Fragrance comparison

Narcos'is vs Basic Black

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 2,500 ratings analysed

Narcos'is

Vertus

3.692,143 votes

Rank #5,198 FruityAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

34%scent match

Clearly different

5 wins

Basic Black

Bill Blass

3.86357 votes

Rank #3,742 Warm SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Basic Black takes 5 of 7 categories.

Narcos'is
Choose it for a fruity and aromatic character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring.
Basic Black
Choose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in winter.

Narcos'is2/7

Basic Black5/7

Ratings & consensus: Basic Black
Community sentiment: Basic Black
Longevity: Narcos'is
Sillage & projection: Narcos'is
Value for money: Basic Black
Versatility: Basic Black
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Basic Black

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Narcos'isVertus

Basic BlackBill Blass

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.69/ 5 · 2,143 votes

Have 69%Had 31%Want 0%

3.86/ 5 · 357 votes

Have 70%Had 30%Want 0%

Category winnerBasic BlackRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

34%Love

31%Like

11%Ok

17%Dislike

7%Hate

2,143 votes

37%Love

41%Like

4%Ok

17%Dislike

1%Hate

313 votes

Category winnerBasic BlackMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity76

〰 Sillage70

♥ Love / hate67

⏱ Longevity69

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate74

Category winners

LongevityNarcos'is

SillageNarcos'is

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value43

¤ Price value78

Category winnerBasic BlackBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fruity100%

aromatic92%

sweet84%

warm spicy77%

tropical69%

amber61%

warm spicy100%

woody92%

amber84%

floral77%

powdery69%

aromatic61%

Scent match34%Clearly different · both warm spicy, aromatic and amber

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

RhubarbCardamomCoffeeMandarin Orange

Heart

MangoGingerAmber

Base

VetiverPeachAmbergris

Top

CarnationYlang-YlangPlumCardamomPeachMandarin OrangeBergamot

Heart

HoneyCorianderRoseTuberoseVioletJasmine

Base

OakmossPatchouliCivetAmberMuskBenzoinSandalwoodStyrax

InformationalShared notesCardamom, Mandarin Orange, Amber and Peach. 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

Summer0

Fall0

Winter82

Day–

Night–

Spring53

Summer34

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerBasic BlackMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men10

Unisex61

Women29

Men2

Unisex40

Women58

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#5,198

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews50

Overall rank#3,742

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews71

Category winnerBasic BlackHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Vertus Narcos'is is a heavy fruit-and-smoke signature that pairs tart rhubarb with pulpy tropical mango. This unisex fragrance stands out in warm weather, offering a bold choice for enthusiasts who want to skip clean designer scents in favor of a sweet, weed-like green complexity.

Reviews →

Basic Black by Bill Blass is a spicy, mossy floral chypre with a vintage dressed-up attitude. Reviewers often notice carnation, coriander, oakmoss, musk and honeyed florals, with an opening that can feel sharp, soapy or animalic before it settles. It suits people who enjoy bold 80s and early 90s style perfumes, powder…

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, Narcos'is or Basic Black?

Basic Black takes 5 of 7 categories. Narcos'is is rated 3.69/5 from 2,143 votes; Basic Black is rated 3.86/5 from 357 votes. Choose Narcos'is for a fruity and aromatic character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring. Choose Basic Black for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Narcos'is or Basic Black?

Narcos'is lasts longest (Narcos'is 76/100, Basic Black 69/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Narcos'is or Basic Black?

Narcos'is projects furthest (Narcos'is 70/100, Basic Black 62/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Narcos'is and Basic Black smell similar?

Clearly different: a 34% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, aromatic and amber accords. Common notes include Cardamom, Mandarin Orange, Amber and Peach.

Is Narcos'is or Basic Black better for summer or winter?

For summer, Basic Black is the stronger pick. For winter, Basic Black is the stronger pick. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Narcos'is and Basic Black?

Narcos'is has top notes of Rhubarb, Cardamom, Coffee and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Mango, Ginger and Amber, a base of Vetiver, Peach and Ambergris. Basic Black has top notes of Carnation, Ylang-Ylang, Plum and Cardamom, heart notes of Honey, Coriander, Rose and Tuberose, a base of Oakmoss, Patchouli, Civet and Amber.