Fragrance comparison

Black Musk vs Black Pepper & Sandalwood

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

Updated 22 Oct 2026 337 ratings analysed

Black Musk

Pino Silvestre

3.8324 votes

Rank #32,486 MuskyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

37%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

Black Pepper & Sandalwood

Acca Kappa

3.69313 votes

Rank #5,049 Warm SpicyFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Black Pepper & Sandalwood takes 3 of 5 categories.

Black Musk
Choose it for a musky and woody character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Black Pepper & Sandalwood
Choose it for a warm spicy and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Black Musk1/5

Black Pepper & Sandalwood3/5

Ratings & consensus: Black Pepper & Sandalwood
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Black Pepper & Sandalwood
Sillage & projection: Tie
Value for money: Black Musk
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Black Pepper & Sandalwood

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Black MuskPino Silvestre

Black Pepper & SandalwoodAcca Kappa

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.83/ 5 · 24 votes

Have 31%Had 9%Want 61%

3.69/ 5 · 313 votes

Have 39%Had 16%Want 45%

Category winnerBlack Pepper & SandalwoodRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

38%Love

29%Like

13%Ok

21%Dislike

0%Hate

24 votes · too few to score

35%Love

43%Like

9%Ok

13%Dislike

1%Hate

230 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity57

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate71

⏱ Longevity70

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate73

Category winners

LongevityBlack Pepper & Sandalwood

SillageTie

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value73

¤ Price value61

Category winnerBlack MuskBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

musky100%

woody90%

fresh spicy80%

aromatic70%

conifer60%

fresh50%

warm spicy100%

fresh spicy83%

woody65%

aromatic48%

powdery30%

Scent match37%Some overlap · both fresh spicy, woody and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

Black MuskBalsam Fir

No top / heart / base split published

Top

ClovesSaffronNutmegelemiBalsam FirArtemisiaBergamot

Heart

Black PepperDamask RoseCinnamonAgarwood (Oud)

Base

SandalwoodVirginian CedarPatchouliBlack MuskHaitian VetiverCypriol Oil or Nagarmotha

InformationalShared notesBlack Musk and Balsam Fir. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring73

Summer9

Fall100

Winter64

Day100

Night38

Spring45

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men92

Unisex0

Women8

Men37

Unisex57

Women7

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#32,486

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews1

Overall rank#5,049

PerfumerLuca Maffei

Launched—

Reviews44

Category winnerBlack Pepper & SandalwoodHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Pino Silvestre Black Musk brings a clean, soapy twist to the traditional dark musk profile. Built around crisp balsam fir and a warm woody base, this cologne wears best on cool autumn mornings when you want a clean yet rugged scent. It serves as an easy daily reach for casual office wear.

Reviews →

Black Pepper & Sandalwood by Acca Kappa is a Woody Spicy fragrance for women and men. Black Pepper & Sandalwood was launched in 2014. The nose behind this fragrance is Luca Maffei. Top notes are Cloves, Saffron, Nutmeg, elemi, Balsam Fir, Artemisia and Bergamot; middle notes are Black Pepper, Damask Rose, Cinnamon and…

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 Musk or Black Pepper & Sandalwood?

Black Pepper & Sandalwood takes 3 of 5 categories. Black Musk is rated 3.83/5 from 24 votes; Black Pepper & Sandalwood is rated 3.69/5 from 313 votes. Choose Black Musk for a musky and woody character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Black Pepper & Sandalwood for a warm spicy and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Black Musk or Black Pepper & Sandalwood?

Black Pepper & Sandalwood lasts longest (Black Pepper & Sandalwood 70/100, Black Musk 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Black Musk or Black Pepper & Sandalwood?

Projection is very close: Black Musk 59/100, Black Pepper & Sandalwood 59/100 for sillage.

Do Black Musk and Black Pepper & Sandalwood smell similar?

Some overlap: a 37% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fresh spicy, woody and aromatic accords. Common notes include Black Musk and Balsam Fir.

Is Black Musk or Black Pepper & Sandalwood better for summer or winter?

Black Musk suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Black Musk and Black Pepper & Sandalwood?

Black Musk features Black Musk and Balsam Fir. Black Pepper & Sandalwood has top notes of Cloves, Saffron, Nutmeg and elemi, heart notes of Black Pepper, Damask Rose, Cinnamon and Agarwood (Oud), a base of Sandalwood, Virginian Cedar, Patchouli and Black Musk.