Fragrance comparison

Encounter vs Royal Eagle Black

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

Updated 7 Nov 2026 1,074 ratings analysed

Encounter

Calvin Klein

3.561,042 votes

Rank #31,237 Warm SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

60%scent match

Closely related

5 wins

Royal Eagle Black

Stefano Ricci

3.8832 votes

Rank #49,664 CitrusWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Royal Eagle Black takes 5 of 7 categories.

Encounter
Choose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.
Royal Eagle Black
Choose it for a citrus and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Encounter2/7

Royal Eagle Black5/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

EncounterCalvin Klein

Royal Eagle BlackStefano Ricci

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.56/ 5 · 1,042 votes

Have 49%Had 31%Want 21%

3.88/ 5 · 32 votes

Have 40%Had 14%Want 46%

Category winnerRoyal Eagle BlackRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

18%Love

49%Like

4%Ok

28%Dislike

1%Hate

1,042 votes

34%Love

31%Like

25%Ok

6%Dislike

3%Hate

32 votes

Category winnerRoyal Eagle BlackMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity53

〰 Sillage47

♥ Love / hate64

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate72

Category winners

LongevityRoyal Eagle Black

SillageRoyal Eagle Black

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value64

¤ Price value21

Category winnerEncounterBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

woody92%

rum84%

oud77%

fresh spicy69%

citrus61%

citrus100%

warm spicy92%

woody84%

patchouli77%

aromatic69%

fresh spicy61%

Scent match60%Closely related · both warm spicy, woody and citrus

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15 to 30 minutes

RumCardamomMandarin Orange

Heart1 to 2 hours

CognacPepperPatchouliJasmine

Base2 to 4 hours

Agarwood (Oud)CedarMusk

Top

BergamotCardamomMandarin OrangeRum

Heart

Violet LeafJasminePepperSpicy Notes

Base

PatchouliWoodsy NotesMuskOak

InformationalShared notesRum, Cardamom, Mandarin Orange and Pepper. Durations are only published for Encounter, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring52

Summer24

Fall100

Winter84

Day62

Night100

Spring91

Summer100

Fall82

Winter82

Day100

Night91

Category winnerRoyal Eagle BlackMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men94

Unisex4

Women1

Men93

Unisex7

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#31,237

PerfumerHonorine Blanc, Pierre Negrin

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#49,664

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerEncounterHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Calvin Klein Encounter is an oriental woody eau de toilette that focuses on dark spirits, gentle spices, and smooth timber. The opening pairs a splash of sweet rum with crushed cardamom and a bright touch of mandarin orange. As the initial brightness settles, the heart reveals warm cognac accented by black pepper, ear…

Reviews →

Royal Eagle Black by Stefano Ricci opens with a burst of crisp bergamot, juicy mandarin orange, and a splash of warm rum. Grounded by spicy cardamom, green violet leaf, and rich oak, this woody aromatic cologne delivers a clean, masculine presence for daily wear. It balances bright citrus with earthy patchouli and smo…

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, Encounter or Royal Eagle Black?

Royal Eagle Black takes 5 of 7 categories. Encounter is rated 3.56/5 from 1,042 votes; Royal Eagle Black is rated 3.88/5 from 32 votes. Choose Encounter for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Royal Eagle Black for a citrus and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Encounter or Royal Eagle Black?

Royal Eagle Black lasts longest (Royal Eagle Black 71/100, Encounter 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Encounter or Royal Eagle Black?

Royal Eagle Black projects furthest (Royal Eagle Black 68/100, Encounter 47/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Encounter and Royal Eagle Black smell similar?

Closely related: a 60% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, woody and citrus accords. Common notes include Rum, Cardamom, Mandarin Orange and Pepper.

Is Encounter or Royal Eagle Black better for summer or winter?

For summer, Royal Eagle Black is the stronger pick. For winter, Encounter is the stronger pick. Encounter suits evening wear; Royal Eagle Black suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Encounter and Royal Eagle Black?

Encounter has top notes of Rum, Cardamom and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Cognac, Pepper, Patchouli and Jasmine, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Cedar and Musk. Royal Eagle Black has top notes of Bergamot, Cardamom, Mandarin Orange and Rum, heart notes of Violet Leaf, Jasmine, Pepper and Spicy Notes, a base of Patchouli, Woodsy Notes, Musk and Oak.