Fragrance comparison

Begum vs Talco

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 464 ratings analysed

4 wins

Begum

Xerjoff

4.16140 votes

Rank #7,040 WoodyRose

Full profile Similar & dupes

52%scent match

Some overlap

Talco

New Notes

3.79324 votes

Rank #4,619 PowderyMusky

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Begum takes 4 of 7 categories.

Begum
Choose it for a woody and rose character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.
Talco
Choose it for a powdery and musky character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Begum4/7

Talco2/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

BegumXerjoff

TalcoNew Notes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.16/ 5 · 140 votes

Have 79%Had 21%Want 0%

3.79/ 5 · 324 votes

Have 78%Had 22%Want 0%

Category winnerBegumRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

55%Love

22%Like

11%Ok

8%Dislike

4%Hate

140 votes

32%Love

35%Like

19%Ok

9%Dislike

4%Hate

223 votes

Category winnerBegumMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity84

〰 Sillage73

♥ Love / hate79

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage70

♥ Love / hate73

Category winners

LongevityBegum

SillageBegum

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value24

¤ Price value50

Category winnerTalcoBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

rose92%

powdery84%

floral77%

sweet69%

vanilla61%

powdery100%

musky90%

woody80%

iris70%

vanilla60%

sweet50%

Scent match52%Some overlap · both powdery, woody and vanilla

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Red BerriesBergamotLemonFreesia

Heart

Damask RoseBulgarian RoseIrisYlang-YlangLilacJasmine SambacLily-of-the-Valley

Base

SandalwoodVanillaPalisander RosewoodPatchouliAmberMuskVetiver

Top

TalcDamask RoseBergamotJasmine

Heart

IrisMoroccan RoseYlang-YlangPalisander Rosewood

Base

MuskVanillaTonka BeanAmberPrecious Woods

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Bulgarian Rose, Iris and Ylang-Ylang. 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

Summer0

Fall0

Winter89

Day–

Night–

Spring54

Summer35

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerTieMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men9

Unisex42

Women49

Men3

Unisex44

Women54

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#7,040

PerfumerChris Maurice

Launched—

Reviews12

Overall rank#4,619

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews47

Category winnerTalcoHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Begum by Xerjoff is an intense unisex chypre floral fragrance from the brand's premium 17/17 Stone Label collection. Master perfumer Chris Maurice constructed this scent around a lush contrast between vibrant fruit and heavy timber. It opens with a flash of tart red berries, bergamot, and freesia before revealing a de…

Reviews →

Talco is a true powder scent with a soft soapy lift, a floral heart, and a musky vanilla base that keeps it from feeling flat. On skin it usually reads like luxury talc, clean linen, and classic cosmetic powder more than a modern sweet gourmand. It suits powder lovers first, especially if you enjoy dry, comforting fra…

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, Begum or Talco?

Begum takes 4 of 7 categories. Begum is rated 4.16/5 from 140 votes; Talco is rated 3.79/5 from 324 votes. Choose Begum for a woody and rose character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring. Choose Talco for a powdery and musky character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Begum or Talco?

Begum lasts longest (Begum 84/100, Talco 80/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Begum or Talco?

Begum projects furthest (Begum 73/100, Talco 70/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Begum and Talco smell similar?

Some overlap: a 52% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share powdery, woody and vanilla accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Bulgarian Rose, Iris and Ylang-Ylang.

Is Begum or Talco better for summer or winter?

For summer, Talco is the stronger pick. For winter, Talco is the stronger pick. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Begum and Talco?

Begum has top notes of Red Berries, Bergamot, Lemon and Freesia, heart notes of Damask Rose, Bulgarian Rose, Iris and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Sandalwood, Vanilla, Palisander Rosewood and Patchouli. Talco has top notes of Talc, Damask Rose, Bergamot and Jasmine, heart notes of Iris, Moroccan Rose, Ylang-Ylang and Palisander Rosewood, a base of Musk, Vanilla, Tonka Bean and Amber.