Fragrance comparison

121 Men vs Tsar

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 1,828 ratings analysed

121 Men

Shirley May

3.6213 votes

Rank #62,450 WoodyCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

41%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Tsar

Van Cleef & Arpels

4.191,815 votes

Rank #750 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Tsar takes 4 of 5 categories.

121 Men
Choose it for a woody and citrus character. Wins on value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear.
Tsar
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, daytime wear.

121 Men1/5

Tsar4/5

Ratings & consensus: Tsar
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Tsar
Sillage & projection: Tsar
Value for money: 121 Men
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Tsar

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

121 MenShirley May

TsarVan Cleef & Arpels

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.62/ 5 · 13 votes

Have 38%Had 31%Want 31%

4.19/ 5 · 1,815 votes

Have 63%Had 38%Want 0%

Category winnerTsarRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

15%Love

38%Like

38%Ok

8%Dislike

0%Hate

13 votes · too few to score

45%Love

41%Like

3%Ok

11%Dislike

1%Hate

1,815 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity43

〰 Sillage48

♥ Love / hate65

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate80

Category winners

LongevityTsar

SillageTsar

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value78

¤ Price value48

Category winner121 MenBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

citrus86%

powdery72%

musky58%

aromatic44%

fresh spicy30%

aromatic100%

woody90%

fresh spicy80%

green70%

earthy60%

mossy50%

Scent match41%Some overlap · both woody, aromatic and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

MuskSandalwood

Heart

BergamotCedarRosemaryCoriander

Base

VanillaLeather

Top20-30 mins

Green NotesLavenderArtemisiaRosemaryBergamotCorianderCinnamonNeroli

Heart2-4 hrs

Pine TreeJuniper BerriesCarnationTarragonGeraniumCarawayJasmineRose

Base6-8+ hrs

OakmossLeatherCedarPatchouliVetiverSandalwoodMuskAmber

InformationalShared notesMusk, Sandalwood, Bergamot and Cedar. Durations are only published for Tsar, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring82

Summer100

Fall27

Winter0

Day100

Night–

Spring91

Summer51

Fall0

Winter100

Day100

Night73

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men91

Unisex9

Women0

Men94

Unisex5

Women1

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#62,450

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#750

PerfumerPhilippe Bousseton

Launched—

Reviews204

Category winnerTsarHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Shirley May 121 Men is a straightforward, budget-conscious woody aromatic fragrance. It opens with an unexpected pairing of musk and dry sandalwood, skipping the traditional fleeting citrus start. As it rests on skin, a cooling wave of rosemary and green coriander emerges alongside a bitter bergamot note. The dry-down…

Reviews →

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 →

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, 121 Men or Tsar?

Tsar takes 4 of 5 categories. 121 Men is rated 3.62/5 from 13 votes; Tsar is rated 4.19/5 from 1,815 votes. Choose 121 Men for a woody and citrus character. Wins on value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear. Choose Tsar for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, 121 Men or Tsar?

Tsar lasts longest (Tsar 72/100, 121 Men 43/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, 121 Men or Tsar?

Tsar projects furthest (Tsar 62/100, 121 Men 48/100), based on community performance votes.

Do 121 Men and Tsar smell similar?

Some overlap: a 41% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, aromatic and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Musk, Sandalwood, Bergamot and Cedar.

Is 121 Men or Tsar better for summer or winter?

121 Men suits daytime wear; Tsar suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in 121 Men and Tsar?

121 Men has top notes of Musk and Sandalwood, heart notes of Bergamot, Cedar, Rosemary and Coriander, a base of Vanilla and Leather. 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.