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Fragrance comparison

John Varvatos Oud vs Oud 50

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

Updated 578 ratings analysed
Some overlap
Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2.

  • John Varvatos Oud

    Choose it for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.

  • Oud 50

    Choose it for a amber and woody character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.

John Varvatos Oud2/4
Oud 502/4
Ratings & consensus
Not scored
Community sentiment
Not scored
Longevity
Oud 50
Sillage & projection
Oud 50
Value for money
John Varvatos Oud
Versatility
Not scored
Note pyramid (duration)
Not scored
Fragranxe ranking
John Varvatos Oud

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance
John Varvatos OudJohn Varvatos
Oud 50Strings of Errors
Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split
4.16/ 5 · 569 votes
Have 80%Had 20%Want 0%
4.89/ 5 · 9 votes
Have 16%Had 1%Want 83%
Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate
46%Love
37%Like
7%Ok
9%Dislike
2%Hate

569 votes

89%Love
11%Like
0%Ok
0%Dislike
0%Hate

9 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores
⏱ Longevity61
〰 Sillage54
♥ Love / hate79
⏱ Longevity83
〰 Sillage69
♥ Love / hate97
Category winners

LongevityOud 50

SillageOud 50

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it
¤ Price value65
¤ Price value41
Category winnerJohn Varvatos OudBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both
amber100%
warm spicy92%
fresh spicy84%
aromatic77%
woody69%
balsamic61%
amber100%
woody90%
oud80%
rose70%
animalic60%
balsamic50%
Scent match38%Some overlap · both amber, woody and balsamic

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared
Top15-30 mins
TobaccoNutmegJuniper BerriesCypressSage
Heart2-4 hrs
CinnamonTurkish RosePepperCardamomClovesSaffronEgyptian JasmineOsmanthus
Base5-7 hrs
IncenseAgarwood (Oud)MyrhhLeatherOpoponaxLabdanumCedarAmber
Top
Turkish RoseTaif Rose
Heart
Malaysian OudChinese OudThailand OudOpoponaxLabdanumYlang-YlangIncenseTobacco
Base
Guaiac WoodSandalwoodoak mossLeatherMuskJava vetiver oil
InformationalShared notesTobacco, Turkish Rose, Incense and Leather. Durations are only published for John Varvatos Oud, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season
Spring48
Summer0
Fall0
Winter100
Day60
Night100
Spring29
Summer29
Fall57
Winter100
Day20
Night100
Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes
Men87
Unisex12
Women1
Men67
Unisex25
Women8
InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#2,176

PerfumerRodrigo Flores-Roux

Launched—

Reviews111

Overall rank#29,253

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews4

Category winnerJohn Varvatos OudHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

John Varvatos Oud takes a notoriously heavy scent profile and dials it back into something smooth, warm, and exceptionally wearable. Instead of a funky barnyard oud, you get a rush of dry tobacco leaves, cracked nutmeg, and brisk cypress needle right off the nozzle. Within twenty minutes, sweet cinnamon and clove heat…

Reviews →

Strings of Errors launched Oud 50 in 2024 as an intensive woody aromatic composition for men and women. The formula centers on a rich combination of Malaysian, Chinese, and Thailand ouds, lifted in the opening by Turkish rose and Taif rose. Opoponax resin, incense, and unlit tobacco leaf form a warm heart that anchors…

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.

Recent comparisons

Head-to-head activity from live history

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, John Varvatos Oud or Oud 50?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2. John Varvatos Oud is rated 4.16/5 from 569 votes; Oud 50 is rated 4.89/5 from 9 votes. Choose John Varvatos Oud for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Oud 50 for a amber and woody character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, John Varvatos Oud or Oud 50?

Oud 50 lasts longest (Oud 50 83/100, John Varvatos Oud 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, John Varvatos Oud or Oud 50?

Oud 50 projects furthest (Oud 50 69/100, John Varvatos Oud 54/100), based on community performance votes.

Do John Varvatos Oud and Oud 50 smell similar?

Some overlap: a 38% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, woody and balsamic accords. Common notes include Tobacco, Turkish Rose, Incense and Leather.

Is John Varvatos Oud or Oud 50 better for summer or winter?

John Varvatos Oud suits evening wear; Oud 50 suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in John Varvatos Oud and Oud 50?

John Varvatos Oud has top notes of Tobacco, Nutmeg, Juniper Berries and Cypress, heart notes of Cinnamon, Turkish Rose, Pepper and Cardamom, a base of Incense, Agarwood (Oud), Myrhh and Leather. Oud 50 has top notes of Turkish Rose and Taif Rose, heart notes of Malaysian Oud, Chinese Oud, Thailand Oud and Opoponax, a base of Guaiac Wood, Sandalwood, oak moss and Leather.

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