Fragrance comparison

Macbeth vs Retrospection

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 51 ratings analysed

Macbeth

Shakespeare Perfumes

3.8217 votes

Rank #23,087 LavenderCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

40%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

Retrospection

JMP Artisan Perfumes

3.5934 votes

Rank #19,721 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Retrospection takes 3 of 5 categories.

Macbeth
Choose it for a lavender and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus and longevity. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Retrospection
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.

Macbeth2/5

Retrospection3/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

MacbethShakespeare Perfumes

RetrospectionJMP Artisan Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.82/ 5 · 17 votes

Have 23%Had 4%Want 73%

3.59/ 5 · 34 votes

Have 30%Had 12%Want 57%

Category winnerMacbethRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

35%Love

35%Like

6%Ok

24%Dislike

0%Hate

17 votes · too few to score

24%Love

35%Like

24%Ok

12%Dislike

6%Hate

34 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity82

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate71

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate65

Category winners

LongevityMacbeth

SillageRetrospection

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value55

¤ Price value61

Category winnerRetrospectionBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

lavender100%

citrus92%

aromatic84%

woody77%

fresh spicy69%

leather61%

aromatic100%

woody92%

animalic84%

fresh spicy77%

white floral69%

green61%

Scent match40%Some overlap · both aromatic, woody and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

LavenderLemonBergamotCuminTarragon

Heart

JasmineLily-of-the-ValleyViolet

Base

OakmossCastoreumCedarClovesGalbanumPatchouliWoodsy NotesAmbergris

Top15-30 mins

GalbanumAldehydesBergamotWormwoodLavenderRosemaryPetitgrain

Heart2-4 hrs

Orange BlossomLily-of-the-ValleyJasmineGeraniumCorianderRoseClary SageCloves

Base8-10+ hrs

OakmossCivetLeatherBeeswaxMuskOrris RootVetiverSandalwood

InformationalShared notesLavender, Bergamot, Jasmine and Lily-of-the-Valley. Durations are only published for Retrospection, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring43

Summer14

Fall100

Winter100

Day100

Night25

Spring86

Summer21

Fall100

Winter71

Day83

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men67

Unisex20

Women13

Men65

Unisex23

Women12

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#23,087

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews7

Overall rank#19,721

PerfumerJakub Pietrynka

Launched—

Reviews6

Category winnerRetrospectionHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Shakespeare Perfumes Macbeth arrives as a robust, retro-styled aromatic barbershop fougere. It leads with a sharp punch of lemon and herbal tarragon before settling into an old-school lavender, moss, and leather dry-down. This scent is built for mature men who appreciate classic masculine perfumery with serious perfor…

Reviews →

Retrospection by JMP Artisan Perfumes resurrects the bold, unapologetic swagger of traditional masculine perfumery from the late twentieth century. Created by Polish independent perfumer Jakub Pietrynka, this composition opens with a sharp burst of bitter galbanum, soapy aldehydes, and zesty bergamot. Within minutes, …

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, Macbeth or Retrospection?

Retrospection takes 3 of 5 categories. Macbeth is rated 3.82/5 from 17 votes; Retrospection is rated 3.59/5 from 34 votes. Choose Macbeth for a lavender and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus and longevity. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Retrospection for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Macbeth or Retrospection?

They last about the same: Macbeth 82/100, Retrospection 80/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Macbeth or Retrospection?

Projection is very close: Retrospection 71/100, Macbeth 69/100 for sillage.

Do Macbeth and Retrospection smell similar?

Some overlap: a 40% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Lavender, Bergamot, Jasmine and Lily-of-the-Valley.

Is Macbeth or Retrospection better for summer or winter?

Macbeth suits daytime wear; Retrospection suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Macbeth and Retrospection?

Macbeth has top notes of Lavender, Lemon, Bergamot and Cumin, heart notes of Jasmine, Lily-of-the-Valley and Violet, a base of Oakmoss, Castoreum, Cedar and Cloves. Retrospection has top notes of Galbanum, Aldehydes, Bergamot and Wormwood, heart notes of Orange Blossom, Lily-of-the-Valley, Jasmine and Geranium, a base of Oakmoss, Civet, Leather and Beeswax.