Fragrance comparison

Ivoire de Balmain vs The Drummer

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

Updated 22 Oct 2026 1,121 ratings analysed

3 wins

Ivoire de Balmain

Pierre Balmain

4.131,107 votes

Rank #24,129 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

44%scent match

Some overlap

The Drummer

Zara

4.3614 votes

Rank #31,959 Fresh SpicyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Ivoire de Balmain takes 3 of 5 categories.

Ivoire de Balmain
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.
The Drummer
Choose it for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, evening wear.

Ivoire de Balmain3/5

The Drummer2/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Ivoire de BalmainPierre Balmain

The DrummerZara

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.13/ 5 · 1,107 votes

Have 68%Had 32%Want 0%

4.36/ 5 · 14 votes

Have 17%Had 19%Want 64%

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

50%Love

36%Like

14%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

14 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate78

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage73

♥ Love / hate84

Category winners

LongevityIvoire de Balmain

SillageThe Drummer

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

¤ Price value93

Category winnerThe DrummerBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

herbal84%

woody77%

floral69%

green61%

fresh spicy100%

aromatic92%

lavender84%

woody77%

warm spicy69%

earthy61%

Scent match44%Some overlap · 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

Notes

LavenderBergamotIrisPatchouliPepperAmberVetiverCardamon

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Pepper, Iris and Vetiver. 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

Summer29

Fall57

Winter0

Day67

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men3

Unisex37

Women60

Men78

Unisex22

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#24,129

PerfumerFrancis Camail, Michel Hy

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#31,959

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews2

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainHigher 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 →

Zara's The Drummer offers an easygoing, budget-friendly entry into the aromatic woody genre. It blends clean lavender and a sweet, powdery iris over a soft patchouli base, making it a comfortable everyday companion. The scent is approachable and clean, perfect for casual daytime wear when you want something pleasant a…

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, Ivoire de Balmain or The Drummer?

Ivoire de Balmain takes 3 of 5 categories. Ivoire de Balmain is rated 4.13/5 from 1,107 votes; The Drummer is rated 4.36/5 from 14 votes. Choose Ivoire de Balmain for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring. Choose The Drummer for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Ivoire de Balmain or The Drummer?

Ivoire de Balmain lasts longest (Ivoire de Balmain 71/100, The Drummer 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Ivoire de Balmain or The Drummer?

The Drummer projects furthest (The Drummer 73/100, Ivoire de Balmain 64/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Ivoire de Balmain and The Drummer smell similar?

Some overlap: a 44% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Pepper, Iris and Vetiver.

Is Ivoire de Balmain or The Drummer better for summer or winter?

The Drummer suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Ivoire de Balmain and The Drummer?

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. The Drummer features Lavender, Bergamot, Iris, Patchouli and Pepper.