Fragrance comparison

Premiere vs Rencontre

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 36 ratings analysed

2 wins

Premiere

Castelbajac

4.0634 votes

Rank #47,817 EarthyAldehydic

Full profile Similar & dupes

44%scent match

Some overlap

Rencontre

Pola

3.502 votes

Rank #70,452 FloralFresh

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Premiere takes 2 of 3 categories.

Premiere
Choose it for a earthy and aldehydic character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Rencontre
Choose it for a floral and fresh character. Wins on longevity. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Premiere2/3

Rencontre1/3

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

PremiereCastelbajac

RencontrePola

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.06/ 5 · 34 votes

Have 37%Had 25%Want 38%

3.50/ 5 · 2 votes

Have 78%Had 11%Want 11%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating 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

0%Love

50%Like

50%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

2 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity54

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate76

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate63

Category winners

LongevityRencontre

SillagePremiere

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price valueN/A

¤ Price value50

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

earthy100%

aldehydic92%

fresh84%

woody77%

mossy69%

floral61%

floral100%

fresh88%

aldehydic77%

rose65%

green53%

fresh spicy42%

Scent match44%Some overlap · both fresh, aldehydic and floral

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

Top

AldehydesCitruses

Heart

HyacinthPeonyCyclamenYlang-Ylang

Base

OakmossCedarTonkaMusk

InformationalShared notesAldehydes, Hyacinth, Ylang-Ylang and Oakmoss. Durations are only published for Premiere, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring56

Summer11

Fall100

Winter89

Day100

Night50

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter0

Day100

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex33

Women67

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#47,817

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#70,452

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerPremiereHigher 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 →

Pola released Rencontre in 1974 as an Eau de Cologne centered on crisp aldehydes and soapy spring flowers. The fragrance opens with a sharp burst of citruses and fizzing aldehydes before softening into a lush floral bouquet. Hyacinth, cyclamen, peony, and ylang-ylang give the heart a green, dewy texture that feels air…

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 Rencontre?

Premiere takes 2 of 3 categories. Premiere is rated 4.06/5 from 34 votes; Rencontre is rated 3.50/5 from 2 votes. Choose Premiere for a earthy and aldehydic character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Rencontre for a floral and fresh character. Wins on longevity. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Premiere or Rencontre?

Rencontre lasts longest (Rencontre 60/100, Premiere 54/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Premiere or Rencontre?

Premiere projects furthest (Premiere 71/100, Rencontre 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Premiere and Rencontre smell similar?

Some overlap: a 44% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fresh, aldehydic and floral accords. Common notes include Aldehydes, Hyacinth, Ylang-Ylang and Oakmoss.

Is Premiere or Rencontre better for summer or winter?

Premiere suits daytime wear; Rencontre suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Premiere and Rencontre?

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. Rencontre has top notes of Aldehydes and Citruses, heart notes of Hyacinth, Peony, Cyclamen and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Oakmoss, Cedar, Tonka and Musk.