Fragrance comparison

Samba Star Man vs MDM Black

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

Updated 1 Nov 2026 18 ratings analysed

Samba Star Man

Perfumer's Workshop

4.2711 votes

Rank #35,420 Fresh SpicyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

56%scent match

Closely related

MDM Black

Marc de la Morandiere

4.297 votes

Rank #39,465 AromaticCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2.

Samba Star Man
Choose it for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, day or night wear.
MDM Black
Choose it for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, day or night wear.

Samba Star Man2/4

MDM Black2/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: MDM Black
Sillage & projection: MDM Black
Value for money: Samba Star Man
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Samba Star Man

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Samba Star ManPerfumer's Workshop

MDM BlackMarc de la Morandiere

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.27/ 5 · 11 votes

Have 31%Had 35%Want 35%

4.29/ 5 · 7 votes

Have 27%Had 16%Want 57%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

45%Love

45%Like

0%Ok

9%Dislike

0%Hate

11 votes · too few to score

71%Love

14%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

14%Hate

7 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage63

♥ Love / hate82

⏱ Longevity83

〰 Sillage83

♥ Love / hate82

Category winners

LongevityMDM Black

SillageMDM Black

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value88

¤ Price value75

Category winnerSamba Star ManBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fresh spicy100%

aromatic92%

vanilla84%

powdery77%

citrus69%

woody61%

aromatic100%

citrus92%

woody84%

fresh spicy77%

warm spicy69%

earthy61%

Scent match56%Closely related · both aromatic, fresh spicy and citrus

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

VanillaNutmegAmberLavenderMandarin OrangeMuskMintVetiverCedarBergamotGeraniumSandalwood

No top / heart / base split published

Top15-30 mins

BergamotOrange BlossomRosemaryMandarin OrangeMintGrapefruitLemonGreen Orange

Heart2-4 hrs

LavenderCinnamonCarnationRoseGuaiac WoodNutmegGreen Apple

Base6-8+ hrs

PatchouliMossVetiverVanillaSandalwoodIncenseTonka BeanMusk

InformationalShared notesVanilla, Nutmeg, Lavender and Mandarin Orange. Durations are only published for MDM Black, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer75

Fall100

Winter75

Day100

Night100

Spring100

Summer67

Fall100

Winter100

Day100

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Men50

Unisex50

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#35,420

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews2

Overall rank#39,465

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews1

Category winnerSamba Star ManHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Samba Star Man opens with a sharp burst of bergamot and cool mint, giving immediate lift to an otherwise heavy spice profile. As the initial flash clears, cinnamon and nutmeg emerge alongside green geranium. Vanilla and musk soften the dry-down, wrapping cedarwood and vetiver in a gentle sweetness. It wears as a casua…

Reviews →

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 →

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, Samba Star Man or MDM Black?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2. Samba Star Man is rated 4.27/5 from 11 votes; MDM Black is rated 4.29/5 from 7 votes. Choose Samba Star Man for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, day or night wear. Choose MDM Black for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, Samba Star Man or MDM Black?

MDM Black lasts longest (MDM Black 83/100, Samba Star Man 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Samba Star Man or MDM Black?

MDM Black projects furthest (MDM Black 83/100, Samba Star Man 63/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Samba Star Man and MDM Black smell similar?

Closely related: a 56% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and citrus accords. Common notes include Vanilla, Nutmeg, Lavender and Mandarin Orange.

Is Samba Star Man or MDM Black better for summer or winter?

Samba Star Man suits day or night wear; MDM Black suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Samba Star Man and MDM Black?

Samba Star Man features Vanilla, Nutmeg, Amber, Lavender and Mandarin Orange. 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.