Fragrance comparison

Tabac Original vs Ivoire de Balmain

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 2,255 ratings analysed

Tabac Original

Tabac

3.911,148 votes

Rank #1,290 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

55%scent match

Closely related

4 wins

Ivoire de Balmain

Pierre Balmain

4.131,107 votes

Rank #26,450 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Ivoire de Balmain takes 4 of 7 categories.

Tabac Original
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.
Ivoire de Balmain
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.

Tabac Original3/7

Ivoire de Balmain4/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Tabac OriginalTabac

Ivoire de BalmainPierre Balmain

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.91/ 5 · 1,148 votes

Have 76%Had 24%Want 0%

4.13/ 5 · 1,107 votes

Have 68%Had 32%Want 0%

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

35%Love

45%Like

10%Ok

9%Dislike

2%Hate

953 votes

42%Love

43%Like

2%Ok

13%Dislike

0%Hate

1,107 votes

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity61

〰 Sillage54

♥ Love / hate76

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate78

Category winners

LongevityIvoire de Balmain

SillageIvoire de Balmain

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value88

¤ Price value50

Category winnerTabac OriginalBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

woody84%

citrus77%

floral69%

warm spicy61%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

herbal84%

woody77%

floral69%

green61%

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

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

PetitgrainBergamotPepperLemonNeroli

Heart

ChamomileLavenderGeraniumOak

Base

SandalwoodCarnationMuskVetiverAmber

Top

AldehydesChamomileGalbanumMarigoldAsafoetidaArtemisiaBergamotLemon

Heart

Orris RootNarcissusCarnationNutmegTurkish RosePepperYlang-YlangIris

Base

OakmossVetiverSandalwoodIncensePatchouliLabdanumMuskTonka Bean

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Pepper, Lemon and Chamomile. 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

Winter98

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter68

Day–

Night–

Category winnerTabac OriginalMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men86

Unisex11

Women3

Men3

Unisex37

Women60

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#1,290

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews205

Overall rank#26,450

PerfumerFrancis Camail, Michel Hy

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerTabac OriginalHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

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 →

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 →

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

PrometheuNecalliWINNER vs

Bruno ImperialAnfar LondonRUNNER-UP

1 person compared this today

Super CedarByredoRUNNER-UP vs

NorthMendittorosaWINNER

1 person compared this today

BohemeSegreti di LuccaRUNNER-UP vs

Soir de LuneSisleyWINNER

1 person compared this today

Orange FlowerOscar de la RentaRUNNER-UP vs

Ti AmoRoja DoveWINNER

1 person compared this today

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Tabac Original or Ivoire de Balmain?

Ivoire de Balmain takes 4 of 7 categories. Tabac Original is rated 3.91/5 from 1,148 votes; Ivoire de Balmain is rated 4.13/5 from 1,107 votes. Choose Tabac Original for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring. Choose Ivoire de Balmain for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Tabac Original or Ivoire de Balmain?

Ivoire de Balmain lasts longest (Ivoire de Balmain 71/100, Tabac Original 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Tabac Original or Ivoire de Balmain?

Ivoire de Balmain projects furthest (Ivoire de Balmain 64/100, Tabac Original 54/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Tabac Original and Ivoire de Balmain smell similar?

Closely related: a 55% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Pepper, Lemon and Chamomile.

Is Tabac Original or Ivoire de Balmain better for summer or winter?

For summer, Tabac Original is the stronger pick. For winter, Tabac Original is the stronger pick. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Tabac Original and Ivoire de Balmain?

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. 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.