Fragrance comparison

Bucephalus XII vs MDM Black

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 45 ratings analysed

Bucephalus XII

Armaf

3.8938 votes

Rank #17,020 MuskyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

38%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

MDM Black

Marc de la Morandiere

4.297 votes

Rank #41,805 AromaticCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

MDM Black takes 3 of 4 categories.

Bucephalus XII
Choose it for a musky and woody character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear.
MDM Black
Choose it for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, day or night wear.

Bucephalus XII1/4

MDM Black3/4

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Bucephalus XIIArmaf

MDM BlackMarc de la Morandiere

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.89/ 5 · 38 votes

Have 39%Had 5%Want 57%

4.29/ 5 · 7 votes

Have 27%Had 16%Want 57%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

42%Love

29%Like

13%Ok

8%Dislike

8%Hate

38 votes

71%Love

14%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

14%Hate

7 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate72

⏱ Longevity83

〰 Sillage83

♥ Love / hate82

Category winners

LongevityMDM Black

SillageMDM Black

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value68

¤ Price value75

Category winnerMDM BlackBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

musky100%

woody91%

powdery83%

amber74%

citrus65%

earthy56%

aromatic100%

citrus92%

woody84%

fresh spicy77%

warm spicy69%

earthy61%

Scent match38%Some overlap · both woody, citrus and earthy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

LemonOrange BlossomMint

Heart

SpicesPepperGingerNutmeg

Base

MuskAmberSandalwoodPatchouliVetiver

Top15-30 mins

BergamotOrange BlossomRosemaryMandarin OrangeMintGrapefruitLemonGreen Orange

Heart2-4 hrs

LavenderCinnamonCarnationRoseGuaiac WoodNutmegGreen Apple

Base6-8+ hrs

PatchouliMossVetiverVanillaSandalwoodIncenseTonka BeanMusk

InformationalShared notesLemon, Orange Blossom, Mint and Nutmeg. Durations are only published for MDM Black, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring88

Summer63

Fall100

Winter92

Day100

Night91

Spring100

Summer67

Fall100

Winter100

Day100

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men82

Unisex16

Women3

Men50

Unisex50

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#17,020

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews6

Overall rank#41,805

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews1

Category winnerBucephalus XIIHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Armaf Bucephalus XII opens with a bright burst of mint and lemon, backed by sweet orange blossom. As the initial freshness subsides, ginger and black pepper take over, creating a spicy warmth on the skin. The final phase settles into a dense, sweet base of amber, patchouli, and sandalwood that projects an aroma remini…

Reviews →

Marc de la Morandiere MDM Black hits the skin with a brisk surge of bergamot, sharp lemon, and cool mint before quickly revealing a deeper, darker core. It bridges sunny Mediterranean brightness and shadowy woods. The opening citrus spark softens within twenty minutes as aromatic lavender, warm cinnamon, and green app…

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Bucephalus XII or MDM Black?

MDM Black takes 3 of 4 categories. Bucephalus XII is rated 3.89/5 from 38 votes; MDM Black is rated 4.29/5 from 7 votes. Choose Bucephalus XII for a musky and woody character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose MDM Black for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, Bucephalus XII or MDM Black?

MDM Black lasts longest (MDM Black 83/100, Bucephalus XII 72/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Bucephalus XII or MDM Black?

MDM Black projects furthest (MDM Black 83/100, Bucephalus XII 64/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Bucephalus XII and MDM Black smell similar?

Some overlap: a 38% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, citrus and earthy accords. Common notes include Lemon, Orange Blossom, Mint and Nutmeg.

Is Bucephalus XII or MDM Black better for summer or winter?

Bucephalus XII suits daytime wear; MDM Black suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Bucephalus XII and MDM Black?

Bucephalus XII has top notes of Lemon, Orange Blossom and Mint, heart notes of Spices, Pepper, Ginger and Nutmeg, a base of Musk, Amber, Sandalwood and Patchouli. MDM Black has top notes of Bergamot, Orange Blossom, Rosemary and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Lavender, Cinnamon, Carnation and Rose, a base of Patchouli, Moss, Vetiver and Vanilla.