Fragrance comparison

Black Tea vs Free Spirit

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

Updated 28 Oct 2026 136 ratings analysed

4 wins

Black Tea

Murdock London

4.20106 votes

Rank #11,207 Fresh SpicyLeather

Full profile Similar & dupes

42%scent match

Some overlap

Free Spirit

Ajmal

3.2830 votes

Rank #19,814 Fresh SpicyCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Black Tea takes 4 of 5 categories.

Black Tea
Choose it for a fresh spicy and leather character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, evening wear.
Free Spirit
Choose it for a fresh spicy and citrus character. Wins on value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Black Tea4/5

Free Spirit1/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Black TeaMurdock London

Free SpiritAjmal

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.20/ 5 · 106 votes

Have 50%Had 11%Want 39%

3.28/ 5 · 30 votes

Have 58%Had 12%Want 30%

Category winnerBlack TeaRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

45%Love

39%Like

8%Ok

8%Dislike

1%Hate

106 votes

33%Love

25%Like

8%Ok

21%Dislike

13%Hate

24 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity65

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate80

⏱ Longevity63

〰 Sillage49

♥ Love / hate60

Category winners

LongevityBlack Tea

SillageBlack Tea

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value54

¤ Price value74

Category winnerFree SpiritBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fresh spicy100%

leather90%

warm spicy80%

woody70%

musky60%

smoky50%

fresh spicy100%

citrus86%

aromatic72%

warm spicy58%

woody44%

green30%

Scent match42%Some overlap · both fresh spicy, warm spicy and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

Madagascar ClovesNutmegPepperBasil

Heart2-4 hrs

Leather

Base6-8 hrs

MuskWoody NotesBirch

Top

BergamotBasilGrapefruit

Heart

NutmegCardamomPepperCinnamon

Base

SandalowoodGuaiac Wood

InformationalShared notesNutmeg, Pepper and Basil. Durations are only published for Black Tea, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer55

Fall0

Winter47

Day92

Night100

Spring85

Summer100

Fall62

Winter0

Day100

Night36

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men79

Unisex18

Women3

Work 34%Casual 29%Date 27%Party 10%

Men76

Unisex10

Women14

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#11,207

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews23

Overall rank#19,814

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews5

Category winnerBlack TeaHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Murdock London Black Tea does not smell like a sweet cup of Earl Grey. Instead, it delivers a dry, aromatic blast of crushed Madagascar cloves, black pepper, and sweet basil right out of the sprayer. The opening feels bracing and crisp. Within twenty minutes, that sharp spice settles into a handsome leather heart that…

Reviews →

Free Spirit by Ajmal is a fresh spicy, citrus aromatic built around grapefruit and bergamot with a green basil lift. The heart turns warmer and drier with cardamom, nutmeg, pepper and cinnamon, then settles into a clean woody base of sandalwood and guaiac wood. It generally reads sporty and daytime-friendly, especial…

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 Tea or Free Spirit?

Black Tea takes 4 of 5 categories. Black Tea is rated 4.20/5 from 106 votes; Free Spirit is rated 3.28/5 from 30 votes. Choose Black Tea for a fresh spicy and leather character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, evening wear. Choose Free Spirit for a fresh spicy and citrus character. Wins on value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Black Tea or Free Spirit?

They last about the same: Black Tea 65/100, Free Spirit 63/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Black Tea or Free Spirit?

Black Tea projects furthest (Black Tea 55/100, Free Spirit 49/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Black Tea and Free Spirit smell similar?

Some overlap: a 42% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fresh spicy, warm spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Nutmeg, Pepper and Basil.

Is Black Tea or Free Spirit better for summer or winter?

Black Tea suits evening wear; Free Spirit suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Black Tea and Free Spirit?

Black Tea has top notes of Madagascar Cloves, Nutmeg, Pepper and Basil, heart notes of Leather, a base of Musk, Woody Notes and Birch. Free Spirit has top notes of Bergamot, Basil and Grapefruit, heart notes of Nutmeg, Cardamom, Pepper and Cinnamon, a base of Sandalowood and Guaiac Wood.