Fragrance comparison

Notes vs Retrospection

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 370 ratings analysed

Notes

Robert Piguet

3.65336 votes

Rank #4,561 AromaticCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

43%scent match

Some overlap

5 wins

Retrospection

JMP Artisan Perfumes

3.5934 votes

Rank #19,634 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Retrospection takes 5 of 7 categories.

Notes
Choose it for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.
Retrospection
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on community sentiment, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear.

Notes2/7

Retrospection5/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

NotesRobert Piguet

RetrospectionJMP Artisan Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.65/ 5 · 336 votes

Have 64%Had 36%Want 0%

3.59/ 5 · 34 votes

Have 30%Had 12%Want 57%

Category winnerNotesRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

26%Love

39%Like

10%Ok

22%Dislike

3%Hate

262 votes

24%Love

35%Like

24%Ok

12%Dislike

6%Hate

34 votes

Category winnerRetrospectionMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity74

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate68

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate65

Category winners

LongevityRetrospection

SillageRetrospection

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value46

¤ Price value61

Category winnerRetrospectionBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

citrus91%

fresh spicy83%

white floral74%

earthy65%

sweet56%

aromatic100%

woody92%

animalic84%

fresh spicy77%

white floral69%

green61%

Scent match43%Some overlap · both aromatic, fresh spicy and white floral

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Clary SageBergamot

Heart

Orange BlossomGeraniumCostus

Base

Tonka BeanVetiverOakmoss

Top15-30 mins

GalbanumAldehydesBergamotWormwoodLavenderRosemaryPetitgrain

Heart2-4 hrs

Orange BlossomLily-of-the-ValleyJasmineGeraniumCorianderRoseClary SageCloves

Base8-10+ hrs

OakmossCivetLeatherBeeswaxMuskOrris RootVetiverSandalwood

InformationalShared notesClary Sage, Bergamot, Orange Blossom and Geranium. Durations are only published for Retrospection, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer48

Fall0

Winter28

Day–

Night–

Spring86

Summer21

Fall100

Winter71

Day83

Night100

Category winnerRetrospectionMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men64

Unisex34

Women3

Men65

Unisex23

Women12

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#4,561

PerfumerAurélien Guichard

Launched—

Reviews49

Overall rank#19,634

PerfumerJakub Pietrynka

Launched—

Reviews6

Category winnerNotesHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Notes by Robert Piguet is an aromatic, chypre-style fragrance that centers on a classic blend of clary sage, geranium, and oakmoss. It is an ideal pick for those who appreciate old-school, professional scents that transition easily from a morning office setting to an evening dinner. This versatile creation brings a cr…

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, Notes or Retrospection?

Retrospection takes 5 of 7 categories. Notes is rated 3.65/5 from 336 votes; Retrospection is rated 3.59/5 from 34 votes. Choose Notes for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring. Choose Retrospection for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on community sentiment, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Notes or Retrospection?

Retrospection lasts longest (Retrospection 80/100, Notes 74/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Notes or Retrospection?

Retrospection projects furthest (Retrospection 71/100, Notes 65/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Notes and Retrospection smell similar?

Some overlap: a 43% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and white floral accords. Common notes include Clary Sage, Bergamot, Orange Blossom and Geranium.

Is Notes or Retrospection better for summer or winter?

For summer, Notes is the stronger pick. For winter, Retrospection is the stronger pick. Retrospection suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Notes and Retrospection?

Notes has top notes of Clary Sage and Bergamot, heart notes of Orange Blossom, Geranium and Costus, a base of Tonka Bean, Vetiver and Oakmoss. 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.