Fragrance comparison

Version Black vs Asana

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

Updated 24 Oct 2026 42 ratings analysed

Version Black

Ulric de Varens

3.9537 votes

Rank #18,062 CitrusWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

44%scent match

Some overlap

Asana

Amouage

3.405 votes

Rank #63,223 WoodyFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2.

Version Black
Choose it for a citrus and woody character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Asana
Choose it for a woody and floral character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.

Version Black2/4

Asana2/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Asana
Sillage & projection: Asana
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

AsanaAmouage

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.95/ 5 · 37 votes

Have 59%Had 15%Want 26%

3.40/ 5 · 5 votes

Have 18%Had 3%Want 80%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating 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

20%Love

20%Like

40%Ok

20%Dislike

0%Hate

5 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity55

〰 Sillage52

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage83

♥ Love / hate60

Category winners

LongevityAsana

SillageAsana

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value93

¤ Price value50

Category winnerVersion BlackBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

woody92%

warm spicy84%

aromatic77%

lavender69%

floral61%

woody100%

floral92%

amber84%

aromatic77%

white floral69%

powdery61%

Scent match44%Some overlap · both woody, aromatic and floral

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

Mandarin OrangeCardamomNutmeg

Heart

JasmineVioletFreesiaApricot BlossomCyclamen

Base

CedarAmyrisOlibanumAmberTonka Bean

InformationalShared notesCardamom, Mandarin Orange, Nutmeg and Freesia. 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

Spring0

Summer0

Fall50

Winter100

Day–

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men81

Unisex15

Women4

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

Men0

Unisex50

Women50

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#18,062

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews9

Overall rank#63,223

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 →

Amouage Asana blends clean floral notes with dry cardamom spice to create a quiet, woody warmth. Initially launched in 2005 as a limited Harrods exclusive, this unisex fragrance is best suited for quiet autumn evenings when the dry air needs a gentle touch of olibanum incense.

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 Asana?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2. Version Black is rated 3.95/5 from 37 votes; Asana is rated 3.40/5 from 5 votes. Choose Version Black for a citrus and woody character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Asana for a woody and floral character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Version Black or Asana?

Asana lasts longest (Asana 80/100, Version Black 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Version Black or Asana?

Asana projects furthest (Asana 83/100, Version Black 52/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Version Black and Asana smell similar?

Some overlap: a 44% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, aromatic and floral accords. Common notes include Cardamom, Mandarin Orange, Nutmeg and Freesia.

Is Version Black or Asana better for summer or winter?

Version Black suits daytime wear; Asana suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Version Black and Asana?

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. Asana has top notes of Mandarin Orange, Cardamom and Nutmeg, heart notes of Jasmine, Violet, Freesia and Apricot Blossom, a base of Cedar, Amyris, Olibanum and Amber.