Fragrance comparison

Balafre vs Tabac Original

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 1,282 ratings analysed

5 wins

Balafre

Lancôme

4.00134 votes

Rank #8,659 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

59%scent match

Closely related

Tabac Original

Tabac

3.911,148 votes

Rank #1,290 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Balafre takes 5 of 7 categories.

Balafre
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Tabac Original
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Balafre5/7

Tabac Original2/7

Ratings & consensus: Balafre
Community sentiment: Balafre
Longevity: Balafre
Sillage & projection: Balafre
Value for money: Tabac Original
Versatility: Balafre
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Tabac Original

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

BalafreLancôme

Tabac OriginalTabac

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.00/ 5 · 134 votes

Have 37%Had 18%Want 45%

3.91/ 5 · 1,148 votes

Have 76%Had 24%Want 0%

Category winnerBalafreRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

21%Love

61%Like

4%Ok

11%Dislike

1%Hate

70 votes

35%Love

45%Like

10%Ok

9%Dislike

2%Hate

953 votes

Category winnerBalafreMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity64

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate77

⏱ Longevity61

〰 Sillage54

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityBalafre

SillageBalafre

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value31

¤ Price value88

Category winnerTabac OriginalBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

woody91%

green83%

fresh spicy74%

mossy65%

citrus56%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

woody84%

citrus77%

floral69%

warm spicy61%

Scent match59%Closely related · both aromatic, woody and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Green NotesLimeCypressChamomileLavenderNeroli

Heart

Pine needlesClary SageGeraniumCarnationCedar

Base

OakmossVetiverLeatherMuskAmber

Top

PetitgrainBergamotPepperLemonNeroli

Heart

ChamomileLavenderGeraniumOak

Base

SandalwoodCarnationMuskVetiverAmber

InformationalShared notesChamomile, Lavender, Neroli and Geranium. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer72

Fall67

Winter39

Day100

Night42

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter98

Day–

Night–

Category winnerBalafreMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men85

Unisex5

Women10

Men86

Unisex11

Women3

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#8,659

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews25

Overall rank#1,290

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews205

Category winnerTabac OriginalHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Balafre reads as a green, aromatic woody chypre with a brisk lime and herbal opening, then settles into pine, cedar, oakmoss and vetiver. Reviews point to a fresh, sparkling feel rather than anything sweet or heavy. It suits shoppers who enjoy classic masculine structure, foresty textures and a cleaner old-school styl…

Reviews →

Tabac Original is a pillar of European grooming that smells like a freshly swept German barbershop. It leads with a sharp punch of petitgrain and lemon before settling into a clean, floral heart of lavender and geranium. This is not a modern gourmand. It is a dry, soapy scent for men who value a crisp, groomed present…

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, Balafre or Tabac Original?

Balafre takes 5 of 7 categories. Balafre is rated 4.00/5 from 134 votes; Tabac Original is rated 3.91/5 from 1,148 votes. Choose Balafre for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Tabac Original for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Balafre or Tabac Original?

Balafre lasts longest (Balafre 64/100, Tabac Original 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Balafre or Tabac Original?

Balafre projects furthest (Balafre 61/100, Tabac Original 54/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Balafre and Tabac Original smell similar?

Closely related: a 59% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Chamomile, Lavender, Neroli and Geranium.

Is Balafre or Tabac Original better for summer or winter?

For summer, Balafre is the stronger pick. For winter, Tabac Original is the stronger pick. Balafre suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Balafre and Tabac Original?

Balafre has top notes of Green Notes, Lime, Cypress and Chamomile, heart notes of Pine needles, Clary Sage, Geranium and Carnation, a base of Oakmoss, Vetiver, Leather and Musk. Tabac Original has top notes of Petitgrain, Bergamot, Pepper and Lemon, heart notes of Chamomile, Lavender, Geranium and Oak, a base of Sandalwood, Carnation, Musk and Vetiver.