Fragrance comparison

Durra vs MDM Black

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

Updated 16 Oct 2026 86 ratings analysed

Durra

The Spirit of Dubai

3.7579 votes

Rank #28,688 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

48%scent match

Some overlap

MDM Black

Marc de la Morandiere

4.297 votes

Rank #38,598 AromaticCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2.

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

Durra2/4

MDM Black2/4

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

DurraThe Spirit of Dubai

MDM BlackMarc de la Morandiere

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.75/ 5 · 79 votes

Have 80%Had 20%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

51%Love

14%Like

6%Ok

18%Dislike

11%Hate

79 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

⏱ Longevity87

〰 Sillage82

♥ Love / hate69

⏱ Longevity83

〰 Sillage83

♥ Love / hate82

Category winners

LongevityDurra

SillageMDM Black

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value26

¤ Price value75

Category winnerMDM BlackBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

aromatic92%

amber84%

warm spicy77%

fresh spicy69%

sweet61%

aromatic100%

citrus92%

woody84%

fresh spicy77%

warm spicy69%

earthy61%

Scent match48%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

Sea NotesWatery NotesAldehydesOzonic notesClary SagePineLavenderCumin

Heart

Agarwood (Oud)Earthy NotesBirch LeafCashmere WoodWoody NotesSandalwoodIncenseVanilla

Base

CastoreumCivettaMuskImmortelleTolu BalsamPrecious WoodsTobaccoVetiver

Top15-30 mins

BergamotOrange BlossomRosemaryMandarin OrangeMintGrapefruitLemonGreen Orange

Heart2-4 hrs

LavenderCinnamonCarnationRoseGuaiac WoodNutmegGreen Apple

Base6-8+ hrs

PatchouliMossVetiverVanillaSandalwoodIncenseTonka BeanMusk

InformationalShared notesLavender, Sandalwood, Incense and Vanilla. Durations are only published for MDM Black, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring80

Summer68

Fall72

Winter100

Day83

Night100

Spring100

Summer67

Fall100

Winter100

Day86

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men54

Unisex37

Women9

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#28,688

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#38,598

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews1

Category winnerDurraHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Durra opens with a sharp burst of salty sea notes, cold aldehydes, and clary sage before diving into a dark heart of agarwood and smoky incense. The dry-down settles into heavy castoreum leather, amber, and bitter cumin on skin. It suits cold winter evenings, black-tie dinners, or outdoor gatherings where a dense, mar…

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, Durra or MDM Black?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2. Durra is rated 3.75/5 from 79 votes; MDM Black is rated 4.29/5 from 7 votes. Choose Durra for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose MDM Black for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Durra or MDM Black?

Durra lasts longest (Durra 87/100, MDM Black 83/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Durra or MDM Black?

Projection is very close: MDM Black 83/100, Durra 82/100 for sillage.

Do Durra and MDM Black smell similar?

Some overlap: a 48% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Lavender, Sandalwood, Incense and Vanilla.

Is Durra or MDM Black better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Durra and MDM Black?

Durra has top notes of Sea Notes, Watery Notes, Aldehydes and Ozonic notes, heart notes of Agarwood (Oud), Earthy Notes, Birch Leaf and Cashmere Wood, a base of Castoreum, Civetta, Musk and Immortelle. 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.