Fragrance comparison

Interlude Black Iris vs Gentle King

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 3,217 ratings analysed

Interlude Black Iris

Amouage

4.223,207 votes

Rank #25,770 AmberWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

52%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

Gentle King

Voice From The Sky

4.6010 votes

Rank #21,593 WoodyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Gentle King takes 3 of 5 categories.

Interlude Black Iris
Choose it for a amber and woody character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter.
Gentle King
Choose it for a woody and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.

Interlude Black Iris2/5

Gentle King3/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Interlude Black IrisAmouage

Gentle KingVoice From The Sky

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.22/ 5 · 3,207 votes

Have 80%Had 20%Want 0%

4.60/ 5 · 10 votes

Have 32%Had 3%Want 65%

Category winnerGentle KingRating 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

60%Love

40%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

10 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity86

〰 Sillage76

♥ Love / hate80

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage46

♥ Love / hate90

Category winners

LongevityInterlude Black Iris

SillageInterlude Black Iris

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value38

¤ Price value54

Category winnerGentle KingBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

woody92%

powdery84%

iris77%

fresh spicy69%

warm spicy61%

woody100%

amber92%

fresh spicy84%

aromatic77%

green69%

powdery61%

Scent match52%Some overlap · both amber, woody and fresh 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

Black PepperSichuan PepperAldehydesCassis

Heart

CedarHinoki WoodOakmossHay

Base

OlibanumViolet LeafOrris RootLabdanumWhite MuskPeru BalsamTonka BeanLeather

InformationalShared notesViolet Leaf, Olibanum, 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–

Spring71

Summer57

Fall100

Winter100

Day57

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men86

Unisex13

Women2

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#25,770

PerfumerPierre Negrin

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#21,593

PerfumerTianle Feng

Launched—

Reviews5

Category winnerGentle KingHigher 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 →

Gentle King is a dry, airy woody amber with a peppery, aldehydic opening and a soft green-violet thread running through it. It starts bright and abstract, then settles into hay, moss, leather, balsam and oud with a calm, slightly powdery finish. It suits someone who likes textured woods more than sweetness. The overal…

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 Gentle King?

Gentle King takes 3 of 5 categories. Interlude Black Iris is rated 4.22/5 from 3,207 votes; Gentle King is rated 4.60/5 from 10 votes. Choose Interlude Black Iris for a amber and woody character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter. Choose Gentle King for a woody and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Interlude Black Iris or Gentle King?

Interlude Black Iris lasts longest (Interlude Black Iris 86/100, Gentle King 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Interlude Black Iris or Gentle King?

Interlude Black Iris projects furthest (Interlude Black Iris 76/100, Gentle King 46/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Interlude Black Iris and Gentle King smell similar?

Some overlap: a 52% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, woody and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Violet Leaf, Olibanum, Labdanum and Leather.

Is Interlude Black Iris or Gentle King better for summer or winter?

Gentle King suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Interlude Black Iris and Gentle King?

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. Gentle King has top notes of Black Pepper, Sichuan Pepper, Aldehydes and Cassis, heart notes of Cedar, Hinoki Wood, Oakmoss and Hay, a base of Olibanum, Violet Leaf, Orris Root and Labdanum.