oudh or James better for summer or winter?
Black Oudh suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Black Oudh and James?
Black Oudh has top notes of Laurels, Clary Sage and Elemi resin, heart notes of Cypress, Violet Leaf and Jasmine, a base of Sequoia, Vetiver, Cashmere Musk and Agarwood (Oud). James has top notes of Clary Sage, Bergamot, Finger Lime and Pink Pepper, heart notes of Elemi resin, Violet Leaf and White Flowers, a base of Vetiver, Patchouli, Akigalawood and Musk.
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