Fragrance comparison

Jovan Man vs Tabac Original

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 1,152 ratings analysed

Jovan Man

Jovan

4.754 votes

Rank #43,307 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

66%scent match

Closely related

Tabac Original

Tabac

3.911,148 votes

Rank #1,290 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2.

Jovan Man
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, evening wear.
Tabac Original
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Jovan Man2/4

Tabac Original2/4

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Jovan ManJovan

Tabac OriginalTabac

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.75/ 5 · 4 votes

Have 23%Had 14%Want 63%

3.91/ 5 · 1,148 votes

Have 76%Had 24%Want 0%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

75%Love

25%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

4 votes · too few to score

35%Love

45%Like

10%Ok

9%Dislike

2%Hate

953 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity97

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate94

⏱ Longevity61

〰 Sillage54

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityJovan Man

SillageJovan Man

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value0

¤ Price value88

Category winnerTabac OriginalBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

aromatic92%

warm spicy84%

fresh spicy77%

musky69%

citrus61%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

woody84%

citrus77%

floral69%

warm spicy61%

Scent match66%Closely related · both aromatic, woody and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

AniseBasilBergamotLavenderLemonPetitgrain

Heart

RosePatchouliSandalwoodVetiverCarnationCinnamonGeraniumCedar

Base

MuskCastoreumOakmossLabdanumLeatherTonka BeanVanilla

Top

PetitgrainBergamotPepperLemonNeroli

Heart

ChamomileLavenderGeraniumOak

Base

SandalwoodCarnationMuskVetiverAmber

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Lavender, Lemon and Petitgrain. 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

Fall100

Winter100

Day–

Night100

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter98

Day–

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Men86

Unisex11

Women3

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#43,307

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#1,290

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews205

Category winnerTabac OriginalHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Released in 1977, Jovan Man is an aromatic fougere that captures the rugged, spicy character of vintage drugstore classics. It centers around a dry anise opening that transitions into a heart of dirty rose and warm cedar, offering a reliable, retro vibe for casual daytime wear in cool autumn weather.

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, Jovan Man or Tabac Original?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2. Jovan Man is rated 4.75/5 from 4 votes; Tabac Original is rated 3.91/5 from 1,148 votes. Choose Jovan Man for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, evening wear. Choose Tabac Original for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Jovan Man or Tabac Original?

Jovan Man lasts longest (Jovan Man 97/100, Tabac Original 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Jovan Man or Tabac Original?

Jovan Man projects furthest (Jovan Man 71/100, Tabac Original 54/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Jovan Man and Tabac Original smell similar?

Closely related: a 66% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Lavender, Lemon and Petitgrain.

Is Jovan Man or Tabac Original better for summer or winter?

Jovan Man suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Jovan Man and Tabac Original?

Jovan Man has top notes of Anise, Basil, Bergamot and Lavender, heart notes of Rose, Patchouli, Sandalwood and Vetiver, a base of Musk, Castoreum, Oakmoss and Labdanum. 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.