17 Best Tobacco Cologne for Men in 2023 (Tried & Tested)

#17 Aramis Havana

An Affordable Timeless Classic

First things first…

This isn’t for the younger crowd; this is grown man’s stuff! Gentlemen need only apply. 🙂

Let’s take a look:

Havana opens up strong and masculine with a sharp green herbal vibe mixed with a pinch of bitter orange citrus… Dry leafy tobacco sits buried underneath.

To be honest, the opening could be quite harsh for some people. It has an old school barbershop vibe. Therefore, don’t judge the fragrance just yet… You must be patient — then you will be rewarded. 🙂

Now:

As it starts to settle, the dry leafy tobacco slowly rises up and takes center stage, joined with a hint of cinnamon. The herbs smooth out and take a backseat giving a green soapy undertone.

And finally… a touch of patchouli and oakmoss creep in to give it some earthiness, joined with some soft sandalwood.

The end result?

A warm, spicy, woody tobacco scent with an earthy green vibe.

The tobacco smells like the dry unlit cigar leaves kind, not like the typical overly sweet pipe tobacco scents on the market.

Masculine & Sophisticated

More suited for a mature gentleman (suggest 35-up), and can be worn all seasons except the high summer heat. Dressed up, dressed down, work, office, nights out…

Havana comes in a EDT concentration and projects about an arm’s length for the first 1–3 hours, then sits closer to the skin. Lasts around 6–8 plus hours.

The best part?

This is super affordable and a GREAT bang-for-your-buck!

#16 Calvin Klein CK One Shock

Super Affordable Beginner Choice

First off…

Don’t be put off by the tacky looking bottle or the name of this scent. This is actually shockingly good stuff! Seriously. In fact, this one even gets a slot on our best cheap colognes hall-of-fame list. Let me tell you how it smells…

When you first spray CK One Shock, you’re greeted with some fresh spicy greenness mixed with a sweet fruity pipe tobacco.

Fruity

And as it settles, some nice warm honey joins the party, with some woody notes sitting in the background.

Or put another way…

It kind of smells like if you took some fresh unlit pipe tobacco and mixed it with some sweet cherry Red Bull soda. And (surprisingly) it smells GREAT.

All Ages

Now, this has a more youthful vibe to it… but can easily be worn by all ages. And is more suited for fall/winter night-time use:

Dressed up/dressed down, work, dates, nights out, bars, clubbing, etc…

Shock is an EDT concentration and projects about an arm’s length for 1–2 hours… then quickly dies down and sits close to the skin. Lasts about 4–6 plus hours.

So to be clear, if you’re looking for a heavy hitter, this is NOT it.

But the good news:

This is super affordable. So spray away! 🙂

#15 Versace The Dreamer

Sweet Floral Tobacco Scent

I’ll be straight with you…

This isn’t for everybody. Why?

Well, this is a sweet powdery floral tobacco scent… with a bit of an old-school vibe. So please keep this in mind. By the way, this also gets an honorable mention in our best Versace colognes test.

Let’s take a look:

Florals

This kicks off with a strong, bitter, herbal floral vibe. And to be honest, some people may find it a little harsh.  Be patient… 🙂

Because once it starts to dry down, tobacco creeps in with a pinch of sweet woodiness and smooths out the florals. The result?

This gives it a nice, calming, clean sweet linen vibe.

Calming

Now, to be clear:

I wouldn’t recommend this for the younger crowd (suggest 25-up). Works well in fall/winter and cool spring nights:

Casual, semi-formal, date nights, nights out, dinners, bars…

It projects about an arm’s length for the first 1–2 hours, then sits close to the skin. Lasts approx. 5–8 plus hours.

Bottom line: A Versace classic… but it’s not for everyone.

#14 Phaedon Tabac Rouge

Warm Cinnamon & Honeyed Tobacco

Maybe you’ve heard…

This gets compared to our #4 pick on this list: Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille. And I’ll be straight with you…

They DO smell very similar, but they are NOT exactly the same (same same — but different!). 🙂

(And in case you didn’t know… Phaedon are a French niche fragrance house named after the legendary Greek philosopher Phaedon of Elis.)

Tabac Rouge vs Tobacco Vanille

In a nutshell:

Tabac Rouge is a smoother, lighter, less spicy, and more refined version of Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille (making it more versatile).

And here’s the beautiful part: It’s also a LOT more affordable.

Can you say jackpot? 🙂

Anyway… to be honest, they are BOTH great fragrances in their own right. But in my opinion, it may be redundant to own both.

The BIG difference, to my nose, is Tabac Rouge replaces the vanilla in Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille with a nice dose of sweet honey.

Let’s take a closer look…

Warm, Sweet & Spicy

Tabac Rouge opens up sweet, warm, and spicy with a blast of honey dusted with cinnamon… and a pinch of ginger freshness. Unlit pipe tobacco lies buried underneath.

As it dries down, the cinnamon and ginger take a backseat leaving the honey center stage. Then finally, the tobacco slowly rises up with some soft powdery sweetness and morphs beautifully with the honey.

The result:

Semi-sweet, smooth, honeyed pipe tobacco — dusted with cinnamon. Nice. It’s warm and inviting and garners some nice compliments.

And the good news:

This is totally unisex, so you care share it with your significant other. (Bonus!)🙂

Work or Play

More suited for the mature 25-up well-dressed crowd and worn in cool weather: fall/winter (cold spring nights). Work, office (spray light), formal, semi-formal, nights out, special occasions, dates…

Even better…

This is super long lasting! Tabac Rouge is an EDP that doesn’t scream out for attention (but you will get noticed).

It projects about an arm’s length for 2–4 hours — creating a gorgeous scent bubble around you.

Then it becomes more subtle, sitting closer to the skin. 1–3 sprays MAX… and you’re good to go (for about 7–10 plus hours!).

Bottom line:

If you LOVE Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille but HATE the price tag… I urge you to try Phaedon’s Tabac Rouge.

#13 Diptyque Volutes

Honeyed Tobacco & Iris

In case you’re wondering…

Volutes means “swirls.”

In this case, swirls of sweet, fruity tobacco coming off a Khedive (an iconic Egyptian branded cigarette), and mixing with the smoker’s powdery scent of make-up.

This is all a childhood memory of one of the founders of Diptyque, whilst on an ocean liner trip bound for Saigon. Yeah, but…

I want to know… how does this Volutes smell?

Let me tell you, my friend:

Iris

Volutes opens with the soft, powdery floral note of iris, mixed with a pinch of soft spices and cinnamon. And behind all this, sits a sweet, dried fruity honeyed tobacco — with a whisper of smokiness.

As it settles, the iris tones down allowing the honeyed tobacco to shine through… Leaving a delicately powdered, sweet, fruity honeyed tobacco scent. Nice.

And as it develops… it’s deepened with smooth, warm, resinous myrrh. It’s sweet (but not overly), warm, and comforting.

The beautiful part:

This is totally unisex, so it can be shared. So needless to say… if you’re looking for a super masculine tobacco cologne, this is not it.

Elegant

This is more suited for the mature 25-up crowd for cool weather wear: fall/winter and cool spring days. Great for dates, nights out, semi-casual, work/office (spray lightly).

Volutes is an EDP and doesn’t scream out for attention. It projects about an arm’s length for the first 1–2 hours — leaving a scent trail that picks up some nice compliments. It then becomes more subtle and sits closer to the skin.

The good news…

A little goes a LONG way. 1–2 sprays MAX.

…and you’re set (for about 6–8 plus hours).

Great. 🙂

#12 Mugler Pure Havane

Honeyed Cherry Pipe Tobacco

Maybe you’ve heard…

This often gets compared to our luxury upgrade pick, listed below, Xerjoff Naxos.

And to be honest, they do smell slightly similar — but they are NOT the same. I would say, they are more in the same “ballpark”. For a detailed comparison, check out our Naxos vs Pure Havane side-by-side sniff test.

With all that said:

BOTH are GREAT fragrances… And Mugler’s Pure Havane makes an excellent affordable (similar) alternative to Xerjoff’s Naxos. Anyway…

Let me tell you how Pure Havane smells:

Sweet Honey

When you first spray this, you’re immediately greeted with cherry pipe tobacco — drizzled with sweet gooey honey.

And as it dries down… the prominent cherry note fades into the background, and the honey and tobacco take center stage… joined with some vanilla sweetness, cacao, and a hint of patchouli. The result?

This gives the scent an underlying dark, warm, bittersweet chocolatey quality. Delicious. 😍

And, understandably, it garners some NICE compliments.

For Cold Weather

Pure Havane is strictly for the cooler weather: fall/winter. And more suited for the mature 20-up for: everyday casual use, nights out, bars, clubbing, date nights, romantic nights in… You get the idea.

However, in my opinion, maybe a little too sweet and playful for the office.

Now, I should point something out:

Well Behaved

Pure Havane is an EDT and doesn’t scream out for attention. It projects nicely (just over arm’s length) for the first 1–2 hours, then sits close to the skin (and draws people in).

So if you’re looking for a projection monster… this is NOT it.

Side note: the bottle is pretty cool… It’s designed to look like a gentleman’s pocket flask and encased in rubber… exposing only a glass star at the front (so you can see your juice inside).

The bad news…

The rubber casing makes it awkward to use the sprayer. Crazy.

Update:

This was formerly our #1 pick on this list — it deserved it! But, because it has been discontinued, this resulted in a ridiculous price increase, so it’s been demoted, so to speak. As we don’t think it’s worth it (unless you’re a collector, of course).

However, all is not lost!

Because you’ll be pleased to know, I have discovered a super-affordable replacement which smells shockingly similar from the brand Reyane Tradition called Insurrection II Wild (what a name, right?).

And I’ll be straight with you, they are obviously not on par, quality wise, but they smell extremely similar in the air, yet it’s a fraction of the price. Not complaining! 🙂

#11 Tom Ford Tobacco Oud

A Boozy Tobacco Scent

Now I should point something out:

The name on the bottle suggests… the main notes are Tobacco and Oud. But that’s not exactly right — there’s more. Let’s take a closer look:

Boozy

When you first spray this, you’re greeted with a strong, dark pipe tobacco mixed with a splash of sweet whiskey… With some woody oud and spices buried underneath. Bam.

In case you don’t know… oud is a scented resin obtained from Agarwood. It has a dark, smoky/incensey woody scent. Speaking of, if that’s your jam, our top oud colognes list will serve you well.

And to be honest…

To my nose, the opening is quite harsh. So don’t judge the scent just yet. Be patient… and you will be rewarded because…

As it dries down, warm amber and creamy sandalwood creep in and smooth everything out beautifully. The oud sits politely in the background and, despite its name, is not the dominant note.

The end result?

A heavy, dark, warm, sweet boozy-tobacco scent. And hats off to Tom Ford… as it smells SUPER realistic.

And so it should, because…

If you didn’t know, this is part of Tom Ford’s luxury Private Blend collection. These are higher quality and more complex and unique smelling than typical fragrances found in department stores. And priced accordingly, I may add.

Speaking of, we also ranked the best smelling Tom Ford colognes and spoiler alert: This is one of them!

'Private Blend is my own personal scent laboratory; where I create special, original fragrances unconstrained by the conventions of mainstream scent-making.' – Tom Ford.Click To Tweet

Dressed Up

Now, this is more suited for the mature 25-up crowd for cooler weather use: fall/winter (cold, cold spring nights).

And for formal/semi-formal, dressed-up occasions: black-tie events, special events, etc…

Tobacco Oud is an EDP and projects nicely (just over arm’s length) for the first 1–3 hours — leaving a nice scent trail. Then it settles down closer to the skin and sticks around for 5—9 plus hours.

I’ll take that. 🙂

#10 Daniel Josier Ambre Tabac

Sweet Resinous Tobacco

This is a hidden gem. Now, in case you’re wondering…

Daniel Josier are a niche fragrance house created by the Spanish perfumer himself, Daniel Josier.

Apparently, he previously worked/trained under the watchful eye of one of the greatest perfumers of modern times: Mr Jean-Claude Ellena (formerly the in-house perfumer for Hermès).

Simply put:

He was in good hands. 🙂

Anyway… No surprise here:

Just as the name on the tin says, you get a perfect blend of amber and tobacco, which results in a thick, sweet, resinous, fruity tobacco scent.

(In case you didn’t know… the term Amber is used to describe a scent that is sweet, warm, resinous, and honey-like. It’s created by blending various resins.)

Now, I should point something out:

When it first opens, it has slight similarities to 2 fragrances called Hermès Ambre Nargulie and Parfums de Marlys Ojan. So if you enjoy those scents, this will probably be a love for you.

Let me break it down for you:

Warm & Rich

Ambre Tabac opens up with a thick, sweet, fruity amber accord mixed with a dose of cinnamon and whispers of incense.

As it dries down, cherry tobacco creeps in with a pinch of patchouli and morphs with the fruity amber… Followed with some boozy vanilla and sandalwood — and it gets warmer, richer, and darker.

It smells elegant, warm, and inviting. And hats off to Daniel Josier, the quality is top notch. Bags some nice compliments as well.

Refined & Elegant

This is unisex (but leans masculine) and more suited for the mature 20-up crowd. Strictly for cool weather use: fall/winter. And makes a great night out scent. And you’ll be please to know…

Amber Tabac is an EDP and projects nicely (about arm’s length) for the first 1–2 hours, leaving a gorgeous scent trail — then settles closer to the skin. And in our tests, it lasted around 6–10 plus hours.

Now, a quick word of caution:

Don’t go crazy with the sprayer, as this is quite heavy.

1–3 sprays MAX …and you’re golden. 🙂

#9 Kilian Back to Black Aphrodisiac

Seductive Honeyed Tobacco

First off…

This has a prominent honey accord, which remains the main player in this scent. So if you don’t like honey, you may want to skip this one.

Now, in case you’re wondering:

Kilian are a luxury fragrance house based in Paris, created by Kilian Hennessy, who is the grandson of the founder of the Hennessy cognac company. Anyway…

Back to Black has a TON of different notes, which have all been beautifully blended by award winning perfumer Calice Becker, to create what Kilian have labelled as an…

Aphrodisiac

Does it deliver on its promise?

Let’s find out…

Back to Black opens up with a delicious, sweet, honey accord mixed with some raspberry fruitiness… And these are all drizzled over softly spiced cherry pipe tobacco.

Nice.

As it dries down, the sweet honey remains center stage, and the cherry pipe tobacco begins to shine through, joined with a touch of creamy vanilla.

Also, faint hints of spices, woody notes, patchouli, and whispers of incense sit in the background — giving it some rich depth.

It’s sweet, it’s warm, and it’s…

Seductive

This screams quality and garners some nice compliments… that is, providing you don’t overspray or rock it in the summer (more on that later).

Now, I should point something out:

As the scent develops, it gets a soft, smooth powdery vibe. So if you’re not a fan of powdery scents, this may not be for you. Please keep that in mind.

The beautiful part?

This is totally unisex (smells amazing on a man or a woman), so you can share it with your significant other. Bonus.

Needless to say, if you’re looking for something super-masculine, this is definitely not it.

Sophisticated

More suited for the sophisticated, mature 25-up crowd for nighttime dressed up occasions:

Special occasions, upscale events, nights out, clubbing, date nights, intimate nights in. You get the idea. 🙂

And strictly a cool weather scent: fall/winter. Do not rock this is the high heat, or you will choke people out (not good).

Lasts & Lasts

Back to Black is an EDP and projects nicely (about an arm’s length) for the first few hours, leaving a gorgeous scent trail.

It then settles closer to the skin and lures people in… and lasts about 6–10 plus hours.

Now, a quick heads-up:

This is a “less-is-more” type scent. If you go crazy with the sprayer, it becomes overwhelming. So if you (and everyone around you) want to enjoy it:

Keep it 1–3 sprays max. So a little goes a loooong way! Not going to complain about that, right?

#8 Burberry London for Men

Spiced Fruity Tobacco & Leather

This smells super unique. And interestingly… some people say it reminds them of the Christmas holiday season. I kind of get that, too. 🙂

Let me paint a picture for you…

Sweet Pine

When you first spray this, you’re greeted with a sweet, earthy pine (tree) accord… dusted with warm, spicy cinnamon.

As it settles, cherry tobacco creeps in with some leather and a splash of port wine, and they all morph with the cinnamon/pine vibe. And buried underneath all this, is a smoky woody accord.

This gives it a warm, comforting feeling.

And it came as no surprise that this scored highly on our best Burberry colognes post. For good reason. Anyway…

Holiday Season

It’s perfect for fall/winter and more suited for the 25-up crowd. And as a matter of fact, it would actually work GREAT for the holiday season: family gatherings, outdoor events, casual, work/office.

To be clear, this is not a nights-out-on-the-town or clubbing/dating type scent. Far from it.

Subtle

This is not one to scream out for attention. It’s an EDT and projects politely (just under an arm’s length) for about 1–2 hours. Then sits close to the skin.

We found lasting power to be around the 5–6 hour mark.

#7 Serge Lutens Chergui

For Niche Lovers

First things first… This isn’t for everyone.

Why?

Now don’t get me wrong, Chergui is a masterpiece… But this is NOT an everyday, mainstream fragrance.

This is an artistic, creative scent that smells SUPER unique — but in a good way (more on that later).

So… if you’re new to fragrances and simply looking for your first tobacco scented cologne: I would NOT recommend Chergui to you (just yet). 🙂

But do me a favor…

If you’ve been into fragrances for a while, and you want a mature, elegant tobacco fragrance that smells unique… I urge you to try this.

Anyway… with that out the way:

Niche

Serge Lutens are a French niche fragrance house, and in case you’re wondering… Chergui is the Arabic name for the dry desert winds that blow through Morocco in the summer.

'Perfume is illuminating, affirming, the ultimate final touch.' – Serge Lutens.Click To Tweet

Let’s break it down…

Chergui opens with a dark, dry, sweet, syrupy honeyed hay note (yes hay!)… Mixed with spicy pipe tobacco and some soft, powdery floral notes (iris).

And:

As it settles, the hay note fades, and the dry, sweet honeyed tobacco takes center stage — joined with some warm amber, which smooths everything out beautifully.

Whispers of smoky incense weave in and out the scent. And finally, some creamy sandalwood with a hint of musk join the party.

And you’re left with a dark, dry, sweet powdery, honeyed tobacco scent — that is both warm and comforting.

Sophisticated

Now to be crystal clear:

I would NOT recommend this for the younger crowd and/or if you’re new to fragrances. This is a unisex scent (leans masculine), and more suited for the mature, sophisticated 30-up.

Strictly for cold weather: fall/winter (cool spring nights). And more suited for dressed-up formal/semi-formal nighttime occasions.

The good news…

Long Lasting

Chergui is an EDP and projects about an arm’s length for the first 1–2 hours, then settles closer to the skin. Lasting power is around 6–10 plus hours.

And even better… a little goes a long way:

1–2 sprays… and you’re good to go.

#6 D&G The One EDP

A Sweet, Seductive Manly Scent

Question for you:

What happens if you take the original D&G The One and enhance it… Making it: more refined, richer, slightly sweeter, and longer lasting?

Answer: You get the newer Dolce & Gabbana EDP (Eau de Parfum) version. 🙂

Let’s take a sniff…

Warm & Rich

When you first spray this, you’re greeted with a blast of juicy grapefruit mixed with some soft spices and a pinch of ginger.

As it starts to settle, pipe tobacco mixed with warm sweet amber shines through, and takes center stage. Hints of cardamom and woody notes lay buried underneath, to give it some rich depth.

It’s sweet, warm, and inviting.

And don’t be too surprised if you bag some nice compliments. 🙂

Date Nights

More suited for the 20-up crowd, and by the way, this is one of the best winter colognes on the market. However, it’s also great for fall and cool spring nights. Just avoid the summer… as it will get overly sweet and cloying (not good).

Dressed up/dressed down, work/office, nights out, dates, romantic settings… You get the picture. 🙂

Intimate Scent

This is more of an intimate scent that sits politely close to the skin and draws people in.

It projects about 2 ft for the first 1–2 hours, then settles very close to the skin (making it a perfect date night scent).

So to be perfectly clear…

If you’re looking for a powerhouse — this ain’t it.

The good news…

Improved

It lasts (slightly) longer than the original version, as we got about 4–7 plus hours. To be honest, I was hoping for longer. 🙂

That said, it does smell GREAT …and it gets the job done.

If you were a fan of the original version, this is a no brainer.

#5 Mancera Red Tobacco

Super. Long. Lasting.

Red Tobacco packs a punch! Mancera are an affordable French luxury fragrance house, known for their long-lasting scents.

Now, I’ll be straight with you…

When I first sprayed Red Tobacco, I went, “Yuck.” Now you’re probably wondering…

So why is this so high up on a best tobacco fragrance list?

Let me explain…

Just as you should never judge a book by its cover… you should also never judge a fragrance by its opening. 🙂

Huge Blast

Because when you first spray Red Tobacco, you’re bombarded with a HUGE blast of different fragrance notes, all competing aggressively against each other…

(Spices, saffron, cinnamon, nutmeg, dried fruits, a pinch of oud, tobacco, incense, the list goes on and on…).

And, to be honest:

It doesn’t smell very pleasant (to my nose). In fact, to some people, it could be quite off-putting, and you may immediately write it off.

HUGE mistake. Here’s why…

Transforms

Because after about 20 minutes, this starts to smooth out and slowly transforms into an INCREDIBLE smelling, masculine tobacco scent. Seriously.

Think of this one like the story of The Ugly Duckling… that changed into a beautiful swan (Kidding. Mostly.)

Fortunately, there’s a simple solution to the opening:

Simply apply it 30–40 minutes before you go out, to give it time to settle. Sorted. 🙂

Stay with me…

Smooths Out

As it dries down… all the notes start to smooth out, and vanilla and amber creep in to give it a hint of warm sweetness… Joined with a hint of earthy patchouli and some creamy woodiness.

And eventually, the dry pipe tobacco makes its presence known and takes center stage — alongside the cinnamon and vanilla.

The End Result?

A warm, semi-sweet, dry fruity pipe tobacco and cinnamon scent… with hints of smoky woody oud and earthiness buried underneath.

And it smells GREAT.

It’s one of those scents, that if you smell it up close, it doesn’t smell so good… But when you catch whiffs of it in the air — it’s gorgeous.

And once it’s reached this stage, it garners some nice compliments.

Cuts Through the Cold

Red Tobacco is listed as unisex (but leans masculine), and is strictly a cool weather scent: fall/winter. This cuts through the cold.

And more suited for the mature 25-up crowd for dressed-up night occasions: Nights out, special occasions, dates, parties, clubbing, semi-formal.

To be clear: this is not an everyday, casual scent, and too overpowering for the office/work. Unless you’re the boss, that is. 🙂

The beautiful part?

This is SUPER long lasting. Red Tobacco is an EDP and jumps off your skin (over 6 ft) for the first few hours, leaving a nice scent trail.

Scent Bubble

It then becomes more subtle, and creates a gorgeous scent bubble around you. And can last anywhere from an impressive 8–14 plus hours. Can you say jackpot?

One word of caution, though:

Don’t go crazy with the trigger. This is (definitely) a “less is more” type scent.

1–2 sprays MAX – is all you need.

Side note: the bottle is gorgeous and comes with a handy travelling pouch. And maybe you’re wondering… It’s the bottle that is red, not the juice.

#4 Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille

Upscale

Hats off to Tom Ford…

Because, just as the name on the tin says… you get a perfect blend of tobacco and vanilla (with some nice added spices & dry fruits).

The end result?

A luxurious, dark, warm, spicy-sweet sexy scent.

And unsurprisingly, this also sits proudly on our best vanilla perfumes list.

(In case you didn’t know… this is part of Tom Ford’s luxury Private Blend collection. Which are higher quality and more complex and unique than typical fragrances found in department stores.)

Let’s take a closer look…

Bold

Tobacco Vanille opens up bold, with a blast of pipe tobacco mixed with some spicy cinnamon and cloves.

As it dries down, the vanilla creeps in, joined with some honeyed dry fruits… And it slowly becomes smoother, warmer, and sweeter. Nice.

The beautiful part?

This is totally unisex, so it can be shared (bonus). Smells great on a man or a woman.

'Private Blend is a series of fragrances I love and wear. Ones that never cease to challenge, to stimulate, to delight.' – Tom Ford.Click To Tweet

Special Occasions

More suited for the sophisticated 25-up crowd for dressed up wear: special occasions, upscale events, date nights, nights out, lounges, parties…

Not really suited for everyday casual/work use.

And is strictly a cold weather scent: fall/winter. Period. Just trust me – if you rock this in the high summer heat… you will regret it. 🙂

Nice Scent Trail

Tobacco Vanille is an EDP and is bold. It jumps off the skin for the first few hours, leaving an addictive scent trail.

It then softens up and sits closer to the skin… and can last an impressive 8 plus hours.

Needless to say:

Go easy on the trigger — less is more.

1–2 sprays and that’s you. 🙂

#3 Parfums de Marly Herod

Tobacco. Vanilla. Cinnamon.

Here’s the skinny:

Parfums de Marly are a French luxury brand that use super-high quality ingredients and master perfumers to create unique fragrances.

In plain English:

They are a BIG step up from the typical mass-marketed fragrances that you find in department stores/malls. They also come (understandably) with prices to match.

Anyway… does Herod live up to the hype?

The answer seems to be “YES!” 🙂

Because this also scored highly on our best Parfums de Marly test. Let’s break it down…

Sweet, Warm Cinnamon

Straight off the bat… you’re greeted with a blast of sweet, warm, peppery cinnamon… With cherry pipe tobacco and smoky vanilla buried beneath.

As it settles, the tobacco and vanilla sweetness rise up and smooth over the cinnamon — and they all morph beautifully together.

Nice.

As it develops… it slowly becomes more woody… with a hint of vetiver and musk, to give it an earthy ending.

And hats off to Parfums de Marly…

The tobacco smells SUPER realistic. It’s sweet (but not overly), warm, rich, and comforting.

Sophisticated

Herod is listed as unisex (but leans masculine), and is more suited for the mature, sharply-dressed 20-up crowd. Formal/casual, upscale events, work/office, nights out, dates…

And best worn (only) in the cool weather: fall/winter and cold spring nights. If worn in the high summer heat, it quickly becomes overwhelming.

Warm & Inviting

Herod comes in a EDP concentration and projects nicely (just over arm’s length) for the first 1–2 hours… then becomes more subtle and sits politely close to the skin.

So to be clear:

If you’re looking for a room-filler… This is NOT it. To be honest, you don’t (always) want to be overpowering everyone else with your fragrance. This draws people in and leaves them craving for more. 🙂

The good news…

Long Lasting

Lasting power is 7–10 plus hours. Great.

Bonus: Herod comes in a beautiful glossy grey heavy ceramic-like bottle, finished with a Zamak metal cap. It looks, feels, and more importantly — smells premium.

Bottom line:

If you LOVE tobacco scents… I urge you to try this. A must smell.

#2 18.21 Man Made Sweet Tobacco Spirits

What An Apt Name

With this one, you know what you’ve signed up for by the name. So if that sounds like your kind of thing, keep reading…

Now, maybe you don’t know, 1821 Man Made are a premium men’s grooming brand founded in the USA.

But here’s the cool part:

The brand’s theme is inspired from the prohibition era, which can be seen with their vintage bootlegger-style bottles, packaging, and the labels on their wares.

Yup, that’s pretty cool.

And in case you’re curious, the numbers 18.21 are a mash-up of the 18th Amendment, that started the prohibition, and the 21st Amendment, which ended it. Anyways, the big question is…

Does it live up to its name?

Yes, dear friend, it does! Read on…

Golden Honeyed Sweetness

On first spray, 18.21 Man Made Sweet Tobacco Spirits starts off strong with a rich, slightly powdery, golden honeyed sweetness… and buried underneath that, is a layer of spicy dried fruits.

These dried fruits give it a boozy port wine-like feeling. Though I’ll admit, to my nose, it’s a little rough at first — but stick with me here, because…

Fortunately, after a short while, warm friendly vanilla tiptoes in and smooths everything out beautifully.

Splash of Sweet Wine

Then, as time goes by, the pipe tobacco finally pokes through the boozy-sweetness, accompanied with a smooth woody undertone. The end result?

A deep, rich, honeyed boozy-sweet tobacco. And when people smell this, they take notice as it separates you from the crowd.

Now, this will appeal more to the mature 25-up crowd, and because of its rich, warm sweetness, this makes it a sheer pleasure to wear in the cooler months. (Summer is off-limits!)

And man — I gotta tell you…

This Packs a Punch

So don’t go nuts with the sprayer. Because you’ll be pleased to know, this is a highly-concentrated parfum… So expect around 6–10 plus hours of wear.

Not too shabby.

And on top of that, this projects quite strongly (up to 6ft) for up to 2 hours, then eventually quietens down to a smaller scent bubble.

Therefore, I don’t think this would be a very safe choice for you for the office or if you work in confined spaces etc.

This is more geared for outdoor events, casual, special occasions, dates, nights out… you get the idea. Regardless…

It’s good. Very good. Nuff said. 🙂

#1 Viktor&Rolf Spicebomb Extreme

Improved!

Question:

What happens when you take the original Spicebomb …and make it darker, richer, more sophisticated, better smelling, and longer lasting?

You get… Spicebomb Extreme! 🙂

And no surprises here…

Sweet & Spicy

True to its name, Spicebomb Extreme opens up spicy (mainly black pepper with a pinch of cinnamon).

As it dries down… sweet, warm vanilla and pipe tobacco creep in and smooth the spices out beautifully.

And it slowly becomes more warm and inviting — HUGE compliment getter, by the way.

Cuts Through The Cold

Spicebomb Extreme is more suited for the mature 20-up and strictly for cold weather use (fall/winter). Wear in the summer at your own risk. 🙂

Great for: casual, nights out, bars, clubbing, parties, dates… (maybe a little too sweet for work/office, though).

Jumps Off The Skin

Spicebomb Extreme is an EDP and jumps off the skin (up to 6 feet) for the first 2–3 hours. It then settles down more politely close to the skin.

Needless to say:

Don’t go bonkers with the sprayer. Depending on the situation, 1–3 sprays max…

…And you’re off to the races! (For up to 9 plus hours!)

If you enjoyed the original Spicebomb… this is a no-brainer.

Luxury Upgrade: Xerjoff Naxos

A Luxurious Honeyed Tobacco

I’ll be straight with you…

In the fragrance community, this gets compared to our former #1 pick on this list, Mugler’s Pure Havane. (Which is now discontinued and overpriced, so it’s demoted to #12 spot.)

And, to be honest, they do smell quite similar… But they are NOT exactly the same (more like in the same ballpark). For a detailed comparison check out our description below.

BOTH are GREAT scents… But if you don’t want to pony up the money for Naxos and want a more affordable similar alternative… I urge you to try Mugler Pure Havane. (If you can find it, that is.)

Okay… with that out the way:

High Quality

In case you’re wondering, Xerjoff (pronounced Serj-off) are an Italian luxury fragrance house that use super high-quality ingredients and premium presentation.

Naxos is part of their XJ 1861 collection — created to celebrate the unification of Italy.

Let me tell you how it smells…

Super Realistic

Naxos opens up fresh and fruity with a smooth blend of juicy bergamot/lemon citrus and lavender. Sweet honey sits in the background (and smells super realistic).

As it starts to settle, the citrus and lavender stand aside and sweet honey (lightly dusted with cinnamon) and tobacco take over with some soft floral accords.

And these are soon joined with a dash of creamy vanilla/tonka — to sweeten and warm things up (but not overly).

Smooth

It smells super-smooth, refined, and screams quality.

HUGE compliment getter — watch heads turn. 🙂

The beautiful part:

Naxos is super versatile… Unisex (leaning masculine) and can be worn for almost any occasion (days or nights) in the cooler weather: fall, winter and even mild spring days. Just avoid the high heat.

Versatile

More suited for the mature 25-up crowd: dressed up/dressed down, special occasions, work/office (don’t overspray), casual, nights out, dates, clubbing, you name it…

And hats off to Xerjoff…

Stunning Presentation

The presentation is stunning. From the beautiful attention to detail on the bottle and packaging… To the quality of the juice inside. It all looks, feels, and smells premium. Top marks!

Pretty awesome, right?

But now for the bad news…

As you probably guessed, Naxos also comes (understandably) with a premium price tag to match. If you want to treat yourself: it’s going to cost you. No surprise there.

The good news…

Performs Like a Champ

A little goes a LONG way. Naxos is an Eau de Parfum (EDP) concentration and performs like a champ. It’s strong (but not overpowering)… So go easy with the sprayer.

You only need to use 1–3 sprays… And it jumps off the skin (approx. 2–3 feet plus) for the first 1–3 hours…

Then settles down closer to the skin, and on our testers’ skins, lasted, on average, an impressive 7–12 plus hours.

Can you say jackpot? 🙂

Xerjoff Naxos vs Mugler Pure Havane

In the fragrance community these two often get compared… as they share a similar sweet honeyed tobacco accord. I’ll be straight with you…

They DO smell quite similar… But they do NOT smell exactly the same (more like in the same ballpark). The two fragrances both go in DIFFERENT directions.

In fact:

To remind me, let me donate a few sprays to the cause, and do a side-by sniff test comparison, for you…

Ok… I’ve got Naxos sprayed on the back of my left hand… and Pure Havane on the back of my right hand…

Here’s my verdict:

Naxos:

• Smells more natural/authentic, and refined (higher quality)
• Smells more smooth, classy and elegant
• Opens up more fresh (citruses & lavender)
• Has prominent honey/tobacco/tonka/lavender notes.
• Is more versatile (fall/winter and can also be worn on mild spring days)
• Comes in premium presentation
• Lasts longer

Pure Havane:

• Is more sweeter/gooey (best for fall/winter use only)
• Has prominent cherry pipe tobacco/honey/vanilla notes
• Has an underlying (A*Men patchouli/cacao DNA) gourmand quality.
• Is a LOT more affordable (It was — before it was axed!)

Key takeaway:

BOTH are GREAT fragrances. But they are NOT the same.

(Same Same… But different.)

With all that said:

If you love/want Naxos, but don’t want to pony up the money for it… Mugler Pure Havane makes an excellent (more affordable) similar alternative. That is, if you can still find it without a heavy premium attached to it.

Which one do you think smells best? Leave a comment below.

Now, it’s your turn…

We would love to hear from you:

What is your favorite tobacco cologne? Did we miss any?

Or maybe you have a question.

Either way, please let me know by leaving a quick comment below right now.

Where to go from here?

Discover our best Acqua di Parma and top sandalwood colognes.

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