Black Shadow vs Ustad
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
77%scent match
Very similar
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Black Shadow takes 5 of 5 categories.
Black ShadowChoose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, daytime wear.
UstadChoose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Best in spring, day or night wear.
Black Shadow5/5
Ustad0/5
- Ratings & consensus
- Black Shadow
- Community sentiment
- Not scored
- Longevity
- Black Shadow
- Sillage & projection
- Black Shadow
- 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 AdamsUstadNabeelWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split4.14/ 5 · 21 votes
Have 35%Had 27%Want 37%
3.59/ 5 · 17 votes
Have 44%Had 6%Want 50%
Category winnerBlack ShadowRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate48%Love
33%Like
5%Ok
14%Dislike
0%Hate
21 votes · too few to score
18%Love
41%Like
24%Ok
18%Dislike
0%Hate
17 votes · too few to score
Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityBlack Shadow
SillageBlack Shadow
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerBlack ShadowBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by botharomatic100%
fresh spicy92%
citrus84%
herbal77%
lavender69%
woody61%
aromatic100%
fresh spicy92%
citrus84%
mossy77%
lavender69%
herbal61%
Scent match77%Very similar · both aromatic, fresh spicy and citrus
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop15-30 mins
LemonBergamotBasil
Heart2-4 hrs
LavenderGeraniumWormwoodYlang-YlangSageCinnamon
Base5-8 hrs
OakmossMuskCoumarin
Top
BergamotLemonBasil
Heart
LavenderCinnamonGeraniumArtemisiaClary SageYlang-Ylang
Base
OakmossMuskCumin
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 seasonSpring63
Summer75
Fall63
Winter100
Day100
Night89
Spring100
Summer44
Fall100
Winter89
Day100
Night100
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#22,924
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews5
Overall rank#47,171
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews3
Category winnerBlack ShadowHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotChris 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 →Nabeel Ustad delivers a classical aromatic fougere profile that balances sharp green herbs with warm spices. Bergamot and basil spark the opening, before settling into a soapy lavender and geranium heart. A dry down of cumin, oakmoss, and clean musk makes it a traditional scent for active daytime wear in warm 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.
Guided comparison
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Black Shadow or Ustad?
Black Shadow takes 5 of 5 categories. Black Shadow is rated 4.14/5 from 21 votes; Ustad is rated 3.59/5 from 17 votes. Choose Black Shadow for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, daytime wear. Choose Ustad for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Best in spring, day or night wear.
Which lasts longer, Black Shadow or Ustad?
They last about the same: Black Shadow 70/100, Ustad 68/100 for longevity in community votes.
Which projects more, Black Shadow or Ustad?
Black Shadow projects furthest (Black Shadow 63/100, Ustad 57/100), based on community performance votes.
Do Black Shadow and Ustad smell similar?
Very similar: a 77% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and citrus accords. Common notes include Lemon, Bergamot, Basil and Lavender.
Is Black Shadow or Ustad better for summer or winter?
Black Shadow suits daytime wear; Ustad suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Black Shadow and Ustad?
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. Ustad has top notes of Bergamot, Lemon and Basil, heart notes of Lavender, Cinnamon, Geranium and Artemisia, a base of Oakmoss, Musk and Cumin.
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