Empire Icon vs MDM Black
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
51%scent match
Some overlap
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
MDM Black takes 3 of 5 categories.
Empire IconChoose it for a fresh spicy and woody character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.
MDM BlackChoose it for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, day or night wear.
Empire Icon1/5
MDM Black3/5
- 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)
- Tie
- Fragranxe ranking
- Empire Icon
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
Empire IconHinodeMDM BlackMarc de la MorandiereWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split4.40/ 5 · 25 votes
Have 34%Had 4%Want 62%
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 hate56%Love
28%Like
16%Ok
0%Dislike
0%Hate
25 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
Category winners
LongevityMDM Black
SillageMDM Black
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerMDM BlackBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothfresh spicy100%
woody91%
aromatic83%
warm spicy74%
cinnamon65%
lavender56%
aromatic100%
citrus92%
woody84%
fresh spicy77%
warm spicy69%
earthy61%
Scent match51%Some overlap · both aromatic, fresh spicy and woody
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop20-30 mins
elemiBlack PepperCinnamonGrapefruit
Heart2-4 hrs
NutmegLavenderGingerOrange Blossom
Base6-8+ hrs
CedarGaiac WoodLabdanumClearwood
Top15-30 mins
BergamotOrange BlossomRosemaryMandarin OrangeMintGrapefruitLemonGreen Orange
Heart2-4 hrs
LavenderCinnamonCarnationRoseGuaiac WoodNutmegGreen Apple
Base6-8+ hrs
PatchouliMossVetiverVanillaSandalwoodIncenseTonka BeanMusk
Category winnerTieSame dry-down length
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring50
Summer6
Fall94
Winter100
Day38
Night100
Spring100
Summer67
Fall100
Winter100
Day100
Night100
Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#31,530
PerfumerIlias Ermenidis
Launched—
Reviews0
Overall rank#41,874
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews1
Category winnerEmpire IconHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotEmpire Icon by Hinode opens with an invigorating kick of black pepper and tart grapefruit, instantly warmed by spicy cinnamon and resinous elemi. Within minutes, the zesty sharpness settles into an aromatic core of French lavender, fresh grated ginger, and sweet orange blossom, giving the scent a balanced barbershop-m…
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.
Guided comparison
Ask about this matchup
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Empire Icon or MDM Black?
MDM Black takes 3 of 5 categories. Empire Icon is rated 4.40/5 from 25 votes; MDM Black is rated 4.29/5 from 7 votes. Choose Empire Icon for a fresh spicy and woody character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening 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, Empire Icon or MDM Black?
MDM Black lasts longest (MDM Black 83/100, Empire Icon 73/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Empire Icon or MDM Black?
MDM Black projects furthest (MDM Black 83/100, Empire Icon 63/100), based on community performance votes.
Do Empire Icon and MDM Black smell similar?
Some overlap: a 51% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Cinnamon, Grapefruit, Nutmeg and Lavender.
Is Empire Icon or MDM Black better for summer or winter?
Empire Icon suits evening wear; MDM Black suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Empire Icon and MDM Black?
Empire Icon has top notes of elemi, Black Pepper, Cinnamon and Grapefruit, heart notes of Nutmeg, Lavender, Ginger and Orange Blossom, a base of Cedar, Gaiac Wood, Labdanum and Clearwood. 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.
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