Dear John vs Ben Sherman
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.
Dear JohnChoose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.
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 John5/7
Ben Sherman2/7
- 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
Dear JohnLushBen ShermanBen ShermanWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split3.77/ 5 · 358 votes
Have 75%Had 25%Want 0%
3.92/ 5 · 50 votes
Have 54%Had 8%Want 37%
Category winnerDear JohnRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate31%Love
44%Like
11%Ok
12%Dislike
1%Hate
300 votes
40%Love
36%Like
2%Ok
20%Dislike
2%Hate
50 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 bothwoody100%
aromatic90%
warm spicy80%
citrus70%
conifer60%
green50%
warm spicy100%
fresh spicy92%
amber84%
woody77%
green69%
aromatic61%
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 = sharedNotes
LimeCloveVetiverPineVirginia CedarCorianderCoffee
No top / heart / base split published
Top
CardamomBergamotMintTangerineAmalfi LemonLime
Heart
NutmegIncensePatchouli
Base
CoffeeAmberHayVirginia CedarVanilleVetiverMusk
InformationalShared notesLime, Vetiver, Virginia Cedar and Coffee. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring51
Summer0
Fall0
Winter100
Day–
Night–
Spring65
Summer25
Fall80
Winter100
Day100
Night100
Category winnerBen ShermanMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#11,486
PerfumerMark Constantine
Launched—
Reviews17
Overall rank#36,626
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews0
Category winnerDear JohnHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotDear 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 →Ben 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 →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
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Dear John or Ben Sherman?
Dear John takes 5 of 7 categories. Dear John is rated 3.77/5 from 358 votes; Ben Sherman is rated 3.92/5 from 50 votes. Choose Dear John for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter. 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.
Which lasts longer, Dear John or Ben Sherman?
Dear John lasts longest (Dear John 62/100, Ben Sherman 59/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Dear John or Ben Sherman?
Projection is very close: Dear John 56/100, Ben Sherman 54/100 for sillage.
Do Dear John and Ben Sherman smell similar?
Some overlap: a 48% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, woody and aromatic accords. Common notes include Lime, Vetiver, Virginia Cedar and Coffee.
Is Dear John or Ben Sherman better for summer or winter?
For summer, Ben Sherman is the stronger pick. For winter, Dear John is the stronger pick. Ben Sherman suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Dear John and Ben Sherman?
Dear John features Lime, Clove, Vetiver, Pine and Virginia Cedar. 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.
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