Fragrance comparison

Cuba Authentic Flame vs Talisman

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

Updated 10 Oct 2026 506 ratings analysed

Cuba Authentic Flame

Cuba Paris · 2022

3.9885 votes

Rank #29,304 SweetCoconut

Full profile Similar & dupes

28%scent match

Clearly different

5 wins

Talisman

Balenciaga

4.05421 votes

Rank #3,578 FruitySweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Talisman takes 5 of 7 categories.

Cuba Authentic Flame
Choose it for a sweet and coconut character. Wins on community sentiment and value for money. Best in spring.
Talisman
Choose it for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter.

Cuba Authentic Flame2/7

Talisman5/7

Ratings & consensus: Talisman
Community sentiment: Cuba Authentic Flame
Longevity: Talisman
Sillage & projection: Talisman
Value for money: Cuba Authentic Flame
Versatility: Talisman
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Talisman

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Cuba Authentic FlameCuba Paris

TalismanBalenciaga

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.98/ 5 · 85 votes

Have 41%Had 11%Want 48%

4.05/ 5 · 421 votes

Have 58%Had 42%Want 0%

Category winnerTalismanRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

24%Love

59%Like

12%Ok

4%Dislike

2%Hate

85 votes

40%Love

41%Like

2%Ok

16%Dislike

0%Hate

421 votes

Category winnerCuba Authentic FlameMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity54

〰 Sillage44

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity74

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityTalisman

SillageTalisman

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value92

¤ Price value54

Category winnerCuba Authentic FlameBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

sweet100%

coconut92%

vanilla84%

woody77%

aromatic69%

tropical61%

fruity100%

sweet92%

woody84%

floral77%

powdery69%

warm spicy61%

Scent match28%Clearly different · both sweet and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

CoconutPineappleBergamot

Heart

Sea Notes

Base

Tonka BeanSandalwoodCedar

Top

Dried FruitsRumAldehydesPineapplePeachOsmanthusMandarin OrangeHiacynth

Heart

Ylang-YlangCarnationJasmineRoseIrisCyclamenFreesiaLily-of-the-Valley

Base

BeeswaxLeatherCaramelSandalwoodVanillaTonka BeanPatchouliAmber

InformationalShared notesPineapple, Tonka Bean and Sandalwood. 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

Winter39

Day–

Night–

Spring42

Summer30

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerTalismanMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men79

Unisex18

Women3

Men2

Unisex15

Women83

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#29,304

PerfumerNot listed

Launched2022

Reviews0

Overall rank#3,578

PerfumerDominique Preyssas

Launched—

Reviews41

Category winnerTalismanHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Cuba Authentic Flame opens with a cheerful splash of juicy pineapple, creamy coconut flesh, and zesty bergamot that smells like a cold fruit smoothie enjoyed by the pool. A crisp sea salt note emerges in the middle, balancing the sweetness before drying down into smooth cedar, creamy sandalwood, and warm tonka bean. I…

Reviews →

Talisman by Balenciaga opens with a dense pour of rum and dried fruits, immediately signaling a departure from standard clean florality. The initial warmth feels thick and sticky, cutting through cool autumn air with a syrupy weight. As the scent settles, ylang-ylang and carnation introduce a spicy, classic floral tex…

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, Cuba Authentic Flame or Talisman?

Talisman takes 5 of 7 categories. Cuba Authentic Flame is rated 3.98/5 from 85 votes; Talisman is rated 4.05/5 from 421 votes. Choose Cuba Authentic Flame for a sweet and coconut character. Wins on community sentiment and value for money. Best in spring. Choose Talisman for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Cuba Authentic Flame or Talisman?

Talisman lasts longest (Talisman 74/100, Cuba Authentic Flame 54/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Cuba Authentic Flame or Talisman?

Talisman projects furthest (Talisman 68/100, Cuba Authentic Flame 44/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Cuba Authentic Flame and Talisman smell similar?

Clearly different: a 28% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share sweet and woody accords. Common notes include Pineapple, Tonka Bean and Sandalwood.

Is Cuba Authentic Flame or Talisman better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Cuba Authentic Flame and Talisman?

Cuba Authentic Flame has top notes of Coconut, Pineapple and Bergamot, heart notes of Sea Notes, a base of Tonka Bean, Sandalwood and Cedar. Talisman has top notes of Dried Fruits, Rum, Aldehydes and Pineapple, heart notes of Ylang-Ylang, Carnation, Jasmine and Rose, a base of Beeswax, Leather, Caramel and Sandalwood.