Fragrance comparison

Ambre des Abysses vs Retrospection

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

Updated 9 Oct 2026 546 ratings analysed

Ambre des Abysses

Houbigant

4.38512 votes

Rank #22,727 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

44%scent match

Some overlap

5 wins

Retrospection

JMP Artisan Perfumes

3.5934 votes

Rank #18,017 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Retrospection takes 5 of 8 categories.

Ambre des Abysses
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and note pyramid duration. Best in spring, evening wear.
Retrospection
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Ambre des Abysses3/8

Retrospection5/8

Ratings & consensus: Ambre des Abysses
Community sentiment: Ambre des Abysses
Longevity: Retrospection
Sillage & projection: Retrospection
Value for money: Retrospection
Versatility: Retrospection
Note pyramid (duration): Ambre des Abysses
Fragranxe ranking: Retrospection

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Ambre des AbyssesHoubigant

RetrospectionJMP Artisan Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.38/ 5 · 512 votes

Have 84%Had 16%Want 0%

3.59/ 5 · 34 votes

Have 30%Had 12%Want 57%

Category winnerAmbre des AbyssesRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

60%Love

26%Like

6%Ok

5%Dislike

2%Hate

512 votes

24%Love

35%Like

24%Ok

12%Dislike

6%Hate

34 votes

Category winnerAmbre des AbyssesMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity76

〰 Sillage60

♥ Love / hate84

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate65

Category winners

LongevityRetrospection

SillageRetrospection

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

¤ Price value61

Category winnerRetrospectionBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

white floral84%

vanilla77%

citrus69%

amber61%

aromatic100%

woody92%

animalic84%

fresh spicy77%

white floral69%

green61%

Scent match44%Some overlap · both aromatic, fresh spicy and white floral

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-30 mins

Orange BlossomMintBergamot

Heart2-4 hrs

GeraniumAmberPatchouliRosemaryJasmine

Base8-12 hrs

VanillaTonka BeanOakmossLeather

Top15-30 mins

GalbanumAldehydesBergamotWormwoodLavenderRosemaryPetitgrain

Heart2-4 hrs

Orange BlossomLily-of-the-ValleyJasmineGeraniumCorianderRoseClary SageCloves

Base8-10+ hrs

OakmossCivetLeatherBeeswaxMuskOrris RootVetiverSandalwood

Category winnerAmbre des AbyssesLongest dry-down: 8-12 hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer67

Fall0

Winter70

Day85

Night100

Spring86

Summer21

Fall100

Winter71

Day73

Night100

Category winnerRetrospectionMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men68

Unisex29

Women3

Work 32%Date 28%Casual 25%Party 15%

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#22,727

PerfumerAntoine Lie, Luca Maffei

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#18,017

PerfumerJakub Pietrynka

Launched—

Reviews6

Category winnerRetrospectionHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Ambre des Abysses by Houbigant pulls off a rare balancing act on skin. The opening hits with cold garden mint and sparkling bergamot before bitter orange blossom warms up the center. It feels remarkably crisp. Then the foundation turns dark, unfurling rich amber, earthy oakmoss, and soft leather over a comforting base…

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, Ambre des Abysses or Retrospection?

Retrospection takes 5 of 8 categories. Ambre des Abysses is rated 4.38/5 from 512 votes; Retrospection is rated 3.59/5 from 34 votes. Choose Ambre des Abysses for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and note pyramid duration. Best in spring, evening 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, Ambre des Abysses or Retrospection?

Retrospection lasts longest (Retrospection 80/100, Ambre des Abysses 76/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Ambre des Abysses or Retrospection?

Retrospection projects furthest (Retrospection 71/100, Ambre des Abysses 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Ambre des Abysses and Retrospection smell similar?

Some overlap: a 44% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and white floral accords. Common notes include Orange Blossom, Bergamot, Geranium and Rosemary.

Is Ambre des Abysses or Retrospection better for summer or winter?

For summer, Ambre des Abysses is the stronger pick. For winter, Retrospection is the stronger pick. Ambre des Abysses suits evening wear; Retrospection suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Ambre des Abysses and Retrospection?

Ambre des Abysses has top notes of Orange Blossom, Mint and Bergamot, heart notes of Geranium, Amber, Patchouli and Rosemary, a base of Vanilla, Tonka Bean, Oakmoss and Leather. 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.