Fragrance comparison

Chanson Noire vs Gymkana

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

Updated 20 Oct 2026 22 ratings analysed

3 wins

Chanson Noire

Sylhouette Parfums

3.4314 votes

Rank #22,798 SmokyLeather

Full profile Similar & dupes

55%scent match

Closely related

Gymkana

Jean Dessès

4.508 votes

Rank #40,303 WoodyMossy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Chanson Noire takes 3 of 4 categories.

Chanson Noire
Choose it for a smoky and leather character. Wins on sillage & projection, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.
Gymkana
Choose it for a woody and mossy character. Wins on longevity. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Chanson Noire3/4

Gymkana1/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Gymkana
Sillage & projection: Chanson Noire
Value for money: Chanson Noire
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Chanson Noire

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Chanson NoireSylhouette Parfums

GymkanaJean Dessès

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.43/ 5 · 14 votes

Have 5%Had 2%Want 92%

4.50/ 5 · 8 votes

Have 24%Had 8%Want 68%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

36%Love

14%Like

21%Ok

14%Dislike

14%Hate

14 votes · too few to score

75%Love

13%Like

0%Ok

13%Dislike

0%Hate

8 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate61

⏱ Longevity87

〰 Sillage56

♥ Love / hate88

Category winners

LongevityGymkana

SillageChanson Noire

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value58

¤ Price value33

Category winnerChanson NoireBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

smoky100%

leather86%

aromatic72%

woody58%

animalic44%

earthy30%

woody100%

mossy90%

leather80%

earthy70%

aromatic60%

animalic50%

Scent match55%Closely related · both leather, woody and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

SmokeLeatherAbsintheVetiverNarcissusLavenderSageGeranium

No top / heart / base split published

Top

BergamotWormwoodSage

Heart

LeatherGeraniumLavenderVetiver

Base

OakmossCoumarinMusk

InformationalShared notesLeather, Vetiver, Lavender and Sage. 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

Summer0

Fall100

Winter67

Day67

Night100

Spring40

Summer40

Fall100

Winter80

Day100

Night67

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men33

Unisex67

Women0

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#22,798

PerfumerSy Truong

Launched—

Reviews7

Overall rank#40,303

PerfumerPaul Vacher

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerChanson NoireHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Chanson Noire opens with a sharp, intoxicating rush of absinthe paired with dark, rustic leather. This woody aromatic creation by Sy Truong moves into a complex heart of sage and vetiver, settling into a smoky, damp, earthy profile. It is a bold, mood-heavy scent designed for those who enjoy challenging, dark, and unc…

Reviews →

Gymkana by Jean Dessès offers a crisp, bitter opening of wormwood and sage that quickly yields to a dry, weathered leather heart. This vintage masculine chypre from 1960 captures a rugged, outdoorsy refinement. It is ideal for cool autumn days when you want a dry, mossy aura that smells distinct from modern sweet frag…

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, Chanson Noire or Gymkana?

Chanson Noire takes 3 of 4 categories. Chanson Noire is rated 3.43/5 from 14 votes; Gymkana is rated 4.50/5 from 8 votes. Choose Chanson Noire for a smoky and leather character. Wins on sillage & projection, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Gymkana for a woody and mossy character. Wins on longevity. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Chanson Noire or Gymkana?

Gymkana lasts longest (Gymkana 87/100, Chanson Noire 80/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Chanson Noire or Gymkana?

Projection is very close: Chanson Noire 58/100, Gymkana 56/100 for sillage.

Do Chanson Noire and Gymkana smell similar?

Closely related: a 55% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share leather, woody and aromatic accords. Common notes include Leather, Vetiver, Lavender and Sage.

Is Chanson Noire or Gymkana better for summer or winter?

Chanson Noire suits evening wear; Gymkana suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Chanson Noire and Gymkana?

Chanson Noire features Smoke, Leather, Absinthe, Vetiver and Narcissus. Gymkana has top notes of Bergamot, Wormwood and Sage, heart notes of Leather, Geranium, Lavender and Vetiver, a base of Oakmoss, Coumarin and Musk.