Fragrance comparison

Ultimate Zest vs Retrospection

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

Updated 8 Nov 2026 37 ratings analysed

Ultimate Zest

Parfums Vintage

4.673 votes

Rank #42,089 WoodyCamphor

Full profile Similar & dupes

39%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Retrospection

JMP Artisan Perfumes

3.5934 votes

Rank #19,247 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Retrospection takes 4 of 5 categories.

Ultimate Zest
Choose it for a woody and camphor character. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Retrospection
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection, value for money and note pyramid duration. Best in fall, evening wear.

Ultimate Zest0/5

Retrospection4/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Ultimate ZestParfums Vintage

RetrospectionJMP Artisan Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.67/ 5 · 3 votes

Have 20%Had 0%Want 80%

3.59/ 5 · 34 votes

Have 30%Had 12%Want 57%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

67%Love

33%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

3 votes · too few to score

24%Love

35%Like

24%Ok

12%Dislike

6%Hate

34 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate92

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate65

Category winners

LongevityTie

SillageRetrospection

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value58

¤ Price value61

Category winnerRetrospectionBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

camphor88%

aromatic77%

fresh spicy65%

citrus53%

fresh42%

aromatic100%

woody92%

animalic84%

fresh spicy77%

white floral69%

green61%

Scent match39%Some overlap · both woody, aromatic and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

EucalyptusAustralian SandalwoodGingerMandarin OrangeVineCascaloneJuniperMuskIndian SandalwoodPink GrapefruitFrankincenseAmbrocenide

No top / heart / base split published

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

Summer100

Fall67

Winter33

Day100

Night33

Spring86

Summer21

Fall100

Winter71

Day83

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Men65

Unisex23

Women12

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#42,089

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews2

Overall rank#19,247

PerfumerJakub Pietrynka

Launched—

Reviews6

Category winnerRetrospectionHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Ultimate Zest by Parfums Vintage is a brisk woody aromatic fragrance that combines sharp citrus oils with crisp herbal and coniferous undertones. The opening introduces pink grapefruit, kaffir lime, citron, and mandarin orange, accented by a cool burst of eucalyptus, aldehydes, and gin-soaked juniper berries. As the i…

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, Ultimate Zest or Retrospection?

Retrospection takes 4 of 5 categories. Ultimate Zest is rated 4.67/5 from 3 votes; Retrospection is rated 3.59/5 from 34 votes. Choose Ultimate Zest for a woody and camphor character. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Retrospection for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection, value for money and note pyramid duration. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Ultimate Zest or Retrospection?

They last about the same: Ultimate Zest 80/100, Retrospection 80/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Ultimate Zest or Retrospection?

Retrospection projects furthest (Retrospection 71/100, Ultimate Zest 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Ultimate Zest and Retrospection smell similar?

Some overlap: a 39% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, aromatic and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Musk and Indian Sandalwood.

Is Ultimate Zest or Retrospection better for summer or winter?

Ultimate Zest suits daytime wear; Retrospection suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Ultimate Zest and Retrospection?

Ultimate Zest features Eucalyptus, Australian Sandalwood, Ginger, Mandarin Orange and Vine. 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.