Fragrance comparison

Dickens in Varanasi vs MDM Black

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

Updated 16 Oct 2026 13 ratings analysed

Dickens in Varanasi

THEN THERE

4.336 votes

Rank #46,603 AmberWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

41%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

MDM Black

Marc de la Morandiere

4.297 votes

Rank #38,541 AromaticCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

MDM Black takes 3 of 4 categories.

Dickens in Varanasi
Choose it for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity. Best in spring, evening wear.
MDM Black
Choose it for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on sillage & projection, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, evening wear.

Dickens in Varanasi1/4

MDM Black3/4

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Dickens in VaranasiTHEN THERE

MDM BlackMarc de la Morandiere

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.33/ 5 · 6 votes

Have 14%Had 3%Want 84%

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

83%Love

0%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

17%Hate

6 votes · too few to score

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

⏱ Longevity85

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate83

⏱ Longevity83

〰 Sillage83

♥ Love / hate82

Category winners

LongevityDickens in Varanasi

SillageMDM Black

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value63

¤ Price value75

Category winnerMDM BlackBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

warm spicy92%

woody84%

balsamic77%

aromatic69%

smoky61%

aromatic100%

citrus92%

woody84%

fresh spicy77%

warm spicy69%

earthy61%

Scent match41%Some overlap · both aromatic, woody and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

GrapefruitChamomileelemiNutmegPearGreen Apple

Heart

AmberPatchouliMagnoliaSaffronJasmineCedarCinnamon

Base

IncenseVanillaTobaccoWhite MuskVetiverSandalwoodOud

Top15-30 mins

BergamotOrange BlossomRosemaryMandarin OrangeMintGrapefruitLemonGreen Orange

Heart2-4 hrs

LavenderCinnamonCarnationRoseGuaiac WoodNutmegGreen Apple

Base6-8+ hrs

PatchouliMossVetiverVanillaSandalwoodIncenseTonka BeanMusk

InformationalShared notesGrapefruit, Nutmeg, Green Apple and Patchouli. Durations are only published for MDM Black, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall100

Winter67

Day67

Night100

Spring100

Summer67

Fall100

Winter100

Day86

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men33

Unisex67

Women0

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#46,603

PerfumerAngela Ciampagna

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#38,541

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews1

Category winnerMDM BlackHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Dickens in Varanasi by THEN THERE opens with a sharp burst of bitter grapefruit, herbal chamomile, and spicy elemi resin. As the initial brightness settles, a heavy heart of saffron, dark patchouli, and warm cinnamon takes over on skin. The dry down anchors on smoky incense, earthy vetiver, and bitter oud lightly soft…

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, Dickens in Varanasi or MDM Black?

MDM Black takes 3 of 4 categories. Dickens in Varanasi is rated 4.33/5 from 6 votes; MDM Black is rated 4.29/5 from 7 votes. Choose Dickens in Varanasi for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity. Best in spring, evening wear. Choose MDM Black for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on sillage & projection, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Dickens in Varanasi or MDM Black?

They last about the same: Dickens in Varanasi 85/100, MDM Black 83/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Dickens in Varanasi or MDM Black?

MDM Black projects furthest (MDM Black 83/100, Dickens in Varanasi 67/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Dickens in Varanasi and MDM Black smell similar?

Some overlap: a 41% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Grapefruit, Nutmeg, Green Apple and Patchouli.

Is Dickens in Varanasi or MDM Black better for summer or winter?

Dickens in Varanasi suits evening wear; MDM Black suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Dickens in Varanasi and MDM Black?

Dickens in Varanasi has top notes of Grapefruit, Chamomile, elemi and Nutmeg, heart notes of Amber, Patchouli, Magnolia and Saffron, a base of Incense, Vanilla, Tobacco and White Musk. 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.