Fragrance comparison

Balu vs Diwan Gourmand

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

Updated 22 Oct 2026 19 ratings analysed

Balu

Gabar

3.2010 votes

Rank #23,117 FruitySweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

40%scent match

Some overlap

Diwan Gourmand

The Spirit of Dubai

4.009 votes

Rank #52,729 WoodySweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

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

Balu
Choose it for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.
Diwan Gourmand
Choose it for a woody and sweet character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Balu2/4

Diwan Gourmand2/4

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

BaluGabar

Diwan GourmandThe Spirit of Dubai

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.20/ 5 · 10 votes

Have 8%Had 1%Want 90%

4.00/ 5 · 9 votes

Have 25%Had 2%Want 73%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

40%Love

0%Like

20%Ok

20%Dislike

20%Hate

10 votes · too few to score

44%Love

22%Like

22%Ok

11%Dislike

0%Hate

9 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage43

♥ Love / hate55

⏱ Longevity87

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevityDiwan Gourmand

SillageDiwan Gourmand

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value33

¤ Price value25

Category winnerBaluBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fruity100%

sweet90%

cacao80%

soft spicy70%

vanilla60%

warm spicy50%

woody100%

sweet92%

fruity84%

warm spicy77%

amber69%

patchouli61%

Scent match40%Some overlap · both fruity, sweet and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

BlackcurrantDates

Heart2-4 hrs

CocoaCondensed MilkMolasses

Base6-8+ hrs

VanillaTonka Bean

Top

BlackcurrantCacaoSmokeChocolatePlum

Heart

DatesBenzoinFirPink PepperRoseCinnamonTonka Bean

Base

PatchouliCedarwoodVetiverMuskAmberVanillaOudLeather

InformationalShared notesBlackcurrant, Dates, Vanilla and Tonka Bean. Durations are only published for Balu, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring25

Summer50

Fall100

Winter100

Day39

Night100

Spring50

Summer25

Fall100

Winter100

Day100

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

Date 40%Casual 30%Party 20%Work 10%

Men67

Unisex33

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#23,117

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews6

Overall rank#52,729

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerBaluHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Balu by Gabar delivers a dense, unapologetic gourmand profile rooted in Southeast Asian dessert traditions. The opening strikes with tart blackcurrant and sticky, caramelised dates. It smells pungent and thick at first. Give it five minutes to settle on warm skin. Soon, rich cocoa powder and sweetened condensed milk t…

Reviews →

Diwan Gourmand opens with dark cacao, smoky plum, and tart blackcurrant, introducing a heavy gourmand built on contrast. Sticky dates, cinnamon, and fir needles form a warm core that settles into resinous oud and leather. It shines in freezing weather, offering long-lasting warmth for evening wear when you want a rich…

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, Balu or Diwan Gourmand?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2. Balu is rated 3.20/5 from 10 votes; Diwan Gourmand is rated 4.00/5 from 9 votes. Choose Balu for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Diwan Gourmand for a woody and sweet character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, Balu or Diwan Gourmand?

Diwan Gourmand lasts longest (Diwan Gourmand 87/100, Balu 67/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Balu or Diwan Gourmand?

Diwan Gourmand projects furthest (Diwan Gourmand 69/100, Balu 43/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Balu and Diwan Gourmand smell similar?

Some overlap: a 40% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fruity, sweet and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Blackcurrant, Dates, Vanilla and Tonka Bean.

Is Balu or Diwan Gourmand better for summer or winter?

Balu suits evening wear; Diwan Gourmand suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Balu and Diwan Gourmand?

Balu has top notes of Blackcurrant and Dates, heart notes of Cocoa, Condensed Milk and Molasses, a base of Vanilla and Tonka Bean. Diwan Gourmand has top notes of Blackcurrant, Cacao, Smoke and Chocolate, heart notes of Dates, Benzoin, Fir and Pink Pepper, a base of Patchouli, Cedarwood, Vetiver and Musk.