Fragrance comparison

Black Cherry Merlot vs Sexy, So What

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

Updated 24 Oct 2026 345 ratings analysed

Black Cherry Merlot

Bath & Body Works

4.15311 votes

Rank #16,259 FruitySweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

48%scent match

Some overlap

5 wins

Sexy, So What

Playboy

3.9734 votes

Rank #26,633 FruitySweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Sexy, So What takes 5 of 7 categories.

Black Cherry Merlot
Choose it for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
Sexy, So What
Choose it for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on community sentiment, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Black Cherry Merlot2/7

Sexy, So What5/7

Ratings & consensus: Black Cherry Merlot
Community sentiment: Sexy, So What
Longevity: Sexy, So What
Sillage & projection: Sexy, So What
Value for money: Sexy, So What
Versatility: Sexy, So What
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Black Cherry Merlot

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Black Cherry MerlotBath & Body Works

Sexy, So WhatPlayboy

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.15/ 5 · 311 votes

Have 70%Had 30%Want 0%

3.97/ 5 · 34 votes

Have 29%Had 25%Want 46%

Category winnerBlack Cherry MerlotRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

44%Love

33%Like

10%Ok

9%Dislike

4%Hate

300 votes

26%Love

50%Like

18%Ok

6%Dislike

0%Hate

34 votes

Category winnerSexy, So WhatMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity44

〰 Sillage44

♥ Love / hate77

⏱ Longevity48

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate74

Category winners

LongevitySexy, So What

SillageSexy, So What

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value76

¤ Price value85

Category winnerSexy, So WhatBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fruity100%

sweet86%

wine72%

cherry58%

nutty44%

almond30%

fruity100%

sweet91%

woody83%

cherry74%

citrus65%

powdery56%

Scent match48%Some overlap · both fruity, sweet and cherry

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

RaspberryRed WineSour Cherry

No top / heart / base split published

Top

KumquatBlack CurrantRum

Heart

RaspberrySour CherryJasmine

Base

MuskSandalwoodCedar

InformationalShared notesRaspberry and Sour Cherry. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring66

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring93

Summer100

Fall64

Winter43

Day100

Night59

Category winnerSexy, So WhatMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex14

Women86

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#16,259

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews5

Overall rank#26,633

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews3

Category winnerBlack Cherry MerlotHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Black Cherry Merlot is a fruity, gourmand-adjacent fragrance that highlights the contrast between tart sour cherry and deep red wine accords. Launched in 2019, this scent offers a straightforward, jammy sweetness suitable for casual autumn days. It sits close to the skin, providing a warm, inviting presence that avoid…

Reviews →

Playboy Sexy, So What opens with a bright tartness of kumquat and juicy black currant laced with a synthetic splash of rum. The fruity top notes pop quickly with a syrupy, playful edge before settling into a soft heart of sour cherry and raspberry. Soft white jasmine underneath prevents it from turning into pure candy…

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, Black Cherry Merlot or Sexy, So What?

Sexy, So What takes 5 of 7 categories. Black Cherry Merlot is rated 4.15/5 from 311 votes; Sexy, So What is rated 3.97/5 from 34 votes. Choose Black Cherry Merlot for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter. Choose Sexy, So What for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on community sentiment, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Black Cherry Merlot or Sexy, So What?

Sexy, So What lasts longest (Sexy, So What 48/100, Black Cherry Merlot 44/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Black Cherry Merlot or Sexy, So What?

Sexy, So What projects furthest (Sexy, So What 55/100, Black Cherry Merlot 44/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Black Cherry Merlot and Sexy, So What smell similar?

Some overlap: a 48% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fruity, sweet and cherry accords. Common notes include Raspberry and Sour Cherry.

Is Black Cherry Merlot or Sexy, So What better for summer or winter?

For summer, Sexy, So What is the stronger pick. For winter, Black Cherry Merlot is the stronger pick. Sexy, So What suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Black Cherry Merlot and Sexy, So What?

Black Cherry Merlot features Raspberry, Red Wine and Sour Cherry. Sexy, So What has top notes of Kumquat, Black Currant and Rum, heart notes of Raspberry, Sour Cherry and Jasmine, a base of Musk, Sandalwood and Cedar.