Fragrance comparison

Varens Original African Queen vs Ajmal II

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

Updated 25 Oct 2026 74 ratings analysed

Varens Original African Queen

Ulric de Varens

3.9842 votes

Rank #20,326 Warm SpicyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

42%scent match

Some overlap

5 wins

Ajmal II

Ajmal

4.0932 votes

Rank #34,334 Warm SpicyRose

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Ajmal II takes 5 of 6 categories.

Varens Original African Queen
Choose it for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.
Ajmal II
Choose it for a warm spicy and rose character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Varens Original African Queen1/6

Ajmal II5/6

Ratings & consensus: Ajmal II
Community sentiment: Ajmal II
Longevity: Ajmal II
Sillage & projection: Ajmal II
Value for money: Not scored
Versatility: Ajmal II
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Varens Original African Queen

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Varens Original African QueenUlric de Varens

Ajmal IIAjmal

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.98/ 5 · 42 votes

Have 35%Had 15%Want 51%

4.09/ 5 · 32 votes

Have 33%Had 12%Want 54%

Category winnerAjmal IIRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

26%Love

60%Like

0%Ok

14%Dislike

0%Hate

42 votes

44%Love

41%Like

3%Ok

6%Dislike

6%Hate

32 votes

Category winnerAjmal IIMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity86

〰 Sillage77

♥ Love / hate77

Category winners

LongevityAjmal II

SillageAjmal II

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price valueN/A

¤ Price value55

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

amber91%

floral83%

oud74%

balsamic65%

citrus56%

warm spicy100%

rose90%

floral80%

woody70%

powdery60%

aromatic50%

Scent match42%Some overlap · both warm spicy and floral

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

ResinsSpicy NotesCarnationAgarwood (Oud)BergamotFloral Notes

No top / heart / base split published

Notes

RoseSandalwoodCarnationCardamomAgarwood (Oud)White MuskBergamotSpicy NotesGrapefruit

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesSpicy Notes, Carnation, Agarwood (Oud) and Bergamot. Durations are only published for Varens Original African Queen, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring19

Summer0

Fall100

Winter63

Day35

Night100

Spring64

Summer91

Fall100

Winter82

Day100

Night88

Category winnerAjmal IIMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

Date 37%Party 29%Casual 21%Work 13%

Men9

Unisex55

Women36

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#20,326

PerfumerPierre Bourdon

Launched—

Reviews5

Overall rank#34,334

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerVarens Original African QueenHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Varens Original African Queen is a warm spicy amber floral fragrance that punches well above its modest drugstore price tag. Composed by master nose Pierre Bourdon in 2008, it opens with a brisk flash of bergamot that quickly yields to a fiery heart of spicy carnation and abstract floral notes. A dusty, smoky base of …

Reviews →

Ajmal II is a warm, spicy rose fragrance with a classic Middle Eastern texture. The opening reads citrusy and aromatic, then rose and carnation take over with cardamom-like spice, before settling into a musky, woody base with sandalwood and a noticeable oud tone. It wears bold and can feel powdery and traditional, bes…

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, Varens Original African Queen or Ajmal II?

Ajmal II takes 5 of 6 categories. Varens Original African Queen is rated 3.98/5 from 42 votes; Ajmal II is rated 4.09/5 from 32 votes. Choose Varens Original African Queen for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Ajmal II for a warm spicy and rose character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Varens Original African Queen or Ajmal II?

Ajmal II lasts longest (Ajmal II 86/100, Varens Original African Queen 71/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Varens Original African Queen or Ajmal II?

Ajmal II projects furthest (Ajmal II 77/100, Varens Original African Queen 66/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Varens Original African Queen and Ajmal II smell similar?

Some overlap: a 42% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy and floral accords. Common notes include Spicy Notes, Carnation, Agarwood (Oud) and Bergamot.

Is Varens Original African Queen or Ajmal II better for summer or winter?

For summer, Ajmal II is the stronger pick. For winter, Ajmal II is the stronger pick. Varens Original African Queen suits evening wear; Ajmal II suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Varens Original African Queen and Ajmal II?

Varens Original African Queen features Resins, Spicy Notes, Carnation, Agarwood (Oud) and Bergamot. Ajmal II features Rose, Sandalwood, Carnation, Cardamom and Agarwood (Oud).