Tabac Exquis (2021)

What a wonderful creation! You get both the slightly spicy tobacco, which has a damp and sensual character to it; but then you also get one of the most authentic chocolate milk notes as well. This mixture borders close to being mainstream at times, since the tonka bean also plays significant part in creating the gorumand tones. And we all know how tonka bean is found in pretty much every mainstream gourmand fragrance, but luckily, Tabac Exquis is made of much higher quality ingredients than those. The superb materials used in the formula prevent the fragrance from ever smelling banal. But it's not only thanks to the quality of the single ingredients that makes this such a special experience, but also the way perfumer Jean Jacques uses tiny nuances to accentuate the "chocolate-milk-tobacco" mixture. For example, the olibanum and especially the wonderful iris lend Tabac Exquis tiny bits of a silvery sheen, which lightens up the mixture, so it never becomes too dense. If you seek a gourmand fragrance that is simply comforting, yet elegant and highly enjoyable, look no further! Tabac Exquis has all you need: Rich tobacco, delicious chocolate, little quirks to keep it interesting, and above all, exceptional materials and skill went into the creation. Longevity and sillage are superb as well, applying this scent in the morning before work, I can still smell it on myself in the evening. People around me compliment me a LOT on Tabac Exquis, so that's a win too. Plus these new Caron bottles are beautiful, especially the 100 ml bottles are a real treat to look at, very heavy too! Great work, Caron!

Half a year ago I wandered into a perfume boutique in Zurich. They had a whole modern Caron lineup. I confidently reached for what I thought was Tabac Blond (because it's the only one I heard of), sprayed myself generously and left (because no self-respecting American perfume-addicted degenerate is gonna pay those Switzerland prices). The scent haunted me the entire day and well into the night. Back in the USA, I found Tabac Blond, bought it, and was immensely disappointed because this was not at all the scent I fell in love with. On a mission to find "my" Caron's Tabac, I ordered samples of the other three Tabacs offered by the brand. And this is it! I have found it! The deepest, richest and the most realistic tobacco I have encountered in perfumery, complete with stale ashy notes that some might find offputting. Tobacco is framed with dark chocolate, as those two go so well together. But what distinguishes this from other tobacco scents here is the Iris. OMG, the Iris. It adds this amazing powdery-ness that I personally find nearly orgasmic. A full bottle worthy fragrance. 9.5/10.

Oh my, I really love this one. And it was love at first sniff. Literally! I remember how I came across Caron’s fragrances, and without knowing anything about them, I tested a few. This one immediately got my attention. Then, in a short time, I got a full bottle. The cocoa note here is amazing. As much as I love chocolate, in perfumes it often annoys me, and to be straightforward - it stinks to me. But in Tabac Exquis, this is the most delicious smell ever. It's prominent yet not overwhelming, perfectly balanced with ashy tobacco and powdery tonka bean. Then, benzoin gives it a bit of sweetness, but the smell never becomes cloying. It has an airiness to it... It’s simply wonderful. When it comes to performance, the projection is moderate, but the longevity is great. Highly recommended for all tobacco lovers, as well as others who are picky about chocolate notes in perfume and look for a delicious yet not 100% gourmand, addictive smell.

simply put, a tobacco-/gourmand-lover's dream. this has pretty much everything that i like in perfume: tobacco, iris, lots of resins, chocolate and tonka. kind of resembles les indemodables vanille havane but it's more wearable and toned down, also lacks the booziness. it's perfectly tobacco-heavy upon first spray, not damp or too smoky, quite balanced. you're hit with this cacao powder that's not too chocolate caky/edible, it's more so like a dark cacao. beyond that, i get some resinous touches but it's not too overly sweet or sticky. however, i liked it better with 2 sprays vs. 4. for some reason i got a bit of a caramel when i did 4 sprays and i'm not a fan of sweet scents, also resembled a bit the tonka of tonka de canaima, it was perfect at 2.

For a few years in my youth my dad smoked a pipe. Not cigarettes (that would be my mom) and not cigars (thank goodness). Because we didn't have much money, he didn't smoke his pipe often so it was kind of a special occasion when he did, and he would be in a happy mood. This frag scent takes me back to that time, when things were happy and food plentiful. For those without that limbic sense of goodness, this is at first heady sweet tobacco, warming to frothy cocoa and finally a powdery warmth. Wrap yourself in a down blanket on a cold winter evening. All is right with the world. This.

Tabac Exquis. This is relatively safe but well executed scent. (Now stick a big dose of tuberose in this then youd have something to talk about!) As it is, on its merits its rich, spicy chocolaty tobacco scent with the obligatory tonka in the gourmand base. I wish these go a bit deeper and even bolder. I understand to please as many as possible, but I do like this as their gourmand entry in the cannon. Again this leans unisex masculine. I think this is the better buy over vanilla diorama, feve, tobacco vanille. Its more unique and quality is here in spades.

This is my second review for this criminally underrated gem. It keeps getting better with time. I feel like the dark chocolate note got a lot more pronounced since I first sprayed my bottle. The name of the fragrance is so very fitting, because it is, indeed, exquisite, refined, extremely elegant. My favorite part is about one hour in, when the iris appears and just ties everything together beautifully. An absolute masterpiece. I wish Caron had a presence in the USA, I really really want to explore their fragrances more and get a discovery kit.

Initially purchased Tabac Noir but came back for Tabac Exquis. On my skin the tabacco in Tabac Noir fades extremely fast (it's GONE within a hour) where as this tobacco is here to STAY. It' seems to last forever without being loud, this fragrance is poised. Love the balance between the spices & resins; making it sweet but not sugary. Gourmand, but like a honey colored liquor. Pipe tobacco & 85% dark chocolate.

Seductive warm sweet earthy tobacco -what a fantastic scent. Lasts a long time but it is intimately a skin scent. Which is a shame, because I want to wear it loud and proud. This is unisex; a more delicate version of Franck Boclet Tobacco and Arabesque The Merchant of Vino. UPDATE: 9 mos. later - ARIBA! It is now stronger, boozier, toooo-bacco and even more dang gone good!

This smells great! A great chocolate and tobacco scent mixed with iris. The combination is really smooth and appealing, it's quite calming also and the good thing that it's not super sweet and cloying. Basically it smells like a cacao powder, great for cold weather and will definitely work all year round. I'd prefer to smell this on women. It's unisex leaning feminine.

This is beautiful! the tobacco here is a bit gourmand but its not too edible, it's more wearable here! I love the combination of iris and tobacco. Laya said it perfectly here, the sweetness is that light caramel that you get. I personally would layer with this and even alone, its a good fragrance. overall a 9/10 here. Cant go wrong with blind buying this.

I was not expecting this one to be this good. A true gourmand. I got multiple compliments the first time I wore it. Cinnamon, Tonka, Iris, and chocolate is what I get. I do not smell any Tobacco at all. Someone said I smelled like French Toast, which is the best way to describe it. It projects decent, and lasts a good 6-7 hours.

I loved this scent when I bought it. 2 months on the shelf and it has macerated further into this deep red wine like color and it's even better! Holy hell - the mix is now even deeper and more harmonious. If you like refined tobacco and if you like gourmands, get this. An exquisite banger 10/10

Tabac Exquis is a refined blend of smooth tobacco wrapped in a silky dark-chocolate accord. Warm spices and a touch of iris give it an elegant softness, while the dry-down stays cozy, creamy, and slightly smoky. A luxurious, grown-up gourmand that feels both comforting and polished.

I didn’t know tobacco could be so fancy, but here we are. It’s clearly tobacco, neither smoky nor dry, but sort of like an enveloping veil of airy fine powder. It’s sweet, but in a very tasteful way, that doesn’t stand out so much.

Was testing it out at home to see how it sits on my skin and its very strong I was smelling it on myself for hours after I applied it. Could be a little headache inducing to some who aren't a fan of this rich of a scent.

I own 3 bottles of this masterpiece, beautiful tobacco , chocolate, myrre and vanilla to die for. I love tobacco in fragrances. Tabac Exquis, Vanille havane and Tobacco Vanille are my all time favorite tobacco fragrances

I find this to be very similar to Tom Ford's Tobacco Vanilla. This one has a chocolate scent, not vanilla, but still similar. If you like Tobacco Vanilla, you'll love this one! It smells wonderful in winter.

OMG!! I love this one with all my heart!! It was love at first sniff! Such a fine dark cocoa blended with tobacco, sligtly boozy but not too much. Delicious!

What a fragrance , love by first sniff for me. Awsome dark chocolate , resinous tobacco with cinammon cacao and tonka bean blended to perfection 👍👍

This is really good, I find it has a little vintage smell to it but I think it’s delicious smelling. Perfect for colder weather 😍

It’s okay. Kind of weak on my skin. 3.5/5.

This is a delicious tobacco. It's sweet, but rather less sweet than Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille. The warm-spicy and chocolatey notes are incredibly appetizing; I hadn't clearly thought about the relationship between tobacco and gourmand perfumery until putting this on. After a few hours, still too sweet for me, though. I think I like this a little more than Tobacco Vanille and about as well as Parfums de Marly Herod. TV is milkshakey; Herod is warm-spicy and a touch floral; and this one is warm-spicy and chocolatey. I learned here that tobaccos might keep landing too sweet for me, and a different olfactory family might be a better place to look for any new fall/winter favorites. I'd still love to find a tobacco fragrance that takes the beautiful aromatics of the leaf in a darker, woody or savory-spicy direction. That was my hope for Tabac Exquis (seeing resins and not vanilla in the notes), but I was foiled. This is still solidly in the ice-cream-and-candy tobacco-frag tradition. In all cases, these sweet tobaccos represent decants I'll be occasionally grabbing for variety. Projection and longevity are down-the-middle moderate; what's left at 12 hours verges on a skin scent.

I see why people picked Herod as a similarity (and frags like Pure Havane), and I'm wearing both as I write this to do the comparison. It's a touch misleading imho but I see why people voted that way. It has a common tobacco note with many other fragrances, which is great because that honeyed tobacco is nice and I am a fan of it. But unlike Herod and other such fragrances that go more masculine this is made a bit more elegant, spicy and unisex with the cinammon, iris, cocao and tonka. The strong sweetness and bit of powderyness also make me think of vanilla even though it is not noted. If you asked me blind what this was I'd say it was a vanilla Guerlain like Cuir Beluga layered with a sweet tobacco like Dior Tobacolor.

On strip, I can’t decide if this smells like a woman’s deodorant stick or a freshly washed infant’s ass. Take your pick ‘cuz it’s overwhelming baby powder and that’s it. Anyone who says this is amazing is either getting paid to say it, trying to make like-minded friends, or borderline pedo. Looking at you Sebastian... On skin, this is semi-sweet cocoa iris baby powder so it’s slightly improved. I have tons of unisex frags and this ain’t even close. This leans all the way feminine so don’t try and fool yourself. Someone’s gotta break up the love fest because this is not a tobacco frag. This is a business woman’s armpit on a summer day. Enjoy!

This is a very sweet and perfumy tobacco blend, a bit powdery from the cocoa-iris, with a warm and resinous dry-down. The cinnamon is pretty minimal on me. Tabac Exquis would smell delicious on anyone, but I'd say it leans more feminine despite the tobacco involved, simply because of the sweetness. If you want to be wrapped in a warm halo of fine chocolate, tobacco, and tonka, this is it; it'll snuggle up to you, and will be especially comforting in cold weather, like a luxe European fur coat. I'm not having any issues with longevity on my skin, it clings to me for hours.

Very tasty! I wish it had a little less tonka though. The chocolate here is more of a cakey boozy chocolate rather than dusty cacao like in Vanille Havane. I do enjoy the uniqueness added my Myrrh and Iris, but overall this is nothing to rave about IMO. I prefer others in this genre. Update: After a while with this one, I have decided I would love this on someone else. On me it's too sweet to wear all day. Smells like a delicious cup of hot chocolate!

If I'm being painfully honest and not swayed by the marketing and presentation, Tabac Exquis smells remarkably similar to Bvlgari Man in Black, with a sweeter and creamier vanilla, and less "dusty." I prefer Tabac Exquis between the two - it's better executed, but I don't feel it really begets the price. Tabac Exquis is a total 180 from the sublime and classical, mossy, deer musky, woody, gently animalic Tabac Blond from Caron.

Much more gourmand, louder and vigorous than another tobacco by Caron - Tabac Noir. I love Tabac Noir, it's very calming tobacco, this is more in your face, still gorgeous, but as I like less sweetness, I like Tabac Noir more. This is quite heavy on benzoin, which is almost vanillic sweet, still there is that deepness tobacco creates. I don't get so much dark chocolate or especially cocoa. Intriguing, inviting and seductive. +

right off i get cacao, cinnamon and florals (i guess jasmine though it doesn't read that way.) it's a pretty combination. it reminds me of something so much, but i can't place it. next i get a hefty dose of benzoin with some labdanum, then tonka and tobacco. after about 15 minutes it's mostly cacao, cinnamon, olibanum and tobacco with nondescript florals in the background. iris blooms in the background over time as well.

this is so easy to wear - delicate, but super sweet. I can either imagine this on a 15-year-old girl or a 50+ lady. definitely a day fragrance, I usually put it on when I have to run some errands, so I don't empty my other perfumes. pretty similar to vanilla diorama. it's nice, but overall there is nothing special here, glad I only got a decant.

I was expecting the vanillic pipe tobacco that has been done left and right. This is more delicate. A dark tobacco that is sweet without being completely sickly. Too dense for my personal taste but not bad, I would not mind smelling this on others.

mercedez benz club black is the main scent. a bit lighter with more cocoa-buttery chocolate. (not cocoa). iris is only "faintly" in the top with the very nicely subtle tobacco. the fact that the base is benz club black is laughable still.

This is more of a sweet, powdery, spicy scent than a tobacco centric scent. Opens up sweet, powdery spicy dries down to a spicy, resinous, tobacco scent. All notes are well blended together. Unisex for sure. Worth sampling.

Absolutely delicious fragrance. Reminds me of Guerlain Cuir Beluga, Tobacco Honey and Bois 1920 Notturno Fiorentino but deeper with the cacao and chocolate vibes. I wish it were available in the U.S

Decent alternative to City Rhythm Manhattan Midnight. It’s like a more palatable version of Spicebomb Infrared EDP.

Tabac Exquis is so sweet I actually licked it- and it tastes exactly as sweet as it smells. I am personally not fond of the sweet addition, but I get why many people do. I get hints of Black Phantom and Angel's Share, but there is a huge difference in complexity. Tabac Exquis is very linear. It would win me over when the iris note was more expressive or when smoke was added. The addition of labdanum, benzoin, ambroxan and olibdanum makes it less of a standout fragrance. It almost screams for a dirty note to counter the inoffensiveness. I get why people love the familiar gourmand, it is comfortable. The longevity is surprising! When it already had dried down into powder accords I did not expect TE to survive for another 24 hours! 4/5

Just an okay fragrance. Not what I'd hoped it might be. Given the list of ingredients and components, I expected a big, round, large tobacco-chocolate bomb with strong, resinous edges. On me, Tabac Exquis performs as a VERY VERY subtle, powdery (iris), ashtray tobacco with occasional wisps of green tobacco leaf. Longevity is poor, silage is absent. I smell zero florals, zero resins. Perhaps it's just my nose... Not at all what I thought it would be. Blind-purchased a full 100ml bottle 'cause I was certain I'd adore the fragrance. I dislike reselling perfume to others. I suppose I'll utilize it at bedtime as a nighttime spray. Maybe the fragrance will grow on me. Disappointing.

Not much to say... the tobacco was pretty, but quickly overpowered by sweetness. My nose is wired to pick up the cool, minty facet of tonka so I liked the freshness it brought into the mix. The dry-down was soft, but sweet, which I found boring.

I really wanted to love it, it’s a beautiful fragrance but not unique to justify the price point, the dry down resembled black tie by Celine, and the performance was weak, only lasting 2-3 hours on my skin. It’s a pass for me.

I am so disappointed by this after getting so much hype from Sabastian “The Perfume Guy”. I usually like his recommendations but this is a total let down. The opening is so boring and the notes do not stand out. You feel the tobacco, the resins and the chocolate but its like a pot where everything has dissolved into a big thick molasses like guey amber. In the mid there is cinnamon and something medicinal that smells like low tier coumarin/ tonka and bit of benzoin. The biggest issue is the dry-down which is like a watered-down version of Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille with a huge dose of chemical like accord. I tried the fragrance from almost a brand new bottle in one of the most luxurious shops in my area. I also sprayed it on both skin and blotter paper for comparison. The longevity and projection are good but it is simply not worth t for that bad smell. I am just to so relieved that I did not blind buy this. It could have been so mush worse.

I could not stand this. First impression was of an overly sweet and somewhat flowery designer scent. It calms down after an hour, perhaps the iris note adding a powdery element, but there’s no way I’d wear this. Nothing like Tobacco Vanille in my opinion, anyone that says it is must be comparing notes on a page rather than smelling the fragrances. It’s such a shame, tobacco and chocolate sounded great, but I don’t smell the chocolate, hardly any cinnamon or tobacco. I’d say this was a fragrance for women, not men, and Caron won’t win any awards or make any new converts with this one.

A very cold and dry wearing experience.

Thank god for testers because this is an absolute no way for me. Very similar to Magenta Tanzanite and equally as nauseatingly awful. Straight cardamom and tobacco. Yuk

I got a sample of this with an order - what a great surprise. This fragrance is beautiful, I’m not usually a fan of gourmand fragrances but I really enjoy this one. This fragrance succeeds as an airy gourmand without smelling cheap or overly synthetic. The opening has very realistic dusty cocoa & dry tobacco accords, the notes list cinnamon but the dark chocolate jumps out at me straight away. The fragrance transitions into a cosy amber & iris, and actually comes across as very ‘wearable’ - it’s sweet but not juvenile. The vanilla in this composition (which isn’t listed) doesn’t distract from the gorgeous top & mid notes. Tabac Exquis reminds me of a few fragrances; Herod, Noir Extreme, Black Phantom & Naxos. The Iris note ties everything together in a classy little knot. There is nothing sharp or off-putting about this fragrance. I just checked the price and wow - Caron have really bumped up their prices recently! A few years ago this brand was generally a lot more affordable, but they’re probably taking advantage of the recent fragrance renaissance that we’re experiencing. If I’m honest I think the price makes sense if they’re trying to position their brand against other houses that offer comparable fragrances, and I prefer the smell of this fragrance over all of the above mentioned fragrances - of which I’ve owned 3 out of 4. Tobac Exquis smells more expensive than many fragrances in this category, of which often smell like candy (or worst, fake-candy). I’m not a gourmand enthusiast these days but I would absolutely consider a small bottle of this or a decant for those once-off occasions when I want to wear something sweet. Edit: writing this 4.5 months later, I purchased a bottle. I’m not a gourmand enthusiast, but I adore Tabac Exquis.

wearing this on clothes (which is my way of wearing a perfume and going out) has pronounced the tabac in an ASHY way .. similar to how my clothes would smell after taking a ride in shotgun seat with my heavy smoker brother :( HOWEVER, its like completely different perfume when applied on skin ..no ashy naunces , gourmand tobacco and benzoin as main stars with whispers of iris and myrrh to add some powderiness, its "femme fetale" scent to me .. this is the most astonishing tobacco perfume for ladies due to its sweet charachter, while tabac noir would be more suitable for men as its more dense and musculine .. This is what i wished tobacolor dior to be , thank you caron EDIT : my juice has oxidized too much that the scent has changed and it turned to cola dark brown .. now its even more powdery with whiffs of iris and tobacoo with pure black chocolate powder dustings taking over the profile of this fragrance so its now mainly dominiated by COCOA rather than tobacco.. its still a nice frag but not as much as it was before the oxidization though ..

Tabac Exquis (2021) Caron: A Heavenly top scent The opening of this fragrance is absolutely heavenly. The stars here are the dark chocolate and cacao pod notes, which create a top scent that is just incredible. The tobacco used isn't ashy or harsh; it’s soft, smooth, and feels very high-quality. There’s also a touch of iris that adds a nice layer of luxury to the blend. Built on warm, sweet, and resinous notes, this is a perfect pick for the colder months. What’s surprising is that despite those "heavy" notes, the final composition feels balanced and a bit airy, never cloying. However, there is a catch. That beautiful chocolate top note is quite volatile and evaporates quickly. Once it fades into the middle and drydown, the scent becomes a bit more synthetic, which makes it less attractive to me. The performance is average as well. If that heavenly opening lasted longer and had better projection, this would easily be a 10/10 masterpiece. Rating: 7/10 (Incredible opening, but loses its magic too fast.)

This is exactly down my alley. I love cinnamon and tobacco in fragrances... So I fell in love as soon as I smelled this. I don't understand the crazy reviewer down there. Is this perfume powdery? Yes. It does have that cacao/iris combination that gives it a powdery aspect but I don't think it smells like baby powder at all. I think anyone could wear this. The tobacco is a sugar coated one so no wonder some people don't smell it but it's there. You just have to be used to that type of rendition. It's a really comforting wintery scent and it's beautiful...though way overpriced. I'm still going to get my hands on a 30ML as soon as I can. Go to the shops and sample it but don't listen to killjoys. At least, if you don't like it, may it be because of its notes and not some stereotypes.

This scent is a beautiful gem, the tobacco note is so well done here...I usually don't like tobacco notes but here it smells like cherry tobacco pipe, but not strong, it is actually a very subtle tobacco note. The cinnamon, chocolate, labdanum, benzoin and vanilla makes the most of the drydown. The iris and myrrh are asl very present in the middle stage. The ambroxan here has to be minimal, because fortunately I don't perceive at all...and that is a plus, because Ambroxan usually gives me headaches and makes me feel ill. Unless it has been used in a very small dose. This is a beautiful, somewhat complex scent. It would pair well with a more vanillic scent, like Vanilla 28 for example. I want a full bottle.

•Very light, plesand sweet, fresh and easy wearable, I'd even say honeed tobacco 👍 •As I'm writing, I'm testing both together right now and I understand why Tabac Exquis seems to remind Tobacco Vanille: These tobaccoes have same level of sweetness. And they don't have bare sharp tobacco note in a drydown like some tobacco perfumes does. •TV is harsh, sticky syrupy dried fruits and spices in tabacco, but Tabac Exquis is delicate light sweet tobacco with all listed notes in it and some honey note 🥰 • Hmmm 🤔, but in a very drydown actually there is some similar notes... like Tabac Exquiss would be a very very light version of TV. Want it! ☃️