Reviews of Havana (1994)
by Aramis

Havana has one of the most cacophonous openings of any scent I’ve worn. Spray it on and you’re greeted by a raucous blast of alcohol, citrus, tobacco, leather, camphoraceous notes, lavender, and lord knows what else. For sheer volume and shock value, these top notes are hard to beat, and if Havana’s early withdrawal was tied to poor sales, it could well be because few customers managed to wait out its clumsy first five minutes. It’s a terrible pity, since for those intrepid enough to stick with it, Havana offers a real treat.

Make no mistake – Havana remains a busy, complex composition, but once it comes into focus the heart of tobacco, spiced rum, smoke, leather, patchouli, and lavender is as stimulating as it is rich, and perfectly balanced, to boot. The intricate olfactory structure at Havana’s center vibrates over a classic fougère base of coumarin and bergamot with oak moss (real – god bless Aramis’s parent firm Estée Lauder), that provides a cooling counterpoint to all the intense warmth. The juxtaposition of smoky, spicy heat and cool, forest-y fougère accord may be why Havana, for all its depth, never feels ponderous. On the contrary, Havana is surprisingly light-footed and nimble for its bulk. Wearing it is a bit like discovering that your gruff, hairy, 250 pound uncle Lou dances an exquisite waltz.

In overall demeanor, Havana is what I’ve come to think of as a BFFF (Big, Fat, F#!@king Fougère), to which class also belong Jules, Kouros, and Pascal Morabito’s gargantuan but elusive Or Black. Havana has a more staid and stolid older brother, too, in Estée Lauder’s own Lauder for Men, which shares Havana’s tobacco, aromatics, and bold fougère base, though not its booze or its jazzy anisic bounce. I think Havana is the most buoyant of this lot, inasmuch as “buoyant” can apply to a fragrance of such density. Despite the challenge posed by its top notes, Havana is also one of the most often complemented scents I wear.

As you might expect from my description so far, Havana is a potent, long-lasting fragrance that projects well off the skin and leaves behind plenty of sillage. It’s surely one of those scents that will elicit disapproval if over-applied. Used wisely, I believe Havana deserves its reputation as one of the great scents of its decade, and its absence is to be deeply mourned if not outright protested. One has to question Aramis’s brand strategy: they introduce distinctive, brilliantly composed scents - like Havana or Tuscany Forte per Uomo - that are built on fine ingredients, provide them with no marketing to speak of, and then wind up canning them when they (predictably) fail to sell. Or sometimes even when they succeed. All I can say is: Go out and buy yourself some of the excellent leathery green Devin, before they drop that one, too.

Newsflash!

Side-by-side blind testing leads me to conclude that (allowing for the effects of sample age,) the repackaged version of Havana released in 2009 as part of the Aramis Gentleman's Collection is substantially the same as the vintage EdT reviewed above.

A HUGE presence for the first 10-15 minutes. Intense and almost overpowering in the initial minutes if over applied. Easy does it.

Seems to turn its head away slightly during a middle phase lasting a half hour or so. Definitely still there, but changing, much more subdued.

Then, a long, slowly evolving glow of multilayered spice, incense, tobacco, dried fruit radiates from the skin. Almost edible at this stage. Great longevity. Finally emerges into a delicious and subtle melding of vanilla and fruitwood smoke. Damn nice!

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>>September 27, 2009 Review of Havana 're-release':

Hallelujah! The Aramis Havana 're-release' (did it ever really go out of production?) is essentially the same as the original--a wonderfully raucous opening barrage of spice/citrus/tobacco that is the olfactory equivalent of a spectacular nighttime fireworks display!

Middle notes are quieter with less flashy sparkle but more depth of fruit and a touch of rum and floral quietly and firmly taking center stage backdrop position. The drydown, simply put, continues to be one of the most sublime the fragrance world has to offer.

As I write this edit the single back-of-hand tester spritz of the 'new' Havana I applied at noon is in it's 8th hour, and I just cannot stop myself from sniffing it!

It DOES have everything but the kitchen sink. How could I not love this one, with all those great strong notes, it is exuberant and it’s hard not to admire. Of course tobacco is what hits me first—spicy tobacco—bay rum spicy tobacco lolling in a green / herbal accord with aldehydes, conifer, citrus, and wood to fill it out even though it doesn’t need to be filled out. This is a very abundant fragrance.

Abundance continues through the heart notes when a whole new lineup of spices and florals join the crowd: cumin, pimento, pepper, cinnamon, for spices; carnation, lily of the valley, hyacinth, and jasmine for florals. Of course, with all the spices, the florals could not be prominent, but they do serve to provide the heart of the fragrance with a very harmonious platform for the spices to perform on.

The base is my favorite part. It is superb: tobacco, of course, and amber, oak moss, patchouli, cedar wood, sandal wood, tonka, vanilla, myrrh, labdanum, and, my favorite, Oilbanum. Fourteen hours after applying I have a wonderful incense / wood accord still gently emanating from my skin.

I’ve mentioned abundance a couple of times, but that was only in the spirit of exaggeration. Havana is a very potent spicy-tobacco-woody-green chypre, but the strength can be controlled through application, and, besides, the ‘abundance’ lasts for only about a half hour. After all the spice and tobacco fireworks, Havana turns out to be a rich, lusty, but controllable fragrance that lasts and lasts. This is a superb fragrance. (Edit of 17 September 2006 review.)

The most interesting Bay Rum/Tobacco you're likely to find. Come to think of it, perhaps the only--

Well, be that as it may, do NOT make the mistake of supposing that we only praise it to the sky because it's a hard to find, discontinued frag.

The drydown, as previously noted, is truly superb. The notes begin to harmonize and we've soon got a Cuban melody of the first order. Makes me want to listen to an old Ernesto Lecuona love song while eating picadillo and sipping a mojito. Light, sparkling, and seductive Caribbean charm all the way.

I was fortunate enough to get a decant of this. And I can understand now why so many people are hoping for a relaunch. The fruity-herbal opening is fantastic. Like most Aramis classics, the herbs, woods,florals and citrus are blended to perfection.There is a distinct scent that is very Aramis and is also evident in 900, Tuscany, Aramis original. Has a lovely slightly musky dry down. A wonderful scent. Such pity it has been discontinued.

Havana was a very pleasing fragrance. Subtle, spicy, and manly. I enjoyed wearing this one for as long as it was on the market. I'm a swarthy, hairy kind of guy and this stuff really mixed well with my body chemistry. It also smelled great if you start to sweat. This is a more "toned down" version of JHL and much more diluted, too. I really liked Havana and would gladly buy it again if it was available.

I bought this after it was launched,it received heavy advertising in GQ magazine.I have since learnt that most of the adverts in GQ are for new the,hip,trendy and aimed at the 20-something crowd.If you'd asked me back then (yes, I could still recognise it) I would have given it a neutal as it's tobacco, leather and possibly bay rum notes were not that agreeable.I moved houses and countries and in the mayhm associated it was lost.I have visited the aramis website and there is no page telling you whether it has been discontinued or is in limited production. Maybe the producers like the vagueness, adding mystique to its alluring reputation. I give it a thumbs up now as I have managed to find some more and have sufficient stocks for the next 24 months.

Just tried this and for scent lover's it's a must. If you purely enjoy fragrances as their own unique scent this is something you must experience, it is a sweltering tip of the hat to the port of Havana.

Wearable? Perhaps for a 6 foot Latino Samba-ing and Salsa-ing into the Night with many a Senorita.

As for myself standing at 6 foot with darker features but with no dancing flare and unfortunately no Mojito propelled Affairs with colourful wemon on a weekly basis. I don't beleive I could pull this off.

In fact I considered it amazing until the dry down which though spicy and smokey doesn't attract me as much as the opening and unfortunately your left to deal with this longer than the original cacophony of scents.

In fact if this scent was reversed I would have no problem going out on the multiple personality disorder drydown. It would be like the olfactory equivalent of smelling like the inside an impressionable teens mind trying to figure out what you want to be, this or this, left or right..?

It would leave all in awe and craving more trying to figure you out, meanwhile your subtly trying to figure out who you will be tonight. The Frank Abignale of scents, unfortunately the last two paragraphs aren't real.

I have been wearing Havana on and off for 5 months.
It does not evokes Cuba in my mind although I get the rum and tobacco notes.To my nose and brain it brings memory of exotic waters and humid days.
Havana has a little bit of everything, woody, sweet, citrus, boozy , floral and very dry. It is actually a difficult fragrance, like one of those cocktails of all flavors and colors.
Very manly as well, sillage is great and longevity more than enough.
The bottle is simply awesome, so is the box. I give this one two thumbs up with pleasure.

Majestic, warm, classy. Smells very expensive. It has the depth and volume of a sophisticated modern man without being cheesily too sweet/aqua/citric etc.


The Best!!!

Talk about a cacophony of notes in a protracted opening accord !!! It almost seemed like a fistfight broke out on my skin after I sprayed it on. This screams old school power frag when first applied and it's convoluted enough in the top notes to scare away the feint hearted. All I can say is " WHOA" !!!!!!!!!!!

It took at least 45 minutes for this scent to settle down into something that didn't resemble Maxim's PH on steroids while taking amphetamines. This is a power frag for sure and as masculine as you're going to find.

Others below who like it have said it well enough. I like it as well, however the drydown wasn't as good as I was expecting, given the reviews. It's still good and I probably was expecting the Holy Grail.....and I didn't get that.

Caution to all aquatic lovers and those who abhor the heavy handed 80's and early 90's fragrances; This beast is King of the mountaintop of all that you detest and loathe in formulations that are designed for sensory overload. This juice will kick your ass and won't bother to take your name.

I love this perfume, too bad they don't sell it anymore (at least not were I live). canada .

It is a decent scent. Though I can't fall in line with all the rave reviews.

Personally, I can't get past what I perceive to be an unbalanced smokey scent. (Go figure given its name.) I would have enjoyed a rum or bourbon scent added for a more robust fragrance.

My preferences aside, it is still worthy of a "thumbs up".

What Castro would smell like if he were a drug lord. Macho, complex, tropical, rich. Very masculine, and very strong; the paradox is the summer notes with a winter potent strength. Please use sparingly.

Aromatic and masculine are the first two things which comes to mind. I really do like the tartness in this one, that crispy tobacco, sweet woods and delicious take on bay rum. Drydown is to me quite much on the animalic side.
I basically wear this only due the summertime, and it`s one of those scents which keeps getting better and better as it gets hotter and hotter....
Like many of you know, this is still exclusively in production and actually very widely available in South Africa. Strange.

MMM said this is not that original to him (S.Tacchini Uomo is a fine example!) and I must agree. Good scent though, not as good to me as many of the guys seem to think.

Havana is a masculine, complex and highly satisfying fragrance. The opening is not promising, it is a very typical Aramis type of masculine accord. It's not bad, but it is nothing terribly interesting. The fragrance develops to the heart notes on my skin in about 10 minutes. The blend of boozy, spicy, floral notes in the heart show the promise of the unbelievable home run base accord. The dry down is a long-lived woody, sweet, tobacco and balsamic treat that takes a good long while to completely develop. The sweet tobacco note lingers long after the rest of the fragrance has been spent. It is not surprising that this fragrance has been discontinued. Many of the best masculines have succumbed to the chopping block. This is up there with Patou Pour Homme as far as original, high-quality scents that have been discontinued. It is getting pricey, so buy it while you can!

From it's bold, exotic opening to it's gritty, semi gourmand dry down, HAVANA possesses a distinctively organic vibe. With ripe citrus, dried tobacco leaves and rhum soaked woods, this broad shouldered, oriental style cologne exudes warmth, maturity, elegance and charm... yet remains somewhat enigmatic. It will always be the scent of the non conformist male who doesn't follow the trends.



IMPORTANT NOTE: This fragrance contains (phthalates) and many other synthetic ingredients derived from the petrochemical industry. Be aware of the health risks before using this product.

i can't stand it!!! way too strong for my nose. very 1980 ish.

To me, It's almost exactly like Giorgio VIP Special Reserve. Thank god my Dad has it & Thank God for the power of Atomizers!!!!!! I do plan to buy myself a bottle soon.

Spice bomb at the opening. Whoa! Knock me back! But things change and the wall of spice and citrus start to cancel each other out allowing the emergence of tobacco and leather to warmly dominate the finish.

Smells of Cuba before the revolution - sunny and warm tobacco with a hint of spice in the background.

A sad truth in the fragrance world is that the public, by and large, has awful taste. Mainstream garbage like Acqua di Gio is regurgitated endlessly by the media, the marketing teams, and the public itself. What I’m getting at, eventually, is while AdG will probably be selling well into my twilight years, you can not find Aramis Havana in any retail store. Not in North America anyway, if you want it you’ll have to do a bit of traveling, to South Africa or one of the other handful of countries that still receive it. Or, you can pay a premium on eBay or one of the fragrance retail websites, upwards of $80 an ounce on average, which is higher than many niche label fragrances.

So when I was posed the offer to buy about 1.5 oz of the stuff for well below market price, I couldn’t really pass it up. Thank God I didn’t. Part of the reason I was initially interested in the stuff is it had a lot of notes I liked by themselves. Then again, it has a ton of notes, the most I’ve encountered in a fragrance. Havana features top notes of Coriander Seed, Anise, Birch Tar, Juniper Berry, Tangerine, Grapefruit, and Orange, middle notes of Bay Rum, Cumin, Jamaican Pimento Berry, Pepper, Jasmine, and Hyacinth, and all of that is sitting on a prominent woody base of Tobacco, Patchouli, Cedarwood, Myrhh, Labdanum, Oilbanum, Tonka bean, Vanilla, and some other assorted exotic ouds. So there’ll be pretty much something in there you’ll like.

If you’re spraying from an existing bottle, the sprayer has a sort of spicy, even pungent aroma, which should give you a fair indication as you prepare to wear it that this is going to be something well off the beaten path. The initial blast is almost entirely drowned out by a pronounced cumin note that evaporates in about 30 seconds to a minute, or at least takes a back seat to one of the most unique, riotous, magnificent dry-downs you’ll ever find in a fragrance. Notes jostle for supremacy, and if you have the chance to wear this without distractions you’ll find yourself engrossed in the play of the different elements; Havana doesn’t actually settle down for 2 or 3 hours, and during that time you’ll encounter the full spectrum of what Havana has to offer. What you’re left with at that settling point is a scent led by the tobacco and patchouli notes, with plenty of woods behind it (I don’t detect the cedar so much as I detect medium to heavier woods in general; I think the spices mask it a bit as I rather like cedar-based fragrances). Behind all that is a sparkling boozy accord which I’m pegging as the rum and pepper notes working together. In my initial review of Havana I compared it to a cross between Quorum and Chanel Platinum Egoiste, minus the jasmine and carnation notes. At this point I don’t believe that anymore, it’s a composition unique in it’s own right. It’s honestly a lot of stuff going on, and words don’t do this one justice.

Let me put it this way. I’m currently sitting at 19 different bottles. If I’m completely honest with myself, if I’m narrowing my wardrobe down to 3, it’s in there. If I’m narrowing it down to 2, it’s in there. If I’m narrowing 19 down to 1…Havana’s going to be the one I keep. I may rage and curse over the decision (who? me?) and thankfully I don’t see myself having to actually be forced to just have one fragrance, but the more I thought about it, the more I realize there’s really no contest. So many people are wearing the same thing, even stuff like Terre d’Hermes and (egads) A*Men is becoming popular in the mainstream. It’s a pretty safe bet, though, that I will be the only one in Paducah wearing Havana on any given day.

Unfortunately, finding it, as I indicated, is a pain in the butt. Even the usual suspects like The Perfumed Court don’t have it, instead carrying the slightly more common, slightly different Havana Reserva. Even that’s gonna run you $8 for 1mL, which is by my math $240 an ounce. Buying it in a half-ounce bottle on there will still run you $119. Don’t despair though, it is fairly common on eBay, and not one that’s subject to counterfeiting. You can also find it for sale on Basenotes at the rate of about 2 bottles a month. Maybe you’ll luck into one like I did.

If you see fragrance as anything more than a casual fling, you owe it to yourself to try this stuff.

It hopens with a medicinal blast of notes that I won't even pretend to recognise. On another it smells great right off the bat, but on myself I only enjoy the myrrh, etc. in the drydown an hour or two later. In this country it's commonly available, but interestingly enough, mostly in the 50ml 'cigar'. I wear Havana in winter since it's too thick on me in summer. And yes, it does remind strongly of Sung Homme. In fact, the other day someone asked whether I was wearing Havana when it was in fact Sung. The latter isn't available in S.A. Personally I think Sung smells much cheaper than Havana, and has a cloying stickiness about it. I'm inclined to spray Havana on the stomach or lower torso to avoid the initial olfactory meltdown... Good stuff, but handle with caution.

I hate reviewers some times. Or maybe Im too gullible, but based on Base Noters this is the "most UNIQUE fragrance ever!!!"

Not really.

Not bad either, but........not a first, second or 30th choice of mines..(I own over 70 colognes)

Comparisons:

Antaeus by Chanel +(add bay rum riched saturation= Havana)

Sung by Alfred Sung -( Subtract the soapy/powdery/floral installation= Havana)

Over Priced!
Rare, and totally understandable why.

Definitely not a boring scent, its busy behavior on your skin will wrinkle your nose at first if your are a conventional cologne wearing guy.
This Aramis effort lands in the unusual category, but not spectacular.

I'd wear it to a funeral, in Haiti.

Havana shares very much with the also discontinued, Montana Parfum D'Homme. Besides Havana's sweet rum-centered top and midnotes, which Montana lacks, they both share that warm, spicy, musky, drydown tempered with a fine tobacco aroma.

Havana manages to be a great masculine fragrance, while still being able to reek of class. Havana straddles the line between overt masculinity and pompous stuffiness. It conjures up images of a gentleman in the Caribbean who is familiar with the finer pleasures of his homeland.

Swimming hard against a strong tide here, I have to say I don't like this.

My first objection is that it starts with a a mess of notes including the signature Aramis accord from the original aramis fragrance. It is just too cluttered and this aramis signature seems out of place. As is develops I find that the tobacco gets lost in an overwhelming mixture of bay rum, wood and spice, and for the life of me I swear I get a "fishy" note which is somewhat unpleasant.

When it finally thins itself out to the drydown, it all makes some sense, but I am not really willing to jump the hoops to get there.

An overdone, overbearing cluttered fragrance with too much noise for my nose, I am not surprised this has been discontinued in many markets.

one of the good perfumes launched in the 90´s -a decade where most of the perfumes launched were simple cheap trush!Havanna is dark,smoky,virile, unique scent.Everything very well put together and it reminds you of cuban life-tobacco,sun,handsome and dark men hanging around and chilling out.....Very nice bottle and package!Spicy,woody-long lasting, powerful and intense-really a good edt!

Pirates? Maybe, but more likely the stuff of Olympian gods. One of my top five of all time -- esp. in its Reserva version. Spicy, deep, rummy, tobacco-y -- what's not to love? It is, IMHO, one of the greatest American scents ever made, and its discontinuation should go down as one of the greatest marketing blunders ever.

I was fortunate enough to obtain a sample of this, from a fellow Basenoter, but initially wasn’t impressed. A few months later, I unexpectedly came across a bottle at my local pharmacy. It was being sold for such a silly price that it was impossible to pass up (regardless of the fact that I didn’t like it). The original plan was to make a killing on eBay but, after testing it again, I just couldn’t let it go.

What first came across as sharp, pungent and way too masculine now smelt intoxicating, warm and very sensual. Maybe this was due to my nose becoming more sophisticated, or maybe I simply appreciated it more when sprayed on my skin (as opposed to being dabbed). Whatever the reason, it’s no longer important.

I’m not one for very masculine fragrances but even I can greatly appreciate its appeal. If you ever have the fortune of obtaining this extremely rare and stunning fragrance, treat it with respect and cherish every drop…

Here's a woman's opinion: I have my bf wear this and nothing else, if you take my meaning. Ditto desmond - dead sexy!

How exotic!
A truly unique, manly scent. I have forgtotten to include it among my top 15 where this one surely belongs. I just dont get it why aramis discontinued this. Its so so much better and original then "life" for example. Probably its just not the time for original things nowadays. This one is surely not a mass market taste perfume. A masterpiece. Sad to see that it disappears.

after new west that was a fab fragance of the 90's, it becam quite trendy and people really miss it here in Spain.
Aramis, pleaseee, bring it to us back!!!

One of the greatest fragrances ever made, a shame it is discontinued (I dont know what Aramis is thinking).
Primarily sharp citrus topnotes, rum middle notes, and a tobacco drydown. The scent itself reminds me more of mediterranean europe, of a generation of slick well-groomed middle-aged european gents sitting around outside in summer by an orchard or vinyard drinking and smoking cigars. This scent to me is what my uncles, my father smelled like when I was a kid... but rather than smell 'old' it just smells elegant yet interesting, warm and familiar.
Be very careful when applying since it is very strong juice and easy to overapply. One spray should be more than enough, especially of the concentrated 'Reserva' edition.
I think you need to be at least 30 to pull this one off.

Why did they discontinue this one. It is very exciting and and not for the timid of heart. It would probably suit me perfectly if I just could find it.
benb

What Pirates would have worn. The more debonair captain of a band of pirates rather.
An impeccable frag. I haven't encountered anything in it that I dont like. I've worn it for a month (a freezing cold winter month) and its great. I just know that when summer comes, Havana is going to be something else!

I received this much "talked about" fragrance in the form of a half-full 30oz bottle in a swap. I had such high expectations, and upon first sampling it I was taken back by how strong and chaotic the top-notes were. Infact I wasn't even sure I liked it. But over time, I found myself reaching for it again, and again and the more I wore it the more I grew to love this scent, especially its marvelous dry-down. The Tobacco note is a lot warmer and sweeter than that of.. say, the Dreamer. A very well made fragrance, one that commands attention and one that screams masculine, assertive yet sensual. Warm Tobacco with spice, hints of sweetness and an overall smooth headiness that is unequalled.

This is a great fragrance, though the opening reminds me of Herrera (of which I am not fond). But then it becomes a wonderful, elegant experience. To me, this is a formal or semi-formal fragrance, or maybe for the office or an important meeting. Not to wear to the grocery store. Oh wait. Anyhow, it's one of the best I ever experienced. The noses at Lauder (who also make Aramis and Tuscany) have some savvy and sense. Too bad this is discontinued, but, as we know, that happens all too frequently with things we cherish.

Hey guys, looking for chicks magnet!
Your attention here!
It`s just unfair they discontinued it...

Beautiful is the only way I can describe this scent. There is so much going on in its complexity. It starts out as a chaotic mess but the notes later fall into place. The bay rum adds a pleasant spice to the bittersweet tobacco note. The drydown is one of the best I've encountered. Although it is quite potent, I love the way it smells in the summer. The heat really brings out its true nature on my skin. Two thumbs up for this one.

One of my goals in life is to round up the execs at Aramis who thought it would be a good idea to discontinue this scent and whack them over their collective heads with a bat. While the notes have used before, never have them come together with this effect. Brilliant mix of tobacco and spices that manages to work well in the fall/winter and on hot summer nights. Good longevity, excellent sillage, wearable in the office of for an evening out.

Excellent tobacco scent, though I wonder whether this one is slightly overrated due to it's current exclusivity. A spicy take on the tobacco theme with a structure that's evocotive of classic masculine scents like Azzaro PH.

Havana, the only fragrance in the directory of Basenotes that features everything, and I mean everything, but the kitchen sink. For crying out loud, I think I even smell a bit of Grandma's drool after she's been spittin' in the spitoon (hey, at least I got her to switch to Redman). Seriously, Havana is one of those fragrances that is often lauded as a must buy here. I'm here to tell you that... well... it's almost. The stuff is pretty loud and obnoxious on first spray--I don't know how anybody could love this and complain about Lorenzo Villoresi's fragrances starting out as "train wrecks". But give it time and it settles down. It's a "tobacco" fragrance, but to my nose, there's much more spice going on than tobacco, so for those seeking something of a true tobacco note might want to try it first. Ultimately, it gets to that tobacco, but it goes 1/2 way around the world and makes several stops before it gets there.

Nice but perhaps not as earthshaking as some of the reviews suggest. Aramis is actually very reminiscent of the original Sergio Tachini. If you've smellt that one, imagine it with a strong tobacco base instead and you'll get the picture. Superb sillage and duration though.

Havana is a great Tobacco based designer fragrance. Havana is a great, rich fragrance. It has hints of floral notes that help subdue the Tobacco. I wouldn’t put it in the same league as Vintage Tabarome, Aqua di Cuba, etc, but it is a great fragrance.

one of my 3 favorites. very much in the aramis family yet toally original. rich silky-smooth & profound. rummy & woody. you will never escape notice. for the man with low-hangers

I spotted it at the pharmacy literally 200 metres from where I live. Was languishing in the corner of cologne cabinet (yes, an old-fashioned type where they lock cologne cabinet...). They said this bottle was there for years and were surprised to hear it's generally unavailable in UK. They even gave me £5.00 discount off £35.00 sticker price.
What a fantastic product. The complexity, the unashamed sheer richness and spices played against tobacco base is a good proof that you can do miracles even in tried-and-tested combinations, such as "tobacco & spices & citrus". It has a certain sound of the 'good ol' days', something in it is distinctly pre-internet, pre-email, and in a good way. It smells of Wall Street; it smells of a good hotel in Chicago, it smells of an expensive top-floor bar in one of Tokyo skyscrapers.

Dead Sexy!!!!!
If you want to improve your chances of being noticed by either sex; this is the one. Sends shivers down my spine just thinking of it!

It took me three or four days before I really understood just how amazing this scent is. Rum, pepper, wood, tobacco and citrus all hit you like a freight train at first, wich is a wonderful sensation when you've grown accustomed to it! Then the rum, spice and intense smoke make a little room for the berries and the hyacinth to make it less overpowering. The last stage reveals sweet honeylike tobacco and vanilla to sweeten the spice and rum a bit. The sandal is there all along in the background. You can really detect all these ingredients!! I do like compliments but this one I would wear even if everyone else hated it (wich is definitely NOT the case).

This is an exoctic scent. Aramis is commiting a misdeed by discontinuing this scent. This is on the level of Tuscany. Fine, fine scent. To continue...I have sat at the end of the bar and was continually asked what I was wearing. This cologne is a mans cologne.

A tobacco-herbal-spicy aromatic chypre. It has every note of it thickly spiced. At first, appears spiced citrus that develops into a spiced herbs. The scent is multi-faceted and pulsates with different notes and colours. Ends up with spicy tobacco on spicy woods. Very nontrivial fragrance and a bit heavy. Used to wear it as an evening scent for cool days of spring and summer but it sounds pretty interesting even at high temps. I'd never say it's a 1990s scent,...heh, here in Russia it is mostly worn by mature gentlemen in their 50s.

Very complex and well done scent. Spicy and bay rum to boot. The name suits it well.
Has some supporting products in the line, which is good.
[a] Well done bottle, the color reminds of the ocean in the tropics. Inverted cone shape is not the best for standing though, and seeing the level of the juice go down faster at the end than the beginning is a bit unsettling. Nice box too, good coloring.
I see the skull and bones of discontinuation are gone, hope it's being made. I wonder if there was an "especial" version? Not Reserva, just an "especial" of Havana.

This is a classic, spice-laden, long-lasting men's fragrance! Not one to go super-spritzing with, that's for sure. A sure hit in the scent arsenal, that develops through its many notes with a fluidity other lack.

This has to be one of the heaviest fragrances available, so user discretion is advised! In some respects it seems like a much older fragrance than it actually is. Evolves nicely on the skin.