Fragrance comparison

No. 2 Extreme vs Varens Original Russian Legend

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

Updated 24 Oct 2026 257 ratings analysed

4 wins

No. 2 Extreme

Aus Liebe zum Duft

4.26202 votes

Rank #3,667 WoodyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

50%scent match

Some overlap

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?

No. 2 Extreme takes 4 of 5 categories.

No. 2 Extreme
Choose it for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, day or night wear.
Varens Original Russian Legend
Choose it for a leather and smoky character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

No. 2 Extreme4/5

Varens Original Russian Legend1/5

Ratings & consensus: No. 2 Extreme
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: No. 2 Extreme
Sillage & projection: No. 2 Extreme
Value for money: Varens Original Russian Legend
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: No. 2 Extreme

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

No. 2 ExtremeAus Liebe zum Duft

Varens Original Russian LegendUlric de Varens

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.26/ 5 · 202 votes

Have 25%Had 9%Want 66%

3.96/ 5 · 55 votes

Have 25%Had 20%Want 55%

Category winnerNo. 2 ExtremeRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

71%Love

29%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

7 votes · too few to score

24%Love

62%Like

2%Ok

13%Dislike

0%Hate

55 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity86

〰 Sillage78

♥ Love / hate80

⏱ Longevity74

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate74

Category winners

LongevityNo. 2 Extreme

SillageNo. 2 Extreme

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value72

¤ Price value100

Category winnerVarens Original Russian LegendBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

warm spicy92%

leather84%

citrus77%

powdery69%

animalic61%

leather100%

smoky92%

woody84%

warm spicy77%

amber69%

animalic61%

Scent match50%Some overlap · both woody, leather and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Black CurrantGrapefruitBergamotGingerSaffronLimeCherry

Heart

IrisVioletBlack PepperCloveRed PepperFig LeafRoseJasmine

Base

LeatherAmberSandalwoodVetiverCedarVanillaPatchouliIncense

Top15-30 mins

LimeGrapefruitOrange Blossom

Heart2-4 hrs

Woody NotesSpicy NotesRoseJasmine

Base6-8+ hrs

LeatherWoodsy NotesIncense

InformationalShared notesGrapefruit, Lime, Rose and Jasmine. 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

Spring50

Summer50

Fall100

Winter50

Day100

Night100

Spring27

Summer20

Fall100

Winter73

Day41

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men50

Unisex0

Women50

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#3,667

PerfumerMarcus Betzer

Launched—

Reviews45

Overall rank#31,660

PerfumerPierre Bourdon

Launched—

Reviews2

Category winnerNo. 2 ExtremeHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

No. 2 Extreme is a woody, spicy leather fragrance with a bright fruit and citrus lift at the start. Black currant, grapefruit, lime and ginger give the opening bite, while iris, violet and pepper move it into a drier, more textured heart. The base is the main event: leather, amber, woods, incense, patchouli and tonka …

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, No. 2 Extreme or Varens Original Russian Legend?

No. 2 Extreme takes 4 of 5 categories. No. 2 Extreme is rated 4.26/5 from 202 votes; Varens Original Russian Legend is rated 3.96/5 from 55 votes. Choose No. 2 Extreme for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, day or night wear. Choose Varens Original Russian Legend for a leather and smoky character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, No. 2 Extreme or Varens Original Russian Legend?

No. 2 Extreme lasts longest (No. 2 Extreme 86/100, Varens Original Russian Legend 74/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, No. 2 Extreme or Varens Original Russian Legend?

No. 2 Extreme projects furthest (No. 2 Extreme 78/100, Varens Original Russian Legend 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Do No. 2 Extreme and Varens Original Russian Legend smell similar?

Some overlap: a 50% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, leather and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Grapefruit, Lime, Rose and Jasmine.

Is No. 2 Extreme or Varens Original Russian Legend better for summer or winter?

No. 2 Extreme suits day or night wear; Varens Original Russian Legend suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in No. 2 Extreme and Varens Original Russian Legend?

No. 2 Extreme has top notes of Black Currant, Grapefruit, Bergamot and Ginger, heart notes of Iris, Violet, Black Pepper and Clove, a base of Leather, Amber, Sandalwood and Vetiver. 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.