Fragrance comparison

G. vs Varens Original Russian Legend

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

Updated 24 Oct 2026 265 ratings analysed

4 wins

Nasengold

3.95210 votes

Rank #6,442 CitrusWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

34%scent match

Clearly different

Varens Original Russian Legend

Ulric de Varens

3.9655 votes

Rank #31,660 LeatherSmoky

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

G. takes 4 of 7 categories.

G.
Choose it for a citrus and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Varens Original Russian Legend
Choose it for a leather and smoky character. Wins on community sentiment, longevity and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

G.4/7

Varens Original Russian Legend3/7

Ratings & consensus: G.
Community sentiment: Varens Original Russian Legend
Longevity: Varens Original Russian Legend
Sillage & projection: G.
Value for money: Varens Original Russian Legend
Versatility: G.
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: G.

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

G.Nasengold

Varens Original Russian LegendUlric de Varens

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.95/ 5 · 210 votes

Have 56%Had 25%Want 20%

3.96/ 5 · 55 votes

Have 25%Had 20%Want 55%

Category winnerG.Rating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

39%Love

43%Like

7%Ok

11%Dislike

0%Hate

44 votes

24%Love

62%Like

2%Ok

13%Dislike

0%Hate

55 votes

Category winnerVarens Original Russian LegendMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate77

⏱ Longevity74

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate74

Category winners

LongevityVarens Original Russian Legend

SillageG.

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value62

¤ Price value100

Category winnerVarens Original Russian LegendBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

woody83%

warm spicy65%

aromatic48%

fresh spicy30%

leather100%

smoky92%

woody84%

warm spicy77%

amber69%

animalic61%

Scent match34%Clearly different · both woody and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

GrapefruitLimeGingerPink Pepper

Heart

Jasmine SambacRoseOrange Blossom

Base

CedarVetiverAmberLeatherCacaoPatchouli

Top15-30 mins

LimeGrapefruitOrange Blossom

Heart2-4 hrs

Woody NotesSpicy NotesRoseJasmine

Base6-8+ hrs

LeatherWoodsy NotesIncense

InformationalShared notesGrapefruit, Lime, Rose and Orange Blossom. Durations are only published for Varens Original Russian Legend, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer81

Fall81

Winter38

Day100

Night29

Spring27

Summer20

Fall100

Winter73

Day41

Night100

Category winnerG.Most year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men17

Unisex56

Women28

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

Date 37%Party 27%Casual 21%Work 15%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#6,442

PerfumerChristian Plesch

Launched—

Reviews39

Overall rank#31,660

PerfumerPierre Bourdon

Launched—

Reviews2

Category winnerG.Higher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

G. opens with a bright burst of grapefruit and lime, sharpened by ginger and pink pepper, then settles into a woody, spicy dry-down with vetiver, cedar, leather and a touch of cacao. It reads citrus-forward at first, but the base gives it more texture and depth than a simple fresh scent. This is a balanced unisex rele…

Reviews →

Varens Original Russian Legend by Ulric de Varens is a remarkably dark, smoky leather fragrance built with surprising classical discipline. It opens with an initial flash of sharp perfumer alcohol that quickly gives way to zesty lime, bitter grapefruit, and a touch of sweet orange blossom. Within fifteen minutes, the …

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.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, G. or Varens Original Russian Legend?

G. takes 4 of 7 categories. G. is rated 3.95/5 from 210 votes; Varens Original Russian Legend is rated 3.96/5 from 55 votes. Choose G. for a citrus and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Varens Original Russian Legend for a leather and smoky character. Wins on community sentiment, longevity and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, G. or Varens Original Russian Legend?

Varens Original Russian Legend lasts longest (Varens Original Russian Legend 74/100, G. 71/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, G. or Varens Original Russian Legend?

Projection is very close: G. 59/100, Varens Original Russian Legend 57/100 for sillage.

Do G. and Varens Original Russian Legend smell similar?

Clearly different: a 34% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Grapefruit, Lime, Rose and Orange Blossom.

Is G. or Varens Original Russian Legend better for summer or winter?

For summer, G. is the stronger pick. For winter, Varens Original Russian Legend is the stronger pick. G. suits daytime wear; Varens Original Russian Legend suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in G. and Varens Original Russian Legend?

G. has top notes of Grapefruit, Lime, Ginger and Pink Pepper, heart notes of Jasmine Sambac, Rose and Orange Blossom, a base of Cedar, Vetiver, Amber and Leather. Varens Original Russian Legend has top notes of Lime, Grapefruit and Orange Blossom, heart notes of Woody Notes, Spicy Notes, Rose and Jasmine, a base of Leather, Woodsy Notes and Incense.