Fragrance comparison

Essere Gentile vs The Penthouse

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

Updated 19 Oct 2026 32 ratings analysed

4 wins

Essere Gentile

Zanini

4.6028 votes

Rank #11,145 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

52%scent match

Some overlap

The Penthouse

Henry Jacques

4.254 votes

Rank #40,686 Warm SpicyFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Essere Gentile takes 4 of 4 categories.

Essere Gentile
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, day or night wear.
The Penthouse
Choose it for a warm spicy and fresh spicy character. Best in fall, evening wear.

Essere Gentile4/4

The Penthouse0/4

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Essere GentileZanini

The PenthouseHenry Jacques

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.60/ 5 · 28 votes

Have 11%Had 11%Want 78%

4.25/ 5 · 4 votes

Have 20%Had 0%Want 80%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

100%Love

0%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

1 vote · too few to score

50%Love

25%Like

25%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

4 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity83

〰 Sillage70

♥ Love / hate82

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate81

Category winners

LongevityEssere Gentile

SillageEssere Gentile

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value61

¤ Price value42

Category winnerEssere GentileBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

woody92%

amber84%

citrus77%

fresh spicy69%

vanilla61%

warm spicy100%

fresh spicy92%

woody84%

amber77%

vanilla69%

aromatic61%

Scent match52%Some overlap · both woody, aromatic and amber

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

Bitter OrangeLiquidambarCedarmossGalbanumChinottoVanillaBenzoinOakmossVetiverCypressMyrtleOlive

No top / heart / base split published

Top

Bitter OrangeNutmegCinnamon LeafPink PepperCypressCocoaBergamot

Heart

ClovesCedarwoodPatchouliPepperGeraniumJasmine

Base

BenzoinSandalwoodTonka BeanVanillaOudCumin

InformationalShared notesBitter Orange, Vanilla, Benzoin and Cypress. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall100

Winter100

Day100

Night100

Spring40

Summer20

Fall100

Winter80

Day–

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

Men40

Unisex60

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#11,145

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews14

Overall rank#40,686

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews1

Category winnerEssere GentileHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Essere Gentile by Zanini balances the bitter kick of chinotto with earthy green cypress and a balsamic, warm base. The scent shifts from a bright, sharp Italian citrus opening into a deep, mossy forest floor that hugs the skin during cool autumn days.

Reviews →

The Penthouse by Henry Jacques opens with a crisp burst of bitter orange, pink pepper, and sharp nutmeg before settling into a deep, woody interior. As the top notes fade, a dense spine of cedarwood, patchouli, and warm cloves takes control, giving the fragrance a rich, structural weight on skin. The dry-down brings o…

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.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Essere Gentile or The Penthouse?

Essere Gentile takes 4 of 4 categories. Essere Gentile is rated 4.60/5 from 28 votes; The Penthouse is rated 4.25/5 from 4 votes. Choose Essere Gentile for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, day or night wear. Choose The Penthouse for a warm spicy and fresh spicy character. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Essere Gentile or The Penthouse?

Essere Gentile lasts longest (Essere Gentile 83/100, The Penthouse 80/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Essere Gentile or The Penthouse?

Essere Gentile projects furthest (Essere Gentile 70/100, The Penthouse 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Essere Gentile and The Penthouse smell similar?

Some overlap: a 52% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, aromatic and amber accords. Common notes include Bitter Orange, Vanilla, Benzoin and Cypress.

Is Essere Gentile or The Penthouse better for summer or winter?

Essere Gentile suits day or night wear; The Penthouse suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Essere Gentile and The Penthouse?

Essere Gentile features Bitter Orange, Liquidambar, Cedarmoss, Galbanum and Chinotto. The Penthouse has top notes of Bitter Orange, Nutmeg, Cinnamon Leaf and Pink Pepper, heart notes of Cloves, Cedarwood, Patchouli and Pepper, a base of Benzoin, Sandalwood, Tonka Bean and Vanilla.