Fragrance comparison

Black Pepper vs Bleu

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 193 ratings analysed

Black Pepper

Molton Brown

3.9896 votes

Rank #15,090 AromaticCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

40%scent match

Some overlap

6 wins

Bleu

Paul & Joe

4.2897 votes

Rank #28,202 WoodyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Bleu takes 6 of 7 categories.

Black Pepper
Choose it for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
Bleu
Choose it for a woody and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

Black Pepper1/7

Bleu6/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Black PepperMolton Brown

BleuPaul & Joe

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.98/ 5 · 96 votes

Have 42%Had 22%Want 36%

4.28/ 5 · 97 votes

Have 55%Had 18%Want 27%

Category winnerBleuRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

23%Love

60%Like

9%Ok

6%Dislike

1%Hate

96 votes

42%Love

49%Like

2%Ok

6%Dislike

0%Hate

97 votes

Category winnerBleuMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity56

〰 Sillage49

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate82

Category winners

LongevityBleu

SillageBleu

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value48

¤ Price value75

Category winnerBleuBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

citrus92%

earthy84%

warm spicy77%

patchouli69%

woody61%

woody100%

amber92%

powdery84%

aromatic77%

warm spicy69%

vanilla61%

Scent match40%Some overlap · both aromatic, woody and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

BergamotCaraway

Heart

CorianderViolet LeafGinger

Base

PatchouliOakmoss

Top

CorianderCarawayYlang-YlangBergamot

Heart

HeliotropeRoseJasmineMagnolia

Base

MyrhhSandalwoodPatchouliVanillaFrench labdanumOakmossMusk

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Caraway, Coriander and Patchouli. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring78

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring15

Summer12

Fall80

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerBleuMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men56

Unisex39

Women6

Men0

Unisex33

Women67

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#15,090

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews12

Overall rank#28,202

PerfumerPierre Bourdon

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerBlack PepperHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Molton Brown Black Pepper brings the invigorating kick of the brand's legendary body wash straight into a versatile daily Eau de Toilette. It opens with an energetic splash of sparkling Italian bergamot and spicy Nigerian ginger, backed by an aromatic pinch of caraway. As the initial citrus sparkle mellows, green viol…

Reviews →

Bleu by Paul & Joe opens with a dry kick of coriander and caraway before settling into a warm, powdery floral heart of heliotrope and rose. Created by Pierre Bourdon in 2003, it rests on a dense base of myrrh, sandalwood, and patchouli. It fits crisp autumn evenings when you want a grounded, cozy amber wrap.

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.

Recent comparisons

Head-to-head activity from live history

Saffron AmberIlluminumRUNNER-UP vs

Septieme Sens (7e Sens)Sonia RykielWINNER

1 person compared this today

Fancy NightsJessica SimpsonRUNNER-UP vs

Nino Cerruti Pour FemmeCerrutiWINNER

3 people compared this today

Sweet DreamsHouse Of SillageWINNER vs

Safari ElixirAthoor Al AlamRUNNER-UP

1 person compared this today

PrometheuNecalliWINNER vs

Bruno ImperialAnfar LondonRUNNER-UP

1 person compared this today

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Black Pepper or Bleu?

Bleu takes 6 of 7 categories. Black Pepper is rated 3.98/5 from 96 votes; Bleu is rated 4.28/5 from 97 votes. Choose Black Pepper for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in winter. Choose Bleu for a woody and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Black Pepper or Bleu?

Bleu lasts longest (Bleu 71/100, Black Pepper 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Black Pepper or Bleu?

Bleu projects furthest (Bleu 71/100, Black Pepper 49/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Black Pepper and Bleu smell similar?

Some overlap: a 40% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Caraway, Coriander and Patchouli.

Is Black Pepper or Bleu better for summer or winter?

For summer, Bleu is the stronger pick. For winter, Black Pepper is the stronger pick. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Black Pepper and Bleu?

Black Pepper has top notes of Bergamot and Caraway, heart notes of Coriander, Violet Leaf and Ginger, a base of Patchouli and Oakmoss. Bleu has top notes of Coriander, Caraway, Ylang-Ylang and Bergamot, heart notes of Heliotrope, Rose, Jasmine and Magnolia, a base of Myrhh, Sandalwood, Patchouli and Vanilla.