Fragrance comparison

Tsar vs Retrospection

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 1,849 ratings analysed

Tsar

Van Cleef & Arpels

4.191,815 votes

Rank #750 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

59%scent match

Closely related

4 wins

Retrospection

JMP Artisan Perfumes

3.5934 votes

Rank #19,656 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Retrospection takes 4 of 8 categories.

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

Tsar3/8

Retrospection4/8

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

TsarVan Cleef & Arpels

RetrospectionJMP Artisan Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.19/ 5 · 1,815 votes

Have 63%Had 38%Want 0%

3.59/ 5 · 34 votes

Have 30%Had 12%Want 57%

Category winnerTsarRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

45%Love

41%Like

3%Ok

11%Dislike

1%Hate

1,815 votes

24%Love

35%Like

24%Ok

12%Dislike

6%Hate

34 votes

Category winnerTsarMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate80

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate65

Category winners

LongevityRetrospection

SillageRetrospection

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value48

¤ Price value61

Category winnerRetrospectionBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

woody90%

fresh spicy80%

green70%

earthy60%

mossy50%

aromatic100%

woody92%

animalic84%

fresh spicy77%

white floral69%

green61%

Scent match59%Closely related · both aromatic, woody and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-30 mins

Green NotesLavenderArtemisiaRosemaryBergamotCorianderCinnamonNeroli

Heart2-4 hrs

Pine TreeJuniper BerriesCarnationTarragonGeraniumCarawayJasmineRose

Base6-8+ hrs

OakmossLeatherCedarPatchouliVetiverSandalwoodMuskAmber

Top15-30 mins

GalbanumAldehydesBergamotWormwoodLavenderRosemaryPetitgrain

Heart2-4 hrs

Orange BlossomLily-of-the-ValleyJasmineGeraniumCorianderRoseClary SageCloves

Base8-10+ hrs

OakmossCivetLeatherBeeswaxMuskOrris RootVetiverSandalwood

Category winnerTieSame dry-down length

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring91

Summer51

Fall0

Winter100

Day100

Night73

Spring86

Summer21

Fall100

Winter71

Day83

Night100

Category winnerRetrospectionMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men94

Unisex5

Women1

Men65

Unisex23

Women12

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#750

PerfumerPhilippe Bousseton

Launched—

Reviews204

Overall rank#19,656

PerfumerJakub Pietrynka

Launched—

Reviews6

Category winnerTsarHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Van Cleef & Arpels Tsar is a quintessential green aromatic cologne that captures the crisp air of a dense pine forest. It opens with an invigorating rush of cool lavender, bitter artemisia, and crushed rosemary, creating the sensation of walking through morning woodland dew. As the scent settles, aromatic juniper berr…

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, Tsar or Retrospection?

Retrospection takes 4 of 8 categories. Tsar is rated 4.19/5 from 1,815 votes; Retrospection is rated 3.59/5 from 34 votes. Choose Tsar for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, daytime wear. Choose Retrospection for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Tsar or Retrospection?

Retrospection lasts longest (Retrospection 80/100, Tsar 72/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Tsar or Retrospection?

Retrospection projects furthest (Retrospection 71/100, Tsar 62/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Tsar and Retrospection smell similar?

Closely related: a 59% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Lavender, Rosemary, Bergamot and Coriander.

Is Tsar or Retrospection better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Tsar and Retrospection?

Tsar has top notes of Green Notes, Lavender, Artemisia and Rosemary, heart notes of Pine Tree, Juniper Berries, Carnation and Tarragon, a base of Oakmoss, Leather, Cedar and Patchouli. 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.