Ben Sherman vs Dear John
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
48%scent match
Some overlap
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Dear John takes 5 of 7 categories.
Ben ShermanChoose it for a warm spicy and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in winter, day or night wear.
Dear JohnChoose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.
Ben Sherman2/7
Dear John5/7
- Ratings & consensus
- Dear John
- Community sentiment
- Dear John
- Longevity
- Dear John
- Sillage & projection
- Dear John
- Value for money
- Ben Sherman
- Versatility
- Ben Sherman
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- Dear John
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
Ben ShermanBen ShermanDear JohnLushWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split3.92/ 5 · 50 votes
Have 54%Had 8%Want 37%
3.77/ 5 · 358 votes
Have 75%Had 25%Want 0%
Category winnerDear JohnRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate40%Love
36%Like
2%Ok
20%Dislike
2%Hate
50 votes
31%Love
44%Like
11%Ok
12%Dislike
1%Hate
300 votes
Category winnerDear JohnMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityDear John
SillageDear John
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerBen ShermanBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothwarm spicy100%
fresh spicy92%
amber84%
woody77%
green69%
aromatic61%
woody100%
aromatic90%
warm spicy80%
citrus70%
conifer60%
green50%
Scent match48%Some overlap · both warm spicy, woody and aromatic
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop
CardamomBergamotMintTangerineAmalfi LemonLime
Heart
NutmegIncensePatchouli
Base
CoffeeAmberHayVirginia CedarVanilleVetiverMusk
Notes
LimeCloveVetiverPineVirginia CedarCorianderCoffee
No top / heart / base split published
InformationalShared notesLime, Coffee, Virginia Cedar and Vetiver. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring65
Summer25
Fall80
Winter100
Day100
Night100
Spring51
Summer0
Fall0
Winter100
Day–
Night–
Category winnerBen ShermanMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#36,626
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews0
Overall rank#11,486
PerfumerMark Constantine
Launched—
Reviews17
Category winnerDear JohnHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotBen Sherman is a fresh, spice-forward cologne that pairs bright citrus with unexpected coffee and wood undertones. Designed for daily wear in temperate spring weather, it offers a clean, masculine dry-down that stays anchored by subtle amber and cedar base notes rather than evaporating into thin air.
Reviews →Dear John is a dry, smoky woody scent with clove spice, cedar, vetiver and a small but noticeable coffee twist. It opens brighter with lime and aromatic lift, then settles into something warmer, earthier and more nostalgic. The overall feel is unisex, slightly masculine leaning, and best suited to cool weather or anyo…
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.
Guided comparison
Ask about this matchup
Get a practical answer grounded in the fragrances currently selected.
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Ben Sherman or Dear John?
Dear John takes 5 of 7 categories. Ben Sherman is rated 3.92/5 from 50 votes; Dear John is rated 3.77/5 from 358 votes. Choose Ben Sherman for a warm spicy and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in winter, day or night wear. Choose Dear John for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.
Which lasts longer, Ben Sherman or Dear John?
Dear John lasts longest (Dear John 62/100, Ben Sherman 59/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Ben Sherman or Dear John?
Projection is very close: Dear John 56/100, Ben Sherman 54/100 for sillage.
Do Ben Sherman and Dear John smell similar?
Some overlap: a 48% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, woody and aromatic accords. Common notes include Lime, Coffee, Virginia Cedar and Vetiver.
Is Ben Sherman or Dear John better for summer or winter?
For summer, Ben Sherman is the stronger pick. For winter, Ben Sherman is the stronger pick. Ben Sherman suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Ben Sherman and Dear John?
Ben Sherman has top notes of Cardamom, Bergamot, Mint and Tangerine, heart notes of Nutmeg, Incense and Patchouli, a base of Coffee, Amber, Hay and Virginia Cedar. Dear John features Lime, Clove, Vetiver, Pine and Virginia Cedar.
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