Fragrance comparison

Upton vs 1991 - L'Essence de L'Explorance

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

Updated 12 Oct 2026 84 ratings analysed

3 wins

Upton

Papillon

4.1010 votes

Rank #40,504 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

67%scent match

Closely related

1991 - L'Essence de L'Explorance

YVRA

3.8974 votes

Rank #24,559 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Upton takes 3 of 5 categories.

Upton
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.
1991 - L'Essence de L'Explorance
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Upton3/5

1991 - L'Essence de L'Explorance2/5

Ratings & consensus: Upton
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: 1991 - L'Essence de L'Explorance
Sillage & projection: Upton
Value for money: Upton
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: 1991 - L'Essence de L'Explorance

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

UptonPapillon

1991 - L'Essence de L'ExploranceYVRA

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.10/ 5 · 10 votes

Have 67%Had 5%Want 29%

3.89/ 5 · 74 votes

Have 37%Had 14%Want 49%

Category winnerUptonRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

40%Love

50%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

10%Hate

10 votes · too few to score

32%Love

39%Like

15%Ok

12%Dislike

1%Hate

74 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage63

♥ Love / hate78

⏱ Longevity64

〰 Sillage53

♥ Love / hate72

Category winners

Longevity1991 - L'Essence de L'Explorance

SillageUpton

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value66

¤ Price value46

Category winnerUptonBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

aromatic90%

fresh spicy80%

powdery70%

green60%

lavender50%

aromatic100%

woody83%

fresh spicy65%

citrus48%

warm spicy30%

Scent match67%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

LavenderRosemaryNeroliPetitgrain

Heart2-3 hrs

GalbanumJasmineGeraniumClary Sage

Base5-7 hrs

SandalwoodCedarAmberVetiverOakmoss

Top

LemonRosemaryPetitgrainCalabrian bergamot

Heart

GeraniumLavenderCypressCardamom

Base

SandalwoodOakmossVetiverCedarAmber

InformationalShared notesLavender, Rosemary, Petitgrain and Geranium. Durations are only published for Upton, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring75

Summer25

Fall100

Winter63

Day100

Night39

Spring100

Summer74

Fall58

Winter32

Day100

Night30

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Work 44%Casual 35%Date 12%Party 9%

Men72

Unisex25

Women4

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#40,504

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews1

Overall rank#24,559

PerfumerYvo Van Regteren Altena

Launched—

Reviews3

Category winner1991 - L'Essence de L'ExploranceHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Papillon Upton opens with an intense, bracing jolt of lavender, bitter petitgrain, and crushed rosemary leaves. It immediately recalls classic European barbershop traditions. Give the sharp opening five minutes to burn off its alcohol vapor before leaning in. Once the initial blast settles, dry green galbanum, herbal …

Reviews →

1991 L'Essence de L'Explorance by YVRA opens with a sharp splash of Calabrian bergamot, zesty lemon, and crushed rosemary, giving off the brisk energy of an early morning walk. As the bright citrus settles, green petitgrain and aromatic cypress blend into soothing lavender and warm cardamom. The base brings in dry ced…

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, Upton or 1991 - L'Essence de L'Explorance?

Upton takes 3 of 5 categories. Upton is rated 4.10/5 from 10 votes; 1991 - L'Essence de L'Explorance is rated 3.89/5 from 74 votes. Choose Upton for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose 1991 - L'Essence de L'Explorance for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Upton or 1991 - L'Essence de L'Explorance?

1991 - L'Essence de L'Explorance lasts longest (1991 - L'Essence de L'Explorance 64/100, Upton 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Upton or 1991 - L'Essence de L'Explorance?

Upton projects furthest (Upton 63/100, 1991 - L'Essence de L'Explorance 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Upton and 1991 - L'Essence de L'Explorance smell similar?

Closely related: a 67% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Lavender, Rosemary, Petitgrain and Geranium.

Is Upton or 1991 - L'Essence de L'Explorance better for summer or winter?

Upton suits daytime wear; 1991 - L'Essence de L'Explorance suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Upton and 1991 - L'Essence de L'Explorance?

Upton has top notes of Lavender, Rosemary, Neroli and Petitgrain, heart notes of Galbanum, Jasmine, Geranium and Clary Sage, a base of Sandalwood, Cedar, Amber and Vetiver. 1991 - L'Essence de L'Explorance has top notes of Lemon, Rosemary, Petitgrain and Calabrian bergamot, heart notes of Geranium, Lavender, Cypress and Cardamom, a base of Sandalwood, Oakmoss, Vetiver and Cedar.