Fragrance comparison

Interlude Black Iris vs Al Bashiq

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 3,384 ratings analysed

5 wins

Interlude Black Iris

Amouage

4.223,207 votes

Rank #25,856 AmberWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

44%scent match

Some overlap

Al Bashiq

Nabeel

4.14177 votes

Rank #4,211 AmberWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Interlude Black Iris takes 5 of 7 categories.

Interlude Black Iris
Choose it for a amber and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.
Al Bashiq
Choose it for a amber and woody character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Interlude Black Iris5/7

Al Bashiq2/7

Ratings & consensus: Interlude Black Iris
Community sentiment: Interlude Black Iris
Longevity: Interlude Black Iris
Sillage & projection: Interlude Black Iris
Value for money: Al Bashiq
Versatility: Interlude Black Iris
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Al Bashiq

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Interlude Black IrisAmouage

Al BashiqNabeel

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.22/ 5 · 3,207 votes

Have 80%Had 20%Want 0%

4.14/ 5 · 177 votes

Have 88%Had 12%Want 0%

Category winnerInterlude Black IrisRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

57%Love

23%Like

9%Ok

7%Dislike

4%Hate

3,207 votes

56%Love

23%Like

7%Ok

8%Dislike

6%Hate

177 votes

Category winnerInterlude Black IrisMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity86

〰 Sillage76

♥ Love / hate80

⏱ Longevity82

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate79

Category winners

LongevityInterlude Black Iris

SillageInterlude Black Iris

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value38

¤ Price value78

Category winnerAl BashiqBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

woody92%

powdery84%

iris77%

fresh spicy69%

warm spicy61%

amber100%

woody92%

warm spicy84%

aromatic77%

balsamic69%

leather61%

Scent match44%Some overlap · both amber, woody and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Violet LeafRosemaryBergamot

Heart

OrrisOlibanumMyrhhAmberLabdanumVanilla

Base

LeatherAgarwood (Oud)SandalwoodPatchouliCedar

Top

LeatherIncenseCypressStyraxSaffronCardamomLavenderArtemisia

Heart

Agarwood (Oud)MyrrhBalsamic NotesEarthy NotesGuaiac WoodOlibanumLabdanumCedar

Base

VetiverAmberTobaccoTolu BalsamBenzoinPatchouliSweet NotesAmbergris

InformationalShared notesOlibanum, Amber, Labdanum and Leather. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring36

Summer13

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring32

Summer14

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerInterlude Black IrisMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men86

Unisex13

Women2

Men82

Unisex13

Women5

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#25,856

PerfumerPierre Negrin

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#4,211

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews19

Category winnerAl BashiqHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Amouage Interlude Black Iris puts a dark, velvet spin on the famous blue-bottle original. Pierre Negrin uses a buttery, powdery iris to quiet the loud, smoky incense of the classic formula. What remains is a smooth, woody skin scent that balances cold violet leaf and warm leather, making it perfect for cold nights in …

Reviews →

Al Bashiq by Nabeel delivers a heavy dose of leather, dark resins, and bitter almond. It is a bold, cold weather scent that cuts through freezing air, pairing best with heavy wool coats or leather jackets during winter nights.

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, Interlude Black Iris or Al Bashiq?

Interlude Black Iris takes 5 of 7 categories. Interlude Black Iris is rated 4.22/5 from 3,207 votes; Al Bashiq is rated 4.14/5 from 177 votes. Choose Interlude Black Iris for a amber and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter. Choose Al Bashiq for a amber and woody character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Interlude Black Iris or Al Bashiq?

Interlude Black Iris lasts longest (Interlude Black Iris 86/100, Al Bashiq 82/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Interlude Black Iris or Al Bashiq?

Projection is very close: Interlude Black Iris 76/100, Al Bashiq 75/100 for sillage.

Do Interlude Black Iris and Al Bashiq smell similar?

Some overlap: a 44% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, woody and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Olibanum, Amber, Labdanum and Leather.

Is Interlude Black Iris or Al Bashiq better for summer or winter?

For summer, Al Bashiq is the stronger pick. For winter, Interlude Black Iris is the stronger pick. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Interlude Black Iris and Al Bashiq?

Interlude Black Iris has top notes of Violet Leaf, Rosemary and Bergamot, heart notes of Orris, Olibanum, Myrhh and Amber, a base of Leather, Agarwood (Oud), Sandalwood and Patchouli. Al Bashiq has top notes of Leather, Incense, Cypress and Styrax, heart notes of Agarwood (Oud), Myrrh, Balsamic Notes and Earthy Notes, a base of Vetiver, Amber, Tobacco and Tolu Balsam.