Fragrance comparison

Empire Intense vs Black Suede

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 630 ratings analysed

5 wins

Empire Intense

Hinode

4.1470 votes

Rank #28,950 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

44%scent match

Some overlap

Black Suede

Avon

3.88560 votes

Rank #27,772 MuskyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Empire Intense takes 5 of 7 categories.

Empire Intense
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.
Black Suede
Choose it for a musky and amber character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Empire Intense5/7

Black Suede2/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Empire IntenseHinode

Black SuedeAvon

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.14/ 5 · 70 votes

Have 52%Had 32%Want 16%

3.88/ 5 · 560 votes

Have 63%Had 37%Want 0%

Category winnerEmpire IntenseRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

40%Love

43%Like

10%Ok

6%Dislike

1%Hate

70 votes

26%Love

51%Like

8%Ok

12%Dislike

2%Hate

560 votes

Category winnerEmpire IntenseMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate79

⏱ Longevity62

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate72

Category winners

LongevityEmpire Intense

SillageEmpire Intense

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value69

¤ Price value88

Category winnerBlack SuedeBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

woody92%

amber84%

powdery77%

fresh spicy69%

lavender61%

musky100%

amber92%

powdery84%

woody77%

warm spicy69%

fresh spicy61%

Scent match44%Some overlap · both amber, woody and powdery

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

LavenderBergamotCardamom

Heart2-4 hrs

elemiVioletGeranium

Base6-8+ hrs

CashmeranAmberVetiver

Top

NutmegAldehydesCarnationCorianderGreen NotesBergamot

Heart

CloveOrrisLeatherVetiverRoseLavenderHeliotropeThyme

Base

MuskAmberWoodsy NotesOakmossCivetSuedeOpoponaxAnise

InformationalShared notesLavender, Bergamot, Amber and Vetiver. Durations are only published for Empire Intense, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring35

Summer20

Fall78

Winter100

Day31

Night100

Spring42

Summer25

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerEmpire IntenseMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men86

Unisex11

Women3

Men84

Unisex12

Women5

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#28,950

PerfumerJérôme Epinette

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#27,772

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerBlack SuedeHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Empire Intense by Hinode opens with a punchy kick of fresh bergamot, sharp French lavender, and cracked cardamom pods. As the crisp herbal top settles after twenty minutes, smooth green violet leaf and resinous elemi step forward, adding a gentle powdery warmth that feels both masculine and tailored. The dry-down reli…

Reviews →

Avon Black Suede opens with a sharp burst of soapy aldehydes, spicy nutmeg, and crisp carnation. Within fifteen minutes, the initial brightness settles into a darker heart of warm clove, aromatic lavender, and herbal thyme. The dry down hugs the skin with powdery amber, mossy oakmoss, and soft suede musk. It sits warm…

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, Empire Intense or Black Suede?

Empire Intense takes 5 of 7 categories. Empire Intense is rated 4.14/5 from 70 votes; Black Suede is rated 3.88/5 from 560 votes. Choose Empire Intense for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Black Suede for a musky and amber character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Empire Intense or Black Suede?

Empire Intense lasts longest (Empire Intense 73/100, Black Suede 62/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Empire Intense or Black Suede?

Empire Intense projects furthest (Empire Intense 67/100, Black Suede 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Empire Intense and Black Suede smell similar?

Some overlap: a 44% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, woody and powdery accords. Common notes include Lavender, Bergamot, Amber and Vetiver.

Is Empire Intense or Black Suede better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Empire Intense and Black Suede?

Empire Intense has top notes of Lavender, Bergamot and Cardamom, heart notes of elemi, Violet and Geranium, a base of Cashmeran, Amber and Vetiver. Black Suede has top notes of Nutmeg, Aldehydes, Carnation and Coriander, heart notes of Clove, Orris, Leather and Vetiver, a base of Musk, Amber, Woodsy Notes and Oakmoss.