Ingredient Guide
Tobacco belongs to the Solanaceae family, like potatoes and tomatoes. Although its leaves contain nicotine, some extracted fragrance materials undergo denicotinization. For example, Biolandes specifies a nicotine range of 0–800 ppm for its low-nicotine tobacco absolute. Treatment therefore does not necessarily mean that no nicotine remains. The extract is made from dried, fermented tobacco leaves, and its scent is sweet, herbal, and woody, with tea, honey, and dried-fruit notes, as well as slight leathery and chocolate-like nuances.
What Does It Smell Like in Perfume?
In perfume, “tobacco” is a name that encompasses both natural tobacco absolute and reconstructed notes built from multiple fragrance materials. The natural absolute obtained from dried, processed leaves brings sweet, dry depth reminiscent of honey, hay, tea, dried fruit, and leather. It is not the same as the smell of burning smoke; its character centers on a richness like that of matured leaves. A reconstructed note is not the natural extract itself, and its sweetness, greenness, and leathery nuances vary according to the materials used.
Choosing a fragrance with tobacco
Tobacco fragrances can offer dry leaves or the honeyed sweetness of cigars, with a richness quite different from the smell of burning smoke.
- Sweet, rich tobacco: Vanilla, tonka bean or cocoa suits a preference for confectionery-like sweetness too.
- Soft, powdery tobacco: Iris or honey softens the dry leaves.
- Tobacco with woods and spices: Woods or cinnamon adds variations in warmth and spice.
Two fragrances featuring tobacco
Tobacco Vanille Eau de Parfum (Tom Ford)
Tobacco leaf and spices are layered with tonka bean, vanilla, cocoa, dried fruit and sweet woods. Rich confectionery and fruit-like sweetness wraps around the tobacco.
Volutes Eau de Parfum (Diptyque)
Soft tobacco is evoked through honey, opoponax, cinnamon and an iris accord. Rather than Tobacco Vanille’s confectionery sweetness, it offers honey, resin and a makeup-like powderiness.
Find your next fragrance
In Fragrance Finder, choose “Favorite fragrances & notes” on the home screen, then look for notes you enjoy under “Favorite notes”. Select from the available suggestions and press “Next”.
