Fragrance comparison

Java Wood vs Tar

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 140 ratings analysed

Java Wood

Première Note

3.4654 votes

Rank #43,297 Soft SpicyFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

30%scent match

Clearly different

6 wins

Tar

Miguel Matos

3.6586 votes

Rank #7,347 SweetSoft Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Tar takes 6 of 7 categories.

Java Wood
Choose it for a soft spicy and fresh spicy character. Wins on community sentiment. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Tar
Choose it for a sweet and soft spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.

Java Wood1/7

Tar6/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Java WoodPremière Note

TarMiguel Matos

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.46/ 5 · 54 votes

Have 51%Had 9%Want 40%

3.65/ 5 · 86 votes

Have 10%Had 6%Want 84%

Category winnerTarRating 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

52%Love

8%Like

10%Ok

18%Dislike

12%Hate

50 votes

Category winnerJava WoodMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity59

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate62

⏱ Longevity85

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate70

Category winners

LongevityTar

SillageTar

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

¤ Price value70

Category winnerTarBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

soft spicy100%

fresh spicy92%

anis84%

aromatic77%

woody69%

earthy61%

sweet100%

soft spicy92%

smoky84%

anis77%

warm spicy69%

fresh61%

Scent match30%Clearly different · both soft spicy and anis

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

LicoriceStar AniseAldehydesPineappleBergamotPalisander Rosewood

Heart

SmokeRumOreganoCinnamonLavenderLily-of-the-ValleyYlang-Ylang

Base

CaramelOpoponaxCoffeeAgarwood (Oud)Animal notesTonka BeanTobaccoMusk

InformationalShared notesStar Anise, Bergamot, Tobacco and Licorice. 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

Spring69

Summer44

Fall88

Winter100

Day59

Night100

Category winnerTarMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men50

Unisex36

Women14

Men50

Unisex45

Women5

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#43,297

PerfumerMelanie Leroux

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#7,347

PerfumerMiguel Matos

Launched—

Reviews29

Category winnerTarHigher 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 →

Tar by Miguel Matos is a dense sweet smoke fragrance built around licorice, star anise, rum, caramel, woods, oud, tobacco and animalic musk. It opens dark and spicy, then settles into a sticky, smoky sweetness that can feel like black honey, melted licorice and warm pavement after summer heat. This is not a quiet ever…

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 Tar?

Tar takes 6 of 7 categories. Java Wood is rated 3.46/5 from 54 votes; Tar is rated 3.65/5 from 86 votes. Choose Java Wood for a soft spicy and fresh spicy character. Wins on community sentiment. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Tar for a sweet and soft spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Java Wood or Tar?

Tar lasts longest (Tar 85/100, Java Wood 59/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Java Wood or Tar?

Tar projects furthest (Tar 75/100, Java Wood 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Java Wood and Tar smell similar?

Clearly different: a 30% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share soft spicy and anis accords. Common notes include Star Anise, Bergamot, Tobacco and Licorice.

Is Java Wood or Tar better for summer or winter?

For summer, Java Wood is the stronger pick. For winter, Tar is the stronger pick. Java Wood suits daytime wear; Tar suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Java Wood and Tar?

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. Tar has top notes of Licorice, Star Anise, Aldehydes and Pineapple, heart notes of Smoke, Rum, Oregano and Cinnamon, a base of Caramel, Opoponax, Coffee and Agarwood (Oud).