Fragrance comparison

Java Wood vs By Serpentine

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 74 ratings analysed

Java Wood

Première Note

3.4654 votes

Rank #43,297 Soft SpicyFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

30%scent match

Clearly different

By Serpentine

Exaltatum

3.4020 votes

Rank #52,046 Fresh SpicyOzonic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 6 categories split 3–3.

Java Wood
Choose it for a soft spicy and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear.
By Serpentine
Choose it for a fresh spicy and ozonic character. Wins on longevity, value for money and note pyramid duration. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Java Wood3/6

By Serpentine3/6

Ratings & consensus: Java Wood
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: By Serpentine
Sillage & projection: Java Wood
Value for money: By Serpentine
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): By Serpentine
Fragranxe ranking: Java Wood

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Java WoodPremière Note

By SerpentineExaltatum

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.46/ 5 · 54 votes

Have 51%Had 9%Want 40%

3.40/ 5 · 20 votes

Have 14%Had 7%Want 80%

Category winnerJava WoodRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

17%Love

44%Like

11%Ok

24%Dislike

4%Hate

54 votes

35%Love

10%Like

20%Ok

30%Dislike

5%Hate

20 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity59

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate62

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage53

♥ Love / hate60

Category winners

LongevityBy Serpentine

SillageJava Wood

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

¤ Price value58

Category winnerBy SerpentineBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

soft spicy100%

fresh spicy92%

anis84%

aromatic77%

woody69%

earthy61%

fresh spicy100%

ozonic92%

herbal84%

sweet77%

woody69%

aquatic61%

Scent match30%Clearly different · both fresh spicy and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

Star AniseSichuan PepperBergamot

Heart2-3 hrs

TobaccoCuminViolet Leaf

Base5-7 hrs

Haitian VetiverJava vetiver oilLicorice

Top20-30 mins

Sichuan PepperBergamotBigaradePink Pepper

Heart2-4 hrs

Violet LeafCherryDried FruitsArtemisia

Base6-8 hrs

TobaccoFirPatchouliCedarOlibanum

Category winnerBy SerpentineLongest dry-down: 6-8 hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring63

Summer50

Fall100

Winter63

Day100

Night85

Spring75

Summer13

Fall100

Winter50

Day100

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men50

Unisex36

Women14

Men10

Unisex60

Women30

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#43,297

PerfumerMelanie Leroux

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#52,046

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews2

Category winnerJava WoodHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Première Note Java Wood is an earthy, dry spice fragrance built around woody roots and herbal heat. The opening snaps with tart bergamot, tingling Sichuan pepper, and bitter star anise. It feels sharp. Soon, dried tobacco leaves and warm cumin bring a dusty, aromatic grit to the midsection. A foundation of dark Haitia…

Reviews →

By Serpentine by Exaltatum is an unconventional aromatic blend that weaves crisp greenery with dark fruit and forest woods. It opens with an energetic snap of Sichuan pepper and bitter bigarade orange before softening into a curious core of tart cherry, dried fruits, and dewy violet leaf. As it settles on skin, a stur…

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, Java Wood or By Serpentine?

No clear winner: the 6 categories split 3–3. Java Wood is rated 3.46/5 from 54 votes; By Serpentine is rated 3.40/5 from 20 votes. Choose Java Wood for a soft spicy and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose By Serpentine for a fresh spicy and ozonic character. Wins on longevity, value for money and note pyramid duration. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, Java Wood or By Serpentine?

By Serpentine lasts longest (By Serpentine 67/100, Java Wood 59/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Java Wood or By Serpentine?

Java Wood projects furthest (Java Wood 57/100, By Serpentine 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Java Wood and By Serpentine smell similar?

Clearly different: a 30% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fresh spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Sichuan Pepper, Bergamot, Tobacco and Violet Leaf.

Is Java Wood or By Serpentine better for summer or winter?

Java Wood suits daytime wear; By Serpentine suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Java Wood and By Serpentine?

Java Wood has top notes of Star Anise, Sichuan Pepper and Bergamot, heart notes of Tobacco, Cumin and Violet Leaf, a base of Haitian Vetiver, Java vetiver oil and Licorice. By Serpentine has top notes of Sichuan Pepper, Bergamot, Bigarade and Pink Pepper, heart notes of Violet Leaf, Cherry, Dried Fruits and Artemisia, a base of Tobacco, Fir, Patchouli and Cedar.