Fragrance comparison

Cucumber vs The Key

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 89 ratings analysed

4 wins

Cucumber

Perfumer H

4.1028 votes

Rank #22,466 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

55%scent match

Closely related

The Key

Navitus Parfums

4.0361 votes

Rank #13,088 CitrusAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Cucumber takes 4 of 5 categories.

Cucumber
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in summer, daytime wear.
The Key
Choose it for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Cucumber4/5

The Key1/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

CucumberPerfumer H

The KeyNavitus Parfums

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.10/ 5 · 28 votes

Have 20%Had 3%Want 76%

4.03/ 5 · 61 votes

Have 37%Had 11%Want 52%

Category winnerCucumberRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

56%Love

33%Like

11%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

9 votes · too few to score

48%Love

23%Like

16%Ok

11%Dislike

2%Hate

61 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity70

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate79

⏱ Longevity66

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityCucumber

SillageCucumber

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value54

¤ Price value53

Category winnerCucumberBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

woody90%

green80%

citrus70%

ozonic60%

aquatic50%

citrus100%

aromatic83%

woody65%

fresh spicy48%

fresh30%

Scent match55%Closely related · both aromatic, citrus and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

CucumberHaitian VetiverIran GalbanumCedarBergamotSicilian LemonGrapefruitTunisian Neroli

No top / heart / base split published

Top

GrapefruitSicilian BergamotSicilian Lemon

Heart

GingerGin

Base

Haitian VetiverSandalwoodTonka BeanIndonesian Patchouli Leaf

InformationalShared notesHaitian Vetiver, Bergamot, Sicilian Lemon and Grapefruit. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring86

Summer100

Fall86

Winter0

Day100

Night20

Spring82

Summer100

Fall38

Winter9

Day100

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men29

Unisex71

Women0

Men76

Unisex16

Women8

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#22,466

PerfumerLyn Harris

Launched—

Reviews6

Overall rank#13,088

PerfumerDominique Ropion

Launched—

Reviews15

Category winnerThe KeyHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Cucumber by Perfumer H is a cool, green aromatic cologne built around watery cucumber, citrus rind, clean musk and dry woods. Reviewers point to its unusual salty, savoury freshness and the sensation of a ripe cucumber cut open on a warm day. It suits shoppers who want a quiet summer scent with more texture than a si…

Reviews →

The Key opens with a sharp burst of Grapefruit, Sicilian Bergamot, and Sicilian Lemon that wakes up the senses immediately. As the initial citrus sparkle settles, a cool middle of Ginger and Gin takes over, giving the heart a fizzy, tonic quality. The dry-down gradually shifts to Haitian Vetiver and Sandalwood, anchor…

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, Cucumber or The Key?

Cucumber takes 4 of 5 categories. Cucumber is rated 4.10/5 from 28 votes; The Key is rated 4.03/5 from 61 votes. Choose Cucumber for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in summer, daytime wear. Choose The Key for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Cucumber or The Key?

Cucumber lasts longest (Cucumber 70/100, The Key 66/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Cucumber or The Key?

Cucumber projects furthest (Cucumber 61/100, The Key 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Cucumber and The Key smell similar?

Closely related: a 55% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, citrus and woody accords. Common notes include Haitian Vetiver, Bergamot, Sicilian Lemon and Grapefruit.

Is Cucumber or The Key better for summer or winter?

Cucumber suits daytime wear; The Key suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Cucumber and The Key?

Cucumber features Cucumber, Haitian Vetiver, Iran Galbanum, Cedar and Bergamot. The Key has top notes of Grapefruit, Sicilian Bergamot and Sicilian Lemon, heart notes of Ginger and Gin, a base of Haitian Vetiver, Sandalwood, Tonka Bean and Indonesian Patchouli Leaf.