Fragrance comparison

Carmen vs Tabac Exquis (2021)

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

Updated 10 Oct 2026 422 ratings analysed

Carmen

Nimere Parfums

3.8138 votes

Rank #11,603 AmberWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

47%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

Tabac Exquis (2021)

Caron

4.46384 votes

Rank #2,507 Warm SpicyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Tabac Exquis (2021) takes 3 of 5 categories.

Carmen
Choose it for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Tabac Exquis (2021)
Choose it for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.

Carmen2/5

Tabac Exquis (2021)3/5

Ratings & consensus: Tabac Exquis (2021)
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Carmen
Sillage & projection: Carmen
Value for money: Tabac Exquis (2021)
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Tabac Exquis (2021)

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

CarmenNimere Parfums

Tabac Exquis (2021)Caron

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.81/ 5 · 38 votes

Have 20%Had 17%Want 63%

4.46/ 5 · 384 votes

Have 83%Had 17%Want 0%

Category winnerTabac Exquis (2021)Rating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

32%Love

41%Like

5%Ok

23%Dislike

0%Hate

22 votes · too few to score

60%Love

30%Like

7%Ok

3%Dislike

1%Hate

384 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity83

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity70

〰 Sillage54

♥ Love / hate86

Category winners

LongevityCarmen

SillageCarmen

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value25

¤ Price value41

Category winnerTabac Exquis (2021)Best value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

warm spicy92%

leather84%

sweet77%

smoky69%

woody61%

warm spicy100%

amber91%

sweet83%

cacao74%

tobacco65%

vanilla56%

Scent match47%Some overlap · both warm spicy, amber and sweet

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

CardamomSpicy NotesBergamot

Heart

PearYlang-YlangJasmineRose

Base

Tolu BalsamBirchCastoreumOakmossMyrrhTobaccoBenzoinLabdanum

Top15-30 mins

Cinnamon

Heart2-4 hrs

TobaccoDark ChocolateIrisMyrrhLabdanumJasmine

Base6-9 hrs

Cacao PodTonka BeanBenzoinAmbroxanOlibanum

InformationalShared notesJasmine, Myrrh, Tobacco and Benzoin. Durations are only published for Tabac Exquis (2021), so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring13

Summer25

Fall100

Winter75

Day100

Night57

Spring31

Summer11

Fall0

Winter100

Day42

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex67

Women33

Men19

Unisex59

Women22

Date 41%Casual 26%Party 17%Work 16%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#11,603

PerfumerNikolay Eremin

Launched—

Reviews18

Overall rank#2,507

PerfumerJean Jacques

Launched—

Reviews64

Category winnerTabac Exquis (2021)Higher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Carmen by Nimere Parfums creates an intense, resinous portrait of a dramatic scent. It opens with sharp cardamom and spicy notes, settling into a dark, complex base of tobacco, tolu balsam, and birch. Designed for those who appreciate bold, character-driven fragrances, it thrives in cool autumn weather when you want a…

Reviews →

Tabac Exquis (2021) by Caron strips away the harsh smoke often found in traditional tobacco scents, replacing it with a rich, melted dark chocolate and powdery iris core. You smell raw cinnamon bark immediately upon spraying. Within ten minutes, warm cacao pod and balsamic myrrh soften the edges, turning the aroma int…

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, Carmen or Tabac Exquis (2021)?

Tabac Exquis (2021) takes 3 of 5 categories. Carmen is rated 3.81/5 from 38 votes; Tabac Exquis (2021) is rated 4.46/5 from 384 votes. Choose Carmen for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Tabac Exquis (2021) for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Carmen or Tabac Exquis (2021)?

Carmen lasts longest (Carmen 83/100, Tabac Exquis (2021) 70/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Carmen or Tabac Exquis (2021)?

Carmen projects furthest (Carmen 65/100, Tabac Exquis (2021) 54/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Carmen and Tabac Exquis (2021) smell similar?

Some overlap: a 47% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, amber and sweet accords. Common notes include Jasmine, Myrrh, Tobacco and Benzoin.

Is Carmen or Tabac Exquis (2021) better for summer or winter?

Carmen suits daytime wear; Tabac Exquis (2021) suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Carmen and Tabac Exquis (2021)?

Carmen has top notes of Cardamom, Spicy Notes and Bergamot, heart notes of Pear, Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine and Rose, a base of Tolu Balsam, Birch, Castoreum and Oakmoss. Tabac Exquis (2021) has top notes of Cinnamon, heart notes of Tobacco, Dark Chocolate, Iris and Myrrh, a base of Cacao Pod, Tonka Bean, Benzoin and Ambroxan.