Fragrance comparison

Boss Number One vs Pamplemousse&Basilic

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 1,938 ratings analysed

4 wins

Boss Number One

Hugo Boss

3.941,912 votes

Rank #1,012 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

33%scent match

Clearly different

Pamplemousse&Basilic

L'Essence des Notes

4.2726 votes

Rank #19,417 CitrusAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Boss Number One takes 4 of 7 categories.

Boss Number One
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.
Pamplemousse&Basilic
Choose it for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and versatility. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Boss Number One4/7

Pamplemousse&Basilic3/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Boss Number OneHugo Boss

Pamplemousse&BasilicL'Essence des Notes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.94/ 5 · 1,912 votes

Have 71%Had 29%Want 0%

4.27/ 5 · 26 votes

Have 39%Had 10%Want 51%

Category winnerPamplemousse&BasilicRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

40%Love

35%Like

7%Ok

14%Dislike

3%Hate

1,912 votes

46%Love

35%Like

19%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

26 votes

Category winnerPamplemousse&BasilicMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity49

〰 Sillage52

♥ Love / hate82

Category winners

LongevityBoss Number One

SillageBoss Number One

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value74

¤ Price value73

Category winnerBoss Number OneBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

woody92%

fresh spicy84%

honey77%

sweet69%

herbal61%

citrus100%

aromatic92%

fruity84%

soft spicy77%

fresh spicy69%

white floral61%

Scent match33%Clearly different · both aromatic and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

ArtemisiaJuniperBergamotLemonCarawayBasilGreen AppleGrapefruit

Heart2-4 hrs

HoneyLavenderRoseSageJasmineGeraniumOrris RootLily-of-the-Valley

Base6-8+ hrs

TobaccoOakmossPatchouliSandalwoodMuskAmberCinnamonCedar

Top

GrapefruitBlack CurrantBasil

Heart

Lily-of-the-ValleySageCarrot

Base

MuskRoseJasmine

InformationalShared notesBasil, Grapefruit, Rose and Sage. Durations are only published for Boss Number One, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring66

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day89

Night100

Spring84

Summer100

Fall16

Winter5

Day100

Night6

Category winnerPamplemousse&BasilicMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men96

Unisex3

Women1

Men7

Unisex64

Women29

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#1,012

PerfumerPierre Wargnye

Launched—

Reviews202

Overall rank#19,417

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews5

Category winnerBoss Number OneHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

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 →

Pamplemousse&Basilic by L'Essence des Notes strikes with a tart burst of crushed grapefruit and peppery basil right off the sprayer. The opening feels raw, green, and cold, cutting through humid summer heat with a sharp herbal kick. As the bitter citrus shell softens, quiet layers of carrot seed, sage, and clean musk …

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, Boss Number One or Pamplemousse&Basilic?

Boss Number One takes 4 of 7 categories. Boss Number One is rated 3.94/5 from 1,912 votes; Pamplemousse&Basilic is rated 4.27/5 from 26 votes. Choose Boss Number One for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Pamplemousse&Basilic for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and versatility. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Boss Number One or Pamplemousse&Basilic?

Boss Number One lasts longest (Boss Number One 73/100, Pamplemousse&Basilic 49/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Boss Number One or Pamplemousse&Basilic?

Boss Number One projects furthest (Boss Number One 66/100, Pamplemousse&Basilic 52/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Boss Number One and Pamplemousse&Basilic smell similar?

Clearly different: a 33% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Basil, Grapefruit, Rose and Sage.

Is Boss Number One or Pamplemousse&Basilic better for summer or winter?

For summer, Pamplemousse&Basilic is the stronger pick. For winter, Boss Number One is the stronger pick. Boss Number One suits evening wear; Pamplemousse&Basilic suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Boss Number One and Pamplemousse&Basilic?

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. Pamplemousse&Basilic has top notes of Grapefruit, Black Currant and Basil, heart notes of Lily-of-the-Valley, Sage and Carrot, a base of Musk, Rose and Jasmine.