Fragrance comparison

Balalaika vs Plum Blossom

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

Updated 9 Oct 2026 37 ratings analysed

3 wins

Balalaika

Lucien Lelong

3.8635 votes

Rank #20,387 PowderyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

52%scent match

Some overlap

Plum Blossom

Mith

3.502 votes

Rank #59,693 White FloralPowdery

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Balalaika takes 3 of 3 categories.

Balalaika
Choose it for a powdery and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Plum Blossom
Choose it for a white floral and powdery character. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Balalaika3/3

Plum Blossom0/3

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

BalalaikaLucien Lelong

Plum BlossomMith

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.86/ 5 · 35 votes

Have 37%Had 11%Want 52%

3.50/ 5 · 2 votes

Have 22%Had 4%Want 74%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

35%Love

39%Like

4%Ok

22%Dislike

0%Hate

23 votes · too few to score

0%Love

50%Like

50%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

2 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate63

Category winners

LongevityBalalaika

SillageBalalaika

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price valueN/A

¤ Price value88

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

powdery100%

woody92%

musky84%

violet77%

white floral69%

citrus61%

white floral100%

powdery92%

fruity84%

violet77%

vanilla69%

woody61%

Scent match52%Some overlap · both powdery, white floral and violet

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Mandarin Orange

Heart

VioletGardeniaPalisander Rosewood

Base

MuskWoody NotesVanilla

Top

Wild BerriesMandarin OrangeWhite PeachIrisCarrot Seeds

Heart

GardeniaJasmineVioletHoneysuckleBlack CurrantRose

Base

CaramelVanillaTonka BeanAmberSandalwoodMusk

InformationalShared notesMandarin Orange, Violet, Gardenia and Musk. 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

Summer100

Fall100

Winter100

Day100

Night–

Spring50

Summer100

Fall100

Winter0

Day100

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex25

Women75

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#20,387

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews8

Overall rank#59,693

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerBalalaikaHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Balalaika by Lucien Lelong is a vintage floral woody musk launched in 1939 that centers on violet and gardenia. It opens with bright mandarin orange before settling into a warm, powdery base of musk, vanilla, and woods. This fragrance suits those who enjoy classic, skin-hugging scents that feel intimate and refined fo…

Reviews →

Plum Blossom by Mith wears like a soft fruity floral with a powdery, creamy finish. Peach, berries and mandarin give the opening a juicy lift, then violet, gardenia and jasmine take over before vanilla, caramel, sandalwood and musk settle in. It usually reads gentle rather than loud, with moderate wear and a slightly…

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, Balalaika or Plum Blossom?

Balalaika takes 3 of 3 categories. Balalaika is rated 3.86/5 from 35 votes; Plum Blossom is rated 3.50/5 from 2 votes. Choose Balalaika for a powdery and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Plum Blossom for a white floral and powdery character. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Balalaika or Plum Blossom?

Balalaika lasts longest (Balalaika 73/100, Plum Blossom 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Balalaika or Plum Blossom?

Balalaika projects furthest (Balalaika 58/100, Plum Blossom 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Balalaika and Plum Blossom smell similar?

Some overlap: a 52% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share powdery, white floral and violet accords. Common notes include Mandarin Orange, Violet, Gardenia and Musk.

Is Balalaika or Plum Blossom better for summer or winter?

Balalaika suits daytime wear; Plum Blossom suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Balalaika and Plum Blossom?

Balalaika has top notes of Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Violet, Gardenia and Palisander Rosewood, a base of Musk, Woody Notes and Vanilla. Plum Blossom has top notes of Wild Berries, Mandarin Orange, White Peach and Iris, heart notes of Gardenia, Jasmine, Violet and Honeysuckle, a base of Caramel, Vanilla, Tonka Bean and Amber.