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FRAGRANXE
Fragrance comparison

Tabac vs Basic Black

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

Updated 850 ratings analysed
Clearly different
Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Tabac takes 7 of 7 categories.

  • Tabac

    Choose it for a sweet and honey character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.

  • Basic Black

    Choose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Best in winter.

Tabac7/7
Basic Black0/7
Ratings & consensus
Tabac
Community sentiment
Tabac
Longevity
Tabac
Sillage & projection
Tabac
Value for money
Tabac
Versatility
Tabac
Note pyramid (duration)
Not scored
Fragranxe ranking
Tabac

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance
TabacMaison Alhambra
Basic BlackBill Blass
Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split
4.15/ 5 · 493 votes
Have 44%Had 8%Want 48%
3.86/ 5 · 357 votes
Have 70%Had 30%Want 0%
Category winnerTabacRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate
61%Love
21%Like
8%Ok
5%Dislike
4%Hate

449 votes

37%Love
41%Like
4%Ok
17%Dislike
1%Hate

313 votes

Category winnerTabacMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores
⏱ Longevity79
〰 Sillage70
♥ Love / hate82
⏱ Longevity69
〰 Sillage62
♥ Love / hate74
Category winners

LongevityTabac

SillageTabac

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it
¤ Price value86
¤ Price value78
Category winnerTabacBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both
sweet100%
honey92%
fruity84%
tobacco77%
amber69%
smoky61%
warm spicy100%
woody92%
amber84%
floral77%
powdery69%
aromatic61%
Scent match16%Clearly different · both amber

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared
Top
PlumPeachBergamotCitruses
Heart
HoneySmokeOriental notes
Base
Tobacco LeafTobaccoAmberWhite Tobacco
Top
CarnationYlang-YlangPlumCardamomPeachMandarin OrangeBergamot
Heart
HoneyCorianderRoseTuberoseVioletJasmine
Base
OakmossPatchouliCivetAmberMuskBenzoinSandalwoodStyrax
InformationalShared notesPlum, Peach, Bergamot and Honey. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season
Spring35
Summer8
Fall91
Winter100
Day36
Night100
Spring53
Summer34
Fall0
Winter100
Day–
Night–
Category winnerTabacMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes
Men74
Unisex23
Women3
Men2
Unisex40
Women58
InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#628

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews97

Overall rank#3,742

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews71

Category winnerTabacHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Tabac by Maison Alhambra is a bold, sweet, and smoky unisex fragrance launched in 2022. It centers on a potent honeyed tobacco accord layered with ripe plum and peach. Designed for cold weather, this scent leans heavily into autumn and winter evenings, offering a cozy yet assertive presence for anyone seeking a deep, …

Reviews →

Basic Black by Bill Blass is a spicy, mossy floral chypre with a vintage dressed-up attitude. Reviewers often notice carnation, coriander, oakmoss, musk and honeyed florals, with an opening that can feel sharp, soapy or animalic before it settles. It suits people who enjoy bold 80s and early 90s style perfumes, powder…

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.

Recent comparisons

Head-to-head activity from live history

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Tabac or Basic Black?

Tabac takes 7 of 7 categories. Tabac is rated 4.15/5 from 493 votes; Basic Black is rated 3.86/5 from 357 votes. Choose Tabac for a sweet and honey character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Basic Black for a warm spicy and woody character. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Tabac or Basic Black?

Tabac lasts longest (Tabac 79/100, Basic Black 69/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Tabac or Basic Black?

Tabac projects furthest (Tabac 70/100, Basic Black 62/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Tabac and Basic Black smell similar?

Clearly different: a 16% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber accords. Common notes include Plum, Peach, Bergamot and Honey.

Is Tabac or Basic Black better for summer or winter?

For summer, Basic Black is the stronger pick. For winter, Tabac is the stronger pick. Tabac suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Tabac and Basic Black?

Tabac has top notes of Plum, Peach, Bergamot and Citruses, heart notes of Honey, Smoke and Oriental notes, a base of Tobacco Leaf, Tobacco, Amber and White Tobacco. Basic Black has top notes of Carnation, Ylang-Ylang, Plum and Cardamom, heart notes of Honey, Coriander, Rose and Tuberose, a base of Oakmoss, Patchouli, Civet and Amber.

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