Fragrance comparison

Original vs Retrospection

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

Updated 24 Oct 2026 568 ratings analysed

Original

Denim

4.17534 votes

Rank #2,915 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

44%scent match

Some overlap

Retrospection

JMP Artisan Perfumes

3.5934 votes

Rank #18,165 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 8 categories split 4–4.

Original
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Retrospection
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear.

Original4/8

Retrospection4/8

Ratings & consensus: Original
Community sentiment: Original
Longevity: Retrospection
Sillage & projection: Retrospection
Value for money: Original
Versatility: Retrospection
Note pyramid (duration): Retrospection
Fragranxe ranking: Original

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

OriginalDenim

RetrospectionJMP Artisan Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.17/ 5 · 534 votes

Have 69%Had 31%Want 0%

3.59/ 5 · 34 votes

Have 30%Had 12%Want 57%

Category winnerOriginalRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

40%Love

46%Like

7%Ok

6%Dislike

2%Hate

534 votes

24%Love

35%Like

24%Ok

12%Dislike

6%Hate

34 votes

Category winnerOriginalMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate79

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate65

Category winners

LongevityRetrospection

SillageRetrospection

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value91

¤ Price value61

Category winnerOriginalBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

woody90%

amber80%

fresh spicy70%

citrus60%

soft spicy50%

aromatic100%

woody92%

animalic84%

fresh spicy77%

white floral69%

green61%

Scent match44%Some overlap · both aromatic, woody and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

Clary SageBergamotPetitgrain

Heart2-3 hrs

Olibanum

Base5-7 hrs

VetiverCedarAmber

Top15-30 mins

GalbanumAldehydesBergamotWormwoodLavenderRosemaryPetitgrain

Heart2-4 hrs

Orange BlossomLily-of-the-ValleyJasmineGeraniumCorianderRoseClary SageCloves

Base8-10+ hrs

OakmossCivetLeatherBeeswaxMuskOrris RootVetiverSandalwood

Category winnerRetrospectionLongest dry-down: 8-10+ hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter99

Day100

Night39

Spring86

Summer21

Fall100

Winter71

Day73

Night100

Category winnerRetrospectionMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men98

Unisex1

Women0

Casual 42%Work 38%Date 12%Party 8%

Men65

Unisex23

Women12

Date 31%Work 28%Casual 23%Party 18%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#2,915

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews70

Overall rank#18,165

PerfumerJakub Pietrynka

Launched—

Reviews6

Category winnerOriginalHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Denim Original hits with a bracing blast of bitter petitgrain, zesty bergamot, and pungent clary sage. It is unapologetically bold. The alcohol rush stings for three minutes, then quickly gives way to a dry, resinous heart of smoky olibanum. As the scent warms on skin, earthy vetiver and dry cedar lock into a golden a…

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.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Original or Retrospection?

No clear winner: the 8 categories split 4–4. Original is rated 4.17/5 from 534 votes; Retrospection is rated 3.59/5 from 34 votes. Choose Original for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Retrospection for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Original or Retrospection?

Retrospection lasts longest (Retrospection 80/100, Original 68/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Original or Retrospection?

Retrospection projects furthest (Retrospection 71/100, Original 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Original and Retrospection smell similar?

Some overlap: a 44% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Clary Sage, Bergamot, Petitgrain and Vetiver.

Is Original or Retrospection better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Original and Retrospection?

Original has top notes of Clary Sage, Bergamot and Petitgrain, heart notes of Olibanum, a base of Vetiver, Cedar and Amber. 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.