Fragrance comparison

Ben Sherman vs Zelen

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 164 ratings analysed

Ben Sherman

3.9250 votes

Rank #36,896 Warm SpicyFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

43%scent match

Some overlap

6 wins

Zelen

Boka

4.42114 votes

Rank #2,859 CitrusWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Zelen takes 6 of 7 categories.

Ben Sherman
Choose it for a warm spicy and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in winter, day or night wear.
Zelen
Choose it for a citrus and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.

Ben Sherman1/7

Zelen6/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Ben ShermanBen Sherman

ZelenBoka

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.92/ 5 · 50 votes

Have 54%Had 8%Want 37%

4.42/ 5 · 114 votes

Have 87%Had 13%Want 0%

Category winnerZelenRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

40%Love

36%Like

2%Ok

20%Dislike

2%Hate

50 votes

73%Love

14%Like

7%Ok

3%Dislike

3%Hate

88 votes

Category winnerZelenMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity59

〰 Sillage54

♥ Love / hate73

⏱ Longevity79

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate87

Category winners

LongevityZelen

SillageZelen

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value75

¤ Price value54

Category winnerBen ShermanBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

fresh spicy92%

amber84%

woody77%

green69%

aromatic61%

citrus100%

woody91%

aromatic83%

earthy74%

green65%

fresh spicy56%

Scent match43%Some overlap · both woody, fresh spicy and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

CardamomBergamotMintTangerineAmalfi LemonLime

Heart

NutmegIncensePatchouli

Base

CoffeeAmberHayVirginia CedarVanilleVetiverMusk

Top

LimeYuzuBergamot

Heart

Pink PepperBeeswaxCardamom

Base

Haitian VetiverVirginia CedarMysore Sandalwood

InformationalShared notesCardamom, Bergamot, Lime and Virginia Cedar. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring65

Summer25

Fall80

Winter100

Day100

Night100

Spring100

Summer96

Fall73

Winter52

Day–

Night–

Category winnerZelenMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men78

Unisex17

Women6

Men33

Unisex63

Women5

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#36,896

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#2,859

PerfumerBoris Zrnic

Launched—

Reviews51

Category winnerZelenHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Ben Sherman is a fresh, spice-forward cologne that pairs bright citrus with unexpected coffee and wood undertones. Designed for daily wear in temperate spring weather, it offers a clean, masculine dry-down that stays anchored by subtle amber and cedar base notes rather than evaporating into thin air.

Reviews →

Zelen is a bright green vetiver built around bitter citrus, cool spice, and a creamy beeswax twist. Lime, yuzu, and bergamot give it a sparkling start, then cardamom, pink pepper, and woods pull it into a smoother, more textured dry-down. It suits readers who like polished citrus woods with a natural feel rather than …

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, Ben Sherman or Zelen?

Zelen takes 6 of 7 categories. Ben Sherman is rated 3.92/5 from 50 votes; Zelen is rated 4.42/5 from 114 votes. Choose Ben Sherman for a warm spicy and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in winter, day or night wear. Choose Zelen for a citrus and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Ben Sherman or Zelen?

Zelen lasts longest (Zelen 79/100, Ben Sherman 59/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Ben Sherman or Zelen?

Zelen projects furthest (Zelen 66/100, Ben Sherman 54/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Ben Sherman and Zelen smell similar?

Some overlap: a 43% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, fresh spicy and aromatic accords. Common notes include Cardamom, Bergamot, Lime and Virginia Cedar.

Is Ben Sherman or Zelen better for summer or winter?

For summer, Zelen is the stronger pick. For winter, Ben Sherman is the stronger pick. Ben Sherman suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Ben Sherman and Zelen?

Ben Sherman has top notes of Cardamom, Bergamot, Mint and Tangerine, heart notes of Nutmeg, Incense and Patchouli, a base of Coffee, Amber, Hay and Virginia Cedar. Zelen has top notes of Lime, Yuzu and Bergamot, heart notes of Pink Pepper, Beeswax and Cardamom, a base of Haitian Vetiver, Virginia Cedar and Mysore Sandalwood.