When we say “tobacco”, we often think about the unpleasant smell of cigarettes and their smoke. When it comes to perfumes, however, the base note of tobacco has nothing to do with cigarettes. It is a deep, comforting, and warm note with a rather sweet scent. Perfumes with smoky hearts featuring tobacco are classical, unostentatious, and timeless. Tobacco blends very well with woody, earthy, spicy, and sweet notes like sandalwood, bergamot, vanilla, and pepper.

The plant, whose leaves’ solvent extraction is used in perfumery, is called Nicotiana tabacum. It comes from the USA and throughout the years it was used as a herb, as well as a medicine and a pain-killer. It is brought to Europe in 15^th century and in Bulgaria it is cultivated since 1717. Usually part of men’s perfumes (due to its masculine scent), tobacco is also used in many women’s fragrances to balance their intense femininity.

Apart from its widely known use for making cigars and cigarettes, tobacco is used all around the world for many different purposes, including treating infected wounds in Colombia, treating dysmenorrhea in Cuba, treating snake bites in Ecuador, and its roots are taken orally in Fiji for asthma and indigestion. The nicotine in tobacco is extracted and used as an insecticide.

Here are some of our perfumes with a tobacco note in them:

• Issey Miyake L’Eau D’Issey Pour Homme EDT for men – launched back in 1994, this elegant woody fragrance combines rare and unusual notes to create a feeling of freedom and calmness. Its composition opens with citruses, mandarin, and bergamot, while its spicy-wooden heart reveals nutmeg and water-lily. The base notes of tobacco, sandalwood, vetiver, and musk add the deep masculinity of the fragrance.
• Viktor&Rolf Spicebomb EDT for men – launched in 2012, this perfume is a real bomb – explosive, seductive, addictive, and surprising at the same time. Its bottle is especially designed by Fabien Baron in the form of a hand grenade. This warm and spicy composition features the fiery notes of chili, leather, tobacco, and vetiver opposed to the icy notes of bergamot, grapefruit, and pink pepper. The result is an incredible cocktail of masculine sensuality.
• YSL Belle D’Opuim EDP for women – launched in 2010, this oriental perfume is created by Alberto Morillas and Honirine Blank. It is a modern interpretation of the classical Opium, featuring rare and esteemed ingredients. The perfume opens with an explosion of flowers and citruses – including mandarin, lily, and jasmine. Its heart is an exquisite and exotic combination of tobacco and incense, while its base notes include the oriental notes sandalwood, patchouli, and amber.
• Gucci By Gucci Pour Homme EDT for men – this contemporary men’s fragrance is launched in 2008. It is warm, intensive, elegant, and sophisticated. Its notes include bergamot, tobacco, jasmine, patchouli, amber, and leather. It suits best the contemporary elegant man who is both strong, and refined.
• Armani Code EDT for men – launched in 2004, this spicy-oriental fragrance is created to complete the successful contemporary man. Its top notes include lemon and bergamot, and its heart reveals notes of olive flowers and anise. Its deep charm lies in the base notes of tobacco, leather, and tonka beans.

Which is your favourite tobacco perfume?