Fragrance comparison

Black to Black vs Istanbul

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

Updated 28 Oct 2026 1,115 ratings analysed

3 wins

Black to Black

Mancera

4.04579 votes

Rank #1,479 Warm SpicyRose

Full profile Similar & dupes

46%scent match

Some overlap

Istanbul

Atelier Rebul

4.25536 votes

Rank #24,796 Warm SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Black to Black takes 3 of 7 categories.

Black to Black
Choose it for a warm spicy and rose character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.
Istanbul
Choose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus and community sentiment. Best in winter.

Black to Black3/7

Istanbul2/7

Ratings & consensus: Istanbul
Community sentiment: Istanbul
Longevity: Black to Black
Sillage & projection: Black to Black
Value for money: Tie
Versatility: Tie
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Black to Black

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Black to BlackMancera

IstanbulAtelier Rebul

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.04/ 5 · 579 votes

Have 76%Had 24%Want 0%

4.25/ 5 · 536 votes

Have 85%Had 15%Want 0%

Category winnerIstanbulRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

49%Love

27%Like

8%Ok

13%Dislike

3%Hate

579 votes

48%Love

38%Like

8%Ok

6%Dislike

1%Hate

536 votes

Category winnerIstanbulMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity86

〰 Sillage81

♥ Love / hate76

⏱ Longevity66

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate81

Category winners

LongevityBlack to Black

SillageBlack to Black

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value59

Category winnerTieBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

rose92%

oud84%

leather77%

woody69%

patchouli61%

warm spicy100%

woody83%

powdery65%

cinnamon48%

amber30%

Scent match46%Some overlap · both warm spicy and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

SaffronClovesBergamot

Heart3-5 hrs

RosePatchouli LeafAmberJasmine

Base8-14+ hrs

Agarwood (Oud)LeatherWhite MuskSandalwood

Top

CinnamonClovesSaffronBergamot

Heart

Black OrchidVioletJasmine

Base

SandalwoodAmberCedarVanillaPatchouliAgarwood (Oud)Musk

InformationalShared notesSaffron, Cloves, Bergamot and Amber. Durations are only published for Black to Black, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring39

Summer15

Fall0

Winter100

Day32

Night100

Spring54

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerTieMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men53

Unisex35

Women12

Party 45%Date 33%Casual 13%Work 9%

Men26

Unisex59

Women14

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#1,479

PerfumerPierre Montale

Launched—

Reviews122

Overall rank#24,796

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerBlack to BlackHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Mancera Black to Black is a dark, heavy leather rose fragrance that makes an immediate statement. The scent hits the air with pungent cloves, sharp saffron, and a fleeting splash of bitter bergamot before settling into its dense heart. Deep red rose petals emerge quickly, wrapped in earthy patchouli leaf and smoky aga…

Reviews →

Atelier Rebul Istanbul opens with a punch of sharp cinnamon, dried cloves, and bitter bergamot that immediately grabs attention. As the initial spice settles, a velvety heart of black orchid and violet emerges, adding a dusty floral texture over a dark wood foundation. The base rests on warm amber, cedar, and patchoul…

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 to Black or Istanbul?

Black to Black takes 3 of 7 categories. Black to Black is rated 4.04/5 from 579 votes; Istanbul is rated 4.25/5 from 536 votes. Choose Black to Black for a warm spicy and rose character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Istanbul for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus and community sentiment. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Black to Black or Istanbul?

Black to Black lasts longest (Black to Black 86/100, Istanbul 66/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Black to Black or Istanbul?

Black to Black projects furthest (Black to Black 81/100, Istanbul 59/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Black to Black and Istanbul smell similar?

Some overlap: a 46% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Saffron, Cloves, Bergamot and Amber.

Is Black to Black or Istanbul better for summer or winter?

For summer, Black to Black is the stronger pick. For winter, Black to Black is the stronger pick. Black to Black suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Black to Black and Istanbul?

Black to Black has top notes of Saffron, Cloves and Bergamot, heart notes of Rose, Patchouli Leaf, Amber and Jasmine, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Leather, White Musk and Sandalwood. Istanbul has top notes of Cinnamon, Cloves, Saffron and Bergamot, heart notes of Black Orchid, Violet and Jasmine, a base of Sandalwood, Amber, Cedar and Vanilla.