Fragrance comparison

Java Wood vs So Bold

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 162 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

So Bold

Pepe Jeans London

3.66108 votes

Rank #16,741 AromaticOzonic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

So Bold takes 5 of 7 categories.

Java Wood
Choose it for a soft spicy and fresh spicy character. Wins on sillage & projection and versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear.
So Bold
Choose it for a aromatic and ozonic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.

Java Wood2/7

So Bold5/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Java WoodPremière Note

So BoldPepe Jeans London

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.46/ 5 · 54 votes

Have 51%Had 9%Want 40%

3.66/ 5 · 108 votes

Have 86%Had 14%Want 0%

Category winnerSo BoldRating 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

24%Love

39%Like

21%Ok

10%Dislike

6%Hate

108 votes

Category winnerSo BoldMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity59

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate62

⏱ Longevity62

〰 Sillage51

♥ Love / hate66

Category winners

LongevitySo Bold

SillageJava Wood

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

¤ Price value68

Category winnerSo BoldBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

soft spicy100%

fresh spicy92%

anis84%

aromatic77%

woody69%

earthy61%

aromatic100%

ozonic92%

lavender84%

aquatic77%

vanilla69%

soft spicy61%

Scent match31%Clearly different · both aromatic and soft spicy

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

T-Shirt accordBergamotMandarin Orange

Heart

Violet LeafLavenderClary Sage

Base

White LeatherTonka BeanHaitian VetiverTobacco

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

Summer73

Fall0

Winter37

Day–

Night–

Category winnerJava WoodMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men50

Unisex36

Women14

Men85

Unisex11

Women3

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#43,297

PerfumerMelanie Leroux

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#16,741

PerfumerChristophe Raynaud, Jordi Fernández

Launched—

Reviews14

Category winnerSo BoldHigher 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 →

So Bold is a clean aromatic leather scent built around citrus, laundry-fresh fabric, lavender, violet leaf, tonka and soft white leather. On skin it can read fresh, masculine and easy to wear, with a cotton-aquatic opening that some reviewers enjoy immediately. It is also more divisive up close. Several wearers find t…

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 So Bold?

So Bold takes 5 of 7 categories. Java Wood is rated 3.46/5 from 54 votes; So Bold is rated 3.66/5 from 108 votes. Choose Java Wood for a soft spicy and fresh spicy character. Wins on sillage & projection and versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose So Bold for a aromatic and ozonic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Java Wood or So Bold?

So Bold lasts longest (So Bold 62/100, Java Wood 59/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Java Wood or So Bold?

Java Wood projects furthest (Java Wood 57/100, So Bold 51/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Java Wood and So Bold smell similar?

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

Is Java Wood or So Bold better for summer or winter?

For summer, So Bold is the stronger pick. For winter, Java Wood is the stronger pick. Java Wood suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Java Wood and So Bold?

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. So Bold has top notes of T-Shirt accord, Bergamot and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Violet Leaf, Lavender and Clary Sage, a base of White Leather, Tonka Bean, Haitian Vetiver and Tobacco.