Fragrance comparison

First vs Sable Classic

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

Updated 17 Oct 2026 3,483 ratings analysed

1 wins

First

Van Cleef & Arpels

3.983,483 votes

Rank #913 FloralGreen

Full profile Similar & dupes

14%scent match

Clearly different

Sable Classic

Diana Drummond

—0 votes

Rank #74,792 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

First takes 1 of 2 categories.

First
Choose it for a floral and green character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Sable Classic
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character.

First1/2

Sable Classic0/2

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

FirstVan Cleef & Arpels

Sable ClassicDiana Drummond

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.98/ 5 · 3,483 votes

Have 63%Had 37%Want 0%

—/ 5 · 0 votes

Have 0%Had 0%Want 100%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

38%Love

41%Like

3%Ok

17%Dislike

1%Hate

3,483 votes

Not enough votes yet

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate75

⏱ LongevityN/A

〰 SillageN/A

♥ Love / hateN/A

Category winners

LongevityNo data

SillageNo data

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value59

¤ Price valueN/A

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

floral100%

green92%

aldehydic84%

white floral77%

yellow floral69%

fresh61%

aromatic100%

woody92%

earthy84%

amber77%

green69%

balsamic61%

Scent match14%Clearly different · both green

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-30 mins

AldehydesBergamotBlack CurrantPeachMandarin OrangeRaspberry

Heart3-4 hrs

NarcissusHiacynthJasmineLily-of-the-ValleyCarnationYlang-YlangOrris RootTuberose

Base6-8+ hrs

CivetOakmossHoneyAmberMuskSandalwoodVetiverTonka Bean

Top20-30 mins

elemiFirHerbal NotesResins

Heart2-4 hrs

Turkish RoseOrris RootJasmine Sambac

Base6-8+ hrs

OakmossVetiverTonka

Category winnerTieSame dry-down length

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter99

Day100

Night66

Spring–

Summer–

Fall–

Winter–

Day100

Night79

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men2

Unisex12

Women86

Work 33%Casual 29%Date 25%Party 14%

Not enough votes yet

Work 36%Casual 33%Date 19%Party 11%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#913

PerfumerJean-Claude Ellena

Launched—

Reviews205

Overall rank#74,792

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerFirstHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

First by Van Cleef & Arpels opens with a brisk, effervescent burst of aldehydes, tart bergamot, and ripe black currant that immediately calls to mind crisp, high-end French milled soap. As the initial sparkle settles, the scent unfolds into an abundant floral heart packed with spring narcissus, dewy green hyacinth, an…

Reviews →

Sable Classic by Diana Drummond opens with a brisk snap of resinous Scots pine and peppery green elemi. It smells like a crisp morning walk through a damp Scottish highland forest. There is no artificial sugar here. The scent quickly settles into a grounding combination of bitter herbal notes, earthy oakmoss, and dry …

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.

Do First and Sable Classic smell similar?

Clearly different: a 14% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share green accords. Common notes include Orris Root, Oakmoss and Vetiver.

Is First or Sable Classic better for summer or winter?

First suits daytime wear; Sable Classic suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in First and Sable Classic?

First has top notes of Aldehydes, Bergamot, Black Currant and Peach, heart notes of Narcissus, Hiacynth, Jasmine and Lily-of-the-Valley, a base of Civet, Oakmoss, Honey and Amber. Sable Classic has top notes of elemi, Fir, Herbal Notes and Resins, heart notes of Turkish Rose, Orris Root and Jasmine Sambac, a base of Oakmoss, Vetiver and Tonka.