Fragrance comparison

Java Wood vs Marseille

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 72 ratings analysed

Java Wood

Première Note

3.4654 votes

Rank #43,297 Soft SpicyFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

31%scent match

Clearly different

5 wins

Marseille

Mendes Perfumes

4.0018 votes

Rank #22,224 CitrusAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Marseille takes 5 of 5 categories.

Java Wood
Choose it for a soft spicy and fresh spicy character. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Marseille
Choose it for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Java Wood0/5

Marseille5/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Java WoodPremière Note

MarseilleMendes Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.46/ 5 · 54 votes

Have 51%Had 9%Want 40%

4.00/ 5 · 18 votes

Have 31%Had 19%Want 50%

Category winnerMarseilleRating 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

44%Love

22%Like

28%Ok

0%Dislike

6%Hate

18 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity59

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate62

⏱ Longevity63

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevityMarseille

SillageMarseille

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

¤ Price value57

Category winnerMarseilleBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

soft spicy100%

fresh spicy92%

anis84%

aromatic77%

woody69%

earthy61%

citrus100%

aromatic91%

fresh spicy83%

vanilla74%

white floral65%

sweet56%

Scent match31%Clearly different · both fresh spicy and aromatic

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

Top

Mandarin OrangeBasilBergamotLemon

Heart

Orange BlossomGeraniumTobaccoViolet Leaf

Base

Haitian VetiverTonka BeanVanillaLabdanumCashmere WoodMuskCedarwood

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Tobacco, Violet Leaf and Haitian Vetiver. Durations are only published for Java Wood, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring63

Summer50

Fall100

Winter63

Day100

Night85

Spring100

Summer71

Fall71

Winter29

Day100

Night75

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men50

Unisex36

Women14

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#43,297

PerfumerMelanie Leroux

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#22,224

PerfumerDominique Preyssas

Launched—

Reviews13

Category winnerMarseilleHigher 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 →

Mendes Perfumes Marseille opens with a crisp burst of mandarin orange, bergamot, and lemon, quickly grounded by sharp basil leaf. As the bright citrus top begins to settle, a heart of orange blossom, violet leaf, and spicy geranium brings a clean aromatic texture with subtle green undertones. The base gradually turns …

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 Marseille?

Marseille takes 5 of 5 categories. Java Wood is rated 3.46/5 from 54 votes; Marseille is rated 4.00/5 from 18 votes. Choose Java Wood for a soft spicy and fresh spicy character. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Marseille for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Java Wood or Marseille?

Marseille lasts longest (Marseille 63/100, Java Wood 59/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Java Wood or Marseille?

Marseille projects furthest (Marseille 61/100, Java Wood 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Java Wood and Marseille smell similar?

Clearly different: a 31% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fresh spicy and aromatic accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Tobacco, Violet Leaf and Haitian Vetiver.

Is Java Wood or Marseille better for summer or winter?

Java Wood suits daytime wear; Marseille suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Java Wood and Marseille?

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. Marseille has top notes of Mandarin Orange, Basil, Bergamot and Lemon, heart notes of Orange Blossom, Geranium, Tobacco and Violet Leaf, a base of Haitian Vetiver, Tonka Bean, Vanilla and Labdanum.