Fragrance comparison

Begum vs Ensis

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 607 ratings analysed

4 wins

Begum

Xerjoff

4.16140 votes

Rank #7,062 WoodyRose

Full profile Similar & dupes

22%scent match

Clearly different

Ensis

V Canto

4.00467 votes

Rank #11,389 GreenFruity

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Begum takes 4 of 7 categories.

Begum
Choose it for a woody and rose character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring.
Ensis
Choose it for a green and fruity character. Wins on community sentiment, value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Begum4/7

Ensis3/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

BegumXerjoff

EnsisV Canto

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.16/ 5 · 140 votes

Have 79%Had 21%Want 0%

4.00/ 5 · 467 votes

Have 42%Had 16%Want 42%

Category winnerBegumRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

55%Love

22%Like

11%Ok

8%Dislike

4%Hate

140 votes

35%Love

43%Like

10%Ok

11%Dislike

1%Hate

467 votes

Category winnerEnsisMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity84

〰 Sillage73

♥ Love / hate79

⏱ Longevity70

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevityBegum

SillageBegum

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value24

¤ Price value54

Category winnerEnsisBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

rose92%

powdery84%

floral77%

sweet69%

vanilla61%

green100%

fruity91%

floral83%

aromatic74%

soft spicy65%

fresh56%

Scent match22%Clearly different · both floral

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Red BerriesBergamotLemonFreesia

Heart

Damask RoseBulgarian RoseIrisYlang-YlangLilacJasmine SambacLily-of-the-Valley

Base

SandalwoodVanillaPalisander RosewoodPatchouliAmberMuskVetiver

Top1 to 2 hours

CassisGreen LeavesPansyBergamot

Heart3 to 5 hours

Black CurrantLilacLily-of-the-ValleyBulgarian Rose

Base5 to 8 hours

Metallic notesCacaoMuskPatchouliAmber

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Bulgarian Rose, Lilac and Lily-of-the-Valley. Durations are only published for Ensis, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter89

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer85

Fall40

Winter15

Day100

Night32

Category winnerEnsisMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men9

Unisex42

Women49

Men14

Unisex52

Women34

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#7,062

PerfumerChris Maurice

Launched—

Reviews12

Overall rank#11,389

PerfumerPaolo Terenzi

Launched—

Reviews15

Category winnerBegumHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Begum by Xerjoff is an intense unisex chypre floral fragrance from the brand's premium 17/17 Stone Label collection. Master perfumer Chris Maurice constructed this scent around a lush contrast between vibrant fruit and heavy timber. It opens with a flash of tart red berries, bergamot, and freesia before revealing a de…

Reviews →

Ensis by V Canto delivers an invigorating clash of crushed foliage and tart fruit built around cassis, green leaves, and crisp bergamot. The scent quickly introduces a dark berry sweetness through black currant, balanced by a clean floral bouquet of lilac, lily-of-the-valley, and Bulgarian rose. What sets it apart fro…

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, Begum or Ensis?

Begum takes 4 of 7 categories. Begum is rated 4.16/5 from 140 votes; Ensis is rated 4.00/5 from 467 votes. Choose Begum for a woody and rose character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring. Choose Ensis for a green and fruity character. Wins on community sentiment, value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Begum or Ensis?

Begum lasts longest (Begum 84/100, Ensis 70/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Begum or Ensis?

Begum projects furthest (Begum 73/100, Ensis 62/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Begum and Ensis smell similar?

Clearly different: a 22% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share floral accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Bulgarian Rose, Lilac and Lily-of-the-Valley.

Is Begum or Ensis better for summer or winter?

For summer, Ensis is the stronger pick. For winter, Begum is the stronger pick. Ensis suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Begum and Ensis?

Begum has top notes of Red Berries, Bergamot, Lemon and Freesia, heart notes of Damask Rose, Bulgarian Rose, Iris and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Sandalwood, Vanilla, Palisander Rosewood and Patchouli. Ensis has top notes of Cassis, Green Leaves, Pansy and Bergamot, heart notes of Black Currant, Lilac, Lily-of-the-Valley and Bulgarian Rose, a base of Metallic notes, Cacao, Musk and Patchouli.