Fragrance comparison

Charles of the Ritz vs Balahe

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

Updated 29 Oct 2026 588 ratings analysed

6 wins

Charles of the Ritz

4.3967 votes

Rank #28,970 AmberFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

44%scent match

Some overlap

Balahe

Leonard

4.23521 votes

Rank #3,719 SweetPowdery

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Charles of the Ritz takes 6 of 8 categories.

Charles of the Ritz
Choose it for a amber and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, evening wear.
Balahe
Choose it for a sweet and powdery character. Wins on note pyramid duration and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.

Charles of the Ritz6/8

Balahe2/8

Ratings & consensus: Charles of the Ritz
Community sentiment: Charles of the Ritz
Longevity: Charles of the Ritz
Sillage & projection: Charles of the Ritz
Value for money: Charles of the Ritz
Versatility: Charles of the Ritz
Note pyramid (duration): Balahe
Fragranxe ranking: Balahe

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Charles of the RitzCharles of the Ritz

BalaheLeonard

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.39/ 5 · 67 votes

Have 22%Had 35%Want 43%

4.23/ 5 · 521 votes

Have 62%Had 38%Want 0%

Category winnerCharles of the RitzRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

57%Love

34%Like

3%Ok

3%Dislike

3%Hate

67 votes

47%Love

40%Like

2%Ok

10%Dislike

0%Hate

521 votes

Category winnerCharles of the RitzMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity79

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate85

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate81

Category winners

LongevityCharles of the Ritz

SillageCharles of the Ritz

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value59

¤ Price value51

Category winnerCharles of the RitzBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

floral92%

woody84%

white floral77%

warm spicy69%

powdery61%

sweet100%

powdery92%

white floral84%

woody77%

musky69%

fruity61%

Scent match44%Some overlap · both woody, white floral and powdery

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

AldehydesBergamotOrange BlossomPineappleLemon

Heart2-4 hrs

Ylang-YlangRoseTuberoseCarnationOrris RootJasmineLilac

Base8-12 hrs

AmberVanillaMuskBenzoinCinnamonLabdanumVetiverCedar

Top20-30 mins

PlumAldehydesClary SageCorianderAnisePineappleMandarin OrangeBergamot

Heart3-4 hrs

TuberoseOrchidOrris RootYlang-YlangIrisRoseJasmineOrange Blossom

Base8-10+ hrs

CivetOpoponaxVanillaSandalwoodMuskVetiver

Category winnerBalaheLongest dry-down: 8-10+ hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring72

Summer56

Fall100

Winter100

Day56

Night100

Spring27

Summer19

Fall0

Winter100

Day37

Night100

Category winnerCharles of the RitzMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex8

Women92

Date 34%Party 29%Casual 20%Work 17%

Men2

Unisex44

Women55

Date 41%Party 33%Casual 15%Work 10%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#28,970

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#3,719

PerfumerDaniel Moliere

Launched—

Reviews50

Category winnerBalaheHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Charles of the Ritz hits the air with a bold spark of fizzy aldehydes, tart lemon, and sweet orange blossom before melting into a golden pool of amber. The carnation adds an unmistakable peppery bite. It smells opulent, warm, and deeply nostalgic without leaning stale. You will smell spicy ylang-ylang, powdery orris r…

Reviews →

Balahe by Leonard is a decadent 1983 oriental floral that refuses to whisper. Dark, syrupy plum immediately collides with sharp aldehydes and spicy coriander in the opening. Give it five minutes. Once that initial solvent burst settles, a lush heart of creamy tuberose, powdery iris, and warm ylang-ylang unfolds across…

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, Charles of the Ritz or Balahe?

Charles of the Ritz takes 6 of 8 categories. Charles of the Ritz is rated 4.39/5 from 67 votes; Balahe is rated 4.23/5 from 521 votes. Choose Charles of the Ritz for a amber and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Balahe for a sweet and powdery character. Wins on note pyramid duration and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Charles of the Ritz or Balahe?

Charles of the Ritz lasts longest (Charles of the Ritz 79/100, Balahe 72/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Charles of the Ritz or Balahe?

Charles of the Ritz projects furthest (Charles of the Ritz 75/100, Balahe 62/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Charles of the Ritz and Balahe smell similar?

Some overlap: a 44% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, white floral and powdery accords. Common notes include Aldehydes, Bergamot, Orange Blossom and Pineapple.

Is Charles of the Ritz or Balahe better for summer or winter?

For summer, Charles of the Ritz is the stronger pick. For winter, Charles of the Ritz is the stronger pick. Charles of the Ritz suits evening wear; Balahe suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Charles of the Ritz and Balahe?

Charles of the Ritz has top notes of Aldehydes, Bergamot, Orange Blossom and Pineapple, heart notes of Ylang-Ylang, Rose, Tuberose and Carnation, a base of Amber, Vanilla, Musk and Benzoin. Balahe has top notes of Plum, Aldehydes, Clary Sage and Coriander, heart notes of Tuberose, Orchid, Orris Root and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Civet, Opoponax, Vanilla and Sandalwood.