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FRAGRANXE
Fragrance comparison

James vs Black Oudh

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

Updated 432 ratings analysed
Some overlap
Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

James takes 3 of 5 categories.

  • James

    Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

  • Black Oudh

    Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.

James3/5
Black Oudh2/5
Ratings & consensus
Black Oudh
Community sentiment
Not scored
Longevity
James
Sillage & projection
James
Value for money
Black Oudh
Versatility
Not scored
Note pyramid (duration)
Not scored
Fragranxe ranking
James

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance
JamesAtkinsons
Black OudhReiss
Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split
3.65/ 5 · 410 votes
Have 80%Had 20%Want 0%
4.36/ 5 · 22 votes
Have 44%Had 12%Want 44%
Category winnerBlack OudhRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate
27%Love
38%Like
20%Ok
10%Dislike
6%Hate

200 votes

55%Love
36%Like
0%Ok
9%Dislike
0%Hate

22 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores
⏱ Longevity74
〰 Sillage61
♥ Love / hate71
⏱ Longevity52
〰 Sillage53
♥ Love / hate84
Category winners

LongevityJames

SillageJames

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it
¤ Price value51
¤ Price value56
Category winnerBlack OudhBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both
aromatic100%
woody92%
earthy84%
citrus77%
patchouli69%
warm spicy61%
woody100%
aromatic83%
fresh spicy65%
earthy48%
warm spicy30%
Scent match54%Some overlap · both woody, aromatic and earthy

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared
Top
Clary SageBergamotFinger LimePink Pepper
Heart
Elemi resinViolet LeafWhite Flowers
Base
VetiverPatchouliAkigalawoodMusk
Top
LaurelsClary SageElemi resin
Heart
CypressViolet LeafJasmine
Base
SequoiaVetiverCashmere MuskAgarwood (Oud)Amber
InformationalShared notesClary Sage, Elemi resin, Violet Leaf and Vetiver. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season
Spring100
Summer48
Fall0
Winter79
Day–
Night–
Spring54
Summer23
Fall85
Winter100
Day69
Night100
Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes
Men84
Unisex12
Women4
Men77
Unisex23
Women0
InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#4,538

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews89

Overall rank#18,989

PerfumerChristian Provenzano

Launched—

Reviews6

Category winnerJamesHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

James is a green, woody vetiver fragrance with a sharp aromatic opening and a darker, earthier drydown. Reviews point to bright lime, sage and pepper up top, then a damp, inky vetiver and patchouli base that can feel polished, moody, and slightly old-school. It suits wearers who enjoy dry vetiver, modern fougeres, and…

Reviews →

Black Oudh by Reiss wears like a dark, natural woods and vetiver scent with a brisk aromatic start. Think laurel, clary sage and elemi up top, then cypress and green violet leaf over a dry, earthy base of vetiver, woods, amber and soft musk. Despite the name, many wearers find the oud effect subtle, more “forest floor…

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.

Recent comparisons

Head-to-head activity from live history

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, James or Black Oudh?

James takes 3 of 5 categories. James is rated 3.65/5 from 410 votes; Black Oudh is rated 4.36/5 from 22 votes. Choose James for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring. Choose Black Oudh for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, James or Black Oudh?

James lasts longest (James 74/100, Black Oudh 52/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, James or Black Oudh?

James projects furthest (James 61/100, Black Oudh 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Do James and Black Oudh smell similar?

Some overlap: a 54% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, aromatic and earthy accords. Common notes include Clary Sage, Elemi resin, Violet Leaf and Vetiver.

Is James or Black Oudh better for summer or winter?

Black Oudh suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in James and Black Oudh?

James has top notes of Clary Sage, Bergamot, Finger Lime and Pink Pepper, heart notes of Elemi resin, Violet Leaf and White Flowers, a base of Vetiver, Patchouli, Akigalawood and Musk. Black Oudh has top notes of Laurels, Clary Sage and Elemi resin, heart notes of Cypress, Violet Leaf and Jasmine, a base of Sequoia, Vetiver, Cashmere Musk and Agarwood (Oud).

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