Fragrance comparison

Varens Original African Queen vs Ankura

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

Updated 25 Oct 2026 63 ratings analysed

Varens Original African Queen

Ulric de Varens

3.9842 votes

Rank #20,326 Warm SpicyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

30%scent match

Clearly different

Ankura

Byermia

3.5121 votes

Rank #22,289 CitrusWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

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

Varens Original African Queen
Choose it for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.
Ankura
Choose it for a citrus and woody character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, day or night wear.

Varens Original African Queen2/4

Ankura2/4

Ratings & consensus: Varens Original African Queen
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Ankura
Sillage & projection: Ankura
Value for money: Not scored
Versatility: Not scored
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

AnkuraByermia

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.98/ 5 · 42 votes

Have 35%Had 15%Want 51%

3.51/ 5 · 21 votes

Have 16%Had 0%Want 84%

Category winnerVarens Original African QueenRating 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

14%Love

29%Like

57%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

7 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity81

〰 Sillage77

♥ Love / hate69

Category winners

LongevityAnkura

SillageAnkura

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price valueN/A

¤ Price value50

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

amber91%

floral83%

oud74%

balsamic65%

citrus56%

citrus100%

woody92%

earthy84%

warm spicy77%

smoky69%

mossy61%

Scent match30%Clearly different · both warm spicy and citrus

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

LimeBergamotAgarwood (Oud)ImmortellePatchouliOakmossSmokeResinsBalsamic Notes

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesResins, 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

Spring100

Summer33

Fall100

Winter33

Day100

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

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

Men40

Unisex40

Women20

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#20,326

PerfumerPierre Bourdon

Launched—

Reviews5

Overall rank#22,289

PerfumerAshek Zubayer

Launched—

Reviews12

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 →

Ankura by Byermia is a bracing, unisex citrus aromatic fragrance that channels the raw spirit of a young plant. Launched in 2023, it relies on sharp lime and bergamot balanced by deep, earthy notes of oakmoss and patchouli. It is a bold, unconventional choice for those who prefer their scents green and grounded, movin…

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 Ankura?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2. Varens Original African Queen is rated 3.98/5 from 42 votes; Ankura is rated 3.51/5 from 21 votes. Choose Varens Original African Queen for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Ankura for a citrus and woody character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, Varens Original African Queen or Ankura?

Ankura lasts longest (Ankura 81/100, Varens Original African Queen 71/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Varens Original African Queen or Ankura?

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

Do Varens Original African Queen and Ankura smell similar?

Clearly different: a 30% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy and citrus accords. Common notes include Resins, Agarwood (Oud) and Bergamot.

Is Varens Original African Queen or Ankura better for summer or winter?

Varens Original African Queen suits evening wear; Ankura suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Varens Original African Queen and Ankura?

Varens Original African Queen features Resins, Spicy Notes, Carnation, Agarwood (Oud) and Bergamot. Ankura features Lime, Bergamot, Agarwood (Oud), Immortelle and Patchouli.