Fragrance comparison

Russian Gold vs Soul of Bali

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

Updated 19 Oct 2026 200 ratings analysed

4 wins

Russian Gold

Pure Gold Perfumes

4.6213 votes

Rank #27,924 Fresh SpicyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

55%scent match

Closely related

Soul of Bali

Swiss Arabian

4.08187 votes

Rank #2,812 AromaticFruity

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Russian Gold takes 4 of 5 categories.

Russian Gold
Choose it for a fresh spicy and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.
Soul of Bali
Choose it for a aromatic and fruity character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Russian Gold4/5

Soul of Bali1/5

Ratings & consensus: Russian Gold
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Russian Gold
Sillage & projection: Russian Gold
Value for money: Russian Gold
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Soul of Bali

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Russian GoldPure Gold Perfumes

Soul of BaliSwiss Arabian

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.62/ 5 · 13 votes

Have 15%Had 3%Want 83%

4.08/ 5 · 187 votes

Have 22%Had 2%Want 75%

Category winnerRussian GoldRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

77%Love

15%Like

0%Ok

8%Dislike

0%Hate

13 votes · too few to score

57%Love

24%Like

7%Ok

5%Dislike

7%Hate

123 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity98

〰 Sillage88

♥ Love / hate90

⏱ Longevity77

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate80

Category winners

LongevityRussian Gold

SillageRussian Gold

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value100

¤ Price value63

Category winnerRussian GoldBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fresh spicy100%

warm spicy92%

aromatic84%

woody77%

amber69%

leather61%

aromatic100%

fruity92%

warm spicy84%

woody77%

fresh spicy69%

sweet61%

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

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-30 mins

MaceMyrtleCardamomCuminNutmegSaffronPink Pepper

Heart2-4 hrs

GeraniumOlibanumMyrrh

Base8-12+ hrs

Agarwood (Oud)LeatherPatchouliCedarSandalwoodMusk

Top

BergamotRhubarbGingerPink PepperPineappleMango

Heart

Aquatic notesSaffronCardamomNutmegPalisander RosewoodOlibanum

Base

AmbergrisSandalwoodMuskCypriol

InformationalShared notesCardamom, Nutmeg, Saffron and Pink Pepper. Durations are only published for Russian Gold, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring77

Summer54

Fall92

Winter100

Day35

Night100

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter19

Day–

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Date 38%Party 32%Casual 16%Work 13%

Men39

Unisex53

Women8

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#27,924

PerfumerMaurus Bachmann

Launched—

Reviews2

Overall rank#2,812

PerfumerDavid Chieze

Launched—

Reviews54

Category winnerSoul of BaliHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Russian Gold by Pure Gold Perfumes is a dense, unapologetic blast of exotic spices, dark resins, and heavy leather. Perfumer Maurus Bachmann built this 2016 release around a thick wall of nutmeg, cardamom, and pungent cumin that hits the room the second you press the atomizer. Within minutes, the fiery opening settles…

Reviews →

Soul of Bali by Swiss Arabian is a woody spicy scent that mirrors a luxury resort atmosphere. It opens with a sharp, refreshing blast of rhubarb, pineapple, and ginger before grounding itself in sandalwood and ambergris. This unisex composition works best for spring days or summer vacations, providing a clean, sophist…

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, Russian Gold or Soul of Bali?

Russian Gold takes 4 of 5 categories. Russian Gold is rated 4.62/5 from 13 votes; Soul of Bali is rated 4.08/5 from 187 votes. Choose Russian Gold for a fresh spicy and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Soul of Bali for a aromatic and fruity character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Russian Gold or Soul of Bali?

Russian Gold lasts longest (Russian Gold 98/100, Soul of Bali 77/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Russian Gold or Soul of Bali?

Russian Gold projects furthest (Russian Gold 88/100, Soul of Bali 69/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Russian Gold and Soul of Bali smell similar?

Closely related: a 55% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, warm spicy and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Cardamom, Nutmeg, Saffron and Pink Pepper.

Is Russian Gold or Soul of Bali better for summer or winter?

Russian Gold suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Russian Gold and Soul of Bali?

Russian Gold has top notes of Mace, Myrtle, Cardamom and Cumin, heart notes of Geranium, Olibanum and Myrrh, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Leather, Patchouli and Cedar. Soul of Bali has top notes of Bergamot, Rhubarb, Ginger and Pink Pepper, heart notes of Aquatic notes, Saffron, Cardamom and Nutmeg, a base of Ambergris, Sandalwood, Musk and Cypriol.