Fragrance comparison

Pure Black vs John Richmond for Men

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

Updated 28 Oct 2026 1,206 ratings analysed

4 wins

Pure Black

Mandarina Duck

4.26988 votes

Rank #1,726 VanillaCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

23%scent match

Clearly different

John Richmond for Men

John Richmond

3.82218 votes

Rank #9,051 Fresh SpicyCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Pure Black takes 4 of 8 categories.

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 Men
Choose it for a fresh spicy and citrus character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Pure Black4/8

John Richmond for Men3/8

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

Pure BlackMandarina Duck

John Richmond for MenJohn Richmond

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.26/ 5 · 988 votes

Have 74%Had 26%Want 0%

3.82/ 5 · 218 votes

Have 43%Had 35%Want 21%

Category winnerPure BlackRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

45%Love

43%Like

6%Ok

6%Dislike

1%Hate

988 votes

22%Love

54%Like

7%Ok

16%Dislike

0%Hate

218 votes

Category winnerPure BlackMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity63

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate81

⏱ Longevity66

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate71

Category winners

LongevityJohn Richmond for Men

SillageJohn Richmond for Men

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value81

¤ Price value60

Category winnerPure BlackBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

vanilla100%

citrus92%

sweet84%

woody77%

white floral69%

powdery61%

fresh spicy100%

citrus92%

aromatic84%

warm spicy77%

fresh69%

ozonic61%

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

TangerinePepperBergamot

Heart2-4 hrs

Tonka BeanTiare FlowerAfrican Orange Flower

Base6-8+ hrs

VanillaSandalwoodVirginia Cedar

Top15-30 mins

GingerBergamotAfrican Orange Flower

Heart2-4 hrs

MelonPepperCardamomRosemary

Base6-8 hrs

Virginia CedarMuskAmber

Category winnerTieSame dry-down length

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring78

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day92

Night100

Spring100

Summer74

Fall74

Winter26

Day100

Night44

Category winnerJohn Richmond for MenMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men83

Unisex15

Women3

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

Men91

Unisex6

Women2

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

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#1,726

PerfumerNathalie Lorson

Launched—

Reviews148

Overall rank#9,051

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews26

Category winnerPure BlackHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

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 →

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 →

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, Pure Black or John Richmond for Men?

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

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

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

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

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

Do Pure Black and John Richmond for Men smell similar?

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

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

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

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

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. 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.