Fragrance comparison

A*Men Ultra Zest vs Drowning in Zest

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

Updated 24 Oct 2026 2,020 ratings analysed

3 wins

A*Men Ultra Zest

Mugler

4.282,017 votes

Rank #1,494 CitrusWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

46%scent match

Some overlap

Drowning in Zest

The Dua Brand

3.673 votes

Rank #62,132 Warm SpicyCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

A*Men Ultra Zest takes 3 of 5 categories.

A*Men Ultra Zest
Choose it for a citrus and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Drowning in Zest
Choose it for a warm spicy and citrus character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

A*Men Ultra Zest3/5

Drowning in Zest1/5

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: A*Men Ultra Zest
Sillage & projection: A*Men Ultra Zest
Value for money: Drowning in Zest
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Tie
Fragranxe ranking: A*Men Ultra Zest

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

A*Men Ultra ZestMugler

Drowning in ZestThe Dua Brand

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.28/ 5 · 2,017 votes

Have 73%Had 27%Want 0%

3.67/ 5 · 3 votes

Have 56%Had 13%Want 31%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

52%Love

35%Like

2%Ok

10%Dislike

1%Hate

2,017 votes

0%Love

67%Like

33%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

3 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate82

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate67

Category winners

LongevityA*Men Ultra Zest

SillageA*Men Ultra Zest

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value38

¤ Price value63

Category winnerDrowning in ZestBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

warm spicy92%

vanilla84%

fresh spicy77%

patchouli69%

sweet61%

warm spicy100%

citrus92%

woody84%

amber77%

green69%

fresh spicy61%

Scent match46%Some overlap · both citrus, warm spicy and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-45 mins

Blood OrangeTangerineGingerMint

Heart2-4 hrs

CoffeeCinnamonBlack Pepper

Base6-9+ hrs

PatchouliVanillaTonka Bean

Notes

Black CurrantTurkish RoseBlood OrangeBlack PepperGreen NotesPink PepperSandalwoodTonka BeanPatchouliAmbergrisTangerineBergamot

No top / heart / base split published

Category winnerTieSame dry-down length

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer84

Fall0

Winter27

Day100

Night41

Spring100

Summer100

Fall0

Winter0

Day100

Night47

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men65

Unisex32

Women3

Casual 38%Date 24%Work 21%Party 18%

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

Casual 37%Work 26%Date 21%Party 16%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#1,494

PerfumerJacques Huclier, Quentin Bisch

Launched—

Reviews204

Overall rank#62,132

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerA*Men Ultra ZestHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

A*Men Ultra Zest by Mugler hits the skin with a loud flash of juicy blood orange, tart tangerine, and brisk garden mint. It smells remarkably like an icy citrus popsicle melting over a dark espresso bar. Within twenty minutes, the initial citrus blast softens as warm cinnamon and roasted coffee beans push through the …

Reviews →

Drowning in Zest opens with a rush of sweet blood orange, tangy tangerine, and crisp bergamot that smells like a cold citrus soda on a sunny morning. As the bright fruit settles into your skin, smooth vanilla and warm tonka bean rise up, turning the sharp peel into a creamy orange ice pop. A dash of blue ginger, cinna…

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, A*Men Ultra Zest or Drowning in Zest?

A*Men Ultra Zest takes 3 of 5 categories. A*Men Ultra Zest is rated 4.28/5 from 2,017 votes; Drowning in Zest is rated 3.67/5 from 3 votes. Choose A*Men Ultra Zest for a citrus and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Drowning in Zest for a warm spicy and citrus character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, A*Men Ultra Zest or Drowning in Zest?

A*Men Ultra Zest lasts longest (A*Men Ultra Zest 71/100, Drowning in Zest 67/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, A*Men Ultra Zest or Drowning in Zest?

Projection is very close: A*Men Ultra Zest 59/100, Drowning in Zest 58/100 for sillage.

Do A*Men Ultra Zest and Drowning in Zest smell similar?

Some overlap: a 46% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus, warm spicy and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Blood Orange, Tangerine, Black Pepper and Patchouli.

Is A*Men Ultra Zest or Drowning in Zest better for summer or winter?

A*Men Ultra Zest suits daytime wear; Drowning in Zest suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in A*Men Ultra Zest and Drowning in Zest?

A*Men Ultra Zest has top notes of Blood Orange, Tangerine, Ginger and Mint, heart notes of Coffee, Cinnamon and Black Pepper, a base of Patchouli, Vanilla and Tonka Bean. Drowning in Zest features Black Currant, Turkish Rose, Blood Orange, Black Pepper and Green Notes.