Fragrance comparison

Flash Back vs Oud Noir

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 960 ratings analysed

Flash Back

Olfactive Studio

3.94849 votes

Rank #6,097 AromaticCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

44%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Oud Noir

Vertus

4.03111 votes

Rank #7,888 WoodyFruity

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Oud Noir takes 4 of 7 categories.

Flash Back
Choose it for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.
Oud Noir
Choose it for a woody and fruity character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Flash Back3/7

Oud Noir4/7

Ratings & consensus: Flash Back
Community sentiment: Flash Back
Longevity: Oud Noir
Sillage & projection: Oud Noir
Value for money: Oud Noir
Versatility: Oud Noir
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Flash Back

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Flash BackOlfactive Studio

Oud NoirVertus

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.94/ 5 · 849 votes

Have 64%Had 36%Want 0%

4.03/ 5 · 111 votes

Have 76%Had 24%Want 0%

Category winnerFlash BackRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

29%Love

49%Like

11%Ok

10%Dislike

1%Hate

849 votes

41%Love

37%Like

8%Ok

14%Dislike

1%Hate

111 votes

Category winnerFlash BackMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity58

〰 Sillage52

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity76

〰 Sillage74

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityOud Noir

SillageOud Noir

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value47

¤ Price value48

Category winnerOud NoirBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

citrus92%

woody84%

green77%

fruity69%

earthy61%

woody100%

fruity92%

aromatic84%

warm spicy77%

rose69%

oud61%

Scent match44%Some overlap · both aromatic, woody and fruity

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

RhubarbGrapefruitOrange

Heart

Granny Smith applePink Pepper

Base

VetiverCedarMuskAmber

Top

PlumAppleSaffronRhubarbLemonGrapefruit

Heart

RoseGeraniumCarnationCedarAmberOrrisCyclamenMagnolia

Base

Agarwood (Oud)Guaiac WoodVetiverVanillaMuskSandalwoodPatchouliCastoreum

InformationalShared notesRhubarb, Grapefruit, Vetiver and Cedar. 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

Summer0

Fall0

Winter12

Day–

Night–

Spring86

Summer77

Fall100

Winter100

Day100

Night–

Category winnerOud NoirMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men38

Unisex56

Women6

Men14

Unisex60

Women25

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#6,097

PerfumerOlivier Cresp

Launched—

Reviews60

Overall rank#7,888

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews17

Category winnerFlash BackHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Flash Back by Olfactive Studio opens with a sharp, photorealistic blast of crisp rhubarb and bitter grapefruit. Olivier Cresp crafts a bracing, green introduction that feels like slicing fresh stalks in a cold kitchen. As the initial citrus fizz subsides on the skin, a tart Granny Smith apple note emerges, backed by t…

Reviews →

Oud Noir by Vertus offers an unexpected twist on dark wood, mixing a tart fruit opening with a clean, dry woodiness. The scent dodges the typical heavy, syrupy sweetness of most modern oud releases. Instead, it pairs sharp rhubarb and plum against a cedar and saffron backdrop, creating a cool-weather unisex option tha…

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, Flash Back or Oud Noir?

Oud Noir takes 4 of 7 categories. Flash Back is rated 3.94/5 from 849 votes; Oud Noir is rated 4.03/5 from 111 votes. Choose Flash Back for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring. Choose Oud Noir for a woody and fruity character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Flash Back or Oud Noir?

Oud Noir lasts longest (Oud Noir 76/100, Flash Back 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Flash Back or Oud Noir?

Oud Noir projects furthest (Oud Noir 74/100, Flash Back 52/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Flash Back and Oud Noir smell similar?

Some overlap: a 44% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and fruity accords. Common notes include Rhubarb, Grapefruit, Vetiver and Cedar.

Is Flash Back or Oud Noir better for summer or winter?

For summer, Oud Noir is the stronger pick. For winter, Oud Noir is the stronger pick. Oud Noir suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Flash Back and Oud Noir?

Flash Back has top notes of Rhubarb, Grapefruit and Orange, heart notes of Granny Smith apple and Pink Pepper, a base of Vetiver, Cedar, Musk and Amber. Oud Noir has top notes of Plum, Apple, Saffron and Rhubarb, heart notes of Rose, Geranium, Carnation and Cedar, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Guaiac Wood, Vetiver and Vanilla.