Fragrance comparison

Yen vs Rumba

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

Updated 13 Oct 2026 1,132 ratings analysed

Yen

Papa James

4.754 votes

Rank #43,084 CitrusSweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

40%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

Rumba

Ted Lapidus

3.711,128 votes

Rank #1,517 SweetFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Rumba takes 3 of 4 categories.

Yen
Choose it for a citrus and sweet character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Rumba
Choose it for a sweet and floral character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Yen1/4

Rumba3/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Rumba
Sillage & projection: Rumba
Value for money: Yen
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Rumba

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

YenPapa James

RumbaTed Lapidus

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.75/ 5 · 4 votes

Have 56%Had 0%Want 44%

3.71/ 5 · 1,128 votes

Have 69%Had 31%Want 0%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

75%Love

25%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

4 votes · too few to score

34%Love

37%Like

6%Ok

20%Dislike

4%Hate

1,074 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate94

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage76

♥ Love / hate69

Category winners

LongevityRumba

SillageRumba

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value83

¤ Price value79

Category winnerYenBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

sweet92%

woody84%

powdery77%

musky69%

animalic61%

sweet100%

floral92%

fruity84%

white floral77%

woody69%

animalic61%

Scent match40%Some overlap · both sweet, woody and animalic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-30 mins

Pink PepperRaspberryBergamotOrange

Heart2-3 hrs

Floral NotesVanilla

Base6-8+ hrs

SandalwoodAmbergrisOakmossLeatherCaramelMusk

Top

PlumPeachMirabelleOrange BlossomBasilBergamotRaspberry

Heart

HoneyMarigoldCarnationTuberoseHeliotropeGardeniaJasmineRose

Base

OakmossLeatherAmbergrisSandalwoodPatchouliMuskStyraxVanilla

InformationalShared notesRaspberry, Bergamot, Vanilla and Sandalwood. Durations are only published for Yen, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer100

Fall100

Winter100

Day100

Night86

Spring45

Summer28

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex67

Women33

Casual 31%Date 29%Work 24%Party 16%

Men2

Unisex26

Women73

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#43,084

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#1,517

PerfumerJean-Claude Ellena

Launched—

Reviews118

Category winnerRumbaHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Yen by Papa James delivers a lively clash between bright fruits and cozy, resinous depth. The first spray releases a snappy burst of tart raspberry, juicy orange, and sparkling bergamot, sharpened by a pinch of pink pepper. It wakes up your senses instantly. Soon after, the zesty opening softens into a cushion of warm…

Reviews →

Ted 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 →

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, Yen or Rumba?

Rumba takes 3 of 4 categories. Yen is rated 4.75/5 from 4 votes; Rumba is rated 3.71/5 from 1,128 votes. Choose Yen for a citrus and sweet character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Rumba for a sweet and floral character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Yen or Rumba?

Rumba lasts longest (Rumba 80/100, Yen 73/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Yen or Rumba?

Rumba projects furthest (Rumba 76/100, Yen 67/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Yen and Rumba smell similar?

Some overlap: a 40% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share sweet, woody and animalic accords. Common notes include Raspberry, Bergamot, Vanilla and Sandalwood.

Is Yen or Rumba better for summer or winter?

Yen suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Yen and Rumba?

Yen has top notes of Pink Pepper, Raspberry, Bergamot and Orange, heart notes of Floral Notes and Vanilla, a base of Sandalwood, Ambergris, Oakmoss and Leather. 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.