Irae vs Back to Black
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
9%scent match
Clearly different
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Irae takes 4 of 7 categories.
IraeChoose it for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Back to BlackChoose it for a sweet and honey character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
Irae4/7
Back to Black3/7
- Ratings & consensus
- Irae
- Community sentiment
- Irae
- Longevity
- Back to Black
- Sillage & projection
- Back to Black
- Value for money
- Irae
- Versatility
- Irae
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- Back to Black
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
IraeV CantoBack to BlackBy KilianWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split4.05/ 5 · 363 votes
Have 38%Had 15%Want 47%
3.96/ 5 · 7,584 votes
Have 72%Had 28%Want 0%
Category winnerIraeRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate37%Love
44%Like
5%Ok
13%Dislike
1%Hate
363 votes
44%Love
33%Like
6%Ok
15%Dislike
2%Hate
6,340 votes
Category winnerIraeMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityBack to Black
SillageBack to Black
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerIraeBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothfresh spicy100%
aromatic92%
woody84%
citrus77%
cacao69%
amber61%
sweet100%
honey92%
tobacco84%
amber77%
fruity69%
cherry61%
Scent match9%Clearly different · both amber
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop30 to 45 minutes
Cacao PodTonka BeanBergamot
Heart2 to 4 hours
Sichuan PepperWormwoodCorianderHot iron
Base6 to 8 hours
OakPalisander RosewoodCrystal Amber
Notes
White HoneyTobaccoCherryVanillaRaspberryAlmondGingerbreadTonka BeanAmberNutmegBenzoinChamomile
No top / heart / base split published
InformationalShared notesTonka Bean. Durations are only published for Irae, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring40
Summer22
Fall100
Winter74
Day100
Night92
Spring24
Summer13
Fall0
Winter100
Day–
Night–
Category winnerIraeMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#8,710
PerfumerPaolo Terenzi
Launched—
Reviews29
Overall rank#999
PerfumerCalice Becker
Launched—
Reviews517
Category winnerBack to BlackHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotIrae by V Canto offers an unconventional contrast of bitter cacao pod, bright bergamot, and striking hot iron. Created by perfumer Paolo Terenzi, this unisex fragrance steps away from standard gourmand sweetness. The opening pairs dry cocoa and citrus against a sharp kick of Sichuan pepper and bitter wormwood. As the …
Reviews →Back to Black by By Kilian offers a rich, honey-drenched tobacco experience that balances gourmand sweetness with woody depth. It is a dense, unapologetic scent tailored for chilly evenings and formal winter gatherings, where its narcotic, warm character can fully project without overwhelming the wearer. This complex …
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.
Guided comparison
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Irae or Back to Black?
Irae takes 4 of 7 categories. Irae is rated 4.05/5 from 363 votes; Back to Black is rated 3.96/5 from 7,584 votes. Choose Irae for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Back to Black for a sweet and honey character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
Which lasts longer, Irae or Back to Black?
Back to Black lasts longest (Back to Black 81/100, Irae 69/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Irae or Back to Black?
Back to Black projects furthest (Back to Black 68/100, Irae 65/100), based on community performance votes.
Do Irae and Back to Black smell similar?
Clearly different: a 9% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber accords. Common notes include Tonka Bean.
Is Irae or Back to Black better for summer or winter?
For summer, Irae is the stronger pick. For winter, Back to Black is the stronger pick. Irae suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Irae and Back to Black?
Irae has top notes of Cacao Pod, Tonka Bean and Bergamot, heart notes of Sichuan Pepper, Wormwood, Coriander and Hot iron, a base of Oak, Palisander Rosewood and Crystal Amber. Back to Black features White Honey, Tobacco, Cherry, Vanilla and Raspberry.
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