I've done quite a few online searches for tobacco perfumes and reviews in recent weeks. One perfume that seems to be consistently mentioned is Tom Ford's Tobacco Vanille. It appears to be a crowd pleaser.
It took me a long time to try. The line only came to Tunbridge Wells a few months ago and my first encounter with this perfume took place on a slightly humid, quite warm August day. A mistake, if you ask me. I mentioned previously that tobacco perfumes can become quite cloying and oppressive on warmer days and Tobacco Vanille bloomed on my skin in a slightly sickening fashion. Since then I have worn it a few times as the weather has cooled and I am pleased to say that it is a lot more tolerable now.
However, I am still not entirely seduced by Tobacco Vanille and I think the reason for this is the use of the vanilla note. I like rich vanilla notes in perfume, provided they are balanced by other strong notes that temper the sweetness, such as smoke, incense or dry woods. A case in point would be Serge Lutens' Un Bois Vanille, which I love. Tobacco Vanille is a very sweet perfume, no getting away from it. Longer standing readers of my blog may recall my aversion to L'Artisan's Havana Vanille, which literally reduced me to nausea when I wore it. I think it has been renamed and I haven't tried it in a long time, but there is a similar accord in the Tom Ford perfume that at times almost tilts me over the edge. Fortunately it never does, but therein lies my reservation with this perfume, which despite its lovely tobacco note, is too sweet for my taste.
Various websites mention the following notes: tobacco leaf, spicy notes, tonka bean, tobacco blossom, vanilla, cacao, dried fruits and wood notes.
I can understand why many people would be attracted to Tobacco Vanille. It is warm, comforting and cozy and is undeniably smooth and rich. I do like it, but not enough to sing its praises too highly.
Image credit: http://fimgs.net/ (Fragrantica)
Between wearing/smelling it on my vSO I keep foretting how attracted I am to this perfume so I keep rediscovering it every time. But I can understand how it might feel too much: it's not a timid or tamed scent.
ReplyDeleteHave you tried Tabac Aurea from Sonoma Scent Studio? For my nose/on my skin it's a much "drier" tobacco scent.
Undina, you're right - I've read may positive reviews, and I do like it. What is interesting sometimes as well, is that while one might not necessarily love the smell of a perfume on oneself, it could be an entirely different matter for someone smelling it on you.
ReplyDeleteI have tried Tabac Aurea and like it a lot. In fact it is on my tobacco review list as part of this 'series'!