Fragrance comparison

CK Free vs Vintage

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

Updated 7 Nov 2026 4,687 ratings analysed

CK Free

Calvin Klein

3.391,868 votes

Rank #37,294 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

50%scent match

Some overlap

7 wins

Vintage

John Varvatos

4.172,819 votes

Rank #937 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Vintage takes 7 of 8 categories.

CK Free
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on versatility. Best in summer, daytime wear.
Vintage
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.

CK Free1/8

Vintage7/8

Ratings & consensus: Vintage
Community sentiment: Vintage
Longevity: Vintage
Sillage & projection: Vintage
Value for money: Vintage
Versatility: CK Free
Note pyramid (duration): Vintage
Fragranxe ranking: Vintage

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

CK FreeCalvin Klein

VintageJohn Varvatos

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.39/ 5 · 1,868 votes

Have 57%Had 36%Want 7%

4.17/ 5 · 2,819 votes

Have 78%Had 23%Want 0%

Category winnerVintageRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

9%Love

48%Like

18%Ok

23%Dislike

2%Hate

1,868 votes

40%Love

45%Like

6%Ok

8%Dislike

1%Hate

2,819 votes

Category winnerVintageMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity41

〰 Sillage37

♥ Love / hate60

⏱ Longevity58

〰 Sillage51

♥ Love / hate79

Category winners

LongevityVintage

SillageVintage

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value64

¤ Price value70

Category winnerVintageBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

aromatic88%

fresh spicy77%

anis65%

soft spicy53%

powdery42%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

woody84%

sweet77%

tobacco69%

green61%

Scent match50%Some overlap · both aromatic, woody and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15 to 30 minutes

Juniper BerriesStar AniseWormwoodJackfruit

Heart30 to 60 minutes

SuedeTobaccoBuchu or AgathosmaCoffee

Base1 to 2 hours

Virginia CedarOakWoody NotesPatchouli

Top20-30 mins

RhubarbQuincePepperWormwoodBasilFennel

Heart2-4 hrs

CinnamonJuniper BerriesLavenderGreen LeavesOrris RootJasmine

Base4-6 hrs

TobaccoSuedeBalsam FirTonka BeanWoody NotesOakmossPatchouli

Category winnerVintageLongest dry-down: 4-6 hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring75

Summer100

Fall27

Winter11

Day100

Night17

Spring64

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day86

Night100

Category winnerCK FreeMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men89

Unisex10

Women1

Men96

Unisex3

Women1

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#37,294

PerfumerEllen Molner, Rodrigo Flores-Roux

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#937

PerfumerRodrigo Flores-Roux

Launched—

Reviews207

Category winnerVintageHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

CK Free by Calvin Klein is a light woody aromatic scent designed for straightforward, casual wear. The fragrance opens with an airy mix of crisp juniper berries, star anise, bitter wormwood, and a mild tropical touch of jackfruit. As the initial sharpness settles, a restrained heart of soft suede, dry tobacco leaf, ar…

Reviews →

John Varvatos Vintage brings a rugged spin to traditional barbershop scents. The opening surprises you. Tart rhubarb and sweet quince clash with crushed black pepper and herbal fennel. Within twenty minutes, that sharp fruitiness yields to dry English lavender, warm cinnamon, and green juniper berries. Everything anch…

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, CK Free or Vintage?

Vintage takes 7 of 8 categories. CK Free is rated 3.39/5 from 1,868 votes; Vintage is rated 4.17/5 from 2,819 votes. Choose CK Free for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on versatility. Best in summer, daytime wear. Choose Vintage for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, CK Free or Vintage?

Vintage lasts longest (Vintage 58/100, CK Free 41/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, CK Free or Vintage?

Vintage projects furthest (Vintage 51/100, CK Free 37/100), based on community performance votes.

Do CK Free and Vintage smell similar?

Some overlap: a 50% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Juniper Berries, Wormwood, Suede and Tobacco.

Is CK Free or Vintage better for summer or winter?

For summer, CK Free is the stronger pick. For winter, Vintage is the stronger pick. CK Free suits daytime wear; Vintage suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in CK Free and Vintage?

CK Free has top notes of Juniper Berries, Star Anise, Wormwood and Jackfruit, heart notes of Suede, Tobacco, Buchu or Agathosma and Coffee, a base of Virginia Cedar, Oak, Woody Notes and Patchouli. Vintage has top notes of Rhubarb, Quince, Pepper and Wormwood, heart notes of Cinnamon, Juniper Berries, Lavender and Green Leaves, a base of Tobacco, Suede, Balsam Fir and Tonka Bean.