Fragrance comparison

Ivoire de Balmain vs Tabac Original

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 2,255 ratings analysed

4 wins

Ivoire de Balmain

Pierre Balmain

4.131,107 votes

Rank #26,450 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

55%scent match

Closely related

Tabac Original

Tabac

3.911,148 votes

Rank #1,292 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Ivoire de Balmain takes 4 of 7 categories.

Ivoire de Balmain
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.
Tabac Original
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Ivoire de Balmain4/7

Tabac Original3/7

Ratings & consensus: Ivoire de Balmain
Community sentiment: Ivoire de Balmain
Longevity: Ivoire de Balmain
Sillage & projection: Ivoire de Balmain
Value for money: Tabac Original
Versatility: Tabac Original
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Tabac Original

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Ivoire de BalmainPierre Balmain

Tabac OriginalTabac

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.13/ 5 · 1,107 votes

Have 68%Had 32%Want 0%

3.91/ 5 · 1,148 votes

Have 76%Had 24%Want 0%

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

42%Love

43%Like

2%Ok

13%Dislike

0%Hate

1,107 votes

35%Love

45%Like

10%Ok

9%Dislike

2%Hate

953 votes

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate78

⏱ Longevity61

〰 Sillage54

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityIvoire de Balmain

SillageIvoire de Balmain

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

¤ Price value88

Category winnerTabac OriginalBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

herbal84%

woody77%

floral69%

green61%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

woody84%

citrus77%

floral69%

warm spicy61%

Scent match55%Closely related · both aromatic, fresh spicy and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

AldehydesChamomileGalbanumMarigoldAsafoetidaArtemisiaBergamotLemon

Heart

Orris RootNarcissusCarnationNutmegTurkish RosePepperYlang-YlangIris

Base

OakmossVetiverSandalwoodIncensePatchouliLabdanumMuskTonka Bean

Top

PetitgrainBergamotPepperLemonNeroli

Heart

ChamomileLavenderGeraniumOak

Base

SandalwoodCarnationMuskVetiverAmber

InformationalShared notesChamomile, Bergamot, Lemon and Carnation. 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

Winter68

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter98

Day–

Night–

Category winnerTabac OriginalMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men3

Unisex37

Women60

Men86

Unisex11

Women3

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#26,450

PerfumerFrancis Camail, Michel Hy

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#1,292

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews205

Category winnerTabac OriginalHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Ivoire de Balmain stands as a definitive green chypre. It opens with a sharp, herbal punch of galbanum and marigold before settling into a sophisticated, mossy floral core. This is a scent for those who appreciate traditional, crisp structure. It feels most at home during cool spring mornings, providing an immediate s…

Reviews →

Tabac Original is a pillar of European grooming that smells like a freshly swept German barbershop. It leads with a sharp punch of petitgrain and lemon before settling into a clean, floral heart of lavender and geranium. This is not a modern gourmand. It is a dry, soapy scent for men who value a crisp, groomed present…

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Ivoire de Balmain or Tabac Original?

Ivoire de Balmain takes 4 of 7 categories. Ivoire de Balmain is rated 4.13/5 from 1,107 votes; Tabac Original is rated 3.91/5 from 1,148 votes. Choose Ivoire de Balmain for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring. Choose Tabac Original for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Ivoire de Balmain or Tabac Original?

Ivoire de Balmain lasts longest (Ivoire de Balmain 71/100, Tabac Original 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Ivoire de Balmain or Tabac Original?

Ivoire de Balmain projects furthest (Ivoire de Balmain 64/100, Tabac Original 54/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Ivoire de Balmain and Tabac Original smell similar?

Closely related: a 55% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Chamomile, Bergamot, Lemon and Carnation.

Is Ivoire de Balmain or Tabac Original better for summer or winter?

For summer, Ivoire de Balmain is the stronger pick. For winter, Tabac Original is the stronger pick. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Ivoire de Balmain and Tabac Original?

Ivoire de Balmain has top notes of Aldehydes, Chamomile, Galbanum and Marigold, heart notes of Orris Root, Narcissus, Carnation and Nutmeg, a base of Oakmoss, Vetiver, Sandalwood and Incense. Tabac Original has top notes of Petitgrain, Bergamot, Pepper and Lemon, heart notes of Chamomile, Lavender, Geranium and Oak, a base of Sandalwood, Carnation, Musk and Vetiver.