Opens with a sharp cardamom and pepper bite that gives it some early edge, then settles quickly into a warm amber and vanilla heart that reads more sweet than spicy. Cedar keeps it from going full gourmand, lending a dry, slightly woody backbone through the dry-down. Projection is moderate — noticeable but not aggressive — and sillage trails off into a soft, musky vanilla that clings close to skin for hours. Straightforward and easy to wear, but unremarkable past its decent opening — best for cooler evenings when you want something approachable, warm, and unchallenging.
Swiss Arabian Shaghaf Men is consistently attributed across Fragrantica and Parfumo as a near-identical clone of Paco Rabanne Black XS for men, with strong cardamom/cinnamon/praline/patchouli/amber overlap. Community-attributed; no verified accuracy or longevity scores yet.
The closest match we list, Swiss Arabian Shaghaf Men, isn't community-scored yet — so we can't put a number on how close it gets. The original stays the reference here; if you'd rather try the budget take first, Swiss Arabian Shaghaf Men runs $25.
The top dupe of Paco Rabanne's Black XS is Shaghaf Men by Swiss Arabian. It isn't community-scored yet — more on the way as community evidence accumulates. At $25, it's a budget alternative to the $65 original — saving roughly $40 per bottle. It's the only dupe of Black XS we list so far, with more on the way as community evidence accumulates.
The most-cited dupe for Black XS is Shaghaf Men by Swiss Arabian. It is not community-scored yet, so we do not list an accuracy or longevity number for it — treat it as an untested budget take rather than a verified match.
Black XS by Paco Rabanne is a oriental/woody/gourmand scent built on cardamom, pepper, amber, musk, vanilla, cedar. Those notes define its character — browse any of them above to find fragrances that share the same profile.
The closest scents to Black XS by shared notes are Guerlain L'Homme Intense, Burberry Hero Parfum Intense, Yves Saint Laurent Tuxedo. See the full "similar fragrances" list below — each is ranked by how many notes it shares with Black XS.
Every dupe is rated on two independent dimensions: scent accuracy (how closely it matches the original) and longevity (how long it lasts on skin). Scores are aggregated from community consensus on Reddit r/fragrance, r/fragranceclones, and Fragrantica. They are never averaged into a single number — accuracy and longevity are separate decisions.
No. The Scent File takes no brand deals, no sponsorships, and no paid rankings. Rankings reflect community consensus only. We do earn affiliate commission when you purchase through our links at no extra cost to you — but this never influences which dupes appear or how they are scored.
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