Fragrance comparison

MDM Black vs Real

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 69 ratings analysed

3 wins

MDM Black

Marc de la Morandiere

4.297 votes

Rank #41,805 AromaticCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

54%scent match

Some overlap

Real

American Eagle · 2006

4.5062 votes

Rank #30,604 CitrusWoody

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 value for money. Best in spring, day or night wear.
Real
Choose it for a citrus and woody character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear.

MDM Black3/4

Real1/4

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): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Real

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

MDM BlackMarc de la Morandiere

RealAmerican Eagle

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.29/ 5 · 7 votes

Have 27%Had 16%Want 57%

4.50/ 5 · 62 votes

Have 19%Had 54%Want 28%

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

64%Love

29%Like

0%Ok

7%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

⏱ Longevity55

〰 Sillage53

♥ Love / hate88

Category winners

LongevityMDM Black

SillageMDM Black

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value75

¤ Price value58

Category winnerMDM BlackBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

citrus92%

woody84%

fresh spicy77%

warm spicy69%

earthy61%

citrus92%

woody69%

warm spicy53%

Scent match54%Some overlap · both citrus, woody 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

Green LeavesWatery NotesMandarin OrangeLemonBergamotSea Notes

Heart

CardamomRoseOrange BlossomLily-of-the-Valley

Base

AmberVetiverSandalwoodMossResinsPatchouli

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Orange Blossom, Mandarin Orange and Lemon. 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

Day100

Night100

Spring67

Summer33

Fall100

Winter100

Day100

Night75

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men50

Unisex50

Women0

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#41,805

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews1

Overall rank#30,604

PerfumerNot listed

Launched2006

Reviews0

Category winnerRealHigher 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 →

Real by American Eagle is an approachable woody spicy fragrance for men. It opens with a crisp, refreshing blend of green leaves and citrus notes before moving into a warm heart of cardamom and rose. The base of sandalwood and amber provides a clean, reliable finish that is perfect for daily office or casual wear thro…

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, MDM Black or Real?

MDM Black takes 3 of 4 categories. MDM Black is rated 4.29/5 from 7 votes; Real is rated 4.50/5 from 62 votes. 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. Choose Real for a citrus and woody character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, MDM Black or Real?

MDM Black lasts longest (MDM Black 83/100, Real 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, MDM Black or Real?

MDM Black projects furthest (MDM Black 83/100, Real 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Do MDM Black and Real smell similar?

Some overlap: a 54% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus, woody and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Orange Blossom, Mandarin Orange and Lemon.

Is MDM Black or Real better for summer or winter?

MDM Black suits day or night wear; Real suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in MDM Black and Real?

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. Real has top notes of Green Leaves, Watery Notes, Mandarin Orange and Lemon, heart notes of Cardamom, Rose, Orange Blossom and Lily-of-the-Valley, a base of Amber, Vetiver, Sandalwood and Moss.