Bucephalus XII vs Monsieur Balmain
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
31%scent match
Clearly different
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Bucephalus XII takes 5 of 7 categories.
Bucephalus XIIChoose it for a musky and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Monsieur BalmainChoose it for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus and community sentiment. Best in summer, daytime wear.
Bucephalus XII5/7
Monsieur Balmain2/7
- Ratings & consensus
- Monsieur Balmain
- Community sentiment
- Monsieur Balmain
- Longevity
- Bucephalus XII
- Sillage & projection
- Bucephalus XII
- Value for money
- Bucephalus XII
- Versatility
- Bucephalus XII
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- Bucephalus XII
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
Bucephalus XIIArmafMonsieur BalmainPierre BalmainWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split3.89/ 5 · 38 votes
Have 39%Had 5%Want 57%
4.69/ 5 · 449 votes
Have 56%Had 14%Want 31%
Category winnerMonsieur BalmainRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate42%Love
29%Like
13%Ok
8%Dislike
8%Hate
38 votes
72%Love
25%Like
3%Ok
0%Dislike
0%Hate
36 votes
Category winnerMonsieur BalmainMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityBucephalus XII
SillageBucephalus XII
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerBucephalus XIIBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothmusky100%
woody91%
powdery83%
amber74%
citrus65%
earthy56%
citrus100%
aromatic88%
fresh spicy77%
warm spicy53%
fresh30%
Scent match31%Clearly different · both citrus
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop
LemonOrange BlossomMint
Heart
SpicesPepperGingerNutmeg
Base
MuskAmberSandalwoodPatchouliVetiver
Top
LemonBergamotBitter OrangeMint
Heart
GingerSandalwoodRosemaryCarawayNutmegMossPepperThyme
Base
VetiverClary SageAmberMusk
InformationalShared notesLemon, Mint, Pepper and Ginger. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring88
Summer63
Fall100
Winter92
Day100
Night91
Spring82
Summer100
Fall18
Winter6
Day100
Night13
Category winnerBucephalus XIIMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#17,063
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews6
Overall rank#26,223
PerfumerGermaine Cellier
Launched1990
Reviews0
Category winnerBucephalus XIIHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotArmaf Bucephalus XII opens with a bright burst of mint and lemon, backed by sweet orange blossom. As the initial freshness subsides, ginger and black pepper take over, creating a spicy warmth on the skin. The final phase settles into a dense, sweet base of amber, patchouli, and sandalwood that projects an aroma remini…
Reviews →Monsieur Balmain by Pierre Balmain is a sharp, sun-drenched blast of yellow lemon peel and bitter orange. It is designed for those who appreciate dry, completely unsweetened citrus that holds its ground in high heat. It works beautifully on humid summer days when sugary scents turn cloying.
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
Get a practical answer grounded in the fragrances currently selected.
Recent comparisons
Head-to-head activity from live history
Mexx Ice Touch ManMexxRUNNER-UP
vs
♛
White NoiseRoadsWINNER
♛
CreatorARgENTUMWINNER
vs
Forget Me Not 勿忘我RECLASSIFIED RE调香室RUNNER-UP
1 person compared this today
CreatorARgENTUMWINNER
vs
Forget Me Not 勿忘我RECLASSIFIED RE调香室RUNNER-UP
NabroAZYARUNNER-UP
vs
♛
Mila Schön (Original)Mila SchönWINNER
Saffron AmberIlluminumRUNNER-UP
vs
♛
Septieme Sens (7e Sens)Sonia RykielWINNER
Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Bucephalus XII or Monsieur Balmain?
Bucephalus XII takes 5 of 7 categories. Bucephalus XII is rated 3.89/5 from 38 votes; Monsieur Balmain is rated 4.69/5 from 449 votes. Choose Bucephalus XII for a musky and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Monsieur Balmain for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus and community sentiment. Best in summer, daytime wear.
Which lasts longer, Bucephalus XII or Monsieur Balmain?
Bucephalus XII lasts longest (Bucephalus XII 72/100, Monsieur Balmain 63/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Bucephalus XII or Monsieur Balmain?
Bucephalus XII projects furthest (Bucephalus XII 64/100, Monsieur Balmain 57/100), based on community performance votes.
Do Bucephalus XII and Monsieur Balmain smell similar?
Clearly different: a 31% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus accords. Common notes include Lemon, Mint, Pepper and Ginger.
Is Bucephalus XII or Monsieur Balmain better for summer or winter?
For summer, Monsieur Balmain is the stronger pick. For winter, Bucephalus XII is the stronger pick. Bucephalus XII suits daytime wear; Monsieur Balmain suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Bucephalus XII and Monsieur Balmain?
Bucephalus XII has top notes of Lemon, Orange Blossom and Mint, heart notes of Spices, Pepper, Ginger and Nutmeg, a base of Musk, Amber, Sandalwood and Patchouli. Monsieur Balmain has top notes of Lemon, Bergamot, Bitter Orange and Mint, heart notes of Ginger, Sandalwood, Rosemary and Caraway, a base of Vetiver, Clary Sage, Amber and Musk.
Popular fragrance comparisons
The matchups people have compared most on Fragranxe.
vs
Sauvage vs Bleu de Chanel
Dior · Chanel · 36 comparisons
vs
Paco Rabanne Pour Homme Rabanne for men vs Shiyaaka Shadow
Rabanne · Khadlaj Perfumes · 30 comparisons
vs
Baccarat Rouge 540 vs Khamrah
Maison Francis Kurkdjian · Lattafa Perfumes · 21 comparisons
vs
Birth of Venus vs Brioni Eau de Parfum Intense
Argos · Brioni · 17 comparisons
vs
Supremacy Not Only Intense vs Arabians Tonka
Afnan · Montale · 14 comparisons
vs
Secret De Venus Eau de Parfum vs # What Matters is Inside - Italy
Weil · Jovoy Paris · 14 comparisons