Fragrance comparison

Premiere vs First

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 3,517 ratings analysed

Premiere

Castelbajac

4.0634 votes

Rank #47,353 EarthyAldehydic

Full profile Similar & dupes

48%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

First

Van Cleef & Arpels

3.983,483 votes

Rank #955 FloralGreen

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

First takes 4 of 7 categories.

Premiere
Choose it for a earthy and aldehydic character. Wins on community sentiment, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear.
First
Choose it for a floral and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and note pyramid duration. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Premiere3/7

First4/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

PremiereCastelbajac

FirstVan Cleef & Arpels

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.06/ 5 · 34 votes

Have 37%Had 25%Want 38%

3.98/ 5 · 3,483 votes

Have 63%Had 37%Want 0%

Category winnerFirstRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

32%Love

53%Like

6%Ok

6%Dislike

3%Hate

34 votes

38%Love

41%Like

3%Ok

17%Dislike

1%Hate

3,483 votes

Category winnerPremiereMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity54

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate76

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevityFirst

SillagePremiere

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price valueN/A

¤ Price value59

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

earthy100%

aldehydic92%

fresh84%

woody77%

mossy69%

floral61%

floral100%

green92%

aldehydic84%

white floral77%

yellow floral69%

fresh61%

Scent match48%Some overlap · both aldehydic, floral and fresh

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

AldehydesHyacinthBergamotLemonBlack CurrantPeach

Heart2-4 hrs

Lily-of-the-ValleyJasmineIrisRoseYlang-YlangHoneyCarnation

Base6-8+ hrs

OakmossVetiverMuskCivetStyraxAmberCedarBenzoin

Top20-30 mins

AldehydesBergamotBlack CurrantPeachMandarin OrangeRaspberry

Heart3-4 hrs

NarcissusHiacynthJasmineLily-of-the-ValleyCarnationYlang-YlangOrris RootTuberose

Base6-8+ hrs

CivetOakmossHoneyAmberMuskSandalwoodVetiverTonka Bean

Category winnerFirstLongest dry-down: 6-8+ hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring56

Summer11

Fall100

Winter89

Day100

Night50

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter99

Day100

Night85

Category winnerPremiereMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex33

Women67

Men2

Unisex12

Women86

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#47,353

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#955

PerfumerJean-Claude Ellena

Launched—

Reviews205

Category winnerFirstHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Premiere by Castelbajac opens with a fizzy blast of aldehydes and sharp bergamot, backed by the green spring crunch of hyacinth and tart black currant. It feels like stepping out of a hot shower into a cool, mossy forest clearing. As the bright citrus sparkle settles, a dense bouquet of carnation, honeyed jasmine, and…

Reviews →

First by Van Cleef & Arpels opens with a brisk, effervescent burst of aldehydes, tart bergamot, and ripe black currant that immediately calls to mind crisp, high-end French milled soap. As the initial sparkle settles, the scent unfolds into an abundant floral heart packed with spring narcissus, dewy green hyacinth, an…

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, Premiere or First?

First takes 4 of 7 categories. Premiere is rated 4.06/5 from 34 votes; First is rated 3.98/5 from 3,483 votes. Choose Premiere for a earthy and aldehydic character. Wins on community sentiment, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose First for a floral and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and note pyramid duration. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Premiere or First?

First lasts longest (First 72/100, Premiere 54/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Premiere or First?

Premiere projects furthest (Premiere 71/100, First 64/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Premiere and First smell similar?

Some overlap: a 48% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aldehydic, floral and fresh accords. Common notes include Aldehydes, Bergamot, Black Currant and Peach.

Is Premiere or First better for summer or winter?

For summer, Premiere is the stronger pick. For winter, First is the stronger pick. Premiere suits daytime wear; First suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Premiere and First?

Premiere has top notes of Aldehydes, Hyacinth, Bergamot and Lemon, heart notes of Lily-of-the-Valley, Jasmine, Iris and Rose, a base of Oakmoss, Vetiver, Musk and Civet. First has top notes of Aldehydes, Bergamot, Black Currant and Peach, heart notes of Narcissus, Hiacynth, Jasmine and Lily-of-the-Valley, a base of Civet, Oakmoss, Honey and Amber.