Fragrance comparison

Absolute Bomb vs Boss Number One

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

Updated 19 Oct 2026 1,913 ratings analysed

Absolute Bomb

Ulric de Varens

2.001 votes

Rank #74,271 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

55%scent match

Closely related

2 wins

Boss Number One

Hugo Boss

3.941,912 votes

Rank #969 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Boss Number One takes 2 of 2 categories.

Absolute Bomb
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character.
Boss Number One
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on note pyramid duration and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.

Absolute Bomb0/2

Boss Number One2/2

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Not scored
Sillage & projection: Not scored
Value for money: Not scored
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Boss Number One
Fragranxe ranking: Boss Number One

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Absolute BombUlric de Varens

Boss Number OneHugo Boss

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

2.00/ 5 · 1 votes

Have 100%Had 0%Want 0%

3.94/ 5 · 1,912 votes

Have 71%Had 29%Want 0%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

0%Love

0%Like

0%Ok

100%Dislike

0%Hate

1 vote · too few to score

40%Love

35%Like

7%Ok

14%Dislike

3%Hate

1,912 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ LongevityN/A

〰 SillageN/A

♥ Love / hate25

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate74

Category winners

LongevityNo data

SillageNo data

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price valueN/A

¤ Price value74

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

citrus84%

herbal77%

woody69%

musky61%

aromatic100%

woody92%

fresh spicy84%

honey77%

sweet69%

herbal61%

Scent match55%Closely related · both aromatic, fresh spicy and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

Sichuan PepperGrapefruitBergamotelemi

Heart2-3 hrs

PatchouliLavenderGeraniumSage

Base4-5 hrs

Mineral notesSandalwoodMusk

Top15-30 mins

ArtemisiaJuniperBergamotLemonCarawayBasilGreen AppleGrapefruit

Heart2-4 hrs

HoneyLavenderRoseSageJasmineGeraniumOrris RootLily-of-the-Valley

Base6-8+ hrs

TobaccoOakmossPatchouliSandalwoodMuskAmberCinnamonCedar

Category winnerBoss Number OneLongest dry-down: 6-8+ hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring–

Summer–

Fall–

Winter–

Day100

Night33

Spring66

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day92

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Not enough votes yet

Casual 45%Work 35%Date 12%Party 9%

Men96

Unisex3

Women1

Work 38%Casual 29%Date 21%Party 13%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#74,271

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#969

PerfumerPierre Wargnye

Launched—

Reviews202

Category winnerBoss Number OneHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Absolute Bomb by Ulric de Varens delivers a crisp, peppery kick right out of the nozzle. The initial blast pairs sharp Sichuan pepper with tart grapefruit and zesty bergamot. It wakes up your nose fast. Give the alcohol two minutes to evaporate, and a clean herbal heart of lavender, geranium, and clary sage steps forw…

Reviews →

Boss Number One by Hugo Boss is a classic 1985 aromatic fougere that blends bitter artemisia, golden honey, and rich pipe tobacco into an unmistakably confident masculine profile. The fragrance kicks off with an energetic burst of lemon, tart green apple, and pungent herbal basil before smoothing into a dense floral h…

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, Absolute Bomb or Boss Number One?

Boss Number One takes 2 of 2 categories. Absolute Bomb is rated 2.00/5 from 1 votes; Boss Number One is rated 3.94/5 from 1,912 votes. Choose Absolute Bomb for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Choose Boss Number One for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on note pyramid duration and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.

Do Absolute Bomb and Boss Number One smell similar?

Closely related: a 55% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Grapefruit, Bergamot, Patchouli and Lavender.

Is Absolute Bomb or Boss Number One better for summer or winter?

Absolute Bomb suits daytime wear; Boss Number One suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Absolute Bomb and Boss Number One?

Absolute Bomb has top notes of Sichuan Pepper, Grapefruit, Bergamot and elemi, heart notes of Patchouli, Lavender, Geranium and Sage, a base of Mineral notes, Sandalwood and Musk. Boss Number One has top notes of Artemisia, Juniper, Bergamot and Lemon, heart notes of Honey, Lavender, Rose and Sage, a base of Tobacco, Oakmoss, Patchouli and Sandalwood.