Fragrance comparison

MDM Black vs Acqua di Nabeel Absolute

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

Updated 16 Oct 2026 21 ratings analysed

3 wins

MDM Black

Marc de la Morandiere

4.297 votes

Rank #38,598 AromaticCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

47%scent match

Some overlap

Acqua di Nabeel Absolute

Nabeel

3.9314 votes

Rank #46,350 SweetCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

MDM Black takes 3 of 4 categories.

MDM Black
Choose it for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, evening wear.
Acqua di Nabeel Absolute
Choose it for a sweet and citrus character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

MDM Black3/4

Acqua di Nabeel Absolute1/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: MDM Black
Sillage & projection: MDM Black
Value for money: Acqua di Nabeel Absolute
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

MDM BlackMarc de la Morandiere

Acqua di Nabeel AbsoluteNabeel

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.29/ 5 · 7 votes

Have 27%Had 16%Want 57%

3.93/ 5 · 14 votes

Have 62%Had 4%Want 35%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

71%Love

14%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

14%Hate

7 votes · too few to score

43%Love

21%Like

21%Ok

14%Dislike

0%Hate

14 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity83

〰 Sillage83

♥ Love / hate82

⏱ Longevity66

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate73

Category winners

LongevityMDM Black

SillageMDM Black

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value75

¤ Price value81

Category winnerAcqua di Nabeel AbsoluteBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

citrus92%

woody84%

fresh spicy77%

warm spicy69%

earthy61%

sweet100%

citrus92%

white floral84%

warm spicy77%

aromatic69%

woody61%

Scent match47%Some overlap · both citrus, aromatic and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

BergamotOrange BlossomRosemaryMandarin OrangeMintGrapefruitLemonGreen Orange

Heart2-4 hrs

LavenderCinnamonCarnationRoseGuaiac WoodNutmegGreen Apple

Base6-8+ hrs

PatchouliMossVetiverVanillaSandalwoodIncenseTonka BeanMusk

Top

Star AniseIncenseWhite FlowersSweet OrangeGrapefruitSea NotesLemonRose

Heart

Sweet NotesNeroliCoconutJasmineOudLily of the ValleySandalwoodHeliotrope

Base

MuskGuaiac WoodBenzoinOakmossVetiverCedarAmberSpun Sugar

InformationalShared notesGrapefruit, Lemon, Rose and Guaiac Wood. Durations are only published for MDM Black, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer67

Fall100

Winter100

Day86

Night100

Spring70

Summer60

Fall100

Winter70

Day88

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men50

Unisex50

Women0

Date 30%Casual 28%Work 25%Party 18%

Men29

Unisex64

Women7

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#38,598

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews1

Overall rank#46,350

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerMDM BlackHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

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 →

Acqua di Nabeel Absolute by Nabeel is a dense oriental spicy fragrance that pairs a sharp citrus opening with warm spices. Star anise, grapefruit, and a dry incense lead into a deep heart of leather and sweet notes before settling on a heavy base of oud and vanilla. It is best suited for cold autumn evenings.

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, MDM Black or Acqua di Nabeel Absolute?

MDM Black takes 3 of 4 categories. MDM Black is rated 4.29/5 from 7 votes; Acqua di Nabeel Absolute is rated 3.93/5 from 14 votes. Choose MDM Black for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, evening wear. Choose Acqua di Nabeel Absolute for a sweet and citrus character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, MDM Black or Acqua di Nabeel Absolute?

MDM Black lasts longest (MDM Black 83/100, Acqua di Nabeel Absolute 66/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, MDM Black or Acqua di Nabeel Absolute?

MDM Black projects furthest (MDM Black 83/100, Acqua di Nabeel Absolute 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Do MDM Black and Acqua di Nabeel Absolute smell similar?

Some overlap: a 47% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus, aromatic and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Grapefruit, Lemon, Rose and Guaiac Wood.

Is MDM Black or Acqua di Nabeel Absolute better for summer or winter?

MDM Black suits evening wear; Acqua di Nabeel Absolute suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in MDM Black and Acqua di Nabeel Absolute?

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. Acqua di Nabeel Absolute has top notes of Star Anise, Incense, White Flowers and Sweet Orange, heart notes of Sweet Notes, Neroli, Coconut and Jasmine, a base of Musk, Guaiac Wood, Benzoin and Oakmoss.