Dickens in Varanasi vs L'Homme Idéal Cologne Forte
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
15%scent match
Clearly different
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Dickens in Varanasi takes 3 of 4 categories.
Dickens in VaranasiChoose it for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, evening wear.
L'Homme Idéal Cologne ForteChoose it for a citrus and almond character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Dickens in Varanasi3/4
L'Homme Idéal Cologne Forte1/4
- Ratings & consensus
- Not scored
- Community sentiment
- Not scored
- Longevity
- Dickens in Varanasi
- Sillage & projection
- Dickens in Varanasi
- Value for money
- Dickens in Varanasi
- Versatility
- Not scored
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- L'Homme Idéal Cologne Forte
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
Dickens in VaranasiTHEN THEREL'Homme Idéal Cologne ForteGuerlainWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split4.33/ 5 · 6 votes
Have 14%Had 3%Want 84%
4.63/ 5 · 54 votes
Have 11%Had 0%Want 89%
Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate83%Love
0%Like
0%Ok
0%Dislike
17%Hate
6 votes · too few to score
83%Love
6%Like
6%Ok
2%Dislike
4%Hate
54 votes
Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityDickens in Varanasi
SillageDickens in Varanasi
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerDickens in VaranasiBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothamber100%
warm spicy92%
woody84%
balsamic77%
aromatic69%
smoky61%
citrus100%
almond83%
aromatic65%
fresh spicy48%
nutty30%
Scent match15%Clearly different · both aromatic
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop
GrapefruitChamomileelemiNutmegPearGreen Apple
Heart
AmberPatchouliMagnoliaSaffronJasmineCedarCinnamon
Base
IncenseVanillaTobaccoWhite MuskVetiverSandalwoodOud
Top30 to 45 minutes
GrapefruitLemon PeelBergamot
Heart3 to 4 hours
AlmondCinnamon
Base6 to 8 hours
IncenseVanillinVetiver
InformationalShared notesGrapefruit, Cinnamon, Incense and Vetiver. Durations are only published for L'Homme Idéal Cologne Forte, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring100
Summer0
Fall100
Winter67
Day67
Night100
Spring100
Summer93
Fall65
Winter30
Day100
Night54
Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#49,264
PerfumerAngela Ciampagna
Launched—
Reviews0
Overall rank#3,350
PerfumerDelphine Jelk
Launched—
Reviews44
Category winnerL'Homme Idéal Cologne ForteHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotDickens in Varanasi by THEN THERE opens with a sharp burst of bitter grapefruit, herbal chamomile, and spicy elemi resin. As the initial brightness settles, a heavy heart of saffron, dark patchouli, and warm cinnamon takes over on skin. The dry down anchors on smoky incense, earthy vetiver, and bitter oud lightly soft…
Reviews →L'Homme Idéal Cologne Forte by Guerlain delivers a crisp burst of tart grapefruit, sharp lemon peel, and zesty bergamot right from the initial spray. As that energetic citrus opening settles, the fragrance introduces the brand's signature creamy almond note paired with a subtle touch of warm cinnamon. The base grounds…
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.
Guided comparison
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Dickens in Varanasi or L'Homme Idéal Cologne Forte?
Dickens in Varanasi takes 3 of 4 categories. Dickens in Varanasi is rated 4.33/5 from 6 votes; L'Homme Idéal Cologne Forte is rated 4.63/5 from 54 votes. Choose Dickens in Varanasi for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, evening wear. Choose L'Homme Idéal Cologne Forte for a citrus and almond character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Which lasts longer, Dickens in Varanasi or L'Homme Idéal Cologne Forte?
Dickens in Varanasi lasts longest (Dickens in Varanasi 85/100, L'Homme Idéal Cologne Forte 76/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Dickens in Varanasi or L'Homme Idéal Cologne Forte?
Projection is very close: Dickens in Varanasi 67/100, L'Homme Idéal Cologne Forte 66/100 for sillage.
Do Dickens in Varanasi and L'Homme Idéal Cologne Forte smell similar?
Clearly different: a 15% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic accords. Common notes include Grapefruit, Cinnamon, Incense and Vetiver.
Is Dickens in Varanasi or L'Homme Idéal Cologne Forte better for summer or winter?
Dickens in Varanasi suits evening wear; L'Homme Idéal Cologne Forte suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Dickens in Varanasi and L'Homme Idéal Cologne Forte?
Dickens in Varanasi has top notes of Grapefruit, Chamomile, elemi and Nutmeg, heart notes of Amber, Patchouli, Magnolia and Saffron, a base of Incense, Vanilla, Tobacco and White Musk. L'Homme Idéal Cologne Forte has top notes of Grapefruit, Lemon Peel and Bergamot, heart notes of Almond and Cinnamon, a base of Incense, Vanillin and Vetiver.
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