Fragrance comparison

Esoteric vs Obscenity

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

Updated 8 Nov 2026 4 ratings analysed

Esoteric

Parfums Vintage

3.333 votes

Rank #24,781 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

65%scent match

Closely related

Obscenity

Bruce LaBruce

4.001 votes

Rank #63,852 Fresh SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 3 categories split 1–1.

Esoteric
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, evening wear.
Obscenity
Choose it for a fresh spicy and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Esoteric1/3

Obscenity1/3

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Tie
Sillage & projection: Obscenity
Value for money: Not scored
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Esoteric

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

EsotericParfums Vintage

ObscenityBruce LaBruce

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.33/ 5 · 3 votes

Have 38%Had 6%Want 56%

4.00/ 5 · 1 votes

Have 0%Had 2%Want 98%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

33%Love

33%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

33%Hate

3 votes · too few to score

Not enough votes yet

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate58

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hateN/A

Category winners

LongevityTie

SillageObscenity

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value38

¤ Price valueN/A

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

woody92%

fresh spicy84%

warm spicy77%

floral69%

earthy61%

fresh spicy100%

woody92%

aromatic84%

amber77%

warm spicy69%

floral61%

Scent match65%Closely related · both aromatic, woody and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top30 to 45 minutes

MaceBergamotLavenderRosemaryTarragonLemon

Heart2 to 4 hours

Balsam FirGreen NotesGeraniumCarnationJasmineRoseCyclamen

Base4 to 7 hours

OakmossSandalwoodVetiverPatchouliAmberTonka BeanCedarMusk

Top

AsafoetidaGingerBay LeafTarragonHoneysuckleCuminPlumBergamot

Heart

HeliotropeFigGeraniumRoseTobaccoPatchouliCarnationJasmine

Base

Agarwood (Oud)CedarOlibanumSiam BenzoinLabdanumTonka BeanAmberVetiver

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Tarragon, Geranium and Carnation. Durations are only published for Esoteric, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer100

Fall0

Winter0

Day–

Night100

Spring50

Summer50

Fall100

Winter50

Day100

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men67

Unisex0

Women33

Not enough votes yet

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#24,781

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews6

Overall rank#63,852

PerfumerKim Weisswange

Launched—

Reviews2

Category winnerEsotericHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Esoteric by Parfums Vintage presents an intricate aromatic profile constructed around traditional green and herbal elements. The composition opens with an energetic splash of lemon and bergamot, shaded by culinary herbal accents of rosemary, tarragon, and lavender alongside the dry heat of mace. As the bright start re…

Reviews →

Obscenity by Bruce LaBruce offers a polarizing blend of contrasting elements. The opening hits you with a sharp cumin and medicinal asafoetida shock, which slowly settles into a sweet base of fig, tobacco, and warm resins. It is a dense, dirty, and sweet oriental fougere designed for daring enthusiasts who wear fragra…

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, Esoteric or Obscenity?

No clear winner: the 3 categories split 1–1. Esoteric is rated 3.33/5 from 3 votes; Obscenity is rated 4.00/5 from 1 votes. Choose Esoteric for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, evening wear. Choose Obscenity for a fresh spicy and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, Esoteric or Obscenity?

They last about the same: Esoteric 80/100, Obscenity 80/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Esoteric or Obscenity?

Obscenity projects furthest (Obscenity 75/100, Esoteric 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Esoteric and Obscenity smell similar?

Closely related: a 65% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Tarragon, Geranium and Carnation.

Is Esoteric or Obscenity better for summer or winter?

Esoteric suits evening wear; Obscenity suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Esoteric and Obscenity?

Esoteric has top notes of Mace, Bergamot, Lavender and Rosemary, heart notes of Balsam Fir, Green Notes, Geranium and Carnation, a base of Oakmoss, Sandalwood, Vetiver and Patchouli. Obscenity has top notes of Asafoetida, Ginger, Bay Leaf and Tarragon, heart notes of Heliotrope, Fig, Geranium and Rose, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Cedar, Olibanum and Siam Benzoin.