Top 9 Colognes Similar To Nasomatto Black Afgano [2024]

If you like colognes with dark, mysterious tones, you must have heard about Black Afgano by Nasomatto. This fragrance is among the best unique compositions in the fragrance world.

However, while looking for a similar cologne for my husband, I came across a bunch of fragrances that have a similar Black Afgano vibe. Some were even better in quality and composition.

Now, as a responsible perfume enthusiast, I’m going to share my findings here.

So, if you’re also looking for a better Black Afgano alternative, stay tuned.

What Does Nasomatto Black Afgano Smell Like?

Nasomatto’s Black Afgano offers a herbal, smoky, woody smell of tobacco, tinged with some sweet, resinous accords. With cannabis at the top, it almost smells like marijuana but has a softer tone. Finally, the oud in the base creates a sensational and dark aura.

And Alessandro Gualtieri created this unique fragrance.

For a better understanding, let’s have a sneak peek of the notes present in Black Afgano by Nasomatto:

Top Notes: Cannabis and Green Notes

Middle Notes: Resins, Woodsy Notes, Tobacco, and Coffee

Base Notes: Agarwood (Oud) and Incense

Black Afgano is a potent scent but definitely not a crowd-pleaser. It has an unusual smoky, dry-leafy aroma of cannabis in the opening that doesn’t attract everyone.

Apart from that, the top also delivers a fresh, green undertone, which actually prevents cannabis from coming out aggressively.

The dryness softens with time, and you’ll feel its warm, smoky core with the bitter-sweet hint of coffee.

In the end, it basically turns into a herbal, sweet vanilla-like aroma along with the richness of agarwood. The base also has incense that kinda adds a mysterious, dark character to the scent.

Overall, Black Afgano, for me, is a nice, woody, smoky scent that smells awesome in the cold air of winter or fall. This is very intense and heavy and lasts over 15 hours with just one spray.

So, you may need to have a strong personality to pull off this dense, masculine scent perfectly.

What Colognes Smell Similar To Nasomatto Black Afgano?

Even though Black Afgano is a unique fragrance, it has its own loyal fan base. Since its release in 2009, many perfume houses have tried to replicate this composition.

Hence, you can find a lot of Black Afgano dupes in the store. But not all of them deserve trying.

Plus, it has a luxurious woody DNA that smells somewhat similar to many other high-end colognes.

So, to make your work easier, I’m going to describe both affordable and super-premium substitutes for this trendy, masculine scent.

Here is a list of some of the best Black Afgano smell-alikes:

1. Cuirs Carner Barcelona

Black Afgano is very luxurious in quality. So, most of the fragrances that smell close to it are from high-end brands.

Cuirs by Carner Barcelona is one of such expensive substitutes. It may be high in price, but their resemblance and sexiness will leave you amazed for sure.

The starting of Cuirs is very refined and spicy, obviously in a good way. Saffron and caraway go hand in hand at the top and smell just fabulous.

Soon, the core emerges with a harmony of elegant and powdery woody notes. Guaiac wood acts up and makes the heart very creamy alongside the edgy patchouli.

Dry-down is the part where it smells the closest to Black Afgano. It is similarly warm, dark, and smoky with oud. The only difference is that it is more on the animalic dark side with the prominent leather note.

Additionally, it will provide you with more than 15 hours of longevity and outstanding projection.

When To Wear

The deep, warm nature of Cuirs is best suited for winter or fall. It is more like a nighttime scent and will be too strong for daytime wear.

Why Should You Buy

2. Anubis Kiss Alexandria Fragrances

Anubis Kiss is an exact replica of Nasomatto’s Black Afgano. This clone was released by Alexandria Fragrances in 2017. Over the years, Hany Hafez has designed a lot of inspired colognes, and I like most of them.

And he didn’t disappoint me at all with this replica as well.

Just like Black Afgano, Anubis Kiss has a bold, sexy, dark, masculine aroma from start to bottom.

Smoky, herbal cannabis pops out right after the first spray, and it is perfectly balanced with the sweetness of resin. After a while, tobacco and incense bring in a smoky, ash-like nature to the scent.

It dries down with the luxuriousness of oud. Alongside the ambery resin, it creates a dark, wild, masculine scent bubble that lasts for the whole day.

The projection of this cologne isn’t something to brag about. But I would say it offers a strong sillage that makes ladies attracted to this sexy, manly aroma.

When To Wear

The intense, woody, warm tone of Anubis Kiss is ideal for any special or dressy events during the winter and fall nights.

Why Should You Buy

3. Hindu Kush Mancera

Hindu Kush will be the perfect pick if you’re looking for a lighter and cozier Black Afgano alternative. Mancera launched this one as an amber woody fragrance for both genders. However, I think its deep, woody nature suits the men more.

Hindu Kush smells warm, cozy, and spicy from the first whiff. I was expecting a dry, smoky vibe from its opening due to the presence of incense.

However, incense, after mingling with cannabis and labdanum, presents a rich, deep green sweetness that lingers around till the middle comes.

The core is woody but very warm and creamy at the same time. Incense kinda makes the heart a bit smoky but not as strong as the Black Afgano.

During the dry-down, you’ll feel a sweet, creamy, woody, and classy masculine scent circulating around you.

Additionally, this is one of the most versatile and well-loved fragrances from the brand. So, if you feel like exploring more, try out other perfumes that are similar in style to Mancera Hindu Kush.

When To Wear

You can wear this fragrance at any evening or nighttime outing during the fall, winter, or early spring.

Why Should You Buy

4. Laudano Nero Tiziana Terenzi

Laudano Nero by Tiziana Terenz will be my suggestion when you need a masterpiece scent with the signature dark, woody, incense tone of Black Afgano.

It starts boldly with a heavy dose of tobacco and amber-tinged with some greenish accords. Even though rum is noted, I didn’t get any boozy, sweet vibe from the opening.

The dark, mysterious vibe is further enhanced with several woody, powdery heart notes. Among them, cedar and ash are quite noticeable as they make the core aroma slightly creamy in the end.

Finally, the base arrives with a dense, musky, smoky aroma of incense and oud. Labdanum is also there and adds a subtle, sweet, warm touch to the powerful woody notes.

Overall, Laudano Nero is a unique masculine scent that carries a lot of mystery and darkness within. So, you should have a strong affection towards smoky, dark fragrances to love this composition properly.

Plus, you can expect this scent to last on you for days. Other than that, being an intense scent, it offers beast-mode projection and sillage.

When To Wear

Laudano Nero has a warm and deep texture. So, it will be a perfect choice for evening or late-night activities during the cold days of the year.

Why Should You Buy

5. Afghano Noir By Deja Vu Scents

Afghano Noir By Deja Vu Scents is another great Black Afgano clone that got my attention. So, I got a sample and tried it out on myself.

My first impression of this fragrance is it has a nice, warm, woody scent throughout. Even though tobacco and cannabis are there, they don’t come out strongly; instead create a soothing herbal, smoky layer in the composition.

As the aroma progresses, its warm woodiness becomes more apparent. Then, it settles with the smoky, woody, eastern vibe of incense and oud.

Overall, this is a sexy, mysterious masculine scent that smells almost 90% similar to the original Black Afgano.

Anyway, in my opinion, its performance is excellent, considering the low price range. Only one or two sprays of this cologne can make you smell confident and attractive for around 10 hours easily.

So, this is definitely a great choice for people on a low budget.

When To Wear

Afghano Noir is warm, intense, and very woody, so wear it on clubbing, night-outs, or any special evening programs in the winter or fall.

Why Should You Buy

6. Black Oud Laurent Mazzone Parfums

Black Oud by Laurent Mazzone Parfums is another oud-dominating fragrance with super luxurious quality. Released in 2012, this cologne offers a very comparable masculine aura to Black Afgano.

The opening presents a smoky, spicy, slightly nutty feel. Powerful agarwood appears somewhat between the top and core. Meanwhile, labdanum balances the strong oud aroma with its cozy sweetness.

The main twist of this composition comes in the dry down, which includes dirty, musky tones of animalic notes such as civet and castoreum.

I could still sense the smokiness of agarwood in the dry-down, which adds more dimension to the mysteriousness of this scent.

When the cologne starts to settle apart from the dark oud aroma, what you’ll get is a classy and comforting amber-woodiness of sandalwood.

However, Black Oud will surprise you with its performance. Not only does it project insanely, but it also stays up on the skin for a good 12 hours.

When To Wear

Perfect for special and dressy festivals during the colder weather. You can wear it in any place where you need to leave a long-lasting impression on everyone.

Why Should You Buy

7. Fortis Les Liquides Imaginaires

The next rich substitute in this list is Fortis by Les Liquides Imaginaires. And this gorgeous composition by Sonia Constant was released back in 2011.

So, in this cologne, you’ll feel the powerful presence of royal oud from the very first spray. Here, the spicy, floral touch of saffron mixed with cumin adds a more pleasant quality to the oud aroma while balancing it out.

The opening sometimes feels a bit harsh to my nose. However, with time, it gets a smooth, creamy, woody texture from guaiac wood and cedar in the core.

So, let it develop in your skin to experience the real magic.

I think this cologne has a more balanced and harmonious nature than what you get from Black Afgano.

You can feel this harmony in the dry-down properly, which is warm, dark, woody, smoky, sweet, and musky all at once.

Plus, this nice and elegant oud lasts for a long time after settling. You can feel its rich aura radiating around you for over 15 hours.

When To Wear

Fortis Les Liquides is the ideal cologne for winter and fall events. It can make you feel warm and cozy on the harsh, cold days ahead.

Why Should You Buy

8. Intense Oud Gucci

My personal favorite in this alternative list is Intense Oud by Gucci. I love Aurelien Guichard compositions. So, when it came to the market in 2016, I got really excited.

However, a few days back, I tried it again. And when I did, its perfect balance between woody and spicy accords left me speechless.

To my nose, it feels like a premium, wearable, and aromatic version of Black Afgano.

In the opening, it presents a nicely woody and spicy tone. But soon, you’ll get to feel the rich, smoky effect of oud in the core, which further intensifies with the addition of incense.

It leans more towards the warm, woody side in the dry-down. Leather is also there, which is not so polarizing but adds an extra layer of mysteriousness to the base for sure.

Finally, the refined and soothing oud aroma settles on the skin, along with a sweet, balsamic undertone of olibanum.

Furthermore, this designer cologne is really intense and projects heavily for a couple of hours.

Overall, I get around 8 to 10 hours of longevity from Intense Oud, which is really impressive, in my opinion. No wonder it is often featured among the best smelling Gucci colognes of all time.

When To Wear

The warm notes of Intense Oud develop better in cooler conditions. So, wear it casually or formally during the winter or late fall.

Why Should You Buy

9. Laylati (Afgano Puro) Sospiro Perfumes

Well, if you’re looking for a lighter and greener dupe with great quality, go for Laylati (Afgano Puro) by Sospiro Perfumes. I actually find this fragrance more appealing and easy to wear than the challenging Black Afgano.

The start of this fragrance is very fresh, herbal, and dewy, with some green notes at the top.

It gets woodier after a while but does not come out as a punch in the face. Rather, the woody cedar and earthy patchouli actually feel soothing and creamy to my nose.

I can indeed feel a similar smoky, oily texture in the base, but still, it is much warmer and cozier than what you find in the original. On top of that, the tobacco, musk, and vanilla mix smells like a heavenly man who has everything under his control.

Overall, I will always prefer Laylati over Black Afgano, even though I love both.

Plus, it lasts on the skin for around 12 hours with a strong sillage. So, if you don’t have a budget issue, just try it out.

When To Wear

Except for the hot summer days, you can wear Laylati on any kind of occasion over the year.

Why Should You Buy

Wrap Up

Nasomatto’s Black Afgano is a unique and high-quality cologne that can easily make you stand out in the crowd. But it has an unusual composition that also makes it challenging to wear.

However, if you are an admirer of this dark, masculine aroma, you’ll definitely love the alternatives listed before.

So, check out the list and pick the one that you find best suited in each and every way.

And do let me know your final choice through the comment box.