Fragrance comparison

Darley vs MDM Black

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

Updated 22 Oct 2026 891 ratings analysed

Darley

Parfums de Marly

4.08884 votes

Rank #3,623 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

59%scent match

Closely related

4 wins

MDM Black

Marc de la Morandiere

4.297 votes

Rank #38,178 AromaticCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

MDM Black takes 4 of 5 categories.

Darley
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
MDM Black
Choose it for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, evening wear.

Darley1/5

MDM Black4/5

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): MDM Black
Fragranxe ranking: Darley

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

DarleyParfums de Marly

MDM BlackMarc de la Morandiere

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.08/ 5 · 884 votes

Have 72%Had 28%Want 0%

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

40%Love

40%Like

10%Ok

8%Dislike

2%Hate

884 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

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate77

⏱ Longevity83

〰 Sillage83

♥ Love / hate82

Category winners

LongevityMDM Black

SillageMDM Black

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value33

¤ Price value75

Category winnerMDM BlackBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

woody92%

fresh spicy84%

lavender77%

warm spicy69%

amber61%

aromatic100%

citrus92%

woody84%

fresh spicy77%

warm spicy69%

earthy61%

Scent match59%Closely related · both aromatic, woody and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

MintBergamotAmalfi Lemon

Heart2-4 hrs

LavenderCinnamonAfrican Orange FlowerRoseRosemary

Base5-8 hrs

Tonka BeanSandalwoodAmberGuaiac WoodPatchouli

Top15-30 mins

BergamotOrange BlossomRosemaryMandarin OrangeMintGrapefruitLemonGreen Orange

Heart2-4 hrs

LavenderCinnamonCarnationRoseGuaiac WoodNutmegGreen Apple

Base6-8+ hrs

PatchouliMossVetiverVanillaSandalwoodIncenseTonka BeanMusk

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

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer92

Fall0

Winter35

Day100

Night41

Spring100

Summer67

Fall100

Winter100

Day86

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men77

Unisex20

Women3

Work 39%Casual 35%Date 19%Party 8%

Men50

Unisex50

Women0

Date 30%Casual 28%Work 25%Party 18%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#3,623

PerfumerFrancis Deleamont

Launched—

Reviews139

Overall rank#38,178

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews1

Category winnerDarleyHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Parfums de Marly Darley strikes an immediate balance between brisk barbershop cleanliness and creamy oriental warmth. The first spritz unleashes a sharp flash of Amalfi lemon alongside cooling garden mint and sparkling bergamot. Within minutes, that citrus bite softens into an aromatic heart of French lavender, sweet …

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.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Darley or MDM Black?

MDM Black takes 4 of 5 categories. Darley is rated 4.08/5 from 884 votes; MDM Black is rated 4.29/5 from 7 votes. Choose Darley for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose MDM Black for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Darley or MDM Black?

MDM Black lasts longest (MDM Black 83/100, Darley 67/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Darley or MDM Black?

MDM Black projects furthest (MDM Black 83/100, Darley 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Darley and MDM Black smell similar?

Closely related: a 59% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Mint, Bergamot, Lavender and Cinnamon.

Is Darley or MDM Black better for summer or winter?

Darley suits daytime wear; MDM Black suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Darley and MDM Black?

Darley has top notes of Mint, Bergamot and Amalfi Lemon, heart notes of Lavender, Cinnamon, African Orange Flower and Rose, a base of Tonka Bean, Sandalwood, Amber and Guaiac Wood. 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.