Fragrance comparison

In principio vs Tabac Santal

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

Updated 19 Oct 2026 147 ratings analysed

3 wins

In principio

Zanini

4.1317 votes

Rank #20,016 AmberFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

47%scent match

Some overlap

Tabac Santal

Annette Neuffer

3.81130 votes

Rank #3,204 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

In principio takes 3 of 5 categories.

In principio
Choose it for a amber and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and value for money.
Tabac Santal
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, day or night wear.

In principio3/5

Tabac Santal1/5

Ratings & consensus: In principio
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Tie
Sillage & projection: In principio
Value for money: In principio
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Tabac Santal

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

In principioZanini

Tabac SantalAnnette Neuffer

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.13/ 5 · 17 votes

Have 0%Had 33%Want 67%

3.81/ 5 · 130 votes

Have 11%Had 5%Want 84%

Category winnerIn principioRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

0%Love

100%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

1 vote · too few to score

33%Love

22%Like

17%Ok

28%Dislike

0%Hate

18 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity83

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate85

⏱ Longevity83

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate79

Category winners

LongevityTie

SillageIn principio

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value75

¤ Price value49

Category winnerIn principioBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

fresh spicy92%

woody84%

citrus77%

aromatic69%

balsamic61%

woody100%

aromatic92%

fresh spicy84%

warm spicy77%

earthy69%

citrus61%

Scent match47%Some overlap · both woody, fresh spicy and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

Tuscan CypressBitter OrangeTurkish RoseFrankincenseYlang YlangAmbergrisKumquatNutmegelemiLilyMacePalisander Rosewood

No top / heart / base split published

Top

BergamotRumNutmegCognacLimeBitter OrangeJuniper BerriesGinger

Heart

LavenderelemiTobaccoOlibanumOrris RootRose

Base

OakmossAtlas CedarVirginia CedarVetiverSandalwoodPatchouliLabdanum

InformationalShared notesBitter Orange, Turkish Rose, Nutmeg and elemi. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

No season votes yet

Spring100

Summer40

Fall100

Winter100

Day100

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Not enough votes yet

Men50

Unisex50

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#20,016

PerfumerPhilippo Zanini

Launched—

Reviews5

Overall rank#3,204

PerfumerAnnette Neuffer

Launched—

Reviews68

Category winnerTabac SantalHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

In principio by Zanini starts with bright, bitter citrus and dries down to a rich, meditative base of frankincense and cistus. The fragrance suits individuals seeking a contemplative, resinous aroma for cool autumn evenings. It balances citrus top notes with warm, mineral ambergris, creating a distinct option for thos…

Reviews →

Tabac Santal is a dense, earthy tobacco and sandalwood fragrance with a fresh aromatic lift. Reviewers describe heavy pipe tobacco, grainy woods, cacao-like patchouli, lavender, oakmoss and vetiver, giving it a brown, resinous, slightly smoky feel rather than a clean tobacco-shop sweetness. It suits wearers who like r…

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, In principio or Tabac Santal?

In principio takes 3 of 5 categories. In principio is rated 4.13/5 from 17 votes; Tabac Santal is rated 3.81/5 from 130 votes. Choose In principio for a amber and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and value for money. Choose Tabac Santal for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, In principio or Tabac Santal?

They last about the same: In principio 83/100, Tabac Santal 83/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, In principio or Tabac Santal?

In principio projects furthest (In principio 75/100, Tabac Santal 69/100), based on community performance votes.

Do In principio and Tabac Santal smell similar?

Some overlap: a 47% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, fresh spicy and aromatic accords. Common notes include Bitter Orange, Turkish Rose, Nutmeg and elemi.

Is In principio or Tabac Santal better for summer or winter?

Tabac Santal suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in In principio and Tabac Santal?

In principio features Tuscan Cypress, Bitter Orange, Turkish Rose, Frankincense and Ylang Ylang. Tabac Santal has top notes of Bergamot, Rum, Nutmeg and Cognac, heart notes of Lavender, elemi, Tobacco and Olibanum, a base of Oakmoss, Atlas Cedar, Virginia Cedar and Vetiver.