Fragrance comparison

Version Black vs Acqua di Colonia Citrus

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

Updated 24 Oct 2026 49 ratings analysed

3 wins

Version Black

Ulric de Varens

3.9537 votes

Rank #18,062 CitrusWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

33%scent match

Clearly different

Acqua di Colonia Citrus

O Boticário

3.7512 votes

Rank #56,591 CitrusFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Version Black takes 3 of 5 categories.

Version Black
Choose it for a citrus and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Acqua di Colonia Citrus
Choose it for a citrus and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Version Black3/5

Acqua di Colonia Citrus2/5

Ratings & consensus: Version Black
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Acqua di Colonia Citrus
Sillage & projection: Acqua di Colonia Citrus
Value for money: Version Black
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Version Black

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Version BlackUlric de Varens

Acqua di Colonia CitrusO Boticário

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.95/ 5 · 37 votes

Have 59%Had 15%Want 26%

3.75/ 5 · 12 votes

Have 9%Had 36%Want 55%

Category winnerVersion BlackRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

19%Love

65%Like

8%Ok

8%Dislike

0%Hate

37 votes

25%Love

50%Like

0%Ok

25%Dislike

0%Hate

12 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity55

〰 Sillage52

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity70

〰 Sillage70

♥ Love / hate69

Category winners

LongevityAcqua di Colonia Citrus

SillageAcqua di Colonia Citrus

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value93

¤ Price value88

Category winnerVersion BlackBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

woody92%

warm spicy84%

aromatic77%

lavender69%

floral61%

citrus100%

fresh spicy83%

white floral65%

sweet48%

fresh30%

Scent match33%Clearly different · both citrus

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

CitrusesCardamomMandarin OrangePineappleNutmeg

Heart2-3 hrs

LavenderFreesiaViolet

Base4-6 hrs

MuskWoody NotesTonka BeanPalisander Rosewood

Top

CitrusesOrangeMandarin OrangeLemonBergamotGrapefruitPineappleCardamom

Heart

African Orange FlowerPetitgrainFreesiaLilyNutmegGeranium

Base

SandalwoodWoodsy NotesTonka BeanOakmossVirginia CedarMusk

InformationalShared notesCitruses, Cardamom, Mandarin Orange and Pineapple. Durations are only published for Version Black, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer100

Fall42

Winter17

Day100

Night32

Spring63

Summer100

Fall0

Winter0

Day100

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men81

Unisex15

Women4

Casual 47%Work 32%Date 12%Party 9%

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#18,062

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews9

Overall rank#56,591

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerVersion BlackHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Do not let the dark name fool you. Version Black by Ulric de Varens is not a heavy, brooding night scent. Instead, it bursts open with a bright blast of mandarin orange, tart pineapple, and fresh cardamom. The initial alcohol lift settles quickly on skin, revealing a clean heart of French lavender, delicate violet, an…

Reviews →

Acqua di Colonia Citrus by O Boticário is a lively splash of pure sunshine that instantly wakes up your senses. It opens with an energetic blend of fresh lemon, sweet mandarin orange, tart grapefruit, and a dash of spicy cardamom. As the bright top notes settle, you catch breezy petitgrain, soft orange blossom, and su…

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, Version Black or Acqua di Colonia Citrus?

Version Black takes 3 of 5 categories. Version Black is rated 3.95/5 from 37 votes; Acqua di Colonia Citrus is rated 3.75/5 from 12 votes. Choose Version Black for a citrus and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Acqua di Colonia Citrus for a citrus and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Version Black or Acqua di Colonia Citrus?

Acqua di Colonia Citrus lasts longest (Acqua di Colonia Citrus 70/100, Version Black 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Version Black or Acqua di Colonia Citrus?

Acqua di Colonia Citrus projects furthest (Acqua di Colonia Citrus 70/100, Version Black 52/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Version Black and Acqua di Colonia Citrus smell similar?

Clearly different: a 33% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus accords. Common notes include Citruses, Cardamom, Mandarin Orange and Pineapple.

Is Version Black or Acqua di Colonia Citrus better for summer or winter?

Version Black suits daytime wear; Acqua di Colonia Citrus suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Version Black and Acqua di Colonia Citrus?

Version Black has top notes of Citruses, Cardamom, Mandarin Orange and Pineapple, heart notes of Lavender, Freesia and Violet, a base of Musk, Woody Notes, Tonka Bean and Palisander Rosewood. Acqua di Colonia Citrus has top notes of Citruses, Orange, Mandarin Orange and Lemon, heart notes of African Orange Flower, Petitgrain, Freesia and Lily, a base of Sandalwood, Woodsy Notes, Tonka Bean and Oakmoss.