Wild Tobacco (2010)
by Illuminum

Given the three 1-star reviews this fragrance had already received when I got my sample, I was prepared to be disappointed. Perhaps that preparation tempered my expectations enough to allow me to appreciate Wild Tobacco by Illuminum for what it is on my skin.

What it is: A sharp, almost harsh tobacco note opening, reminding me more of a hand-rolled tobacco cigarette - paper and all - than pipe tobacco, with clary sage riding along to lighten the mood. The sage soon recedes, replaced by a hint of labadanum and clove, with the tobacco still presenting prominently. These recede in turn within a few minutes, leaving a curious tea and pencil eraser scent that sits close to the skin with an echo of tobacco, as if a smoker had carelessly dropped his eraser into a cuppa', and you caught a whiff of the mix as he reached past you.

Overall, it strikes me as fairly linear scent with below average projection, but with some potentially interesting character, particularly at the end with the tea-soaked rubber. If you're a Bvlgari fan who wishes they made a more prominent tobacco fragrance, you might check it out.

Pros: sharp opening, never cloying
Cons: Not especially varied, skin scent