Fragrance comparison

Blue Black vs Sword Black

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

Updated 16 Oct 2026 7 ratings analysed

3 wins

Blue Black

Marc Joseph

4.502 votes

Rank #55,268 CitrusLeather

Full profile Similar & dupes

44%scent match

Some overlap

Sword Black

Evterpa

4.205 votes

Rank #34,164 Warm SpicyCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Blue Black takes 3 of 5 categories.

Blue Black
Choose it for a citrus and leather character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and note pyramid duration. Best in spring, evening wear.
Sword Black
Choose it for a warm spicy and citrus character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Blue Black3/5

Sword Black2/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Blue BlackMarc Joseph

Sword BlackEvterpa

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.50/ 5 · 2 votes

Have 38%Had 8%Want 54%

4.20/ 5 · 5 votes

Have 25%Had 0%Want 75%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

50%Love

50%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

2 votes · too few to score

40%Love

40%Like

20%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

5 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate88

⏱ Longevity57

〰 Sillage42

♥ Love / hate80

Category winners

LongevityBlue Black

SillageBlue Black

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value92

¤ Price value94

Category winnerSword BlackBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

leather90%

aromatic80%

animalic70%

amber60%

fresh spicy50%

warm spicy100%

citrus92%

aromatic84%

woody77%

leather69%

white floral61%

Scent match44%Some overlap · both citrus, aromatic and leather

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

LemonBergamotMandarin Orange

Heart2-3 hrs

MyrtleJasmineRose

Base6-8+ hrs

LeatherAmberCedarMusk

Top15-30 mins

BergamotMandarin OrangeNeroliCardamom

Heart2-3 hrs

Orange BlossomMyrtle

Base5-7 hrs

SaffronSandalwoodOakmossTonka BeanPatchouliLeather

Category winnerBlue BlackLongest dry-down: 6-8+ hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall50

Winter100

Day92

Night100

Spring100

Summer100

Fall100

Winter100

Day100

Night45

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Casual 30%Work 28%Date 26%Party 16%

Men75

Unisex25

Women0

Casual 39%Work 32%Date 16%Party 12%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#55,268

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#34,164

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews3

Category winnerSword BlackHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Marc Joseph Blue Black is a straightforward masculine scent that balances refreshing citrus with rugged leather. The opening delivers a sharp splash of lemon, bergamot, and mandarin orange that energizes your morning routine. As the initial sharpness calms, aromatic myrtle and subtle rose emerge to smooth out the edge…

Reviews →

Sword Black by Evterpa opens with a lively splash of tart bergamot, juicy mandarin orange, and crisp neroli balanced by the subtle snap of crushed cardamom. As the bright citrus sparkle softens, orange blossom and herbal myrtle lend an aromatic, barbershop freshness that feels clean and dependable. The base settles in…

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, Blue Black or Sword Black?

Blue Black takes 3 of 5 categories. Blue Black is rated 4.50/5 from 2 votes; Sword Black is rated 4.20/5 from 5 votes. Choose Blue Black for a citrus and leather character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and note pyramid duration. Best in spring, evening wear. Choose Sword Black for a warm spicy and citrus character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Blue Black or Sword Black?

Blue Black lasts longest (Blue Black 80/100, Sword Black 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Blue Black or Sword Black?

Blue Black projects furthest (Blue Black 67/100, Sword Black 42/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Blue Black and Sword Black smell similar?

Some overlap: a 44% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus, aromatic and leather accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Mandarin Orange, Myrtle and Leather.

Is Blue Black or Sword Black better for summer or winter?

Blue Black suits evening wear; Sword Black suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Blue Black and Sword Black?

Blue Black has top notes of Lemon, Bergamot and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Myrtle, Jasmine and Rose, a base of Leather, Amber, Cedar and Musk. Sword Black has top notes of Bergamot, Mandarin Orange, Neroli and Cardamom, heart notes of Orange Blossom and Myrtle, a base of Saffron, Sandalwood, Oakmoss and Tonka Bean.