Fragrance comparison

Wood and Absinth vs Retrospection

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 201 ratings analysed

Wood and Absinth

Mark Buxton · 2008

3.85167 votes

Rank #17,741 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

40%scent match

Some overlap

Retrospection

JMP Artisan Perfumes

3.5934 votes

Rank #18,701 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 8 categories split 4–4.

Wood and Absinth
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and versatility. Best in fall, 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.

Wood and Absinth4/8

Retrospection4/8

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Wood and AbsinthMark Buxton

RetrospectionJMP Artisan Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.85/ 5 · 167 votes

Have 39%Had 12%Want 48%

3.59/ 5 · 34 votes

Have 30%Had 12%Want 57%

Category winnerWood and AbsinthRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

24%Love

46%Like

25%Ok

2%Dislike

3%Hate

116 votes

24%Love

35%Like

24%Ok

12%Dislike

6%Hate

34 votes

Category winnerWood and AbsinthMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity53

〰 Sillage53

♥ Love / hate71

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate65

Category winners

LongevityRetrospection

SillageRetrospection

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value47

¤ Price value61

Category winnerRetrospectionBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

woody88%

soft spicy77%

earthy30%

aromatic100%

woody92%

animalic84%

fresh spicy77%

white floral69%

green61%

Scent match40%Some overlap · both aromatic and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15 to 30 minutes

WormwoodClary SageStar AniseCitrusesOrange

Heart1 to 2 hours

Brazilian RosewoodJasmine

Base2 to 4 hours

VetiverCedar

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

Spring85

Summer73

Fall100

Winter34

Day100

Night58

Spring86

Summer21

Fall100

Winter71

Day83

Night100

Category winnerWood and AbsinthMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men55

Unisex43

Women1

Men65

Unisex23

Women12

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#17,741

PerfumerMark Buxton

Launched2008

Reviews6

Overall rank#18,701

PerfumerJakub Pietrynka

Launched—

Reviews6

Category winnerWood and AbsinthHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Wood and Absinth by Mark Buxton is an aromatic, woody scent built on the tension between bitter botanicals and dry timber. The fragrance opens with a bracing splash of citruses and sweet orange, paired with the culinary herbal snap of clary sage, star anise, and pungent wormwood. As that initial citrus burst settles, …

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.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Wood and Absinth or Retrospection?

No clear winner: the 8 categories split 4–4. Wood and Absinth is rated 3.85/5 from 167 votes; Retrospection is rated 3.59/5 from 34 votes. Choose Wood and Absinth for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and versatility. Best in fall, 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, Wood and Absinth or Retrospection?

Retrospection lasts longest (Retrospection 80/100, Wood and Absinth 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Wood and Absinth or Retrospection?

Retrospection projects furthest (Retrospection 71/100, Wood and Absinth 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Wood and Absinth and Retrospection smell similar?

Some overlap: a 40% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic and woody accords. Common notes include Wormwood, Clary Sage, Jasmine and Vetiver.

Is Wood and Absinth or Retrospection better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Wood and Absinth and Retrospection?

Wood and Absinth has top notes of Wormwood, Clary Sage, Star Anise and Citruses, heart notes of Brazilian Rosewood and Jasmine, a base of Vetiver and Cedar. 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.