Fragrance comparison

Varens Original African Queen vs Blask

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

Updated 25 Oct 2026 311 ratings analysed

Varens Original African Queen

Ulric de Varens

3.9842 votes

Rank #20,326 Warm SpicyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

19%scent match

Clearly different

6 wins

Blask

Humiecki & Graef

3.94269 votes

Rank #8,626 WoodyNutty

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Blask takes 6 of 7 categories.

Varens Original African Queen
Choose it for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on community sentiment. Best in fall, evening wear.
Blask
Choose it for a woody and nutty character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear.

Varens Original African Queen1/7

Blask6/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Varens Original African QueenUlric de Varens

BlaskHumiecki & Graef

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.98/ 5 · 42 votes

Have 35%Had 15%Want 51%

3.94/ 5 · 269 votes

Have 35%Had 16%Want 49%

Category winnerBlaskRating 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

42%Love

33%Like

5%Ok

18%Dislike

2%Hate

269 votes

Category winnerVarens Original African QueenMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity77

〰 Sillage72

♥ Love / hate74

Category winners

LongevityBlask

SillageBlask

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price valueN/A

¤ Price value49

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

amber91%

floral83%

oud74%

balsamic65%

citrus56%

woody100%

nutty91%

fresh spicy83%

wine74%

sweet65%

amber56%

Scent match19%Clearly different · both amber

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

WalnutBay LeafRed WineMarron glaceResinsWoody NotesAgarwood (Oud)Floral Notes

No top / heart / base split published

Category winnerBlaskLongest dry-down: 8-10+ hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring19

Summer0

Fall100

Winter63

Day35

Night100

Spring43

Summer22

Fall100

Winter86

Day65

Night100

Category winnerBlaskMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

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

Men31

Unisex53

Women17

Date 33%Casual 27%Party 25%Work 15%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#20,326

PerfumerPierre Bourdon

Launched—

Reviews5

Overall rank#8,626

PerfumerChristophe Hornetz, Christophe Laudamiel

Launched—

Reviews12

Category winnerBlaskHigher 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 →

Humiecki & Graef Blask is an adventurous woody scent that opens with a tart splash of dry red wine, crisp bay leaf, and bitter green walnut shells. As the sharp botanical edge settles on warm skin, the fragrance softens into sweet candied chestnut, smooth tree resins, and a touch of dry agarwood. It smells like uncork…

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 Blask?

Blask takes 6 of 7 categories. Varens Original African Queen is rated 3.98/5 from 42 votes; Blask is rated 3.94/5 from 269 votes. Choose Varens Original African Queen for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on community sentiment. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Blask for a woody and nutty character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Varens Original African Queen or Blask?

Blask lasts longest (Blask 77/100, Varens Original African Queen 71/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Varens Original African Queen or Blask?

Blask projects furthest (Blask 72/100, Varens Original African Queen 66/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Varens Original African Queen and Blask smell similar?

Clearly different: a 19% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber accords. Common notes include Resins, Agarwood (Oud) and Floral Notes.

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

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

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

Varens Original African Queen features Resins, Spicy Notes, Carnation, Agarwood (Oud) and Bergamot. Blask features Walnut, Bay Leaf, Red Wine, Marron glace and Resins.