I woke up and decided I needed something warm to give me the illusion that it wasn't so cold. That fragrance was Zaharoff Tabac. I only recently obtained this fragrance. However, I tested it a while back as well, so I am confident in my assessment of the perfume and its character.
I have been waiting to review this ever since I tested it. Let's get into it!
The Notes
Top
Rum, Cognac, Guatemalan Cardamom, French Lavender, Star Anise, and Indian Davana
Mid
Gold Honey, Indonesian Temple Oud, American Tobacco Leaf, Jamaican Pimento Leaves, and Canadian Fir Balsam
Base
Australian Sandalwood, Plum, Black Amber, Ethiopian Myrrh, and Ethiopian Frankincense
The Scent
Zaharoff Tabac opens up with a blast of sweet spirits including rum and cognac. A spicy cardamom note can be detected amongst the swirling suavity of the blend. I can pick up the davana that lends a slight fruitiness to the booziness. The main star here is the tobacco. It can be smelled a few seconds after the opening and persists long into the dry down. It's sweet and aromatic and soaks up the sweetness of the liquors. This smells like an expensive cigar and doesn't read as synthetic in the least bit.
As the heart unfolds, The tobacco persists with the sweetness subsiding a slight bit. The slight earthiness in the tobacco note lets you know that actual tobacco was used here and not tonka. You start to pick up on the balsamic feeling of the myrrh at this point. It almost gives off a Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille vibe because of how the myrrh is used. This fragrance lacks a vanilla note and it doesn't smell like Tobacco Vanille. It just has that same feeling to the nose.
The base reveals a more woody approach that doesn't feature the buttery sandalwood that other releases do. At least I am not picking up on it. The sandalwood seems to display more of its dry and woody characteristics when it is combined with frankincense. This seems to be one of Zaharoff's favorite bases that was taken from Signature Noire and it's a base that you can't go wrong with. It's woody, warm, and resinous with the cardamom, tobacco, and a hint of the liquors remaining.
Performance
Zaharoff has never been known to be a slouch when scent strength is spoken of, but this is by far his strongest offering. This fragrance will last you at least 10 hours and it projects heavily for the first 2-3 hours before pushing out moderately and finally becoming a more intimate affair.
I tested this fragrance with 3 sprays and that was almost too much. Be careful on the trigger with this one.
When to Wear it
Zaharoff Tabac is a very masculine-leaning fragrance. That's not to say that a woman can't pull it off, but the targeted audience here is certainly of the male persuasion. I would say the fragrance is also for men who are over 30. This isn't a sweet and cloying tobacco fragrance like Herod. This is natural, refined, and classy.
Tabac would pair well with a sweater/jumper and some khakis. You can pull it off in a suit or jeans and a flannel. I would sweat it with joggers and a hoodie though,. It's a bit too refined and nuanced to fit that vibe.
Cold weather is where this will shine. It is too rich and resinous for the warmer months, unless it's a cooler spring evening.
My Opinion
Tabac is Zaharoff's best creation yet. I still think Rose and Signature are close. However, Tabac is much more in my wheelhouse. This smells exactly like a gentleman who enjoys an expensive cigar and even more expensive liquors. It is a man with taste who is classical and modern at the same time.
This fragrance makes me picture a man in a crimson felt robe smoking a cigar and having a drink. A fireplace is roaring nearby and the smell or quality wooden furniture lingers about in the air. This is an atmospheric scent that reimagines a man's place of contemplation and renewal.
The materials that George uses are absolutely phenomenal for the price. I don't imagine he makes a ton of profit on his fragrances. I know how much some of the ingredients he uses cost. I can tell you that they are not cheap and this is more of a labor of love than a profit-seeking endeavor. That can be said for all of Zaharoff's line though. Real rose isn't cheap at all. Look at the prices of natural rose fragrances compared to Signature Rose and you will understand what I mean.
Samples are readily available for this fragrance. This is not a standard tobacco fragrance, so I would encourage sampling it. I know my tastes are somewhat peculiar at times, so don't just take my word for it. Sample it and see if it's for you. We are so used to things like Herod and Pure Havane that I am unsure if people know what tobacco smells like(outside of cigar aficionados, which I am not). I did see that Zaharoff sent out a few cigars with some orders. I saw that George posted that they were expanding into the cigar and spirits business as well, so I am excited about that. I am not much of a smoker, but I would be willing to try it as a treat. Lord knows we all need a treat after these past few years...
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