Tobacolor

Today I'm going to knock out the other Dior La Collection Privee fragrance I have; Tobacolor. Just like how some people say Vanilla Diorama is one of the best vanilla fragrances on the market, some people say Tobacolor is one of the best tobacco fragrances on the market. As a lover of tobacco fragrances, particularly smoky tobacco, I was very interested in this fragrance after hearing all the hype about it. Vanilla Diorama wasn't exactly what I expected it to be, so I'm hoping Tobacolor doesn't do the same. Let's get into it; Scent: The opening is sweet, warm, and smoky. The primary notes I get are tobacco, honey, smoke, and plum. The strongest of the notes are the tobacco and honey. Right off the first spray, the tobacco is intense and aggressive. The tobacco accord in this fragrance is actually split between two notes; tobacco and tobacco leaf. The way I interpret this difference is warmth and herbaceous sweetness from the tobacco leaf note, and a heavy, smoky accord reminiscent of burning tobacco from the tobacco note. The honey is equally as prevalent in the opening with a sticky sweet, syrupy kind of sweetness. Almost reminiscent of the type of honey used in Zoologist Bee, but not nearly as strong. It's still a very realistic honey note, but it's more like the aroma of a spoonful of honey compared to Bee which smells like honeycomb pulled straight from a beehive. Up next is the smoke and plum. The smoke plays a duet with the already smoky tobacco, boosting the smokiness up a few more levels. The inclusion of the additional smoke note makes this fragrance very comparable to the smell of a burning tobacco pipe. Lastly, the plum is noticeable in the background as a distinct fruity note, bring some balance to the opening and keeping it from teetering into a sweet, smoky mess. The dry down is sweet, smoky, and ambery. The primary notes I get are tobacco, honey, smoke, and amber. The strongest of the notes are still the honey and tobacco. Both notes are largely the same as they were in the opening, with the primary difference being that they are a bit smoother and the smokiness isn't quite as aggressive. This is followed by the smoke and amber. The smoke note still confers the same smokiness from the opening, but like the tobacco it's more rounded and smoother than it was. Lastly, the amber has emerged in the dry down as a sweet, resinous note to add a bit of depth in the background. Performance: The projection within the first hour is very strong and can fill a room. Sillage matches that intensity with a dense and heavy scent trail. After about 4 hours the projection was still at least 6 feet and the scent trail was still easily noticeable. At the 8 hour mark the projection was still about 6 feet and the scent trail was a littler quieter but still noticeable. The fragrance didn't become a skin scent until around the 11-12 hour mark. When to wear: Tobacolor is a fall/winter fragrance best suited for evening wear. This is definitely not a casual wearing fragrance, and is best reserved for special or formal occasions. Date nights, anniversaries, weddings, black tie affairs; these are the types of settings where you would put on Tobacolor. This is a deep and powerful fragrance, and as such is not appropriate for the office. Blind buy: I haven't really worn anything I can adequately compare this to. I've worn fragrances like Stronger With You Tobacco, Herod, Naxos, and even Le Male Elixir that feature similar tobacco and sweet notes, but none of them are close enough to draw comparisons to Tobacolor. However, I can say with confidence that if you like sweet and smoky tobacco fragrances this is a safe blind buy for you. Final verdict: Tobacolor was a very exciting and enjoyable wear. Thankfully it didn't throw me for a loop like Vanilla Diorama did. It advertised itself as a tobacco fragrance, and it delivered on that promise. Sweet honey married to superlative smokiness; it's exactly what I look for in a tobacco fragrance. Performance doesn't disappoint either, with very strong projection and scent trails for at least the first 4 hours, and lasting about 11-12 in totality before fading away into a skin scent. Versatility isn't the greatest; it's a wonderful pick for special or formal occasions during cool evenings, but that's about it. But like Vanilla Diorama, this isn't meant to be an everyday fragrance so I can't fault it. Mass-appealing is not a category Tobacolor falls into. It's going to resonate very well with people like me that enjoy strong tobacco fragrances, but that's a pretty niche population. That being said, I don't think anyone would find this objectively bad. In conclusion, Tobacolor hits the primary checkmarks I look for in a fragrance; enjoyable scent profile and strong performance. However, $330 is a steep price to pay for a fragrance and I have several others that slot into this same category. Unfortunately, this isn't one that I'm able to find at discounters; so I would be stuck paying full retail for a bottle. Based solely on the price, this is probably one I'll skip. But if I ever find it on sale at a discounter or elsewhere, I'll definitely scoop it up. Scent: 10/10 Longevity: 8/10 Sillage: 9/10

Disclaimer: This review is my opinion. I recommend trying it before potentially basing your choice of purchase on my personal feelings. The "this reminds me of" portion of Fragrantica is probably the worst part of this site. People smell 1 similar note and immediately compare it to something else. I had Sweet Tobacco before and it is not similar at all. Sweet Tobacco is very heavy on the honey, the fragrance feels very thick and strong and it has a different type of tobacco scent to it. Everybody comparing this to BR540 in any way, shape or form are reaching. This does NOT smell anything like BR540 and the obsession with that mediocre (in my opinion) fragrance needs to end. Reading these reviews, it's clear that people do not read descriptions of fragrances and how they are intended to smell. Francois Demachy wanted to evoke the smell of a cold hookah and he did a damn perfect job of it. As somebody who personally enjoys a little hookah every now and then, I always went for the peach flavor as it's typically a favorite when it comes to food, drink and otherwise. This fragrance upon first sniff instantly transported me back to the first time I tried peach shisha at a local hookah lounge. It's smooth, fruity, smoky and honestly such a comforting and joyful scent. The photo used in marketing of the syrup covered peaches over the bed of tobacco leaves is such a perfect visual of how this one smells. It is not room-filling nuclear, but it leaves a beautiful scent trail and lasts all day long. Scent: 10/10 Longevity: 9/10 Sillage: 8/10 Price: 8/10 (I feel all Maison Dior fragrances are affordable and a great value compared to other houses with private lines considering a 250ml can be had for $350) Profile: Unisex, though more masculine leaning with the smoky aspect of it.

Let me start with a confession: I bought a 100ml bottle from the Dior boutique, and within a few weeks, I tracked down a 250ml bottle from a discounter. That's 350ml of one fragrance, and I have zero regrets. That alone should tell you everything! Tobacolor is a tobacco scent that defies every expectation. There's nothing stale, nothing heavy, nothing that reminds you of an old ashtray, which was the initial assumption I had about this scent. Instead, Demachy wraps the smokiness in something airy, peachy, and plummy. Warm without being cloying, comforting without being dull. My wife finds it sexy and intriguing, and I think she's spot on. It leans mature but not dated, approachable but never boring. It's the kind of scent that just lifts you up and hugs you. Demachy himself put it perfectly: "I wrapped the tobacco's characteristic smokiness with sweet, fruity and warm, joyful notes. Tobacolor is as powerful as it is cheery. It is an enveloping, comfortably endearing fragrance." That's exactly what this is. The ratings here honestly don't reflect how special this is. Part of me appreciates that because it feels like a discovery. But I'd be doing a disservice not to say this; I was told by a Dior SA that Demachy's work in the Privée line may be discontinued. Vanilla Diorama, New Look, and Feve Delicieuse are all now history. If that's true, this is genuinely your sign to act. Demachy created Miss Dior and Sauvage. He's the reason Dior became what it is in the fragrance world, and his work deserves so much more respect than it's getting from Dior in my opinion. This is an olfactory journey and a genuine art piece. Grab it while you still can!

I knew right as I sprayed this fragrance that I loved it. The opening is sweet, fruity/jammy (in a tasteful way), wonderfully smoky, with rich tobacco and a syrupy/honey-like note. It is a simple, elegant, almost generic - not in a bad way - yet mature fragrance, one that I imagine most people could pull off. Unfortunately, it quickly dries down to a subtle skin scent, so it was hard for me to really discern how the fragrance changed upon dry down (see edit). I applied this fragrance 3-4 hours ago, and I have to bury my face in my shirt to be able to smell it. It's a shame, because I've heard the longevity/projection are decent on this fragrance, but also because it's truly wonderful smelling. Tobacolor is sweet without being too sweet, has the perfect amount of tobacco, it's balanced with some deep, jammy fruit, and has a syrupy, smoky warmth. There is also a pleasant subtle vanilla note that appears after drying down the rounds things out. If not for the performance (which, after seeing more reviews, seems to be my problem rather than a problem with the fragrance more generally), it would be an ideal fall/winter signature scent, and honestly, it could probably work in the spring since it's not too dense/heavy. I hope I got a bad batch and the performance would be better if I bought a bottle, because scent-wise, this is certainly bottle-worthy. Edit: I'm relieved to say I think I have just become a bit nose blind to the scent. When I walk around, I catch a whiff of a trail of the fragrance behind me. This is not the first time I've mistaken nose blindness for poor performance. Now this is definitely a contender for my next bottle!

Tobacolor to me is the best take on the honey tobacco DNA. I haven't tried every single honey tobacco fragrance out there, but I sampled Xerjoff Naxos, Guerlain Tobacco Honey, Carolina Hererra Mystery Tobacco, Mugler A*Men Pure Havane, and Kilian Back to Black. To me Tobacolor had the best tobacco note, as well as the best balance of tobacco and honey. Tobacolor opens with slightly ashy tobacco, it's not too harsh, it's not synthetic, and it doesn't go all out "ashtray". In the opening, the tobacco takes the spotlight, and it's supported by some slightly fruity sweetness. As it dries down a little, the ashy note fades, and the honey note really starts to shine. The opening makes Tobacolor out to be a bit difficult to wear, but as it dries down, it sheds that slightly challenging (but beautiful) opening note, and gives way to a very wearable and a beautiful heart of tobacco leaf and honey. I don't know how else to describe this fragrance other than "beautiful". If you like tobacco fragrances, and want a wearable tobacco fragrance, this is a great option. And in my opinion, this is the best take on the tobacco honey DNA. Is it the most wearable fragrance out there? No. But notes such as a tobacco and honey aren't the most wearable and mainstream notes to begin with. It's a beautiful fragrance for colder seasons, and I've gotten away with wearing it on cooler summer nights as well. I get around 8hrs of longevity, and it has strong projection.

This is very Tobacco-y on my skin for the first few hours, but at its core (on my skin) its a Honey-Tobacco-Smokey fragrance with little hint of sweetness that appear every now and then, upon first spray when I first smelt it, the Tobacco came harsh enough to my nose to remind me of an ashtray with slight slight sweetness from the honey making it more bearable. However, during my 2nd wearing I began to appreciate and understand this scent a lot more, I had a similar experience with Hacivat by Nishane in the past where the Oak Moss note in that overpowered me at first sniff, but subsequent weavings it was really pleasant, its exactly with this fragrance and the Tobacco, the honey really elevates this fragrance in my opinion and I can see the mass appeal for this, that being said this might be my favourite Tobacco scent I've got my nose on, and if you're willing to take a chance and try this a few times, you could be pleasantly surprised like me. Leans masculine but a very confident woman could definitely rock this for sure, leans towards formal occasions but it can also be a good casual fragrance in my opinion, perfect for nights out and definitely a winter-autumn fragrance, but a cold Spring day is also doable. Projection is medium-strong and longevity is quite good on my skin Final Verdict is a 8.8/10 for me

This isn't available where I live and seeing all the disapproving comments on Fragrantica gave me cold feet so grabbing it would be tempting fate. I then saw a bottle up for sale not long ago and thought to myself an opportunity like this comes along ever so infrequently so I bit the bullet, and boy did it bowl me over! Tobacolor is a delectable oriental melange that showcases how multi-faceted tobacco can be in perfumery, juxtaposing a natural smelling spicy and incendiary cigar smoke with an artificial, slightly rubberized peach-flavored shisha, both of which are graciously and gracefully bound by a sticky sweet and succulent ambery honey and sensual musks. Despite being quite particular when it comes to sweet frags and most of the time averse to tooth-achingly sweet gourmands, at no point did I find the sweetness in here insufferable. Sure, it may lack the more exhilarating, show-stopping or what-just-happened elements in Francois Demachy's previous works, I still find Tobacolor hugely impressive and striking: the familiar made subtly unusual, a full conceptual realisation brimming with equal parts of inventiveness, craftsmanship and restraint that reveal themselves over repeated wearings.

It’s Jack Skellington, casually sitting at a bar wearing his vintage Dior black pinstripes suit. His crystal bat collar shining bright under dim lights. Ordering his favorite, peach bourbon neat. Eating candy corns while smoking an Arturo Fuente. He’s not much into fruity scents, even though people may think that, just because he’s Pumpkin King of Halloween Town. Peach bourbon, candy corns and a Hemingway cigar. Boozy, smoky and pleasantly sweet. Literally. A very bold unintentional creation that mellows down to a bourbon neat with marshmallow notes and lingering smoke... Sophisticated just like him. It’s The Nightmare before Christmas. Santa could even wear it. May I remind you, they are now great friends. That get together for a couple drinks every now and then. “Oh, there's an empty place in my bones, that calls out for something unknown.” It’s this perfume, refined, intoxicating, out of this world and into Tim Burtons. Longevity is up to par. Perfect for fall, best if worn at night and even better in cold weather. I would consider it quite masculine but my boyfriend also loves it on me. Very sexy. BISOUS

Long time since I commented or updated my collection... sometimes I read reviews and am baffled. Yes, this is CRAZY STRONG. This fragrance cannot be played with, if youre an over sprayer this will haunt you. That said, its such a lovely scent. Its sweet with honey overflowing from a jar. The tobacco note adds an earthy feel and sophistication. Towards the mid and dry down that honey and tobacco are still there, but a warm amber and fruitiness come in to mingle. I love this one, and have been stopped by random people on the streets to ask what it is, and to compliment it. The projection and sillage are top shelf. Many popular sweet scents give me a headache, and I find them very cloying. This for whatever reason does not give me that nauseous have to wash it off thing. Sample it, and see for yourself, but for me, out of my collection of hundreds of scents its one of my top winter scents for sure. Just plows through the cold like a semi truck. For the person who said this was powdery... on what planet, exactly? Scent 9/10 Longevity 9/10 Projection 9/10 Sillage 10/10

It’s so lame and short minded to think the sweetness of Tobacolor comes from Tonka bean. C’mon. People think they are Aaron Terrance Hughes, and by saying coumarin, tonka bean, or benzoin, you are now an expert. Check people’s profiles and collections. Tobacolor is sweet, unisex, and the tobacco is damn good. In my opinion, it leans more on the masculine side, since the tobacco it has an ashy aspect, but the sweetness tones down the tartness of it. Considering how generic, bland, simple sweet mess that are considered “masterpieces” like ALL new releases, it’s obscene to think this is generic. The comment below refers it as gourmand? Really? Like eating tobacco with honey? That sounds delicious. Luckily, Dior may discontinue Tobacolor, so those thinking they are the upcoming new perfumers, can create their own fragrances and do whatever they want. In the meantime, if you don’t want to smell like 99% of teenagers, or wannabe cool wearing JPG Elixir, or alike sickening, diabetic sweets mess.... Try to find it.

Tobacolor is no doubt one of the best takes on the tobacco + honey formula, though that's hardly a leftfield opinion. I think Guerlain's Tobacco Honey, in all of its on the nose glory, is another deserving titan in this category. Dior's offering begins with a more tobacco-forward approach, that gradually opens up to the facets of honey. The tobacco itself is well balanced by the sweetness in this fragrance, preventing it from leaning into the direction of ashtray tobacco. The sweetness is fruity to a degree, and there is also an underlying smokiness that ties everything together. Overall, it's a sweet, mature fragrance that's going to get you noticed. With that in mind, I'd argue it's suited for special occasions, going out, or just really cold days in general. It definitely has a sophisticated aura to it, and it's got me a few compliments over time, so it might be safe for office environments. Though, if you do wear it in an office, you want to look the business and know what you're talking about too.

I think if you look at Dior's current catalog, this is far and away the most complex and deep fragrance they currently sell. The average Dior has 3-4 things going on whereas this has 6-7, maybe 8 if you separate fruits like peach and plum. Comparisons to Kilian Smoking Hot? I didn't make the connection, but I guess can I see that. I remember one thing that was distinct to the Kilian was the hookah smell, and I didn't get that with Tobacolor. This frag has a sweetness to it and I normally prefer my tobacco to be the more raw, earthy, and animalic type. It's definitely not bad and it's easy to wear with great performance. Some nice raisiny tobacco elements accentuated by use of plum. I'm not a floral guy but tobacco flower is the exception and I looked for it. I absolutely love that it's here adding to the blend. Could easily be a signature scent -------------------‐--------------------------‐------- Scent 90/100 Performance 90/100

This is the most beautiful tobacco note I’ve ever come across, right after Thameen’s Bravi. It has a nostalgic vibe to it, like sitting in a cozy, warm house where someone used to smoke a pipe filled with premium tobacco. Don't worry, the plum note isn’t overpowering at all—the scent is more dry than sweet. It just screams class and high quality, with zero cheapness.The longevity is incredible and the projection is fantastic. Pretty much every fragrance from this collection offers amazing performance and uniqueness. They truly stand out—nothing like your typical mainstream or even other niche houses.I’m head over heels for this juice and love wearing it on cooler days. It's a total unisex gem, a true standout in today's endless sea of cloying, sugary scents made for teenagers. Honestly, it's worth every single penny. P.S For God's sake, this has absolutely nothing in common with By The Fireplace Intense – that's total nonsense!

Revisited after over 2 years of not smelling this. Really sad that this smells overbearingly sweet to me now. Photorealistic syrupy, thick, lumpy honey that just sinks your nostrils once it touches them and keeps them weighed down. A contradiction to my nose as it’s too addictive to stop sniffing. Smooth pipe tobacco that i’m well accustomed to. I also get something fruity and tart in the background that’s light and up lifting. After taking a look at the notes, it doesn’t smell like plum so I assume it’s peach I’m smelling. I don’t get anywhere near as much smoke as I used to, and I miss it. It kept it grounded and gave it another dimension to approach it from. Perhaps it’s just my nose not smelling it though. I just don’t know where I’d wear this. More of an absolute comfort smell that I’d love to just have on hand while relaxing at home.

Rich, dense, deep, warm, syrupy sweet, intoxicating, alluring, captivating, delicious, masculine gourmand. I can smell the richness and the thickness of the honey here, I could almost taste it, the tobacco notes and smokiness makes the fragrance have an attractive masculine edge. I'm confident that Tobacolor is the type of scent that'd make certain women hungry and want to eat the person wearing this perfume. This will grab other people's attention. Not versatile: for nighttime and cold weather,for special occasions, date nights, or just whenever I would want to be cozy. This is a polarizing scent, the tobacco and smokiness can be off-putting for some people. Beast performance. Will definitely stick for a day and will project like crazy. An incredible piece of art.

I am obsessed with this perfume. I do not usually wear anything leaning unisex in any way. The only other more unisex smelling perfume I love and wear is Ecrin de fumee by Serge Lutens. Sultry, warm and well rounded scent. Resinous honey and soft, warm spices, reminding me alot of the tonka bean base of the discontinued Feve Deliceuse (also Dior). Incredible! Not smoky, no incense, not prickly tobacco like in Tobacco Vanille by Tom Ford for example. No overwhelming sweetness. There is something nostalgic about it, sharing some kind of family with Kenzo Elephant. Just a perfectly blended mixture of tonka, honey and soft tobacco (could be cardamom). On the surface of the notes this can seem quite generic or common but to me it is a lovely and very unique take.

I’ve changed my mind on this one. It’s a love/hate. First time I smelled it, it reminded me of spilled sticky syrup on an ash tray. Or a cheap dingy shisha bar. Now, I tried it for about the seventh time and I couldn’t wait to smell it again. I picked up on this beautiful plum incense that is so addictive. It sort of has a cherry beard oil hint to it. Think black leather jacket, big beard and cigars. Bought a 100ml in Duty Free at Heathrow for £184.00 which was a steal. Only spray a maximum of a couple of sprays as I can imagine this being extremely offensive. BR450? It’s about as close to that as Jet fuel. If you like Armani Stronger With You Intense or Plum Japonais, you’ll like this.

This one is powerful. It opens very sweet, almost too much at first, but it quickly settles into something addictive. Honey, tobacco, amber, and a soft peachy undertone give it depth beyond just sweetness. The longevity is wild. I once sprayed it on a decorative fabric pillow and could still smell it a year later. Even after washing, clothes hold onto it. Today I wore it in cooler weather and had to change my shirt because it was overwhelming, but the bit left smells delicious hours later. If you like peach scents (I love Narciso Rodriguez For Her Intense for that reason), this has a similar appeal but with a darker, richer twist.

Finally got a bottle- sold Tobacco Honey (loved my sample but after testing from the Full bottle the oud kept going soapy on me) Tobacolor is one of the best from Dior’s Prive line. A rich, honeyed stone fruit twist on a Oriental. Tart and fleshy, you can almost taste the peach clinging to it pit. There is the slightist touch of ash and the tobacco smells like fine pipe tobacco. The Amber here is dense and syrupy not dry, powdery or crystalline. Monstrous siliage and longevity- unisex. I’m a very feminine woman and get complemented when I wear this, it’s very sexy and best worn when dressed up. Happy to have a 125ml bottle 💕

Its very close to Vanille Havane by les indemodables, it has the top notch cocoa facets only Demachy can pull. Then the tobacco kicks in along with vanilla and and a juicy peach in the back. This fragrance is a masterpiece in my eyes! I have fallen in love with the complexity and the nuances dancing in my body! Im def getting a bottle when i finish my sample. One of the finest tobacco fragrances on the market! A peach Tobacco Sisha with cocoa on the back! DAMN this is incredible! Transports you to middle east! Hey Demachy you tried hard on those last creations of yours with Dior, Bravo. 8+ Hours Longevity 10/10 Masterpiece