Fragrance comparison

L'Original vs First Instinct Blue

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

Updated 21 Oct 2026 783 ratings analysed

4 wins

L'Original

Andree Putman

4.3268 votes

Rank #15,964 Fresh SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

42%scent match

Some overlap

First Instinct Blue

Abercrombie & Fitch

3.68715 votes

Rank #3,440 Fresh SpicyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

L'Original takes 4 of 7 categories.

L'Original
Choose it for a fresh spicy and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear.
First Instinct Blue
Choose it for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

L'Original4/7

First Instinct Blue3/7

Ratings & consensus: L'Original
Community sentiment: L'Original
Longevity: First Instinct Blue
Sillage & projection: L'Original
Value for money: First Instinct Blue
Versatility: L'Original
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: First Instinct Blue

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

L'OriginalAndree Putman

First Instinct BlueAbercrombie & Fitch

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.32/ 5 · 68 votes

Have 37%Had 16%Want 48%

3.68/ 5 · 715 votes

Have 79%Had 21%Want 0%

Category winnerL'OriginalRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

50%Love

40%Like

3%Ok

7%Dislike

0%Hate

68 votes

26%Love

50%Like

16%Ok

7%Dislike

1%Hate

630 votes

Category winnerL'OriginalMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity48

〰 Sillage56

♥ Love / hate83

⏱ Longevity55

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate73

Category winners

LongevityFirst Instinct Blue

SillageL'Original

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value41

¤ Price value73

Category winnerFirst Instinct BlueBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fresh spicy100%

woody91%

warm spicy83%

floral74%

aquatic65%

marine56%

fresh spicy100%

aromatic92%

lavender84%

warm spicy77%

woody69%

fruity61%

Scent match42%Some overlap · both fresh spicy, woody and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

DriftwoodPepperWater LilyCardamom

No top / heart / base split published

Top

AppleBergamotCardamom

Heart

LavenderRosemaryPepper

Base

SandalwoodTonka BeanAmber

InformationalShared notesPepper and Cardamom. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer91

Fall52

Winter30

Day100

Night31

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter26

Day–

Night–

Category winnerL'OriginalMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men35

Unisex59

Women6

Men93

Unisex6

Women1

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#15,964

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews6

Overall rank#3,440

PerfumerYves Cassar

Launched—

Reviews112

Category winnerFirst Instinct BlueHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

L'Original by Andree Putman is an airy, quiet woody aquatic fragrance that feels like wet gravel and clean linen. It side-steps the usual bright citrus openings, choosing instead to blend cold water lily with a dry, peppery driftwood base. It is a skin scent designed for those who prefer subtle, personal office wear o…

Reviews →

First Instinct Blue by Abercrombie & Fitch is a Aromatic Fougere fragrance for men. First Instinct Blue was launched in 2018. The nose behind this fragrance is Yves Cassar. Top notes are Apple, Bergamot and Cardamom; middle notes are Lavender, Rosemary and Pepper; base notes are Sandalwood, Tonka Bean and Amber.

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.

Which is better, L'Original or First Instinct Blue?

L'Original takes 4 of 7 categories. L'Original is rated 4.32/5 from 68 votes; First Instinct Blue is rated 3.68/5 from 715 votes. Choose L'Original for a fresh spicy and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose First Instinct Blue for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, L'Original or First Instinct Blue?

First Instinct Blue lasts longest (First Instinct Blue 55/100, L'Original 48/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, L'Original or First Instinct Blue?

L'Original projects furthest (L'Original 56/100, First Instinct Blue 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do L'Original and First Instinct Blue smell similar?

Some overlap: a 42% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fresh spicy, woody and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Pepper and Cardamom.

Is L'Original or First Instinct Blue better for summer or winter?

For summer, L'Original is the stronger pick. For winter, L'Original is the stronger pick. L'Original suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in L'Original and First Instinct Blue?

L'Original features Driftwood, Pepper, Water Lily and Cardamom. First Instinct Blue has top notes of Apple, Bergamot and Cardamom, heart notes of Lavender, Rosemary and Pepper, a base of Sandalwood, Tonka Bean and Amber.