Fragrance comparison

V.O. Version Originale vs Tsar

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 1,874 ratings analysed

4 wins

V.O. Version Originale

Jean-Marc Sinan

4.2759 votes

Rank #8,904 WoodyFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

51%scent match

Some overlap

Tsar

Van Cleef & Arpels

4.191,815 votes

Rank #750 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

V.O. Version Originale takes 4 of 7 categories.

V.O. Version Originale
Choose it for a woody and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.
Tsar
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, daytime wear.

V.O. Version Originale4/7

Tsar3/7

Ratings & consensus: Tsar
Community sentiment: Tsar
Longevity: V.O. Version Originale
Sillage & projection: V.O. Version Originale
Value for money: V.O. Version Originale
Versatility: V.O. Version Originale
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Tsar

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

V.O. Version OriginaleJean-Marc Sinan

TsarVan Cleef & Arpels

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.27/ 5 · 59 votes

Have 43%Had 17%Want 41%

4.19/ 5 · 1,815 votes

Have 63%Had 38%Want 0%

Category winnerTsarRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

56%Love

31%Like

0%Ok

12%Dislike

2%Hate

59 votes

45%Love

41%Like

3%Ok

11%Dislike

1%Hate

1,815 votes

Category winnerTsarMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity82

〰 Sillage76

♥ Love / hate82

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate80

Category winners

LongevityV.O. Version Originale

SillageV.O. Version Originale

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value63

¤ Price value48

Category winnerV.O. Version OriginaleBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

fresh spicy92%

aromatic84%

white floral77%

warm spicy69%

floral61%

aromatic100%

woody90%

fresh spicy80%

green70%

earthy60%

mossy50%

Scent match51%Some overlap · both woody, aromatic and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

LavenderGeraniumNeroliLemonTangerine

Heart

JasmineRoseCarnationPepperYlang-YlangLily-of-the-Valley

Base

Woody NotesMuskTonka BeanCedarSandalwood

Top20-30 mins

Green NotesLavenderArtemisiaRosemaryBergamotCorianderCinnamonNeroli

Heart2-4 hrs

Pine TreeJuniper BerriesCarnationTarragonGeraniumCarawayJasmineRose

Base6-8+ hrs

OakmossLeatherCedarPatchouliVetiverSandalwoodMuskAmber

InformationalShared notesLavender, Geranium, Neroli and Jasmine. Durations are only published for Tsar, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring52

Summer24

Fall76

Winter100

Day33

Night100

Spring91

Summer51

Fall0

Winter100

Day100

Night73

Category winnerV.O. Version OriginaleMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Men94

Unisex5

Women1

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#8,904

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews13

Overall rank#750

PerfumerPhilippe Bousseton

Launched—

Reviews204

Category winnerTsarHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

V.O. Version Originale by Jean-Marc Sinan opens with a sharp burst of citrus and lavender, driven by black pepper and an unapologetically bitter geranium. It is an authentic 1984 powerhouse that does not apologize for its volume. As it settles onto skin, spicy carnation and ylang-ylang emerge alongside a dusty, floral…

Reviews →

Van Cleef & Arpels Tsar is a quintessential green aromatic cologne that captures the crisp air of a dense pine forest. It opens with an invigorating rush of cool lavender, bitter artemisia, and crushed rosemary, creating the sensation of walking through morning woodland dew. As the scent settles, aromatic juniper berr…

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, V.O. Version Originale or Tsar?

V.O. Version Originale takes 4 of 7 categories. V.O. Version Originale is rated 4.27/5 from 59 votes; Tsar is rated 4.19/5 from 1,815 votes. Choose V.O. Version Originale for a woody and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Tsar for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, V.O. Version Originale or Tsar?

V.O. Version Originale lasts longest (V.O. Version Originale 82/100, Tsar 72/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, V.O. Version Originale or Tsar?

V.O. Version Originale projects furthest (V.O. Version Originale 76/100, Tsar 62/100), based on community performance votes.

Do V.O. Version Originale and Tsar smell similar?

Some overlap: a 51% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, aromatic and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Lavender, Geranium, Neroli and Jasmine.

Is V.O. Version Originale or Tsar better for summer or winter?

For summer, Tsar is the stronger pick. For winter, V.O. Version Originale is the stronger pick. V.O. Version Originale suits evening wear; Tsar suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in V.O. Version Originale and Tsar?

V.O. Version Originale has top notes of Lavender, Geranium, Neroli and Lemon, heart notes of Jasmine, Rose, Carnation and Pepper, a base of Woody Notes, Musk, Tonka Bean and Cedar. Tsar has top notes of Green Notes, Lavender, Artemisia and Rosemary, heart notes of Pine Tree, Juniper Berries, Carnation and Tarragon, a base of Oakmoss, Leather, Cedar and Patchouli.