Fragrance comparison

John Richmond for Men vs Pure Black

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

Updated 28 Oct 2026 1,206 ratings analysed

John Richmond for Men

John Richmond

3.82218 votes

Rank #9,051 Fresh SpicyCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

23%scent match

Clearly different

4 wins

Pure Black

Mandarina Duck

4.26988 votes

Rank #1,726 VanillaCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Pure Black takes 4 of 8 categories.

John Richmond for Men
Choose it for a fresh spicy and citrus character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Pure Black
Choose it for a vanilla and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.

John Richmond for Men3/8

Pure Black4/8

Ratings & consensus: Pure Black
Community sentiment: Pure Black
Longevity: John Richmond for Men
Sillage & projection: John Richmond for Men
Value for money: Pure Black
Versatility: John Richmond for Men
Note pyramid (duration): Tie
Fragranxe ranking: Pure Black

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

John Richmond for MenJohn Richmond

Pure BlackMandarina Duck

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.82/ 5 · 218 votes

Have 43%Had 35%Want 21%

4.26/ 5 · 988 votes

Have 74%Had 26%Want 0%

Category winnerPure BlackRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

22%Love

54%Like

7%Ok

16%Dislike

0%Hate

218 votes

45%Love

43%Like

6%Ok

6%Dislike

1%Hate

988 votes

Category winnerPure BlackMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity66

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate71

⏱ Longevity63

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate81

Category winners

LongevityJohn Richmond for Men

SillageJohn Richmond for Men

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value60

¤ Price value81

Category winnerPure BlackBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fresh spicy100%

citrus92%

aromatic84%

warm spicy77%

fresh69%

ozonic61%

vanilla100%

citrus92%

sweet84%

woody77%

white floral69%

powdery61%

Scent match23%Clearly different · both citrus

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

GingerBergamotAfrican Orange Flower

Heart2-4 hrs

MelonPepperCardamomRosemary

Base6-8 hrs

Virginia CedarMuskAmber

Top15-30 mins

TangerinePepperBergamot

Heart2-4 hrs

Tonka BeanTiare FlowerAfrican Orange Flower

Base6-8+ hrs

VanillaSandalwoodVirginia Cedar

Category winnerTieSame dry-down length

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer74

Fall74

Winter26

Day100

Night44

Spring78

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day92

Night100

Category winnerJohn Richmond for MenMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men91

Unisex6

Women2

Casual 40%Work 33%Date 16%Party 11%

Men83

Unisex15

Women3

Casual 32%Work 30%Date 26%Party 13%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#9,051

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews26

Overall rank#1,726

PerfumerNathalie Lorson

Launched—

Reviews148

Category winnerPure BlackHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

John Richmond for Men delivers an energetic fresh-spicy profile driven by zesty ginger, sparkling bergamot, and sweet African orange flower. As the brisk opening settles, a juicy melon note emerges, wrapped in spicy black pepper and aromatic rosemary. This crisp heart rests on a grounding base of Virginia cedar, clean…

Reviews →

Mandarina Duck Pure Black delivers an approachable, lightly spiced citrus profile wrapped in smooth sweetness. It opens with juicy tangerine, sharp black pepper, and bright bergamot. The alcohol evaporates within two minutes, revealing an airy heart of tonka bean and creamy orange flower petals. As the scent warms, sw…

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, John Richmond for Men or Pure Black?

Pure Black takes 4 of 8 categories. John Richmond for Men is rated 3.82/5 from 218 votes; Pure Black is rated 4.26/5 from 988 votes. Choose John Richmond for Men for a fresh spicy and citrus character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Pure Black for a vanilla and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, John Richmond for Men or Pure Black?

John Richmond for Men lasts longest (John Richmond for Men 66/100, Pure Black 63/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, John Richmond for Men or Pure Black?

John Richmond for Men projects furthest (John Richmond for Men 61/100, Pure Black 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Do John Richmond for Men and Pure Black smell similar?

Clearly different: a 23% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus accords. Common notes include Bergamot, African Orange Flower, Pepper and Virginia Cedar.

Is John Richmond for Men or Pure Black better for summer or winter?

For summer, John Richmond for Men is the stronger pick. For winter, Pure Black is the stronger pick. John Richmond for Men suits daytime wear; Pure Black suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in John Richmond for Men and Pure Black?

John Richmond for Men has top notes of Ginger, Bergamot and African Orange Flower, heart notes of Melon, Pepper, Cardamom and Rosemary, a base of Virginia Cedar, Musk and Amber. Pure Black has top notes of Tangerine, Pepper and Bergamot, heart notes of Tonka Bean, Tiare Flower and African Orange Flower, a base of Vanilla, Sandalwood and Virginia Cedar.