Fragrance comparison

Potion Royal Black vs Memoir Man

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 4,426 ratings analysed

5 wins

Potion Royal Black

DSQUARED²

4.23600 votes

Rank #1,378 SmokyRose

Full profile Similar & dupes

39%scent match

Some overlap

Memoir Man

Amouage

4.283,826 votes

Rank #25,947 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Potion Royal Black takes 5 of 7 categories.

Potion Royal Black
Choose it for a smoky and rose character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.
Memoir Man
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus and community sentiment. Best in winter.

Potion Royal Black5/7

Memoir Man2/7

Ratings & consensus: Memoir Man
Community sentiment: Memoir Man
Longevity: Potion Royal Black
Sillage & projection: Potion Royal Black
Value for money: Potion Royal Black
Versatility: Potion Royal Black
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Potion Royal Black

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Potion Royal BlackDSQUARED²

Memoir ManAmouage

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.23/ 5 · 600 votes

Have 38%Had 15%Want 47%

4.28/ 5 · 3,826 votes

Have 76%Had 24%Want 0%

Category winnerMemoir ManRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

54%Love

31%Like

2%Ok

14%Dislike

0%Hate

600 votes

54%Love

32%Like

5%Ok

8%Dislike

1%Hate

3,826 votes

Category winnerMemoir ManMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity79

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate81

⏱ Longevity76

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate82

Category winners

LongevityPotion Royal Black

SillagePotion Royal Black

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value56

¤ Price value38

Category winnerPotion Royal BlackBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

smoky100%

rose92%

woody84%

amber77%

leather69%

warm spicy61%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

woody84%

green77%

amber69%

smoky61%

Scent match39%Some overlap · both woody, smoky and amber

Note pyramid (duration)

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

TopFirst 30 to 45 minutes

IncensePimentoBergamot

HeartHours 1 to 5

RoseLeatherTobacco

BaseHours 5 to 12+

Guaiac WoodCashmere WoodMusk

Top

WormwoodMintBasil

Heart

IncenseLavenderRose

Base

TobaccoLeatherSandalwoodGuaiac WoodVetiveroak mossAmberVanille

InformationalShared notesIncense, Rose, Leather and Tobacco. Durations are only published for Potion Royal Black, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring33

Summer12

Fall85

Winter100

Day31

Night100

Spring68

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerPotion Royal BlackMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men65

Unisex28

Women7

Men81

Unisex17

Women2

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#1,378

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews125

Overall rank#25,947

PerfumerKarine Vinchon Spehner

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerPotion Royal BlackHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Potion Royal Black by DSQUARED² is a dark, dry woody spicy scent built around a bold combination of smoky incense, rich rose, and polished leather. The scent opens with a brisk kick of Italian bergamot and warm pimento pepper before settling into a deep floral heart layered over cured tobacco leaf. At the base, dry gu…

Reviews →

Amouage Memoir Man presents a dark, dry green opening that transitions into a cold, smoky incense. It suits individuals looking for an unconventional, dramatic signature scent for cold autumn nights and formal winter settings where standard sweet fragrances fail to make a statement.

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, Potion Royal Black or Memoir Man?

Potion Royal Black takes 5 of 7 categories. Potion Royal Black is rated 4.23/5 from 600 votes; Memoir Man is rated 4.28/5 from 3,826 votes. Choose Potion Royal Black for a smoky and rose character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Memoir Man for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus and community sentiment. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Potion Royal Black or Memoir Man?

Potion Royal Black lasts longest (Potion Royal Black 79/100, Memoir Man 76/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Potion Royal Black or Memoir Man?

Potion Royal Black projects furthest (Potion Royal Black 68/100, Memoir Man 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Potion Royal Black and Memoir Man smell similar?

Some overlap: a 39% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, smoky and amber accords. Common notes include Incense, Rose, Leather and Tobacco.

Is Potion Royal Black or Memoir Man better for summer or winter?

For summer, Potion Royal Black is the stronger pick. For winter, Potion Royal Black is the stronger pick. Potion Royal Black suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Potion Royal Black and Memoir Man?

Potion Royal Black has top notes of Incense, Pimento and Bergamot, heart notes of Rose, Leather and Tobacco, a base of Guaiac Wood, Cashmere Wood and Musk. Memoir Man has top notes of Wormwood, Mint and Basil, heart notes of Incense, Lavender and Rose, a base of Tobacco, Leather, Sandalwood and Guaiac Wood.