Fragrance comparison

Black Rose Oud vs Quintessence (2020)

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

Updated 29 Oct 2026 137 ratings analysed

6 wins

Black Rose Oud

Trish McEvoy

4.0194 votes

Rank #9,111 FloralOud

Full profile Similar & dupes

27%scent match

Clearly different

Quintessence (2020)

Manos Gerakinis

3.8643 votes

Rank #26,550 Warm SpicyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Black Rose Oud takes 6 of 7 categories.

Black Rose Oud
Choose it for a floral and oud character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.
Quintessence (2020)
Choose it for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Black Rose Oud6/7

Quintessence (2020)1/7

Ratings & consensus: Black Rose Oud
Community sentiment: Black Rose Oud
Longevity: Black Rose Oud
Sillage & projection: Black Rose Oud
Value for money: Quintessence (2020)
Versatility: Black Rose Oud
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Black Rose Oud

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Black Rose OudTrish McEvoy

Quintessence (2020)Manos Gerakinis

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.01/ 5 · 94 votes

Have 27%Had 12%Want 62%

3.86/ 5 · 43 votes

Have 33%Had 9%Want 58%

Category winnerBlack Rose OudRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

40%Love

40%Like

0%Ok

18%Dislike

1%Hate

94 votes

37%Love

35%Like

12%Ok

9%Dislike

7%Hate

43 votes

Category winnerBlack Rose OudMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate75

⏱ Longevity65

〰 Sillage53

♥ Love / hate72

Category winners

LongevityBlack Rose Oud

SillageBlack Rose Oud

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value32

¤ Price value43

Category winnerQuintessence (2020)Best value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

floral100%

oud92%

rose84%

woody77%

fruity69%

fresh spicy61%

warm spicy100%

amber92%

woody84%

patchouli77%

vanilla69%

fresh spicy61%

Scent match27%Clearly different · both woody and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Raspberry LeafLitchiSaffronOsmanthusBlack Pepper

Heart

Black RoseBulgarian RoseIncenseOrchidGeraniumPapyrusCypriol Oil or NagarmothaCumin

Base

Agarwood (Oud)BenzoinMuskMadagascar VanillaPatchouliSandalwoodCedar

Top15-30 mins

SaffronClovesBlack Pepper

Heart2-4 hrs

PatchouliWormwoodAgarwood (Oud)Cedar

Base6-8+ hrs

AmberVanillaBenzoin

InformationalShared notesSaffron, Black Pepper, Agarwood (Oud) and Benzoin. Durations are only published for Quintessence (2020), so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring65

Summer50

Fall85

Winter100

Day76

Night100

Spring45

Summer25

Fall100

Winter100

Day69

Night100

Category winnerBlack Rose OudMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men18

Unisex18

Women64

Men65

Unisex35

Women0

Work 35%Date 30%Casual 22%Party 14%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#9,111

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews18

Overall rank#26,550

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews3

Category winnerBlack Rose OudHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Trish McEvoy Black Rose Oud opens with tart litchi, spicy saffron, and crushed raspberry leaf before settling into a deep floral heart of Bulgarian rose, geranium, and smoky incense. As the initial fruity brightness fades, dark agarwood, patchouli, and warm Madagascar vanilla anchor the dry-down on warm skin. It trans…

Reviews →

Manos Gerakinis Quintessence (2020) opens with a dry rush of black pepper, clove buds, and leathery saffron. It commands attention immediately. The initial burst carries a sharp alcohol lift that calms within three minutes, revealing an earthy heart of dark patchouli, bitter wormwood, and smooth cedar. You will not fi…

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 Rose Oud or Quintessence (2020)?

Black Rose Oud takes 6 of 7 categories. Black Rose Oud is rated 4.01/5 from 94 votes; Quintessence (2020) is rated 3.86/5 from 43 votes. Choose Black Rose Oud for a floral and oud character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Quintessence (2020) for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Black Rose Oud or Quintessence (2020)?

Black Rose Oud lasts longest (Black Rose Oud 72/100, Quintessence (2020) 65/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Black Rose Oud or Quintessence (2020)?

Black Rose Oud projects furthest (Black Rose Oud 67/100, Quintessence (2020) 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Black Rose Oud and Quintessence (2020) smell similar?

Clearly different: a 27% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Saffron, Black Pepper, Agarwood (Oud) and Benzoin.

Is Black Rose Oud or Quintessence (2020) better for summer or winter?

For summer, Black Rose Oud is the stronger pick. For winter, Black Rose Oud is the stronger pick. Black Rose Oud suits evening wear; Quintessence (2020) suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Black Rose Oud and Quintessence (2020)?

Black Rose Oud has top notes of Raspberry Leaf, Litchi, Saffron and Osmanthus, heart notes of Black Rose, Bulgarian Rose, Incense and Orchid, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Benzoin, Musk and Madagascar Vanilla. Quintessence (2020) has top notes of Saffron, Cloves and Black Pepper, heart notes of Patchouli, Wormwood, Agarwood (Oud) and Cedar, a base of Amber, Vanilla and Benzoin.