Reviews of Tabac Original (1959)
by Mäurer & Wirtz

As I now give the appearance of being quite grown up, I decided to upgrade my old splash After Shave bottle to a nice gleaming EDT version, complete with atomizer. I really do not find Tabac in any form that overpowering, even the EDT merely adds a slight boost to an already acceptable manly bouquet. The opening few hours provide the powdery assurance that an aromatic fougere with this pedigree should do. It can hold its own with fragrances such as Worth Pour Homme, Paco Rabanne and Quorum, all of which share that powdery freshness so sought after in products of this type.

Where I think Tabac steals a slight march on its competitors is in the dry down, the last few hours are delightful. A slightly baked, sweet and woody twilight period is more than I could have wished for. The only slight disappointment that I had was in the longevity, even in EDT form, five hours was all I could coax out of it. However,I do love the way it promises you very little, and then delivers a lot.

This manly classic is my all-time favorite. This is regularly available for less than twenty dollars and is among the best bargains out there. Starts out strong, then mellows into a powdery floral but absolutely masculine scent that lasts all day. Definitely of the old school but unlike, say, Zizanie, this one hasn't dated a bit. Highly recommended.

This fragrance is difficult to use. It can be overapplied very easily. The point is that the scent does not appear very strong to the person who wears it but to everyone else around. It must somehow anaesthetise the olfaction.

I think it was introduced obviously before the use of synthetics became common in the perfume industry, at least it gives me the impression that it is still all natural. Extremely good, especially considered that low price!

They offer a wide range of products in that line and for a more discreet scent, even the pre-shave is sufficient.

This is some kind of a joke here in Finland. You know, Tabac Original is a sort of synonym for the cologne in general, if you know what I mean….
It has been very popular here through all the years, and it has become famous particularly in use of older men plus some very tacky guys who drench their selves into the juice when going out to some barn dance or activities of that kind.


This status here is a bit of a shame in a way, because you what…This is actually a great scent.


Fresh balsamic scent with prominent carnation-lavender note. Very masculine floral and to me not dated as a scent in a slightest bit. This one is a timeless creation.

Smooth but also complex scent especially for the part of wonderfully blended basenotes.

In my opinion this basically could be released today by some quality niche house. I’m not kidding at all.

If you forget about the price and all the (reputation ruining) history and focus completely to the smell, you can probably see it is a unique scent with flawless balance to it and natural ingredient feel.
It really does smell like a high quality scent with just a right amount of edge.

Just use it very moderately.

And hey, this would work on a woman, too.

Wonderful. Just wonderful. I associate this cologne with the image projected by Liam Neeson in the Schindler´s list. Subtle and classic. Smells like a refined barber shop.

I rather enjoy this one... It starts off with lavender, geranium and carnation; then it softens and a leather note comes through [at least to my nose] a soft powdery leather. And that's it! The whole time wearing this fragrance, all I detect is a powdery leather, with soft floral notes but by the dry-down, the florals soften and the powdery aspect [now more like baby powder] is dominant which is nice. The sillage is moderate to strong (some have reviewed that this is a cloying scent, I am one of the rare few that really like cloying fragrances but this one to me is just a little not like heavy florals like Fracas and to wear a cloying fragrance takes a light hand). The longevity is moderate to strong as well.

This is an every occasion type of fragrance, for work, weekends, day or night and worn casually or with a suit. I recommend this one

Got this for a gift over over 20 years ago and then picked up it (the cologne) in 2006. There is a Japanese after shave that is a direct ripoff of this scent.

For me, too much of this isn't clean at all but cloying. Put it on kind of light and this is really nice stuff, beyond simply "inoffensive" but a classic.

I have to say though, that while initially a clean scent the overall effect for me can sometimes push the sense of calming/nostalgia into a kind of sadness. I do not wear it myself anymore but recommend it. Maybe like others have said it is better for cooler weather, and I do notice that it is the after shave that gets most frequent mention.... not only on this forum but on on others.

Talk about a trip down memory lane! This one, along with Old Spice, brings back memories of my childhood. I love the smell, it's a true classic. It's a little bit barber shop fougere, a little bit spicy oriental, and a little bit tobacco chyphre. There is no other scent like it. This isn't something I wear very often, but there is something very comforting about knowing that it's there. Tabac is extremely long lasting. A little dab 'll do ya.

This review is for Tabac Eau de Cologne. Brooklynlou is abdolutely right. In the beginning fir a few minutes it smells really bad. However in a matter of minutes it turns out a soapy and clean. Its a very pleasent smell that lats only for about 3-4 hours, unless you come very close to the skin and smell it.

And yes I agree with foetidus "Tabac puts so many expensive fragrances to shame".

There is not much I can say that already hasn't been said about this classic. I use it every day as aftershave and I simply love it. The scent is beautiful, manly, warm, leathery and spicy; never overwhelming. Tabac never gives me headache and dizzyness like many other aftershaves do. Tabac is very light but nevertheless long-lasting. Highly recommended.

Tabac Original is a life standard to have a seat in your collection. I first bought it in the late 60's early 70's. Anyone who critics this in the negative should be smacked. It is warm fuzzy and cozy representing an simpilar time period. Sinatra, Mathis on the stereo working your way to first base with your new squeeze.
I had been without it for some time and didn't realize how much I missed the good ole days. It lasts llong too.
Makes you think of the time when you would lay back in a barber chair, hot towl, then close steight edge shave
finished off then of course with a big splash of Tabac!

All the notes combine to produce a clean smelling barbershop fragrance that I am VERY comfortable wearing. I can see this for the age 40 and up men. Longevity on me is about 3-4 hours so I keep a sample bottle in my car to refresh.

I just picked up the 300 ml (10.1 fl. oz. for those on the left side of the Atlantic) size of Tabac Original for $25.00. I love this stuff. It's one part Clubman barber shop talc, one part medicated bubble gum, and one part very elusive mystery spice that I can't quite nail down. It's the kind of a smell that makes you nostalgic even if you've never smelled it before. I think it smells great (did I already say that?) and has great sillage and staying power for an E de C. There are many more expensive fragrances out there that wished they smelled this good. Tabac is a terrific fragrance bargain.

When I first bought Tabac I hated it. The initial splash smells like cat piss for a few seconds till it settles down. Then the aldehydes kick in and it smells a little like ozone. What saves Tabac is that the second you add some sweat and body heat, the chemical smell of the aldehydes goes away and it smells like clean laundry coming out of the dryer. You begin to respect Tabac once you realize that the stuff was designed in an age absent of deodorants and air conditioning - It smells fresh no matter how hot and ugly it is outside.

Price: Cheap
Packaging: Nice milk glass bowling pin like bottle.
Complexity: It smells like clothes out of a dryer. I don't know where people smell leather from.

I first wore Tabac in the late 60s, and after all these years, I am still impressed by its several qualities — its freshness, its classic structure, and its ability to satisfy. Those aldehydes at the top do it—along with the citrus and lavender, they announce in unmistakable terms, the liveliness and effervescence that is Tabac Original. Citrus, lavender, and aldehydes; it doesn’t sound so exotic or special, but its smoothness and freshness are so rewarding. Then come the mid level florals led by the carnation, which is strongly supported by the iris. The spiciness of the carnation flower and the powder of the iris give a very traditional — some might say the old school flavor, and I agree, but I like the effect — it’s a clean and fresh that never goes out of date as far as I’m concerned. The base is quiet and reserved traditional sandalwood / musk / vanilla with a complement of tobacco. This would be my nomination for THE barber shop fragrance: Very old school, it keeps a low profile and lasts and lasts. This is a safe fragrance: Fresh yet classic, not fussy in application, never a synthetic aura about it, and it does not offend. Tabac puts so many expensive fragrances to shame.

This is a
classic! Subtle after dry-down, but longer lasting that most appreciate, just close to the skin. It's "aura" adds to it's sexiness, but this is an unobtrusive cologne, which never has left a bad impression when worn. Good for interviews and daily executive wear. Buy it.

Smooth, powdery, clean and soapy. Lightly musky. Totally inoffensive. Whilst I wouldn't go so far as to say that this is an aftershave to wear when taking high-tea with the Queen, I certainly wouldn't say that this, as others have insisted, is an old-man's cologne...

Its dynamic, easily wearable, and comforting. Its quality is exactly as it was 10, 15 and 20 years ago...None of the ingredients has been altered in the name of cost-cutting...Personally, I'd rather it to be a little softer and warmer-smelling, but alas, it does perfectly well as is, and honestly, I can't truthfully imagine it another way.

Freshly shaved from an old fashioned barber...quartet harmonizing outside the shop...evocative in its timelessness this fragrance is the epitome of crisp and clean.
This is the scent of the job interview, meeting your inlaws to be, tea with the queen or any other event where you wish to impress with zero chance of offending. Tabac Original is THE choice.
My only personal gripe is that after a few hours the scent is all but gone...fortunately it does stamp out all offensive body odor all day so reapply and enjoy the smiles...

When the reclusive dandy Jean Floressas Duc des Esseintes chose to retreat from the world to his house at Fontenay, it is known that the only mass market fragrance that he took with him was Tabac.
His reasons for this were noted in his diary: " It is perfectly obvious that Tabac, this subtle, carnation-tinged elixir of clean freshness and powdery comfort, is the unavoidable choice of honest, worthy and sensitive souls - bright-eyed and kindly, modest and adaptable, solicitous embrace, fresh laundry flapping in the summer breeze, dear friend of winter days! Niche perfumiers would give their eye-teeth to have invented it! Besides, everyone knows that niche perfumes are generally purchased by braying bourgeois and nouveau riche, the kind of people who talk too loudly, jostle you in the street without a word of apology, and, with utter thoughtlessness, run baby carriages into your knees! For that reason alone, niche perfumes should be avoided!"
What other scents he took with him to his exquisite retreat is uncertain, but they probably included Dior's Jules, Chanel Pour Monsieur, Caron Pour Un Homme, YSL Pour Homme, the original green Jaguar and Jaguar Mark II, Leonard Pour Homme, Worth Pour Homme, the original Paco Rabanne, Quorum, Guerlain's Vetiver and Coriolan, Bowling Green, Nino Cerruti Pour Homme, Cotswold by Dukes of Pall Mall, Signoricci, Portos by Balenciaga, Cacharel Pour Homme and Monsieur de Givenchy.

I took a huge trip down memory lane today, a 15 year trip back down memory lane to be precise. It all started on a trip to France when I was 14. Being in the local town I stopped by a Chemists. Even at the age of 14 I was a keen Fragrance buyer. The lady in the Chemists took me through some of the many fragrances they had but alas the number of Francs in my pocket didn't stretch far enough for the Hermes or the Givenchy. The only thing within my budget was Tabac Original. I tried it in the shop and liked it so bought it. As a slightly naughty side note I should add that it was on this trip that I lost my virginity, a very personal admission but smelling this fragrance today for the first time in 15 years brings back some great memories for me. This is a wonderfully clean, soapy fragrance. It is completely incapable of causing olfactory offence yet different enough to be totally distinctive and individual. As others have commented, the price is by no means an indication of the quality. Though it may be cheap enough to buy, this fragrance outclasses others costing 4 times as much and I do have a selection of Creed fragrances among other more expensive names to compare it with. This will sound strange but there is an aspect of this fragrance that reminds me of the smell of snuff tobacco. A slightly earthy quality but still very pleasant and without the constant sneezing resulting in Brown powdered tobacco shooting out the end of your nose. I tried to remember what happened to my original bottle from 15 years ago and along with smelling this today, it came back to me. My Stepfather took the fragrance claiming it was his and never gave it back. Aside from suggesting he's a total thief it does perhaps go some way to suggest how nice a fragrance can be when Guardian's are willing to steal it and swear that it belongs to them! Still, all in good humour. My advice if you haven't tried it is to do so as soon as possible. Designer fragrances come and go but some stand the test of time, there is a reason for that. They are timeless and shining examples of what can be achieved by the expert perfumer. Tabac Original is that to a tee.

This is a gloriously well balanced fragrance with excellent sillage. Although made for men it is one I love to wear in warmer weather when anything too floral is oppresive. Perfect for almost any occasion, and particularly appropriate as a compliment to a day in the great outdoors. Unfortunately it doesn't smell good on my husband. Oh well, I guess the bottle's mine now.

My grandfather used to wear the aftershave and that's where my associations lie with this fragrance. My bottle was bought for a special "dress up as if you were old" party and I ended up having it.

I wear it when I want to feel warm and soft and cozy.

Also the first fragrance ever that I received compliments about!

Don't look at the price tag and assume anything -- this is a classic scent for very good reason. Picked up a huge bottle recently for under $20.00, and it (as always) has been consistently wonderful.

Old-school in the best possible way. Floral, warm, natural and spicy all in equal measure, widely available but made with a nose for quality, long-lasting but not overpowering, always noticeable and interesting.

Definitely different than a lot of what's around now, and that's a very good thing.

Also, the manufacturer knows how to create a product line around a scent - too bad I can't say the same for some of my other favorites.

Another one I can't go wrong with, although I prefer this one in the colder months.

I came upon Tabac about twenty five years ago and immediately liked the fragrance and how my own body handled it. Many times I have received compliments from young to older women who say that they love the freshness and balance of the fragrance. My ex wife and many of my former girlfriends all loved Tabac on me and in a nutshell, Tabac is one of the cleanest, most exciting yet somewhat outdoorsey and traditional of all the fragrances I've ever tried. At times I have sampled others but for one reason or another, I always return to Tabac.

This fragrance is here to stay!So essentially vintage yet not dated-it's an almost iconic collector's item.
The bottle is elegantly spared of redundant detaills, while the perfume is so different from timely and vain trends. Rich, slightly heavy, very gentleman-like, just like i would imagine the smell of expensive and rare tobacco. It is a trip back in time almost like the conservative
creations by Muehlens or Yardley, it also resembles some creations of these two famous houses.

This has been my standby fragrance for decades, especially for cooler weather. Can't say enough about it: it's perfect for me.