Fragrance comparison

Vetiver vs Elegant Black

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

Updated 28 Oct 2026 65 ratings analysed

Vetiver

Murdock London

4.0245 votes

Rank #17,333 WoodyCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

47%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

Elegant Black

Johan B

4.1020 votes

Rank #27,606 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Elegant Black takes 3 of 6 categories.

Vetiver
Choose it for a woody and citrus character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Elegant Black
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Vetiver1/6

Elegant Black3/6

Ratings & consensus: Elegant Black
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Tie
Sillage & projection: Elegant Black
Value for money: Elegant Black
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Tie
Fragranxe ranking: Vetiver

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

VetiverMurdock London

Elegant BlackJohan B

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.02/ 5 · 45 votes

Have 58%Had 11%Want 31%

4.10/ 5 · 20 votes

Have 53%Had 20%Want 27%

Category winnerElegant BlackRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

36%Love

49%Like

4%Ok

4%Dislike

7%Hate

45 votes

35%Love

45%Like

15%Ok

5%Dislike

0%Hate

20 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate76

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate78

Category winners

LongevityTie

SillageElegant Black

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value53

¤ Price value71

Category winnerElegant BlackBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

citrus83%

mossy65%

earthy48%

fresh30%

woody100%

aromatic92%

fresh spicy84%

citrus77%

honey69%

vanilla61%

Scent match47%Some overlap · both woody and citrus

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

Citruses

Heart2-4 hrs

Woody NotesOakmoss

Base6-8+ hrs

—

Top15-30 mins

CitrusesRosemary

Heart2-4 hrs

ArtemisiaCedar

Base6-8 hrs

HoneyVanillaWoody NotesOakmoss

Category winnerTieSame dry-down length

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer67

Fall88

Winter46

Day100

Night32

Spring50

Summer38

Fall100

Winter63

Day100

Night79

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men95

Unisex5

Women0

Work 41%Casual 35%Date 15%Party 9%

Men89

Unisex11

Women0

Casual 41%Work 28%Date 19%Party 12%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#17,333

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews10

Overall rank#27,606

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews3

Category winnerVetiverHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Murdock London Vetiver delivers a crisp, bracing introduction to traditional British barbershop perfumery without feeling dusty. The first spray hits with sharp citruses and bitter bergamot, backed by a surprising snap of dark licorice and clove. As the initial alcoholic punch softens over twenty minutes, raw grassy v…

Reviews →

Johan B Elegant Black kicks off with sharp, zesty citruses and a noticeable punch of green rosemary. The first few minutes carry a strong blast of perfumer alcohol before the oils settle down smoothly onto your skin. Soon after, dry cedar and herbal artemisia step forward to balance the brisk opening. The base shifts …

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, Vetiver or Elegant Black?

Elegant Black takes 3 of 6 categories. Vetiver is rated 4.02/5 from 45 votes; Elegant Black is rated 4.10/5 from 20 votes. Choose Vetiver for a woody and citrus character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Elegant Black for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Vetiver or Elegant Black?

They last about the same: Vetiver 67/100, Elegant Black 67/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Vetiver or Elegant Black?

Elegant Black projects furthest (Elegant Black 62/100, Vetiver 59/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Vetiver and Elegant Black smell similar?

Some overlap: a 47% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and citrus accords. Common notes include Citruses, Woody Notes and Oakmoss.

Is Vetiver or Elegant Black better for summer or winter?

Vetiver suits daytime wear; Elegant Black suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Vetiver and Elegant Black?

Vetiver has top notes of Citruses, heart notes of Woody Notes and Oakmoss. Elegant Black has top notes of Citruses and Rosemary, heart notes of Artemisia and Cedar, a base of Honey, Vanilla, Woody Notes and Oakmoss.