Tobacco Vanille (2007)
by Tom Ford

Tabacco, black tea and vanilla. That's about it.

While I loved it at first sniff, Tabacco Vanille now makes me yawn of boredom due to it's linear (and lack of) evolution. I also hate the synthetic black tea note in it - I find myself getting annoyed of smelling the exact same thing for hours on end - like a song that was good at first, but once you hear it on the radio for the 5th time in an hour you're fed up of it. Not much else to say here, but that TV is also overpriced and smells a bit like a candle. Sorry guys, I'm just not feeling this one.

I much prefer Guerlain's Spiritueuse Double Vanille - now that's a fragrance with quality, evolution and great blending. Even though there's no tabacco in SDV, it still reminds me of vanilla pipe tabacco and gets top honors for being my favorite pipe-tobacco-style fragrance. SDV is less sweet than TV and it's not even close to being as cloying or annoying as Tobacco Vanille.

7/10

For the first 15 minutes all I got was the dried preserved prune - the sort you'd find in Chinatown, sold in large packets with the prunes individually wrapped in paper. We call these preservatives 'buah kanna'. (Hey, maybe Tom Ford was eating some while sifting through dried tobacco leaves and somehow drew an inspiration!) Anyway fun facts aside, when the tobacco finally arrives, its presence is unmistakable. Loads of dry unlit tobacco leaves here, playing up an evocative note which probably reminds many of the men in their lives. This aspect of a scent normally wins my vote. However, considering the line's exclusivity and price point, I find TOBACCO VANILLE's linearity and simplicity too uninspiring that eating some buah kana seems to be the more satisfying option. Strictly for tobacco lovers.

Chergui wth more tobacco and slightly lower quality vanilla. For the price difference, get the Chergui and then smoke a pack of cigarettes.

I am finding the Tom Ford line rather clumsy. The fragrances seem to find a favorite student in the class and look at no one else. For examle, the Oud Wood in this line is cedar heavy and too camphorous to allow the artificial oud to peek its head through. Similarly, the Tobacco Vanille is very heavy handed on typical sweet amber, which overwhelms the beautiful fruity floral nuances of true cured tobacco can have.

This fragrance does not develop into anything noteworthy other than a sweet amber vanilla confection in the middle notes and drydown, with maybe some tobacco drowned somewhere in the glop. I suppose a half spritz would be a great layer for a very dry wood fragrance, but why not plunk the $200 down on something created by a nose who knows what he or she is dealing with? Shame for the price and presumed snootiness that this line seems to want us to buy into.

Reviewing this one is almost pointless, because it's so aptly named that if it's title is appealing to you, then likely so too will be the fragrance. It's a pretty simple scent but not without depth - it cuts to the chase rather quickly I mean. I think I pick up a hint of cinnamon on top of the two main notes. Sillage is just right on my skin, and it lasts like few others. I'm not sure if it's an every day scent or appropriate for the summer, but I do look forward to getting more and finding out.

An over-hyped and overpriced vanilla-tobacco scent that is not as unique or brilliant as it makes out to be. If you must really own an adult-vanilla scent like this, get Guerlain’s Spiritueuse Double Vanille – it’s cheaper (per ml) and more complex.

Don't believe the hype!

[Original submission date: 06 August 2008]