Basala vs Tsar
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
61%scent match
Closely related
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Basala takes 5 of 7 categories.
BasalaChoose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.
TsarChoose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, daytime wear.
Basala5/7
Tsar2/7
- Ratings & consensus
- Basala
- Community sentiment
- Basala
- Longevity
- Basala
- Sillage & projection
- Basala
- Value for money
- Basala
- Versatility
- Tsar
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- Tsar
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
BasalaShiseidoTsarVan Cleef & ArpelsWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split4.38/ 5 · 391 votes
Have 50%Had 50%Want 0%
4.19/ 5 · 1,815 votes
Have 63%Had 38%Want 0%
Category winnerBasalaRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate55%Love
37%Like
1%Ok
7%Dislike
0%Hate
391 votes
45%Love
41%Like
3%Ok
11%Dislike
1%Hate
1,815 votes
Category winnerBasalaMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityBasala
SillageBasala
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerBasalaBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by botharomatic100%
fresh spicy92%
woody84%
warm spicy77%
amber69%
herbal61%
aromatic100%
woody90%
fresh spicy80%
green70%
earthy60%
mossy50%
Scent match61%Closely related · both aromatic, woody and fresh spicy
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop
LavenderClary SageBasilRosemaryFruity NotesArtemisiaGreen NotesBergamot
Heart
CarawayRoseCinnamonFirCarnationJasmine
Base
LeatherLabdanumCedarOakmossAmberPatchouliMuskCoconut
Top20-30 mins
Green NotesLavenderArtemisiaRosemaryBergamotCorianderCinnamonNeroli
Heart2-4 hrs
Pine TreeJuniper BerriesCarnationTarragonGeraniumCarawayJasmineRose
Base6-8+ hrs
OakmossLeatherCedarPatchouliVetiverSandalwoodMuskAmber
InformationalShared notesLavender, Rosemary, Artemisia and Green Notes. Durations are only published for Tsar, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring52
Summer22
Fall0
Winter100
Day–
Night–
Spring91
Summer51
Fall0
Winter100
Day100
Night73
Category winnerTsarMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#25,846
PerfumerDominique Preyssas
Launched—
Reviews0
Overall rank#750
PerfumerPhilippe Bousseton
Launched—
Reviews204
Category winnerTsarHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotShiseido Basala hits the skin with a sharp, bracing rush of green rosemary, clary sage, and bitter artemisia. It is a dry, red-hued chypre from the early nineties that completely bypasses the clean, aquatic trends of its era. As the initial herbal blast simmers down, a warm wave of cinnamon and carnation emerges, brin…
Reviews →Van Cleef & Arpels Tsar is a quintessential green aromatic cologne that captures the crisp air of a dense pine forest. It opens with an invigorating rush of cool lavender, bitter artemisia, and crushed rosemary, creating the sensation of walking through morning woodland dew. As the scent settles, aromatic juniper berr…
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.
Guided comparison
Ask about this matchup
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Basala or Tsar?
Basala takes 5 of 7 categories. Basala is rated 4.38/5 from 391 votes; Tsar is rated 4.19/5 from 1,815 votes. Choose Basala for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter. Choose Tsar for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, daytime wear.
Which lasts longer, Basala or Tsar?
Basala lasts longest (Basala 77/100, Tsar 72/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Basala or Tsar?
Basala projects furthest (Basala 71/100, Tsar 62/100), based on community performance votes.
Do Basala and Tsar smell similar?
Closely related: a 61% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Lavender, Rosemary, Artemisia and Green Notes.
Is Basala or Tsar better for summer or winter?
For summer, Tsar is the stronger pick. For winter, Basala is the stronger pick. Tsar suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Basala and Tsar?
Basala has top notes of Lavender, Clary Sage, Basil and Rosemary, heart notes of Caraway, Rose, Cinnamon and Fir, a base of Leather, Labdanum, Cedar and Oakmoss. Tsar has top notes of Green Notes, Lavender, Artemisia and Rosemary, heart notes of Pine Tree, Juniper Berries, Carnation and Tarragon, a base of Oakmoss, Leather, Cedar and Patchouli.
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