Fragrance comparison

Vaara vs Arborist

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 1,564 ratings analysed

4 wins

Vaara

Penhaligon's

3.801,352 votes

Rank #2,532 FloralRose

Full profile Similar & dupes

13%scent match

Clearly different

Arborist

Jorum Studio

3.72212 votes

Rank #33,219 WoodyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Vaara takes 4 of 7 categories.

Vaara
Choose it for a floral and rose character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in spring.
Arborist
Choose it for a woody and amber character. Wins on longevity, value for money and versatility. Best in winter.

Vaara4/7

Arborist3/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

VaaraPenhaligon's

ArboristJorum Studio

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.80/ 5 · 1,352 votes

Have 70%Had 30%Want 0%

3.72/ 5 · 212 votes

Have 31%Had 6%Want 63%

Category winnerVaaraRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

30%Love

50%Like

7%Ok

13%Dislike

1%Hate

1,115 votes

35%Love

26%Like

17%Ok

18%Dislike

4%Hate

212 votes

Category winnerVaaraMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity66

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate68

Category winners

LongevityArborist

SillageVaara

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value44

¤ Price value53

Category winnerArboristBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

floral100%

rose92%

sweet84%

fruity77%

fresh69%

powdery61%

woody100%

amber92%

warm spicy84%

aromatic77%

earthy69%

sweet61%

Scent match13%Clearly different · both sweet

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

QuinceRose WaterSaffronCorianderCarrot Seeds

Heart

RosePeonyFreesiaMagnolia

Base

HoneyWhite MuskCedarSandalwoodBenzoinTonka Bean

Notes

SaffronMyrrhLabdanumFirNard Himalayan (Jatamansi)SpruceMaltPapyrusLichenHoneyQuinceBurdock

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesQuince, Saffron and Honey. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter21

Day–

Night–

Spring48

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerArboristMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men1

Unisex24

Women75

Men59

Unisex40

Women1

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#2,532

PerfumerBertrand Duchaufour

Launched—

Reviews152

Overall rank#33,219

PerfumerEuan McCall

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerVaaraHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Vaara opens as a juicy quince and rose scent with saffron, coriander, and carrot seed giving it a dry, lightly spiced edge. It starts bright and plush, then settles into a creamy floral musk with sandalwood, honey, and soft powder. It suits shoppers who want a refined rose that feels polished, feminine-leaning, and a …

Reviews →

Arborist by Jorum Studio captures the scent of a damp Scottish woodland. It opens with sticky fir resin and sweet honey, settling into dry papyrus and worked leather on the skin. This unisex blend suits crisp autumn days when you wear flannel or heavy wool coats. It is an earthy choice for those who prefer rugged, out…

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, Vaara or Arborist?

Vaara takes 4 of 7 categories. Vaara is rated 3.80/5 from 1,352 votes; Arborist is rated 3.72/5 from 212 votes. Choose Vaara for a floral and rose character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in spring. Choose Arborist for a woody and amber character. Wins on longevity, value for money and versatility. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Vaara or Arborist?

Arborist lasts longest (Arborist 72/100, Vaara 66/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Vaara or Arborist?

Vaara projects furthest (Vaara 58/100, Arborist 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Vaara and Arborist smell similar?

Clearly different: a 13% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share sweet accords. Common notes include Quince, Saffron and Honey.

Is Vaara or Arborist better for summer or winter?

For summer, Vaara is the stronger pick. For winter, Arborist is the stronger pick. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Vaara and Arborist?

Vaara has top notes of Quince, Rose Water, Saffron and Coriander, heart notes of Rose, Peony, Freesia and Magnolia, a base of Honey, White Musk, Cedar and Sandalwood. Arborist features Saffron, Myrrh, Labdanum, Fir and Nard Himalayan (Jatamansi).