Fragrance comparison

Cool Black vs Empire Absolut

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

Updated 28 Oct 2026 136 ratings analysed

Cool Black

Mandarina Duck

3.95112 votes

Rank #14,029 AromaticCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

58%scent match

Closely related

4 wins

Empire Absolut

Hinode

4.2124 votes

Rank #36,983 Fresh SpicyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Empire Absolut takes 4 of 6 categories.

Cool Black
Choose it for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Empire Absolut
Choose it for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.

Cool Black2/6

Empire Absolut4/6

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Cool BlackMandarina Duck

Empire AbsolutHinode

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.95/ 5 · 112 votes

Have 68%Had 32%Want 0%

4.21/ 5 · 24 votes

Have 60%Had 16%Want 24%

Category winnerEmpire AbsolutRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

27%Love

54%Like

6%Ok

12%Dislike

1%Hate

112 votes

42%Love

46%Like

4%Ok

8%Dislike

0%Hate

24 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity57

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage60

♥ Love / hate80

Category winners

LongevityEmpire Absolut

SillageEmpire Absolut

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value72

¤ Price value61

Category winnerCool BlackBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

citrus92%

fresh spicy84%

powdery77%

woody69%

violet61%

fresh spicy100%

aromatic90%

woody80%

citrus70%

balsamic60%

warm spicy50%

Scent match58%Closely related · both aromatic, fresh spicy and citrus

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

BergamotBlack PepperLemon Peel

Heart2-4 hrs

VioletelemiHyssop

Base5-7 hrs

MuskCedarMoss

Top15-30 mins

elemiOrangeMandarin OrangeNutmegGingerBergamot

Heart2-4 hrs

Black PepperSolar NotesLavenderMarigoldCypriol Oil or NagarmothaRosemaryGeranium

Base6-8+ hrs

CedarTonka BeanMossPatchouliViolet

Category winnerEmpire AbsolutLongest dry-down: 6-8+ hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter11

Day100

Night39

Spring44

Summer6

Fall72

Winter100

Day32

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men74

Unisex21

Women5

Casual 39%Work 35%Date 15%Party 10%

Men79

Unisex16

Women5

Date 35%Party 28%Casual 20%Work 18%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#14,029

PerfumerNathalie Lorson

Launched—

Reviews21

Overall rank#36,983

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerCool BlackHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Cool Black by Mandarina Duck is a crisp woody aromatic Eau de Toilette built around zesty citrus and leafy violet. The first spray delivers a tart burst of bitter lemon peel and bergamot, sharpened by a kick of freshly crushed black pepper. Give it ten minutes. The citrus sharp edges soften into cool violet petals, he…

Reviews →

Empire Absolut by Hinode kicks off with a sharp splash of mandarin orange and zesty bergamot, quickly spiced up by fresh grated ginger and warm nutmeg. As the citrus settles, herbal rosemary, clean lavender, and a punch of black pepper create an energetic aromatic heart. Deep underneath, earthy patchouli, dry cedar wo…

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, Cool Black or Empire Absolut?

Empire Absolut takes 4 of 6 categories. Cool Black is rated 3.95/5 from 112 votes; Empire Absolut is rated 4.21/5 from 24 votes. Choose Cool Black for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Empire Absolut for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Cool Black or Empire Absolut?

Empire Absolut lasts longest (Empire Absolut 68/100, Cool Black 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Cool Black or Empire Absolut?

Empire Absolut projects furthest (Empire Absolut 60/100, Cool Black 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Cool Black and Empire Absolut smell similar?

Closely related: a 58% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and citrus accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Black Pepper, Violet and elemi.

Is Cool Black or Empire Absolut better for summer or winter?

Cool Black suits daytime wear; Empire Absolut suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Cool Black and Empire Absolut?

Cool Black has top notes of Bergamot, Black Pepper and Lemon Peel, heart notes of Violet, elemi and Hyssop, a base of Musk, Cedar and Moss. Empire Absolut has top notes of elemi, Orange, Mandarin Orange and Nutmeg, heart notes of Black Pepper, Solar Notes, Lavender and Marigold, a base of Cedar, Tonka Bean, Moss and Patchouli.