El vs Retrospection
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
47%scent match
Some overlap
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Retrospection takes 5 of 7 categories.
ElChoose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus and community sentiment. Best in winter.
RetrospectionChoose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.
El2/7
Retrospection5/7
- Ratings & consensus
- El
- Community sentiment
- El
- Longevity
- Retrospection
- Sillage & projection
- Retrospection
- Value for money
- Retrospection
- Versatility
- Retrospection
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- Retrospection
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
ElArquisteRetrospectionJMP Artisan PerfumesWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split4.04/ 5 · 164 votes
Have 30%Had 7%Want 63%
3.59/ 5 · 34 votes
Have 30%Had 12%Want 57%
Category winnerElRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate47%Love
30%Like
5%Ok
16%Dislike
2%Hate
164 votes
24%Love
35%Like
24%Ok
12%Dislike
6%Hate
34 votes
Category winnerElMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityRetrospection
SillageRetrospection
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerRetrospectionBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by botharomatic100%
woody92%
fresh spicy84%
earthy77%
warm spicy69%
mossy61%
aromatic100%
woody92%
animalic84%
fresh spicy77%
white floral69%
green61%
Scent match47%Some overlap · both aromatic, woody and fresh spicy
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedNotes
OakmossCastoreumOrange BlossomClary SageCivetGeraniumVetiverHoneyCardamomPatchouliLaurelsRosemary
No top / heart / base split published
Top15-30 mins
GalbanumAldehydesBergamotWormwoodLavenderRosemaryPetitgrain
Heart2-4 hrs
Orange BlossomLily-of-the-ValleyJasmineGeraniumCorianderRoseClary SageCloves
Base8-10+ hrs
OakmossCivetLeatherBeeswaxMuskOrris RootVetiverSandalwood
InformationalShared notesOakmoss, Orange Blossom, Clary Sage and Civet. Durations are only published for Retrospection, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring91
Summer45
Fall0
Winter100
Day–
Night–
Spring86
Summer21
Fall100
Winter71
Day83
Night100
Category winnerRetrospectionMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#29,883
PerfumerRodrigo Flores-Roux
Launched—
Reviews0
Overall rank#19,634
PerfumerJakub Pietrynka
Launched—
Reviews6
Category winnerRetrospectionHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotArquiste El opens with a sharp flash of clary sage, rosemary, and bitter laurel leaves before deepening into a sweaty vintage heart. Rodrigo Flores-Roux built this 2016 release around raw oakmoss, earthy patchouli, and heavy animalic notes of castoreum and civet. A subtle streak of dark honey and cinnamon cuts through…
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.
Guided comparison
Ask about this matchup
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, El or Retrospection?
Retrospection takes 5 of 7 categories. El is rated 4.04/5 from 164 votes; Retrospection is rated 3.59/5 from 34 votes. Choose El for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus and community sentiment. Best in winter. 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, El or Retrospection?
Retrospection lasts longest (Retrospection 80/100, El 70/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, El or Retrospection?
Retrospection projects furthest (Retrospection 71/100, El 63/100), based on community performance votes.
Do El and Retrospection smell similar?
Some overlap: a 47% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Oakmoss, Orange Blossom, Clary Sage and Civet.
Is El or Retrospection better for summer or winter?
For summer, El is the stronger pick. For winter, El is the stronger pick. Retrospection suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in El and Retrospection?
El features Oakmoss, Castoreum, Orange Blossom, Clary Sage and Civet. 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.
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