Fragrance comparison

Cologne Noire vs Vodka Man

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 478 ratings analysed

5 wins

Cologne Noire

Van Cleef & Arpels

3.99273 votes

Rank #6,793 CitrusWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

55%scent match

Closely related

Vodka Man

Paris Elysees

3.92205 votes

Rank #15,719 PowderyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Cologne Noire takes 5 of 8 categories.

Cologne Noire
Choose it for a citrus and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Vodka Man
Choose it for a powdery and warm spicy character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear.

Cologne Noire5/8

Vodka Man2/8

Ratings & consensus: Cologne Noire
Community sentiment: Cologne Noire
Longevity: Tie
Sillage & projection: Cologne Noire
Value for money: Vodka Man
Versatility: Vodka Man
Note pyramid (duration): Cologne Noire
Fragranxe ranking: Cologne Noire

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Cologne NoireVan Cleef & Arpels

Vodka ManParis Elysees

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.99/ 5 · 273 votes

Have 63%Had 38%Want 0%

3.92/ 5 · 205 votes

Have 47%Had 37%Want 16%

Category winnerCologne NoireRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

26%Love

59%Like

2%Ok

13%Dislike

0%Hate

273 votes

26%Love

53%Like

10%Ok

9%Dislike

2%Hate

205 votes

Category winnerCologne NoireMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity58

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate75

⏱ Longevity58

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate73

Category winners

LongevityTie

SillageCologne Noire

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value34

¤ Price value91

Category winnerVodka ManBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

warm spicy86%

fresh spicy72%

woody58%

aromatic44%

fresh30%

powdery100%

warm spicy88%

aromatic77%

fresh spicy65%

green53%

citrus42%

Scent match55%Closely related · both warm spicy, citrus and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

PepperGingerCardamomWoody NotesBitter OrangeBergamotNeroliMandarin Orange

No top / heart / base split published

Top30 to 45 minutes

CardamomMandarin Orange

Heart1 to 2 hours

MintPepper

Base3 to 4 hours

Powdery NotesWoody Notes

Category winnerCologne NoireLongest dry-down: 5-6 hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter46

Day100

Night71

Spring89

Summer42

Fall100

Winter83

Day65

Night100

Category winnerVodka ManMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men37

Unisex57

Women6

Men73

Unisex24

Women3

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#6,793

PerfumerMark Buxton

Launched—

Reviews34

Overall rank#15,719

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews11

Category winnerCologne NoireHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Van Cleef & Arpels Cologne Noire takes the crisp framework of a traditional citrus splash and darkens it with lively spices and dry woods. The first spray delivers a zesty burst of bitter orange, sweet mandarin, and bright bergamot that feels instantly refreshing. Within minutes, sharp black pepper and zippy fresh gin…

Reviews →

Vodka Man by Paris Elysees opens with a brisk punch of sweet mandarin orange and warm cardamom spice. As the initial zest settles, an aromatic burst of cool mint and sharp pepper emerges in the midsection, creating a fresh, lively contrast. The scent quickly anchors into a prominent base of powdery notes layered over …

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, Cologne Noire or Vodka Man?

Cologne Noire takes 5 of 8 categories. Cologne Noire is rated 3.99/5 from 273 votes; Vodka Man is rated 3.92/5 from 205 votes. Choose Cologne Noire for a citrus and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Vodka Man for a powdery and warm spicy character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Cologne Noire or Vodka Man?

They last about the same: Cologne Noire 58/100, Vodka Man 58/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Cologne Noire or Vodka Man?

Cologne Noire projects furthest (Cologne Noire 61/100, Vodka Man 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Cologne Noire and Vodka Man smell similar?

Closely related: a 55% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, citrus and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Pepper, Cardamom, Woody Notes and Mandarin Orange.

Is Cologne Noire or Vodka Man better for summer or winter?

For summer, Vodka Man is the stronger pick. For winter, Vodka Man is the stronger pick. Cologne Noire suits daytime wear; Vodka Man suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Cologne Noire and Vodka Man?

Cologne Noire features Pepper, Ginger, Cardamom, Woody Notes and Bitter Orange. Vodka Man has top notes of Cardamom and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Mint and Pepper, a base of Powdery Notes and Woody Notes.