Fragrance comparison

Black Gold vs Madrona

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

Updated 10 Oct 2026 1,904 ratings analysed

6 wins

Black Gold

Mancera · 2017

3.971,859 votes

Rank #437 LavenderFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

50%scent match

Some overlap

Madrona

House of Matriarch

3.9345 votes

Rank #41,061 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Black Gold takes 6 of 7 categories.

Black Gold
Choose it for a lavender and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, day or night wear.
Madrona
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on community sentiment. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Black Gold6/7

Madrona1/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Black GoldMancera

MadronaHouse of Matriarch

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.97/ 5 · 1,859 votes

Have 44%Had 13%Want 43%

3.93/ 5 · 45 votes

Have 31%Had 7%Want 62%

Category winnerBlack GoldRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

50%Love

6%Like

12%Ok

10%Dislike

21%Hate

Share of community votes

38%Love

40%Like

4%Ok

13%Dislike

4%Hate

45 votes

Category winnerMadronaMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity78

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate72

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage54

♥ Love / hate73

Category winners

LongevityBlack Gold

SillageBlack Gold

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value63

¤ Price value50

Category winnerBlack GoldBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

lavender100%

fresh spicy99%

woody97%

aromatic88%

powdery85%

violet79%

aromatic100%

woody86%

lavender72%

earthy58%

fruity44%

fresh spicy30%

Scent match50%Some overlap · both aromatic, woody and lavender

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

LavenderCinnamonNutmegCitrusesAgarwood (Oud)

Heart

VioletJasminePatchouli LeafSea NotesRose

Base

LeatherWoody NotesWhite MuskAmberVetiver

Top15-30 mins

Lavender

Heart2-4 hrs

CedarArbutus (Madrona, Bearberry tree)Sea Notes

Base6-8+ hrs

Vetiver

InformationalShared notesLavender, Sea Notes and Vetiver. Durations are only published for Madrona, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring87

Summer44

Fall100

Winter87

Day100

Night100

Spring100

Summer50

Fall56

Winter33

Day100

Night45

Category winnerBlack GoldMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men69

Unisex24

Women7

Men14

Unisex71

Women14

Casual 41%Work 32%Date 17%Party 10%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#437

PerfumerPierre Montale

Launched2017

Reviews340

Overall rank#41,061

PerfumerChristi Meshell

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerBlack GoldHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Black Gold by Mancera is a Leather fragrance for men. Black Gold was launched in 2017. The nose behind this fragrance is Pierre Montale. Top notes are Lavender, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Citruses and Agarwood (Oud); middle notes are Violet, Jasmine, Patchouli Leaf, Sea Notes and Rose; base notes are Leather, Woody Notes, Whit…

Reviews →

Cold mist rolls off the Pacific coastline. House of Matriarch Madrona opens with an unfiltered burst of sharp herbal lavender, cutting clean through damp morning air. You will not find sweet barbershop powder here. Instead, green aromatic needle sap and saline ocean mist take hold within ten minutes. Rich Pacific madr…

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 Gold or Madrona?

Black Gold takes 6 of 7 categories. Black Gold is rated 3.97/5 from 1,859 votes; Madrona is rated 3.93/5 from 45 votes. Choose Black Gold for a lavender and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, day or night wear. Choose Madrona for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on community sentiment. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Black Gold or Madrona?

Black Gold lasts longest (Black Gold 78/100, Madrona 67/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Black Gold or Madrona?

Black Gold projects furthest (Black Gold 69/100, Madrona 54/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Black Gold and Madrona smell similar?

Some overlap: a 50% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and lavender accords. Common notes include Lavender, Sea Notes and Vetiver.

Is Black Gold or Madrona better for summer or winter?

For summer, Madrona is the stronger pick. For winter, Black Gold is the stronger pick. Black Gold suits day or night wear; Madrona suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Black Gold and Madrona?

Black Gold has top notes of Lavender, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Citruses, heart notes of Violet, Jasmine, Patchouli Leaf and Sea Notes, a base of Leather, Woody Notes, White Musk and Amber. Madrona has top notes of Lavender, heart notes of Cedar, Arbutus (Madrona, Bearberry tree) and Sea Notes, a base of Vetiver.