Fragrance comparison

Black Shadow vs Jovan Man

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 25 ratings analysed

Black Shadow

Chris Adams

4.1421 votes

Rank #22,924 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

54%scent match

Some overlap

Jovan Man

Jovan

4.754 votes

Rank #43,221 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2.

Black Shadow
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, daytime wear.
Jovan Man
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, evening wear.

Black Shadow2/4

Jovan Man2/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Jovan Man
Sillage & projection: Jovan Man
Value for money: Black Shadow
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Black Shadow

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Black ShadowChris Adams

Jovan ManJovan

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.14/ 5 · 21 votes

Have 35%Had 27%Want 37%

4.75/ 5 · 4 votes

Have 23%Had 14%Want 63%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

48%Love

33%Like

5%Ok

14%Dislike

0%Hate

21 votes · too few to score

75%Love

25%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

4 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity70

〰 Sillage63

♥ Love / hate79

⏱ Longevity97

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate94

Category winners

LongevityJovan Man

SillageJovan Man

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value88

¤ Price value0

Category winnerBlack ShadowBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

citrus84%

herbal77%

lavender69%

woody61%

woody100%

aromatic92%

warm spicy84%

fresh spicy77%

musky69%

citrus61%

Scent match54%Some overlap · both aromatic, fresh spicy and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

LemonBergamotBasil

Heart2-4 hrs

LavenderGeraniumWormwoodYlang-YlangSageCinnamon

Base5-8 hrs

OakmossMuskCoumarin

Top

AniseBasilBergamotLavenderLemonPetitgrain

Heart

RosePatchouliSandalwoodVetiverCarnationCinnamonGeraniumCedar

Base

MuskCastoreumOakmossLabdanumLeatherTonka BeanVanilla

InformationalShared notesLemon, Bergamot, Basil and Lavender. Durations are only published for Black Shadow, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring63

Summer75

Fall63

Winter100

Day100

Night89

Spring100

Summer0

Fall100

Winter100

Day–

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#22,924

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews5

Overall rank#43,221

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerBlack ShadowHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Chris Adams Black Shadow hits the air with a brisk crackle of cold lemon, bergamot rind, and freshly crushed basil. It wastes zero time. That sharp citrus slap immediately wakes up your senses, evoking the brisk sting of traditional aftershave tonic. Within twenty minutes, the initial bite yields to a clean heart of h…

Reviews →

Released in 1977, Jovan Man is an aromatic fougere that captures the rugged, spicy character of vintage drugstore classics. It centers around a dry anise opening that transitions into a heart of dirty rose and warm cedar, offering a reliable, retro vibe for casual daytime wear in cool autumn weather.

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 Shadow or Jovan Man?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2. Black Shadow is rated 4.14/5 from 21 votes; Jovan Man is rated 4.75/5 from 4 votes. Choose Black Shadow for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, daytime wear. Choose Jovan Man for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Black Shadow or Jovan Man?

Jovan Man lasts longest (Jovan Man 97/100, Black Shadow 70/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Black Shadow or Jovan Man?

Jovan Man projects furthest (Jovan Man 71/100, Black Shadow 63/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Black Shadow and Jovan Man smell similar?

Some overlap: a 54% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Lemon, Bergamot, Basil and Lavender.

Is Black Shadow or Jovan Man better for summer or winter?

Black Shadow suits daytime wear; Jovan Man suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Black Shadow and Jovan Man?

Black Shadow has top notes of Lemon, Bergamot and Basil, heart notes of Lavender, Geranium, Wormwood and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Oakmoss, Musk and Coumarin. Jovan Man has top notes of Anise, Basil, Bergamot and Lavender, heart notes of Rose, Patchouli, Sandalwood and Vetiver, a base of Musk, Castoreum, Oakmoss and Labdanum.