Fragrance comparison

Classic vs Royal Black

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 98 ratings analysed

Classic

Hattric

4.0575 votes

Rank #15,819 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

46%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Royal Black

Arno Sorel

4.2623 votes

Rank #27,670 CitrusAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Royal Black takes 4 of 5 categories.

Classic
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.
Royal Black
Choose it for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Classic1/5

Royal Black4/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

ClassicHattric

Royal BlackArno Sorel

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.05/ 5 · 75 votes

Have 37%Had 40%Want 24%

4.26/ 5 · 23 votes

Have 56%Had 25%Want 19%

Category winnerRoyal BlackRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

29%Love

56%Like

7%Ok

7%Dislike

1%Hate

75 votes

43%Love

48%Like

0%Ok

9%Dislike

0%Hate

23 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity53

〰 Sillage44

♥ Love / hate76

⏱ Longevity58

〰 Sillage47

♥ Love / hate82

Category winners

LongevityRoyal Black

SillageRoyal Black

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value84

¤ Price value85

Category winnerRoyal BlackBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

aromatic92%

citrus84%

fresh spicy77%

mossy69%

earthy61%

citrus100%

aromatic92%

musky84%

warm spicy77%

woody69%

amber61%

Scent match46%Some overlap · both aromatic, citrus and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

BergamotLemonLime

Heart

ThymeJasmineRosePepper

Base

MossCedarPatchouli

Top

OrangeLimeLemonGrapefruit

Heart

SageCinnamonThymePepperCardamom

Base

White MuskSandalwoodOakmossLabdanumAmberCedar

InformationalShared notesLemon, Lime, Thyme and Pepper. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer85

Fall0

Winter40

Day–

Night–

Spring67

Summer100

Fall47

Winter27

Day100

Night47

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men94

Unisex6

Women0

Men93

Unisex7

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#15,819

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews6

Overall rank#27,670

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews4

Category winnerClassicHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Hattric Classic is a crisp, old-school men's splash built on sharp lemon, herbal thyme, and dry cedar. It opens with an energetic burst of zesty bergamot and lime that quickly settles into an earthy base of moss and clean woods. It feels light, sporty, and refreshing, making it an easy post-shave pick for warm morning…

Reviews →

Royal Black opens with a bright citrus burst, then settles into an aromatic, slightly spicy heart with sage, cardamom and cinnamon. As it dries down, the musk, woods and amber give it a softer, sweeter finish. It reads as an easy everyday men's fragrance with good value appeal. If you like fresh scents with a warmer e…

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.

Recent comparisons

Head-to-head activity from live history

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Classic or Royal Black?

Royal Black takes 4 of 5 categories. Classic is rated 4.05/5 from 75 votes; Royal Black is rated 4.26/5 from 23 votes. Choose Classic for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring. Choose Royal Black for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Classic or Royal Black?

Royal Black lasts longest (Royal Black 58/100, Classic 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Classic or Royal Black?

Royal Black projects furthest (Royal Black 47/100, Classic 44/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Classic and Royal Black smell similar?

Some overlap: a 46% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, citrus and woody accords. Common notes include Lemon, Lime, Thyme and Pepper.

Is Classic or Royal Black better for summer or winter?

Royal Black suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Classic and Royal Black?

Classic has top notes of Bergamot, Lemon and Lime, heart notes of Thyme, Jasmine, Rose and Pepper, a base of Moss, Cedar and Patchouli. Royal Black has top notes of Orange, Lime, Lemon and Grapefruit, heart notes of Sage, Cinnamon, Thyme and Pepper, a base of White Musk, Sandalwood, Oakmoss and Labdanum.