Fragrance comparison

Black Smoky vs Forbidden Apple

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 25 ratings analysed

3 wins

Black Smoky

Areej

4.1822 votes

Rank #32,572 SmokyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

51%scent match

Some overlap

Forbidden Apple

OriArome

5.003 votes

Rank #44,925 Warm SpicyLeather

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Black Smoky takes 3 of 4 categories.

Black Smoky
Choose it for a smoky and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer.
Forbidden Apple
Choose it for a warm spicy and leather character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Black Smoky3/4

Forbidden Apple1/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Black Smoky
Sillage & projection: Black Smoky
Value for money: Forbidden Apple
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Black Smoky

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Black SmokyAreej

Forbidden AppleOriArome

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.18/ 5 · 22 votes

Have 50%Had 0%Want 50%

5.00/ 5 · 3 votes

Have 9%Had 0%Want 91%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

73%Love

9%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

18%Hate

22 votes · too few to score

100%Love

0%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

3 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity100

〰 Sillage100

♥ Love / hate80

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage63

♥ Love / hate100

Category winners

LongevityBlack Smoky

SillageBlack Smoky

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value95

¤ Price value100

Category winnerForbidden AppleBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

smoky100%

woody92%

warm spicy84%

amber77%

oud69%

coffee61%

warm spicy100%

leather92%

smoky84%

amber77%

vanilla69%

oud61%

Scent match51%Some overlap · both smoky, warm spicy and amber

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

cannabisGreen NotesSaffronDavanaThyme

Heart

CoffeeTobaccoVioletWoody NotesRaspberryCinnamonResins

Base

Guaiac WoodIncenseOudTonka BeanAnimal notesVanillaCedarAmber

Top

SaffronRaspberryPassionfruit

Heart

IncenseCoffeeRose

Base

LeatherVanillaOud

InformationalShared notesSaffron, Coffee, Raspberry and Incense. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring0

Summer100

Fall50

Winter50

Day–

Night–

Spring50

Summer0

Fall100

Winter50

Day–

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#32,572

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#44,925

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerBlack SmokyHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Black Smoky opens with an aggressive herbal strike of cannabis, green thyme, and dry saffron. Bitter roasted coffee and dry tobacco leaves emerge within twenty minutes, cutting through the initial green harshness while spicy cinnamon and sweet violet ground the dark heart. As the fragrance settles during cold winter …

Reviews →

Forbidden Apple by OriArome is a bold unisex blend that combines fruity sweetness with dark, resinous depth. The scent opens with a sharp kick of saffron and raspberry before settling into a warm leather and oud base. It is designed for those who prefer heavy, dramatic scents that linger in cold 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 Smoky or Forbidden Apple?

Black Smoky takes 3 of 4 categories. Black Smoky is rated 4.18/5 from 22 votes; Forbidden Apple is rated 5.00/5 from 3 votes. Choose Black Smoky for a smoky and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer. Choose Forbidden Apple for a warm spicy and leather character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Black Smoky or Forbidden Apple?

Black Smoky lasts longest (Black Smoky 100/100, Forbidden Apple 73/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Black Smoky or Forbidden Apple?

Black Smoky projects furthest (Black Smoky 100/100, Forbidden Apple 63/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Black Smoky and Forbidden Apple smell similar?

Some overlap: a 51% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share smoky, warm spicy and amber accords. Common notes include Saffron, Coffee, Raspberry and Incense.

Is Black Smoky or Forbidden Apple better for summer or winter?

Forbidden Apple suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Black Smoky and Forbidden Apple?

Black Smoky has top notes of cannabis, Green Notes, Saffron and Davana, heart notes of Coffee, Tobacco, Violet and Woody Notes, a base of Guaiac Wood, Incense, Oud and Tonka Bean. Forbidden Apple has top notes of Saffron, Raspberry and Passionfruit, heart notes of Incense, Coffee and Rose, a base of Leather, Vanilla and Oud.