Fragrance comparison

Dark Shadows vs Russian Cologne

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

Updated 11 Oct 2026 49 ratings analysed

2 wins

Dark Shadows

Panthenol EXTRA

3.577 votes

Rank #52,272 Warm SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

39%scent match

Some overlap

Russian Cologne

Rasei Fort

2.7942 votes

Rank #20,960 VodkaLeather

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Dark Shadows takes 2 of 4 categories.

Dark Shadows
Choose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on longevity and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.
Russian Cologne
Choose it for a vodka and leather character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.

Dark Shadows2/4

Russian Cologne1/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Dark Shadows
Sillage & projection: Tie
Value for money: Dark Shadows
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Russian Cologne

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Dark ShadowsPanthenol EXTRA

Russian CologneRasei Fort

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.57/ 5 · 7 votes

Have 33%Had 8%Want 58%

2.79/ 5 · 42 votes

Have 19%Had 0%Want 81%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

14%Love

57%Like

0%Ok

29%Dislike

0%Hate

7 votes · too few to score

31%Love

12%Like

5%Ok

10%Dislike

43%Hate

42 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity56

〰 Sillage44

♥ Love / hate64

⏱ Longevity45

〰 Sillage44

♥ Love / hate45

Category winners

LongevityDark Shadows

SillageTie

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value81

¤ Price value8

Category winnerDark ShadowsBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

woody92%

fresh spicy84%

vanilla77%

aromatic69%

metallic61%

vodka100%

leather91%

fresh spicy83%

woody74%

warm spicy65%

amber56%

Scent match39%Some overlap · both fresh spicy, woody and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

Neroli

Heart2-4 hrs

SaffronPepper

Base6-8 hrs

Tonka BeanCedarwoodSandalwoodMusk

Top

PepperPalisander RosewoodBitter OrangeNeroliBergamotLemon

Heart

VodkaLavenderBenzoinAmbergrisLeatherJasmineAmberRose

Base

Birch TarPatchouliCedarwoodMuskVanilla

InformationalShared notesNeroli, Pepper, Cedarwood and Musk. Durations are only published for Dark Shadows, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring80

Summer0

Fall100

Winter100

Day79

Night100

Spring50

Summer50

Fall67

Winter100

Day67

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men80

Unisex20

Women0

Casual 36%Work 30%Date 22%Party 13%

Men42

Unisex11

Women47

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#52,272

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews1

Overall rank#20,960

PerfumerRasei Fort

Launched—

Reviews9

Category winnerRussian CologneHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Dark Shadows by Panthenol EXTRA brings an intriguing contrast between crisp citrus and brooding warmth. The opening sparks with sharp neroli. That fleeting floral freshness quickly yields to a dry rush of black pepper and bittersweet saffron. It feels brisk. Soon, the fragrance pivots into its true identity as a warm …

Reviews →

Russian Cologne by Rasei Fort is a bold, artistic Chypre that thrives on contrast. It opens with a sharp burst of citrus and pepper, transitioning quickly into a heart defined by vodka, leather, and aromatic lavender. This scent is built for those who appreciate old-world, atmospheric perfumery that feels both intelle…

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, Dark Shadows or Russian Cologne?

Dark Shadows takes 2 of 4 categories. Dark Shadows is rated 3.57/5 from 7 votes; Russian Cologne is rated 2.79/5 from 42 votes. Choose Dark Shadows for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on longevity and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Russian Cologne for a vodka and leather character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Dark Shadows or Russian Cologne?

Dark Shadows lasts longest (Dark Shadows 56/100, Russian Cologne 45/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Dark Shadows or Russian Cologne?

Projection is very close: Dark Shadows 44/100, Russian Cologne 44/100 for sillage.

Do Dark Shadows and Russian Cologne smell similar?

Some overlap: a 39% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fresh spicy, woody and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Neroli, Pepper, Cedarwood and Musk.

Is Dark Shadows or Russian Cologne better for summer or winter?

Dark Shadows suits evening wear; Russian Cologne suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Dark Shadows and Russian Cologne?

Dark Shadows has top notes of Neroli, heart notes of Saffron and Pepper, a base of Tonka Bean, Cedarwood, Sandalwood and Musk. Russian Cologne has top notes of Pepper, Palisander Rosewood, Bitter Orange and Neroli, heart notes of Vodka, Lavender, Benzoin and Ambergris, a base of Birch Tar, Patchouli, Cedarwood and Musk.