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Patrick’s Perfumes: tobacco – spritzed, not smoked

6.6.2023

Translation: Veronica Bielawski

Perfume is a work of art, perfumers are artists and I’m a collector of their creations. Today, we’re taking a closer look at tobacco. Parfums de Marly, Serge Lutens and Laboratorio Olfattivo interpret this classic fragrance in very individual ways.

Habanita, in 1921, was the first perfume to use tobacco as the basis of its formula. Ah, the Golden Twenties, when women first dared to wear pants and smoke in public – symbols of liberation at the time. In 1951, Mäurer & Wirtz launched their legendary Tabac Original, which is still on the market today.

The tobacco plant, like the tomato and the potato, belongs to the nightshade family. From its leaves, tobacco resinoid can be extracted, which gives off a sweet and warm aromatic scent.

Tobacco and IFRA

Over the past 100 years, our relationship with smoking and therefore with tobacco has changed. No wonder, then, that this note has since turned controversial even in perfumery. As Marc-Antoine Corticchiato, nose and founder of the Parisian house Parfum d’Empire, opined in a 2021 20 Minuten article: «Very few houses dare to use the tobacco note as a central element. It’s been condemned as politically incorrect and remains taboo because this conservative industry focuses predominantly on an audience that lacks curiosity.»

IFRA (International Fragrance Association) is the global association for the fragrance industry. It seeks to represent the collective interests of the industry and promote the safe use of fragrances through regulation. In both the United States and the European Union, cosmetic manufacturers must ensure that their products have been tested and are safe for consumers before bringing them to market. All ingredients must be listed on the product label and must comply with applicable regulations.

It’s a laborious process, as British perfumer Aaron Terence Hughes explains in the video linked below. It’s therefore safe to assume that products that have received approval from IFRA comply with all safety guidelines currently in force.

Herod by Parfums de Marly

While Louis XV did spend most of his reign at the Palace of Versailles, he spent his leisure time in Marly. The Château de Marly was a palace dedicated to decadence, with its entourage being strictly limited to make room for merriment and extravagant celebrations. The king’s court was so obsessed with fragrances that it was called the «Perfumed Court». Bags, fans, gloves and even the fountains were doused with perfume.

Herod by Parfums de Marly is one of the French label’s bestsellers. For good reason, if you ask me. The combination of tobacco and vanilla gives the fragrance a pleasant warmth and gourmand sweetness.

Chergui par Serge Lutens

The Japanese company Shiseido owns a considerable selection of luxury brands in addition to its own brand. This includes French house Serge Lutens. Its bestseller is Chergui, named after a continental east or southeast wind that blows in the southernmost part of Morocco; a hot and dry wind that comes from the Sahara. This tobacco fragrance surprises with its hay note and nuances of honey.

Cozumel da Laboratorio Olfattivo

Finally, a scent from a brand that always flies a little under the radar, Laboratorio Olfattivo. Daniela Caon and Roberto Drago founded the house in 2009 in Rome. In 2015, they opened their first flagship store in Turin. Laboratorio Olfattivo is now present in over 40 countries worldwide. The perfumer behind Cozumel is Marie Duchêne. The Frenchwoman has also created various other fragrances for the house.

Cozumel is the one that moves me the most out of the three tobacco perfumes in this article.

At first glance, these fragrances with their heavy, sweet notes of tobacco, honey and vanilla seem to be something better suited to the cold season. However, I find that tobacco perfumes go perfectly with a balmy summer evening.

My name is Patrick. Patrick Bardelli. Not Süskind, the author of the book Perfume. Nevertheless, I’m also a great lover of perfumes and I regularly write about good and bad fragrances. Want to enjoy my literary odour? Follow my author profile. Or let’s say: follow your nose. And what’s important: these are exclusively my subjective impressions.

Header image: Patrick Bardelli

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Patrick Bardelli

Senior Editor

Patrick.Bardelli@digitecgalaxus.ch

From radio journalist to product tester and storyteller, jogger to gravel bike novice and fitness enthusiast with barbells and dumbbells. I'm excited to see where the journey'll take me next.

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