Fragrance comparison

Black Leather vs MCM Success

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

Updated 21 Oct 2026 131 ratings analysed

Black Leather

J-Scent

3.7398 votes

Rank #14,351 LeatherMossy

Full profile Similar & dupes

34%scent match

Clearly different

5 wins

MCM Success

MCM - Mode Creation Munich

4.4533 votes

Rank #14,869 HoneySweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

MCM Success takes 5 of 7 categories.

Black Leather
Choose it for a leather and mossy character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
MCM Success
Choose it for a honey and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.

Black Leather2/7

MCM Success5/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Black LeatherJ-Scent

MCM SuccessMCM - Mode Creation Munich

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.73/ 5 · 98 votes

Have 39%Had 6%Want 55%

4.45/ 5 · 33 votes

Have 36%Had 7%Want 57%

Category winnerMCM SuccessRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

27%Love

42%Like

16%Ok

9%Dislike

6%Hate

98 votes

61%Love

30%Like

3%Ok

6%Dislike

0%Hate

33 votes

Category winnerMCM SuccessMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity61

〰 Sillage45

♥ Love / hate68

⏱ Longevity79

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate86

Category winners

LongevityMCM Success

SillageMCM Success

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value67

¤ Price value59

Category winnerBlack LeatherBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

leather100%

mossy92%

animalic84%

tobacco77%

earthy69%

white floral61%

honey100%

sweet92%

floral84%

tobacco77%

earthy69%

woody61%

Scent match34%Clearly different · both tobacco and earthy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

LeatherOakmossTobaccoJasmineMuskAmberBergamotVanilla

No top / heart / base split published

Top

HoneyTobaccoRoseOrangeBergamotLemon

Heart

PatchouliCarnationOrrisVetiverCedarJasmine

Base

OakmossMuskLeatherVanillaBenzoinAmber

InformationalShared notesLeather, Oakmoss, Tobacco and Jasmine. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring65

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring39

Summer22

Fall89

Winter100

Day80

Night100

Category winnerMCM SuccessMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men40

Unisex60

Women0

Men78

Unisex22

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#14,351

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews18

Overall rank#14,869

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews6

Category winnerBlack LeatherHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Black Leather opens with a sharp burst of bergamot and dry pipe tobacco before settling into a damp oakmoss base. Soft vanilla and white jasmine tame the raw tannic leather, keeping the scent smooth rather than aggressive on skin. Designed for cold crisp days, it suits casual evening wear or quiet indoor settings whe…

Reviews →

MCM Success is a vintage masculine honey chypre with tobacco, patchouli, moss, leather, and warm amber underneath. Reviewers describe it as sweet but serious, fresher and lighter than some heavier 1980s honey fragrances, with a leathery woody dry-down that feels mature rather than casual. It suits wearers who enjoy ol…

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 Leather or MCM Success?

MCM Success takes 5 of 7 categories. Black Leather is rated 3.73/5 from 98 votes; MCM Success is rated 4.45/5 from 33 votes. Choose Black Leather for a leather and mossy character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter. Choose MCM Success for a honey and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Black Leather or MCM Success?

MCM Success lasts longest (MCM Success 79/100, Black Leather 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Black Leather or MCM Success?

MCM Success projects furthest (MCM Success 75/100, Black Leather 45/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Black Leather and MCM Success smell similar?

Clearly different: a 34% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share tobacco and earthy accords. Common notes include Leather, Oakmoss, Tobacco and Jasmine.

Is Black Leather or MCM Success better for summer or winter?

For summer, MCM Success is the stronger pick. For winter, Black Leather is the stronger pick. MCM Success suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Black Leather and MCM Success?

Black Leather features Leather, Oakmoss, Tobacco, Jasmine and Musk. MCM Success has top notes of Honey, Tobacco, Rose and Orange, heart notes of Patchouli, Carnation, Orris and Vetiver, a base of Oakmoss, Musk, Leather and Vanilla.