Fragrance comparison

Tabac Original vs Jovan Man

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 1,152 ratings analysed

Tabac Original

Tabac

3.911,148 votes

Rank #1,290 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

66%scent match

Closely related

Jovan Man

Jovan

4.754 votes

Rank #43,221 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

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

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

Tabac Original2/4

Jovan Man2/4

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

Tabac OriginalTabac

Jovan ManJovan

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.91/ 5 · 1,148 votes

Have 76%Had 24%Want 0%

4.75/ 5 · 4 votes

Have 23%Had 14%Want 63%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating 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

75%Love

25%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

4 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity61

〰 Sillage54

♥ Love / hate76

⏱ Longevity97

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate94

Category winners

LongevityJovan Man

SillageJovan Man

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value88

¤ Price value0

Category winnerTabac OriginalBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

woody84%

citrus77%

floral69%

warm spicy61%

woody100%

aromatic92%

warm spicy84%

fresh spicy77%

musky69%

citrus61%

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

PetitgrainBergamotPepperLemonNeroli

Heart

ChamomileLavenderGeraniumOak

Base

SandalwoodCarnationMuskVetiverAmber

Top

AniseBasilBergamotLavenderLemonPetitgrain

Heart

RosePatchouliSandalwoodVetiverCarnationCinnamonGeraniumCedar

Base

MuskCastoreumOakmossLabdanumLeatherTonka BeanVanilla

InformationalShared notesPetitgrain, Bergamot, Lemon and Lavender. 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

Fall100

Winter100

Day–

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men86

Unisex11

Women3

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#1,290

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews205

Overall rank#43,221

PerfumerNot listed

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 →

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 →

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 Jovan Man?

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

Which lasts longer, Tabac Original or Jovan Man?

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

Which projects more, Tabac Original or Jovan Man?

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

Do Tabac Original and Jovan Man smell similar?

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

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

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

What are the notes in Tabac Original and Jovan Man?

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. 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.