Fragrance comparison

Harem vs Black Orchid

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 31,724 ratings analysed

Harem

3.42221 votes

Rank #7,378 PatchouliWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

55%scent match

Closely related

5 wins

Black Orchid

Tom Ford · 2006

3.8531,503 votes

Rank #470 Warm SpicyEarthy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Black Orchid takes 5 of 7 categories.

Harem
Choose it for a patchouli and warm spicy character. Wins on community sentiment and value for money. Best in winter.
Black Orchid
Choose it for a warm spicy and earthy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.

Harem2/7

Black Orchid5/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

HaremLR

Black OrchidTom Ford

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.42/ 5 · 221 votes

Have 29%Had 25%Want 46%

3.85/ 5 · 31,503 votes

Have 55%Had 17%Want 28%

Category winnerBlack OrchidRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

28%Love

52%Like

5%Ok

14%Dislike

0%Hate

173 votes

50%Love

9%Like

6%Ok

21%Dislike

14%Hate

Share of community votes

Category winnerHaremMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity76

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate71

⏱ Longevity83

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate77

Category winners

LongevityBlack Orchid

SillageBlack Orchid

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value71

¤ Price value45

Category winnerHaremBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

patchouli100%

warm spicy92%

sweet84%

chocolate77%

woody69%

caramel61%

warm spicy100%

earthy85%

woody84%

sweet76%

amber67%

patchouli64%

Scent match55%Closely related · both warm spicy, patchouli and sweet

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Mexican chocolateCaramelMandarin Orange

Heart

PatchouliJasmineLotus

Base

AmberVanilleMusk

Top

TruffleGardeniaBlack CurrantYlang-YlangJasmineBergamotMandarin OrangeAmalfi Lemon

Heart

OrchidSpicesGardeniaFruity NotesYlang-YlangJasmineLotus

Base

Mexican chocolatePatchouliVanilleIncenseAmberSandalwoodVetiverWhite Musk

InformationalShared notesMexican chocolate, Mandarin Orange, Patchouli and Jasmine. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring21

Summer13

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring25

Summer15

Fall83

Winter100

Day29

Night100

Category winnerBlack OrchidMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men3

Unisex13

Women83

Men12

Unisex56

Women32

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#7,378

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews34

Overall rank#470

PerfumerDavid Apel

Launched2006

Reviews1,594

Category winnerBlack OrchidHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Harem by LR is an oriental vanilla fragrance for women that centers on a rich, chocolate-forward profile. It balances sweet notes of caramel and vanilla with earthy patchouli and musk. This warm composition works well during the colder months for those who enjoy gourmand scents with a slightly resinous, mature charact…

Reviews →

Black Orchid by Tom Ford is a Oriental Floral fragrance for women. Black Orchid was launched in 2006. Black Orchid was created by David Apel and Pierre Negrin. Top notes are Truffle, Gardenia, Black Currant, Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine, Bergamot, Mandarin Orange and Amalfi Lemon; middle notes are Orchid, Spices, Gardenia, Fr…

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, Harem or Black Orchid?

Black Orchid takes 5 of 7 categories. Harem is rated 3.42/5 from 221 votes; Black Orchid is rated 3.85/5 from 31,503 votes. Choose Harem for a patchouli and warm spicy character. Wins on community sentiment and value for money. Best in winter. Choose Black Orchid for a warm spicy and earthy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Harem or Black Orchid?

Black Orchid lasts longest (Black Orchid 83/100, Harem 76/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Harem or Black Orchid?

Black Orchid projects furthest (Black Orchid 75/100, Harem 68/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Harem and Black Orchid smell similar?

Closely related: a 55% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, patchouli and sweet accords. Common notes include Mexican chocolate, Mandarin Orange, Patchouli and Jasmine.

Is Harem or Black Orchid better for summer or winter?

For summer, Black Orchid is the stronger pick. For winter, Harem is the stronger pick. Black Orchid suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Harem and Black Orchid?

Harem has top notes of Mexican chocolate, Caramel and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Patchouli, Jasmine and Lotus, a base of Amber, Vanille and Musk. Black Orchid has top notes of Truffle, Gardenia, Black Currant and Ylang-Ylang, heart notes of Orchid, Spices, Gardenia and Fruity Notes, a base of Mexican chocolate, Patchouli, Vanille and Incense.