Fragrance comparison

Grace vs Version Black

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

Updated 24 Oct 2026 90 ratings analysed

4 wins

Grace

Boadicea the Victorious

3.9453 votes

Rank #15,656 CitrusFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

50%scent match

Some overlap

Version Black

Ulric de Varens

3.9537 votes

Rank #18,062 CitrusWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Grace takes 4 of 7 categories.

Grace
Choose it for a citrus and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in summer, daytime wear.
Version Black
Choose it for a citrus and woody character. Wins on community sentiment, value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Grace4/7

Version Black3/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

GraceBoadicea the Victorious

Version BlackUlric de Varens

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.94/ 5 · 53 votes

Have 21%Had 22%Want 57%

3.95/ 5 · 37 votes

Have 59%Had 15%Want 26%

Category winnerGraceRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

30%Love

49%Like

6%Ok

15%Dislike

0%Hate

53 votes

19%Love

65%Like

8%Ok

8%Dislike

0%Hate

37 votes

Category winnerVersion BlackMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity69

〰 Sillage74

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity55

〰 Sillage52

♥ Love / hate74

Category winners

LongevityGrace

SillageGrace

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value31

¤ Price value93

Category winnerVersion BlackBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

fresh spicy83%

aromatic65%

woody48%

white floral30%

citrus100%

woody92%

warm spicy84%

aromatic77%

lavender69%

floral61%

Scent match50%Some overlap · both citrus, aromatic and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

LimeBergamotPetitgrainLemonGrapefruitMandarin OrangeOrange

Heart

NutmegClary SageNeroliLavenderJasmineVioletPepperCardamom

Base

VanillaWoody NotesTonka Bean

Top15-30 mins

CitrusesCardamomMandarin OrangePineappleNutmeg

Heart2-3 hrs

LavenderFreesiaViolet

Base4-6 hrs

MuskWoody NotesTonka BeanPalisander Rosewood

InformationalShared notesMandarin Orange, Nutmeg, Lavender and Violet. Durations are only published for Version Black, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring38

Summer100

Fall25

Winter6

Day100

Night–

Spring100

Summer100

Fall42

Winter17

Day100

Night32

Category winnerVersion BlackMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men42

Unisex50

Women8

Men81

Unisex15

Women4

Casual 47%Work 32%Date 12%Party 9%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#15,656

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews5

Overall rank#18,062

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews9

Category winnerGraceHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Grace by Boadicea the Victorious is an aromatic spicy unisex fragrance that centers on a vibrant citrus opening paired with warm herbal undertones. The scent opens with a sharp, invigorating splash of lime, bergamot, grapefruit, and mandarin orange, accented by green petitgrain for a natural leaf bitterness. As the t…

Reviews →

Do not let the dark name fool you. Version Black by Ulric de Varens is not a heavy, brooding night scent. Instead, it bursts open with a bright blast of mandarin orange, tart pineapple, and fresh cardamom. The initial alcohol lift settles quickly on skin, revealing a clean heart of French lavender, delicate violet, an…

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, Grace or Version Black?

Grace takes 4 of 7 categories. Grace is rated 3.94/5 from 53 votes; Version Black is rated 3.95/5 from 37 votes. Choose Grace for a citrus and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in summer, daytime wear. Choose Version Black for a citrus and woody character. Wins on community sentiment, value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Grace or Version Black?

Grace lasts longest (Grace 69/100, Version Black 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Grace or Version Black?

Grace projects furthest (Grace 74/100, Version Black 52/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Grace and Version Black smell similar?

Some overlap: a 50% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus, aromatic and woody accords. Common notes include Mandarin Orange, Nutmeg, Lavender and Violet.

Is Grace or Version Black better for summer or winter?

For summer, Grace is the stronger pick. For winter, Version Black is the stronger pick. Grace suits daytime wear; Version Black suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Grace and Version Black?

Grace has top notes of Lime, Bergamot, Petitgrain and Lemon, heart notes of Nutmeg, Clary Sage, Neroli and Lavender, a base of Vanilla, Woody Notes and Tonka Bean. Version Black has top notes of Citruses, Cardamom, Mandarin Orange and Pineapple, heart notes of Lavender, Freesia and Violet, a base of Musk, Woody Notes, Tonka Bean and Palisander Rosewood.