Fragrance comparison

Acqua di Nabeel Absolute vs MDM Black

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

Updated 16 Oct 2026 21 ratings analysed

Acqua di Nabeel Absolute

Nabeel

3.9314 votes

Rank #46,392 SweetCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

47%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

MDM Black

Marc de la Morandiere

4.297 votes

Rank #38,598 AromaticCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

MDM Black takes 3 of 4 categories.

Acqua di Nabeel Absolute
Choose it for a sweet and citrus character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.
MDM Black
Choose it for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, evening wear.

Acqua di Nabeel Absolute1/4

MDM Black3/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: MDM Black
Sillage & projection: MDM Black
Value for money: Acqua di Nabeel Absolute
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: MDM Black

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Acqua di Nabeel AbsoluteNabeel

MDM BlackMarc de la Morandiere

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.93/ 5 · 14 votes

Have 62%Had 4%Want 35%

4.29/ 5 · 7 votes

Have 27%Had 16%Want 57%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

43%Love

21%Like

21%Ok

14%Dislike

0%Hate

14 votes · too few to score

71%Love

14%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

14%Hate

7 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity66

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate73

⏱ Longevity83

〰 Sillage83

♥ Love / hate82

Category winners

LongevityMDM Black

SillageMDM Black

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value81

¤ Price value75

Category winnerAcqua di Nabeel AbsoluteBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

sweet100%

citrus92%

white floral84%

warm spicy77%

aromatic69%

woody61%

aromatic100%

citrus92%

woody84%

fresh spicy77%

warm spicy69%

earthy61%

Scent match47%Some overlap · both citrus, aromatic and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Star AniseIncenseWhite FlowersSweet OrangeGrapefruitSea NotesLemonRose

Heart

Sweet NotesNeroliCoconutJasmineOudLily of the ValleySandalwoodHeliotrope

Base

MuskGuaiac WoodBenzoinOakmossVetiverCedarAmberSpun Sugar

Top15-30 mins

BergamotOrange BlossomRosemaryMandarin OrangeMintGrapefruitLemonGreen Orange

Heart2-4 hrs

LavenderCinnamonCarnationRoseGuaiac WoodNutmegGreen Apple

Base6-8+ hrs

PatchouliMossVetiverVanillaSandalwoodIncenseTonka BeanMusk

InformationalShared notesIncense, Grapefruit, Lemon and Rose. Durations are only published for MDM Black, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring70

Summer60

Fall100

Winter70

Day88

Night100

Spring100

Summer67

Fall100

Winter100

Day86

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men29

Unisex64

Women7

Men50

Unisex50

Women0

Date 30%Casual 28%Work 25%Party 18%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#46,392

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#38,598

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews1

Category winnerMDM BlackHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Acqua di Nabeel Absolute by Nabeel is a dense oriental spicy fragrance that pairs a sharp citrus opening with warm spices. Star anise, grapefruit, and a dry incense lead into a deep heart of leather and sweet notes before settling on a heavy base of oud and vanilla. It is best suited for cold autumn evenings.

Reviews →

Marc de la Morandiere MDM Black hits the skin with a brisk surge of bergamot, sharp lemon, and cool mint before quickly revealing a deeper, darker core. It bridges sunny Mediterranean brightness and shadowy woods. The opening citrus spark softens within twenty minutes as aromatic lavender, warm cinnamon, and green app…

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, Acqua di Nabeel Absolute or MDM Black?

MDM Black takes 3 of 4 categories. Acqua di Nabeel Absolute is rated 3.93/5 from 14 votes; MDM Black is rated 4.29/5 from 7 votes. Choose Acqua di Nabeel Absolute for a sweet and citrus character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose MDM Black for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Acqua di Nabeel Absolute or MDM Black?

MDM Black lasts longest (MDM Black 83/100, Acqua di Nabeel Absolute 66/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Acqua di Nabeel Absolute or MDM Black?

MDM Black projects furthest (MDM Black 83/100, Acqua di Nabeel Absolute 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Acqua di Nabeel Absolute and MDM Black smell similar?

Some overlap: a 47% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus, aromatic and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Incense, Grapefruit, Lemon and Rose.

Is Acqua di Nabeel Absolute or MDM Black better for summer or winter?

Acqua di Nabeel Absolute suits evening wear; MDM Black suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Acqua di Nabeel Absolute and MDM Black?

Acqua di Nabeel Absolute has top notes of Star Anise, Incense, White Flowers and Sweet Orange, heart notes of Sweet Notes, Neroli, Coconut and Jasmine, a base of Musk, Guaiac Wood, Benzoin and Oakmoss. MDM Black has top notes of Bergamot, Orange Blossom, Rosemary and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Lavender, Cinnamon, Carnation and Rose, a base of Patchouli, Moss, Vetiver and Vanilla.