Fragrance comparison

JF9 Black vs Queen Nzinga

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 150 ratings analysed

JF9 Black

JAFRA

3.7952 votes

Rank #26,598 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

27%scent match

Clearly different

5 wins

Queen Nzinga

Marissa Zappas

4.0998 votes

Rank #10,370 AmberWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Queen Nzinga takes 5 of 7 categories.

JF9 Black
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear.
Queen Nzinga
Choose it for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, evening wear.

JF9 Black2/7

Queen Nzinga5/7

Ratings & consensus: Queen Nzinga
Community sentiment: Queen Nzinga
Longevity: Queen Nzinga
Sillage & projection: Queen Nzinga
Value for money: JF9 Black
Versatility: JF9 Black
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Queen Nzinga

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

JF9 BlackJAFRA

Queen NzingaMarissa Zappas

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.79/ 5 · 52 votes

Have 64%Had 29%Want 8%

4.09/ 5 · 98 votes

Have 16%Had 2%Want 82%

Category winnerQueen NzingaRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

19%Love

50%Like

23%Ok

6%Dislike

2%Hate

52 votes

41%Love

40%Like

10%Ok

6%Dislike

3%Hate

98 votes

Category winnerQueen NzingaMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity51

〰 Sillage41

♥ Love / hate70

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate77

Category winners

LongevityQueen Nzinga

SillageQueen Nzinga

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value86

¤ Price value53

Category winnerJF9 BlackBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

aromatic92%

vanilla84%

warm spicy77%

citrus69%

powdery61%

amber100%

warm spicy86%

fresh spicy72%

aromatic58%

rose44%

herbal30%

Scent match27%Clearly different · both warm spicy and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

TamarindLavenderItalian LemonGrapefruitTarragonMandarin OrangeGalbanum

Heart

CedarPatchouliCorianderJasmineGeraniumLily-of-the-Valley

Base

VanillaSandalwoodTonka BeanVetiverMuskAmber

Notes

TamarindAmberGeranium

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesTamarind, Geranium and Amber. Durations are only published for Queen Nzinga, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring50

Summer16

Fall100

Winter91

Day53

Night100

Spring24

Summer12

Fall100

Winter79

Day90

Night100

Category winnerJF9 BlackMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men98

Unisex2

Women0

Men3

Unisex46

Women51

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#26,598

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews4

Overall rank#10,370

PerfumerMarissa Zappas

Launched—

Reviews27

Category winnerQueen NzingaHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

JF9 Black by JAFRA is an Oriental Woody scent for men launched in 2012. It opens with a bright blend of tamarind, lavender, and lemon, followed by a woody heart of cedar and patchouli. The dry-down warms the skin with vanilla, tonka bean, and sandalwood, creating a versatile profile suitable for everyday office wear o…

Reviews →

Queen Nzinga by Marissa Zappas is an assertive amber fragrance shaped by an unconventional balance of tangy tamarind and crisp geranium. Built around a core of rich, powdery resin, it opens with a distinct burst of tart fruitiness that immediately sets it apart from traditional sweet oriental scents. As the sharpness …

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, JF9 Black or Queen Nzinga?

Queen Nzinga takes 5 of 7 categories. JF9 Black is rated 3.79/5 from 52 votes; Queen Nzinga is rated 4.09/5 from 98 votes. Choose JF9 Black for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Queen Nzinga for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, JF9 Black or Queen Nzinga?

Queen Nzinga lasts longest (Queen Nzinga 73/100, JF9 Black 51/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, JF9 Black or Queen Nzinga?

Queen Nzinga projects furthest (Queen Nzinga 61/100, JF9 Black 41/100), based on community performance votes.

Do JF9 Black and Queen Nzinga smell similar?

Clearly different: a 27% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy and aromatic accords. Common notes include Tamarind, Geranium and Amber.

Is JF9 Black or Queen Nzinga better for summer or winter?

For summer, JF9 Black is the stronger pick. For winter, JF9 Black is the stronger pick. JF9 Black suits evening wear; Queen Nzinga suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in JF9 Black and Queen Nzinga?

JF9 Black has top notes of Tamarind, Lavender, Italian Lemon and Grapefruit, heart notes of Cedar, Patchouli, Coriander and Jasmine, a base of Vanilla, Sandalwood, Tonka Bean and Vetiver. Queen Nzinga features Tamarind, Amber and Geranium.