Fragrance comparison

The Opening vs Black Intense

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

Updated 10 Oct 2026 46 ratings analysed

The Opening

NEH

3.6043 votes

Rank #18,436 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

58%scent match

Closely related

3 wins

Black Intense

Morris

4.333 votes

Rank #41,363 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Black Intense takes 3 of 4 categories.

The Opening
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Black Intense
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

The Opening1/4

Black Intense3/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Black Intense
Sillage & projection: Black Intense
Value for money: Black Intense
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: The Opening

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

The OpeningNEH

Black IntenseMorris

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.60/ 5 · 43 votes

Have 43%Had 9%Want 48%

4.33/ 5 · 3 votes

Have 29%Had 0%Want 71%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

35%Love

23%Like

19%Ok

14%Dislike

9%Hate

43 votes

33%Love

67%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

3 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage51

♥ Love / hate65

⏱ Longevity70

〰 Sillage63

♥ Love / hate83

Category winners

LongevityBlack Intense

SillageBlack Intense

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value47

¤ Price value50

Category winnerBlack IntenseBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

aromatic88%

warm spicy77%

powdery65%

balsamic53%

soft spicy42%

aromatic100%

woody91%

fresh spicy83%

warm spicy74%

powdery65%

violet56%

Scent match58%Closely related · both woody, aromatic and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

elemiPink PepperCardamom

Heart

LavenderVioletOrris

Base

SandalwoodCedarwoodVetiverPapyrusGaiacSage

Top15-30 mins

Pink PepperLemonWatery NotesMandarin OrangeOrange

Heart2-4 hrs

VioletBlack PepperCardamomelemiNutmegClary SageLavender

Base6-8+ hrs

VetiverCedarPatchouliMusk

InformationalShared noteselemi, Pink Pepper, Cardamom and Lavender. Durations are only published for Black Intense, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring87

Summer67

Fall100

Winter100

Day100

Night86

Spring100

Summer50

Fall100

Winter50

Day100

Night69

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men34

Unisex50

Women16

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Casual 33%Work 31%Date 22%Party 13%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#18,436

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews6

Overall rank#41,363

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews1

Category winnerThe OpeningHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

The Opening by NEH is a woody aromatic fragrance built around cardamom, violet, and dry cedarwood. It opens with a crisp pop of pink pepper and resinous elemi before settling into a cool, powdery heart of orris. Suited for crisp autumn mornings, professional office wear, and quiet evenings, it stays close to the skin …

Reviews →

Black Intense by Morris is a versatile woody spicy men's eau de toilette that pairs bright citrus with dark pepper and dry woods. The scent opens with a crisp burst of lemon, juicy mandarin orange, and a crackle of pink pepper. As the initial splash calms down, herbal clary sage and powdery violet leaf blend with warm…

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.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, The Opening or Black Intense?

Black Intense takes 3 of 4 categories. The Opening is rated 3.60/5 from 43 votes; Black Intense is rated 4.33/5 from 3 votes. Choose The Opening for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Black Intense for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, The Opening or Black Intense?

Black Intense lasts longest (Black Intense 70/100, The Opening 67/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, The Opening or Black Intense?

Black Intense projects furthest (Black Intense 63/100, The Opening 51/100), based on community performance votes.

Do The Opening and Black Intense smell similar?

Closely related: a 58% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, aromatic and warm spicy accords. Common notes include elemi, Pink Pepper, Cardamom and Lavender.

Is The Opening or Black Intense better for summer or winter?

The Opening suits daytime wear; Black Intense suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in The Opening and Black Intense?

The Opening has top notes of elemi, Pink Pepper and Cardamom, heart notes of Lavender, Violet and Orris, a base of Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Vetiver and Papyrus. Black Intense has top notes of Pink Pepper, Lemon, Watery Notes and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Violet, Black Pepper, Cardamom and elemi, a base of Vetiver, Cedar, Patchouli and Musk.