Fragrance comparison

Abjar Bois vs Retrospection

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

Updated 15 Oct 2026 67 ratings analysed

Abjar Bois

The Spirit of Dubai

4.4233 votes

Rank #29,031 Fresh SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

50%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Retrospection

JMP Artisan Perfumes

3.5934 votes

Rank #17,747 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Retrospection takes 4 of 7 categories.

Abjar Bois
Choose it for a fresh spicy and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Retrospection
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Abjar Bois3/7

Retrospection4/7

Ratings & consensus: Abjar Bois
Community sentiment: Abjar Bois
Longevity: Retrospection
Sillage & projection: Retrospection
Value for money: Retrospection
Versatility: Abjar Bois
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Retrospection

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Abjar BoisThe Spirit of Dubai

RetrospectionJMP Artisan Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.42/ 5 · 33 votes

Have 30%Had 2%Want 68%

3.59/ 5 · 34 votes

Have 30%Had 12%Want 57%

Category winnerAbjar BoisRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

70%Love

21%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

9%Hate

33 votes

24%Love

35%Like

24%Ok

12%Dislike

6%Hate

34 votes

Category winnerAbjar BoisMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity78

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate86

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate65

Category winners

LongevityRetrospection

SillageRetrospection

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value20

¤ Price value61

Category winnerRetrospectionBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fresh spicy100%

woody92%

amber84%

musky77%

aromatic69%

white floral61%

aromatic100%

woody92%

animalic84%

fresh spicy77%

white floral69%

green61%

Scent match50%Some overlap · both woody, fresh spicy and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

NutmegGingerGeraniumMandarinWormwoodBergamotThymeGrapefruit

Heart

JasminePink PepperOrange BlossomMyrrhCashmere WoodLeatherLavenderIris

Base

SandalwoodMuskCedarwoodAmberGuaiac WoodOlibanumAmbroxanPatchouli

Top15-30 mins

GalbanumAldehydesBergamotWormwoodLavenderRosemaryPetitgrain

Heart2-4 hrs

Orange BlossomLily-of-the-ValleyJasmineGeraniumCorianderRoseClary SageCloves

Base8-10+ hrs

OakmossCivetLeatherBeeswaxMuskOrris RootVetiverSandalwood

InformationalShared notesGeranium, Wormwood, Bergamot and Jasmine. Durations are only published for Retrospection, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring89

Summer72

Fall100

Winter44

Day100

Night76

Spring86

Summer21

Fall100

Winter71

Day73

Night100

Category winnerAbjar BoisMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men46

Unisex42

Women13

Men65

Unisex23

Women12

Date 31%Work 28%Casual 23%Party 18%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#29,031

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#17,747

PerfumerJakub Pietrynka

Launched—

Reviews6

Category winnerRetrospectionHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Abjar Bois opens with a sharp burst of bitter wormwood, nutmeg, and tart mandarin before shifting into smoky guaiac wood and dark leather. As it settles on skin, earthy vetiver and dry cedarwood create a dense woody backbone supported by resinous olibanum. It fits cool evening wear when you want a strong, commanding f…

Reviews →

Retrospection by JMP Artisan Perfumes resurrects the bold, unapologetic swagger of traditional masculine perfumery from the late twentieth century. Created by Polish independent perfumer Jakub Pietrynka, this composition opens with a sharp burst of bitter galbanum, soapy aldehydes, and zesty bergamot. Within minutes, …

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, Abjar Bois or Retrospection?

Retrospection takes 4 of 7 categories. Abjar Bois is rated 4.42/5 from 33 votes; Retrospection is rated 3.59/5 from 34 votes. Choose Abjar Bois for a fresh spicy and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Retrospection for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Abjar Bois or Retrospection?

They last about the same: Retrospection 80/100, Abjar Bois 78/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Abjar Bois or Retrospection?

Projection is very close: Retrospection 71/100, Abjar Bois 69/100 for sillage.

Do Abjar Bois and Retrospection smell similar?

Some overlap: a 50% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, fresh spicy and aromatic accords. Common notes include Geranium, Wormwood, Bergamot and Jasmine.

Is Abjar Bois or Retrospection better for summer or winter?

For summer, Abjar Bois is the stronger pick. For winter, Retrospection is the stronger pick. Abjar Bois suits daytime wear; Retrospection suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Abjar Bois and Retrospection?

Abjar Bois has top notes of Nutmeg, Ginger, Geranium and Mandarin, heart notes of Jasmine, Pink Pepper, Orange Blossom and Myrrh, a base of Sandalwood, Musk, Cedarwood and Amber. Retrospection has top notes of Galbanum, Aldehydes, Bergamot and Wormwood, heart notes of Orange Blossom, Lily-of-the-Valley, Jasmine and Geranium, a base of Oakmoss, Civet, Leather and Beeswax.