Fragrance comparison

Version Black vs Chaleur d'Animale

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

Updated 24 Oct 2026 73 ratings analysed

4 wins

Version Black

Ulric de Varens

3.9537 votes

Rank #18,062 CitrusWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

38%scent match

Some overlap

Chaleur d'Animale

Animale

3.5636 votes

Rank #22,610 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Version Black takes 4 of 7 categories.

Version Black
Choose it for a citrus and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Chaleur d'Animale
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Version Black4/7

Chaleur d'Animale3/7

Ratings & consensus: Version Black
Community sentiment: Version Black
Longevity: Chaleur d'Animale
Sillage & projection: Chaleur d'Animale
Value for money: Version Black
Versatility: Chaleur d'Animale
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

Chaleur d'AnimaleAnimale

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.95/ 5 · 37 votes

Have 59%Had 15%Want 26%

3.56/ 5 · 36 votes

Have 34%Had 30%Want 36%

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

33%Love

28%Like

0%Ok

39%Dislike

0%Hate

36 votes

Category winnerVersion BlackMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity55

〰 Sillage52

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity57

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate64

Category winners

LongevityChaleur d'Animale

SillageChaleur d'Animale

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value93

¤ Price value19

Category winnerVersion BlackBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

woody92%

warm spicy84%

aromatic77%

lavender69%

floral61%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

floral84%

rose77%

white floral69%

warm spicy61%

Scent match38%Some overlap · both aromatic, warm spicy 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

SageGraperfuitCassiaBergamotMandarin Orange

Heart

GeraniumFreesiaVioletNutmegCorianderCardamomOrchid

Base

Lily-of-the-ValleyRoseMuskAmberPatchouliSandalowoodJasmineTonka 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

Spring50

Summer50

Fall100

Winter70

Day100

Night40

Category winnerChaleur d'AnimaleMost 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#22,610

PerfumerLoc Dong

Launched—

Reviews7

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 →

Chaleur d'Animale opens with a sharp burst of sage, grapefruit, and cassia that hits hard before settling into a warm, spicy floral core. Loc Dong built this 2000 release around a clash of crisp geranium, nutmeg, and freesia over a heavy musk and amber base. It suits cool autumn evenings when you want an aromatic gree…

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 Chaleur d'Animale?

Version Black takes 4 of 7 categories. Version Black is rated 3.95/5 from 37 votes; Chaleur d'Animale is rated 3.56/5 from 36 votes. Choose Version Black for a citrus and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Chaleur d'Animale for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Version Black or Chaleur d'Animale?

They last about the same: Chaleur d'Animale 57/100, Version Black 55/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Version Black or Chaleur d'Animale?

Chaleur d'Animale projects furthest (Chaleur d'Animale 59/100, Version Black 52/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Version Black and Chaleur d'Animale smell similar?

Some overlap: a 38% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, warm spicy and floral accords. Common notes include Cardamom, Mandarin Orange, Nutmeg and Freesia.

Is Version Black or Chaleur d'Animale better for summer or winter?

For summer, Version Black is the stronger pick. For winter, Chaleur d'Animale is the stronger pick. Version Black suits daytime wear; Chaleur d'Animale suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Version Black and Chaleur d'Animale?

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. Chaleur d'Animale has top notes of Sage, Graperfuit, Cassia and Bergamot, heart notes of Geranium, Freesia, Violet and Nutmeg, a base of Lily-of-the-Valley, Rose, Musk and Amber.