Rumba vs Van Cleef
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
27%scent match
Clearly different
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Rumba takes 4 of 7 categories.
RumbaChoose it for a sweet and floral character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter.
Van CleefChoose it for a aromatic and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.
Rumba4/7
Van Cleef3/7
- Ratings & consensus
- Van Cleef
- Community sentiment
- Van Cleef
- Longevity
- Rumba
- Sillage & projection
- Rumba
- Value for money
- Rumba
- Versatility
- Rumba
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- Van Cleef
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
RumbaTed LapidusVan CleefVan Cleef & ArpelsWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split3.71/ 5 · 1,128 votes
Have 69%Had 31%Want 0%
4.12/ 5 · 1,235 votes
Have 62%Had 38%Want 0%
Category winnerVan CleefRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate34%Love
37%Like
6%Ok
20%Dislike
4%Hate
1,074 votes
43%Love
41%Like
2%Ok
13%Dislike
1%Hate
1,235 votes
Category winnerVan CleefMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityRumba
SillageRumba
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerRumbaBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothsweet100%
floral92%
fruity84%
white floral77%
woody69%
animalic61%
aromatic100%
sweet92%
fresh spicy84%
balsamic77%
vanilla69%
green61%
Scent match27%Clearly different · both sweet
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop
PlumPeachMirabelleOrange BlossomBasilBergamotRaspberry
Heart
HoneyMarigoldCarnationTuberoseHeliotropeGardeniaJasmineRose
Base
OakmossLeatherAmbergrisSandalwoodPatchouliMuskStyraxVanilla
Top20-30 mins
MarigoldGalbanumNeroliRaspberryBergamot
Heart3-4 hrs
GeraniumOrange BlossomJasmineRose
Base8-10+ hrs
Tonka BeanVanillaSandalwoodCedarMusk
InformationalShared notesOrange Blossom, Bergamot, Raspberry and Marigold. Durations are only published for Van Cleef, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring45
Summer28
Fall0
Winter100
Day–
Night–
Spring32
Summer0
Fall0
Winter100
Day75
Night100
Category winnerRumbaMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#1,623
PerfumerJean-Claude Ellena
Launched—
Reviews118
Overall rank#721
PerfumerPascal Giraux
Launched—
Reviews104
Category winnerVan CleefHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotTed Lapidus Rumba is a dark, heavy oriental floral that throws back to 1989. It blends a very syrupy, honeyed plum opening with dry leather and heavy oakmoss in the base. This bottle is built for fans of unapologetic vintage powerhouses who want a bold, warm scent for chilly autumn evenings.
Reviews →Van Cleef by Van Cleef & Arpels delivers a bold, golden warmth reminiscent of classic 1990s perfumery. The fragrance opens with an intriguing herbal splash of bitter galbanum and marigold petals, brightened by tart raspberry and sunny bergamot. As the initial sharp green bite softens, a generous bouquet of spicy geran…
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.
Guided comparison
Ask about this matchup
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Rumba or Van Cleef?
Rumba takes 4 of 7 categories. Rumba is rated 3.71/5 from 1,128 votes; Van Cleef is rated 4.12/5 from 1,235 votes. Choose Rumba for a sweet and floral character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter. Choose Van Cleef for a aromatic and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.
Which lasts longer, Rumba or Van Cleef?
They last about the same: Rumba 80/100, Van Cleef 79/100 for longevity in community votes.
Which projects more, Rumba or Van Cleef?
Rumba projects furthest (Rumba 76/100, Van Cleef 72/100), based on community performance votes.
Do Rumba and Van Cleef smell similar?
Clearly different: a 27% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share sweet accords. Common notes include Orange Blossom, Bergamot, Raspberry and Marigold.
Is Rumba or Van Cleef better for summer or winter?
For summer, Rumba is the stronger pick. For winter, Rumba is the stronger pick. Van Cleef suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Rumba and Van Cleef?
Rumba has top notes of Plum, Peach, Mirabelle and Orange Blossom, heart notes of Honey, Marigold, Carnation and Tuberose, a base of Oakmoss, Leather, Ambergris and Sandalwood. Van Cleef has top notes of Marigold, Galbanum, Neroli and Raspberry, heart notes of Geranium, Orange Blossom, Jasmine and Rose, a base of Tonka Bean, Vanilla, Sandalwood and Cedar.
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