Habanita Eau de Parfum

L0OK AT THAT BEAUTIFUL AND GRACEFUL "HABANITA"... I met Marisol several times in Little Havana. She was a pretty youthful girl, but she looked like a grown woman with her resourcefulness. I always saw her in a very colorful dress, showing that she was a true “Habanita”, walking along her paths on Calle Ocho, which she covered several times a day. She passed by me several times, always in a sweet sway on her route to the Taqueria El Santo where she worked. As a self-confessed taco aficionado, I couldn't help chatting to Marisol a handful of times in that restaurant, while I was waiting for a “Taco al Pastor” or a “Taco de Camaron”. Life in Little Havana has always revolved around Calle Ocho. One of its most interesting attractions is the adjacent Máximo Gómez Park, also called “Parque del Domino”. It's a place where elderly Cubans gather to play dominoes, cards or chess, while trying to fix the world, discussing issues from Cuba's past and future. I used to walk around and see the old-fashioned Cuban atmosphere in the eyes of the pensioners sitting around the tables in the garden. The smell of steaming coffee mixed with cigar smoke and rum, always in bottles hidden inside brown paper bags, was thick and intoxicating without being heavy. In this neighbourhood, we also find artisans who make cigars, many Cuban restaurants offering exquisite flavours, lively noisy bars and stores cluttered and always colorful with vibrant Latin music. On this same street, we can walk on the stars that pave the Walk of Fame with reference to the best-known Cuban singers and actors. Marisol loved to jump among the stars on the sidewalk, shouting out the names of the artists recorded and immortalized there. Nostalgia and the strong aroma of very sweet coffee dominate most of Calle Ocho. You can't visit Little Havana without trying the authentic Cuban coffee, a very intense and extremely sweet espresso served in tiny cups. But if you want to cool off, there's nothing better than drinking an ice-cold Guarapo - a kind of sugar cane juice with ice - while sitting on a terrace. If you're lucky, you might even see the sunny Marisol passing by. Twenty years have passed since my daydreams in Little Havana, but I've never forgotten the charm of my precious “habanita”. - My other much-cherished Habanita is the Molinard perfume. It was first launched just over a hundred years ago, although nowadays it's only easy to access the latest redesign from 2012. Like the Habanita from Little Havana, this fragrance is wonderfully simple and complex, elegantly decadent, passionate, dominant and self-confident. The perfume adds the characteristics of being powdery, spicy, floral, amber, balsamic, woody and earthy. It is said that the original 1921 version was not born as a perfume. It seems that it was created as an unguent to mask the strong smell of cigar tobacco. It was used by French high society ladies who enjoyed a tasty, fragrant cigarillo but couldn't smell like the smoky bearded men who accompanied them. Its intense aroma quickly conquered the noses of elegant socialites and became one of the fashionable perfumes of the post-war Roaring Twenties. Formulated as a perfume, the first Habanita appeared in 1924. Although some other great and well-known perfumes were also created in this decade, Habanita proved to be very original. It was the first oriental perfume for women to use vetiver as an ingredient. Until then, vetiver was an essential oil used exclusively in men's colognes and shaving products. Jewelers and glassmakers such as Baccarat and Lalique designed and produced some of the bottles commissioned by Molinard to house the first version of Habanita. Today's beautiful black bottle is based on an original 1930 design by René Lalique. - Molinard's Habanita (2012 version) is a very complex perfume. Some unlisted notes and accords can be perceived. Molinard claims that the current version has more than 680 ingredients, the same number and type of ingredients used in the vintage version, but mixed in different proportions. At the opening, we are flooded with a resinous balsam, slightly salty and astringent due to a strong note of mastic. This balsamic tonic quickly mixes with various florals - mainly rose centifolia and heliotrope - and the earthy scent of nutmeg. The base becomes predominant perhaps two hours after application, with vanilla and amber standing out on a woody and leathery background. On my shelf, the Habanita bottle coexists with other pseudo-feminine perfumes such as Guerlain's Shalimar and Mittsouko. For me, they are all fundamentally unisex. The longevity is enormous, and between 10 and 12 hours are guaranteed with 3 sprays. The silage is enough to attract the attention of people at a distance of 8 to 10 feet. The projection is reasonable for almost three hours. Allow me to display my passionate assessments of Habanita: ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ - Opening: 10.0 (Breathtaking: spicy, floral and balsamic) - Drydown: 10.0 (Fantastic drydown of vanilla and amber; sandalwood and leather are also perceived. Outdated perfume? Are you joking?) - Longevity: 9.0 (Up to 10 ~ 12 hours with 3 sprays) - Silage: 8.5 (Up to 6 ~ 8 feet with 3 sprays; projection close to 3.0 hours) - Uniqueness: 9.0 (Reminds me of some Guerlain perfumes, without really being similar to any of them, namely Shalimar, Mitsouko and, to a lesser extent, L'Heure Bleue; I can't help comparing Habanita's dry down with that of L'Heure Bleue without iris, or with that of Shalimar without civet; I could also mention the very similar Enslaved by Roja Perfumes which was launched 5 years before Habanita's current formulation) - Wearability: 7.5 (winter and fall, preferably at night) - Versatility: 7.5 (It's a chic perfume. It's best worn on formal occasions; beach and gym? No way!) - Compliments: 9.0 (If you're a man, I can only assure you that this is not a masculine perfume, and no one will mistake you for Brad Pitt or Harrison Ford. But you'll get a ton of compliments anyway. If you're a woman, you'll destroy all your competitors even if they're extremely elegant) - Quality: 10.0 (Very good quality ingredients and finishing details) - Presentation: 10.0 (Simply a beautiful creation by René Lalique) - Price: 8.0 (a 75 ml bottle cost me 46 euros, but I bought mine on sale; these days, 75 ml bottles usually sell for over 70~80 euros) ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ Overall rating: 8.95 / 10.00 - between 7 and 8 = above average; - between 8 and 9 = recommended; - above 9 = don't hesitate not even for a second; MY RECOMMENDATION: Sometimes it's difficult to give a direct and honest opinion about a perfume that I revere and consider a masterpiece... but it's really hard to detect any flaws in Habanita. Okay, if you're a man, this isn't a masculine perfume, and at most it can only be considered a unisex fragrance that leans towards the feminine side. But if you're like me, perfumes have no gender. So go ahead and enjoy it! Your wife or girlfriend will certainly steal it from you. A blind purchase? I wouldn't recommend it because of its complexity. Also, forget about pretending to find any family ties with your favorite blue fragrance, which is so in vogue these days. But if you do happen to smell it, you'll certainly love it too. This perfume is ageless and will bewitch anyone! NOTE: “Habanita” literally means “a young woman from Havana” MUSIC: from Bizet's Carmen - “Habanera” sung by Angela Gheorghiu.

This will be my first ever review, because nothing has quite touched me like this truly beautiful fragrance. I have been a fragrance collector since my teens, over 20yrs. I have a passion for fragrance, the memories and powerful feeling it evokes. I don’t wear anything that doesn’t scream I have arrived. I’m often told I’m smelt before I’m seen, and have never been told that a scent doesn’t carry well on my chemistry except by one very mean & vindictive colleague, who is bitter and had been single for nearly 15yrs 😂 I wonder why!!! Anyway I live for powerhouses, silage and projection bombs. I don’t like to smell like everyone else, I don’t go for what’s popular. My first in love scent was Coco Chanel I was probably about 14yrs old the 80s Coco black & gold bottle, I knew at that point I was different, because the body shop was popular then, and they just didn’t touch my craving. I purchased my first bottle of Coco Chanel Parfum at 17yrs old and wore it shamelessly on dates, special occasions, weddings, funerals without thinking it was a confident boss lady scent, it was what smelt good & expensive on my chemistry. Knowing Estée Lauder, Cinnabar, Shalimar, Passion Elizabeth Taylor, Miss Dior originale, Miss Dior 2017, Gucci Rush, Emmeraude, & Boucheron, if that helps paint 🎨 a scent picture of me. I dress Classy, and sophisticated even as a teen & still do now with a hint of unspoken sexiness, carrying off pearls & twinsets long before my time. I’m 39 by the way, of Jamaican heritage, living in the UK. Coupled with a cigarette rolled in licorice paper or a French vanilla cigar the air around me reeks something sexual, powerful, of an era long gone by. So when Habanita by Molinard was suggested to me, by a fragrance sister, I knew it would be hit or miss. I looked up the 1921 notes on fragrantica, and my scent obsession heart pounded with anticipation, I waited 5wks for it to come from Grasse on back order directly from Molinard, sourced by a hard to find company I use locally to ensure it’s authenticity. I wore it yesterday, and can only describe it as sexual tension, and the throws of passion in a stunning black bottle. My ex looked at me like food, and several other random men during the day, I was approached a countless number of times by men in particular one describing me as utterly spell binding. I collected an item I had purchased, and got talking to the old owner, several days later he contacted me to say he could still smell me on the coat he was wearing when I gave him a hug goodbye, and couldn’t get me out of his head(not the impression I meant to make, he was a widow and I gave him a hug out of sympathy not of any sexual intentions) needless to say it’s a scent I will be reserving for my next sexual encounter, it’s not a scent I’ll be wearing as a signature scent as much as I’d love to, because it contains something animalistic not listed in the notes, something passionate, and completely debase it’s stunning, absolutely stunning, don’t say I didn’t warn you 😂😜🥵🤤❤️🔥I love her with a passion, she will be staying firmly in my classic loving collection xXxMwahxXx enjoy with caution ⚠️ 😉

On me this is very powdery, and a little soapy. With having nutmeg, I expected a spicy woody mainly. I must admit, this was such a pleasant surprise. I love powder, and I love soapy. And, there is actually a slight hint of the nutmeg, and the slightest tinge of boozy vanilla (seriously, just a tiny bit, barely there on me) and amber. Most of what I get is mastic, oakmoss, ylang-ylang, vetiver, and heliotrope. This is such a classical concoction, however as others have stated it seems both modern and classic. Absolutely timeless. It's neither feminine nor masculine to me, this is an entirely genderless fragrance in my opinion, perfectly androgynous and enigmatic. Every 30 minutes is like experiencing a new fragrance. There's a bit of a "baby doll head" note in there - and I LOVE those. That aspect of it is reminiscent of HM Butterfly in that powdery baby doll way. It smells just like an old budoir, rose water, fragrant powders, sweet pipe tobacco smoke, and vintage perfumes. It's so soft and gentle, but is very strong. My skin eats up EVERY fragrance in seconds (Dior Addict, lasts maximum 2 hours on me before becoming an auric skin scent - my performance issues on skin is that bad), and this is the longest lasting, best projecting fragrance I have EVER had/tried. It's performance is so incredible, I immediately bought 2 back up bottles after my first use, and I know they will last me a good long while and serve me well. The longevity is a feat. I get 10 hours give or take on skin, with 6 hours projection, at 8 hours becomes an auric skin scent, 9 hours it's a close to skin scent, 10 hours, it's fading away, but still smell the amber/oakmoss if I dig my nose into wrist. Now, on clothes, this is staying STUCK until the next wash. Incredible. The sillage is over an arms length, easily, but it's gentle and inoffensive, just noticeable by others, perfectly balanced in longevity/sillage while not being overpowering. On my fragrance eating skin, I've never had people be able to smell my fragrance, and the compliments are so many that I actually grew tired of getting them! Every time a client or coworker came anywhere near me they complimented it, and I probably said "thank you" 100 times over the week and weekend! I've never ever had a fragrance perform SO WELL on me, so I am completely in awe. I am super impressed because this is incredibly rare for me. I cannot emphasize this enough. Never in my life have I been so impressed by a fragrance. I can't say enough how well this performs, and how gorgeous it smells. It's absolutely a beast- but a soft, gentle, gorgeous one. It reaches out and grabs people without knocking them out. It's so interesting and unique, and unlike anything else. This will be my permanent go to. Gone are the days of 10 sprays only to get 30 minutes for me - this beauty gives me the best I've ever had with only 3 sprays total a day. If I could only have one fragrance, this would have to be it, because it lasts, and lasts, and lasts, it's a work horse projector, yet not too heavy. It's the perfect balance of everything.

Habanita (1921) Warning: May be a bit NSFW, just a smidgen though. I’ve been a collector, I’ve been a connoisseur, it’s been some time now, the nose knows what it likes with an unshakable conviction, that’s something I thankfully picked up early on. I’ve always had a strong appreciation for the classics, once you find yourself attuned to the grandeur of the old perhaps there is a bit of derision for some (definitely not all) of the new-fangled creations in perfumery, which I think we can all agree are in sheer abundance these days and has many a simpleton convinced that wearing such concoctions will result in setting some well-meaning passerby’s loins on fire. You cannot ‘market in’ sensuality where none exists, you cannot advertise desire and hope it seeps into the actual scent, you cannot have fools on our magic boxes parrot that wearing such and such will inspire a carnal riot and promise to all those who fall prey to buying a bottle, that they will be at the centre of a tumultuous orgy. It was back in the day, they made perfumes which spoke, and they mostly spoke of sin, they spoke of needs that robbed you of your virtues, a wanton abandon of reason and restraint, of rogues and harlots, of taint and stain, of robbed innocence and utter submission to your baser desires, of darkness that didn’t need the word ‘noir’ to exemplify it, because perfumery back then just was, it didn’t need to be bleated out to be a sensual masterpiece, it just was and you were lucky enough to let it touch you, mingle with your sweat and skin and rouse in you that primal instinct. That very primal instinct which is natural to all warm-blooded creatures such as yourself, the one against which you were civilised, it is what makes you scream your lover’s name because by God that name is sweet, claws and canines, it’s what inspires your inflictions and adornments of bruises and bites, your hardened embraces signalling your need to be one, the rips in the fabric and the broken buttons, gasps and thrusts, the brutish marks of your lover upon silken skin, it makes you remember that you are an animal, you’ve always been an animal, your hunger can only be satiated, it cannot be suppressed, you need it because simple satisfaction it is not, it is your only salvation. This isn’t one of those days where you worry the neighbours will hear, this is for days when you’re ready to put on a show if that’s what the pesky neighbours want, this is for days when you put a silent prayer to Mae West and hope your aerobics and antics don’t break the bed. Are you blushing yet? I hope not, because I’ve left out the most important bit, for when you feel all the things I’ve described above, make sure you’re wearing Habanita, and nothing else and I do mean nothing else. Someday I’ll follow this up with an actual review (added on the page for Habanita EdT), for now, this was just a cascade of rambling thoughts. Your very own, The Perfume Vigilante

I've been running across references—usually highly laudatory ones—to this perfume for a couple of years, but hadn't tried it because of all the comparisons to L'Heure bleue. I know L'HB has its devotees, and I understand the appeal, but it's never been a fragrance I've connected with. I usually fawn over more old-fashioned perfumes (especially ones by the iconic French houses) but L'Heure bleue—described by many as Mitsouko's melancholic sister—has always seemed too cold and thin to me, with its intensely purple bouquet of heliotrope, iris, and violet. When I got the chance to test Habanita, though, I took it—and I'm so glad I did! This is indeed akin to L'HB, but much fuller and multi-dimensional. It's an incredibly complex, progressive perfume, taking the cold florals of L'HB and adding spices and woods for an altogether richer composition. I still get the cool, powdery heliotrope front and center, accompanied by that queer lentisque note—a kind of woody, balsamic astringency—and warm nutmeg. The vanilla and sandalwood add even more creamy-spicy powder, which is simultaneously complicated by the emergence of metallic-medicinal geranium and grassy-woody oakmoss and vetiver. The petitgrain and jasmine spar around the edges, bitter against indolic. With time, the frigid florals and resinous spices mellow out, allowing the sandalwood and amber to come into focus, as well as a hint of radiant ylang. At the very end, it becomes a pure, clean, fresh powder. Other reviewers' allusions to ancient spice racks and medicine cabinets are spot-on. Habanita is a spicy-floral beauty from another era. It's a puff of dusty air from a witch's potion kit that hasn't seen the light of day in a century—and that witch has damn good taste! You know who would have adored this perfume? Virginia Woolf's Orlando. Like that character, it lives outside of time while registering the plenitude of its spiritual weight; it’s both worldly and ethereal, alluring and enigmatic, masculine and feminine, noble and profane, impenetrable and profoundly human—breathtaking. If you don't like old-school scents, you probably won't like Habanita. Everybody should smell it at some point, though. It's timeless and defies gender; while not quite formal, it tends toward the austere and abstract. The various contrasts of cool and warm make it wearable in all seasons, though night suits it better. The sillage and lasting power are impressive. The redesigned bottle is absolutely stunning, definitely among my top five. I so hope this is never reformulated or discontinued. By far the best of Molinard.

This, THIS is my love! Marked for women, but it couldn’t stop me. I read reviews telling it sounds like orthodox churches and I like the aromas in ‘em so I went ahead and bought a decant. And just ordered a full bottle. I swear - it’s clear unisex. Can be used by women in age or young men either. Any time of the day, any weather - it’ll suit everything. Habanita becomes a part of your natural skin scent and it’s a type of symbiosis you can see in Venom : D Soft, deep, balsamic! I can smell incense in it clearly (why isn’t it in notes??). I haven’t tried Norne Oil from Slumberhouse, but I think they can be kinda similar in their vibes and oiliness? Habanita is a dark perfume composition with vintage sillage. It has sweetness in it, but it’s not mawkish. Mostly resembles a good aged wine with bitter balsams and spices. It has no temperature for me - not cold nor warm. I also can’t say that it’s a clear Orthodox Church smell. Idk maybe I haven’t visited ‘em for a really long time, btw. It’s not enough stuffy n gross for that. Habanita’s Patchouli is a special Patchouli, for sure! And vetiver here is kind of barn noted, not awkwardly sugary. It has vanilla (I personally dislike any vanilla, but pharmacy/herbal variants), but this vanilla just completes the full picture and doesn’t disturb me at all. Amber gives a good warm shade, too. Musky typed mimosa took my heart! I love mimosa flowers, but in Habanita it’s a totally different scent - really musky and oily, but you can still guess it’s mimosa. For my luck I smell no nutmegs. Maybe only a little in far sillage as a dessert accords? At first I thought there’s no oakmoss at all (I really adore mossy notes and mostly buy fragrances with it), but later I found it - a bit hidden under the incense, but also deep, dark and balsamic. It resembled me a lava balsams from Iceland I really liked to drink. Habanita is a mix of temperatures just like a frozen magma on the mountain surface under the cold breezes. Yes, if it’s a church - then it’s an Icelandic church! Nobody advised me to try this masterpiece, but I’m so happy I did it. This perfume is a real peace of art worthy a brush of someone like Van Gogh. I highly recommend to try it, no matter of your gender and age. Just... give Habanita a chance to show you the world of true art?

Such a lovely perfume! Like many here, this was a blind buy for me based on reviews. I also read about it in a wonderful book I've been reading called "Perfume: A Century of Scents" and was intrigued as visions of flappers and speakeasies danced in my head! I am not getting any femme fatales vibes from her, but what I am getting is a lovely powder with shades of L'Heure Bleu, though softer. I think I'm in love! Price wise, I can't think of any other perfumes that offer the same quality at such an affordable price. I think that she is a scent that can be worn year round, day or night, depending upon how lightly one sprays her. A true gem that I am so pleased to have in my collection, one that has the potential to become a favorite. EDIT 2/24/2019 - Just like the beginning of any new relationship that holds potential for enduring love, I am discovering more and more about this juice and her many facets. On my first wearing, I was so overwhelmed by her powdery softness and sheer beauty, and how she reminded me of another old love, L'heure Bleu. Today I discovered her oriental side. So she IS a seductress afterall! Having smelled this on me for the first time today, my mother said that it reminded her of Shalimar, and it hit me right then that mom was right! Shalimar was always a love for her, and it is because of her that I grew to love it as well. So that is two Guerlains, both different from each other yet linked by the Guerlinade, that are brought to mind by my darling Habanita! That is not to say that this is derivative in any way - after all, Shalimar came out after Habanita - but it is an endorsement in my opinion because of how fond I am of so many Guerlain fragrances. I continue to be blown away by this potion. It has been decades since I have even considered having a signature scent. I don't know how it is possible to own and enjoy so many different perfumes yet have a specific one that people associate with me exclusively. Naturally, I will continue to wear whatever strikes my fancy on any given day, but this is a fragrance that will undoubtedly be with me forever. For that reason, I now consider Habanita to be one I would like to have as my signature scent. In the meantime, I am enjoying every minute of our courtship!

Ah, Habanita... It was a blind buy and I was intrigued by the olfactory description, the history of the scent and the many oftentimes polarising reviews. My short verdict: Habanita is something far too modern for its actual age in a way that it seems like what it is, if you free your mind of the learned old-lady associations that every vintage perfume seemingly has attached, is incredibly gender-less, and niche-smelling (in the best possible way). It's almost like it is what modern niche has been trying to achieve over the last 20-30 years and this one is about a 100 years old. Now, when I first sprayed it, it opened with a thick, dense cloud of incense reminiscent of the one used in Christian Orthodox churches. It's not abstractly smoky, it's 70% incense that is more apparent when sprayed liberally and stays this way longer, too. Under this thick cloud of incense, something interesting starts to evolve in the next 20 - 40 minutes. First, you can detect that creamy almost Chanel No5 base but richer with prominent ylang ylang and also moist geranium shining through the smoky mist. Then you realize that the smoke gets warmer and sweeter, and less incensey. Now you can detect true, beautiful, non-gourmand vanilla with plenty of vetiver, also moist, and thick. Frankly, it gets better and better with every hour and the drydown is this warm, sweetish smoky vetiver, saturated but also more translucent. I would even go as far as to say this smell is meditative in its deepest drydown. Habanita is a complex beast and be ready for a ride. If the smoke is too much for you at first, try smaller sprays, maybe start with one. She may open up to you, if you prove you are worthy and persist. The quality of the bottle and design is a bonus. But the juice is really quite something. It projects a lot if you spray it like you would your normal modern EDT or a weaker EDP but you can control that with the amount you spray and it's really easy with the quality of the atomiser. Longevity - easily 12 hours on the skin and heaven knows how long on clothes. I prefer the skin scent as I am quite happy with the way it works with my chemistry but you may find otherwise. I hope this version never gets reformulated.

I had never smelled EdT before but I had read the story behind the original perfume and I was excited. There are so many orientals I love but the notes of this were very interesting. I had to have this. One of the reasons I went to Grasse last May was to visit Molinard factory and finally to smell the classic EdT. Habanita and everything about it has its own place at the end of the gorgeous exhibition-sales room. But unfortunately the new EdP had occupied most of the surface of the antique chest of drawers and the EdT was nowhere. There was also a bottle of pure parfum and the bath set of the EdP. I was lucky enough to try some of the last drops of the pure parfum that had remained in the bottle. On the other wrist I sprayed the EdP. I was confused. Both Parfum and EdP were not what I was expected a Habanita to be. Smoky yes, oriental yes but also sweet, creamy and with a huge dose of vanilla. I came out of the factory. The sun was bright, the weather was warm - not so good conditions to try an oriental like this. At the end of the day I realized that, although Parfum was just stunning, I had sniffed the wrist sprayed with the EdP more than 20 times. Vanilla was still intense but not sweet anymore as it had beautifully been mixed with vetiver and the entire composition, warm and dry at the same time, brought to my mind images from "femmes fatales" dressed in dark luscious dresses, surrounded by attractive males at an eccentric millionaire's private party somewhere in Paris. It was more than a nice perfume. It was a great work and I was totally captivated. Next day I went to the factory again to attend a workshop. The lady at the counter gave me some samples of the EdP to test it again in various weather conditions and decide. Until now and after having finally purchased an EdT from Ebay I have to say that it's one of the greatest reformulations I have ever smelled. It's warm, sensual and totally wearable and it balances perfectly between its glorious past and the current fashion trends. And when sometimes I'm thinking of the ad and the young girl that represents new Habanita I realize that everything in this edition is exactly as it should be.

"A question: I had purchase the Eau de Parfum. Loved it, got many compliments, good sillage and long lasting. So I bought the parfum. It pales by comparison. I have never tried the EdT. Anyone else have this reaction to the Parfum vs EdP?" I have the newest EDP, vintage EDT, and Parfum (date unknown) so I think I can help. I've always been disappointed in dropping big $$ for parfums and I get no sillage. I was told by another member that the alcohol in perfumes/fragrances is what projects/creates the sillage. With a parfum, the alcohol is less- with more fragrance oil, so you are also losing the benefits of sillage. As far as Habanita goes, the EDT is my fave, but the EDP is awesome and a wonderful replacement. The only diff is the EDT/Parfum is darker/more smoky/oily/skanky. The current EDP is a wee bit more sweet rose/powder. All have amazing longevity/potency. DAYS- even weeks on fabric. (My skin doesn't seem to hold anything for more than 3 hours) Weather and activity seem to also change the sillage of Habanita. If I put a scent on at home, but never leave the couch/house-- I can't smell myself. Activity/movement and body heat seem to project scents better. Last night about 8pm, I put one drop of Hab Parfum on my wrist. It actually was pretty hot/humid for Michigan when I took a walk with my dog. Holy hell-- the sillage off that ONE DROP was crazy. I was in a huge cloud of Habanita. So body heat, movement, weather-- all seem to create the sillage with Parfums. I wouldn't buy more Habanita Parfum tho. I have a stockpile of both EDT and EDP, so I'm good. I prefer a spray anyways. In this case, the potency/longevity of the EDP/EDT are so good, it's not worth more $$ for the parfum.

A review about the gender of Habanita: I had Obsession, too sharp on me, spice notes that pull bitter. Indian cooks fry spices beforehand to remove bitterness. That scent is hugely popular and I totally got why. But it smelled WAY better on a man IMO. For him, the sharp notes pulled "fresh spice". Habanita, is CK Obsession with the spices fried in butter. Once the base starts creeping through the floral middle, they turn the floral spice blend into a carnation/honeysuckle vanilla moss bomb. On first spray out of the box. I can't wait to try it again after a few months. This is to spice scents what Poeme is to white florals. The calming intimate hug that sensually caress you. It's for expressing who you are on the inside. That takes guts! TL;DR this is a creamy spice floral bouquet not bomb. If you're a man, and that works it gives suave mature tender vibes. (To a woman) If you're a woman, this gives sensual spicy passionate vibes. Non-binary, (ie both) it says sophisticated, down to earth. Approachable yet mysterious. If you find this anything other than unisex you need to rethink your rigid concept of gender. For men: you do have to vibe with a vanilla amber base to enjoy this. I'm not as knowledgeable on men's fragrance, but I know it's a thing. It makes me want to try a cedar based scent to educate my nose. But, the vanilla and oakmoss are the yin and yang at the base keeping it from reading too masc or too femme. For women: you have to be self assured and not need your perfume to define your femininity for you. That self confidence is at the core of what makes this an utter love for me first spray.

This is so beautiful I could cry. A gentle beast. Floral, powdery, woody. As smooth as smooth can be, timeless and genderless. Extremely French. It smells dignified, refined, intellectual, but also humane, benevolent, wise. It's like that one aunt, older but not old, who has lived in some exotic, faraway place for her entire life, that you have never met, and finally she is supposed to join a family reunion, and you're a teenager. The family has mixed feelings about her, there is some gossip, but also a lot of mystery, and she's basically "the one who got away". Then the moment arrives to meet her and there she is, a beautiful, cultured, soft spoken brunette who has lived her life according to her own rules, who has seen things that most people haven't and knows things that most people never get to be aware of. She's down to earth, easy to speak to as she is able to understand and resonate with everyone else's intellect and sensibility, regardless of age, gender or status. She has even brought you a souvenir from that faraway place, maybe a lucky symbol made of a precious gem, a silk scarf or some other "girl charmer", that you will keep and cherish forever, just the way you will cherish the memory of this totally out of ordinary woman. Sorry for the long rant, but I had to share this little movie that played in my head as I smelled Habanita for the first time, as I believe it might give a different inspiration than a list of perceived notes would. All in all, PLEASE smell this. You might love it or find it dated, but it has to be experienced.

I adore it and would wear it often, but if anyone is familiar how it smells inside of the Russian Orthodox church, it is EXACTLY this smell. It couldn't be more accurate, as if they tried to recreate it on purpose. Sometimes if you approach an Orthodox nun or just a woman who works in the church, they also have very slight smell of this. It is crazy. Sweet incense. It also gives me an impression as if someone walked into Russian Orthodox church and started smoking right there, not the cigarettes but some good cigar. It is also very powdery. Getting more acquainted with this beauty, I noticed that being mysterious and sultry, the scent is very comforting at the same time. It is addictive and gives you confidence. It is hard to explain it, you just need to live this experience. It creates a sense of a special ocassion. I get the picture of beautiful women, who have the same vibe about them, even though they belong to different eras. Habanita from roaring twenties, when women knew how to be la femme fatale. She smokes a cigar, wears a black dress. Sometimes she sits in a cafe on her own, thinking about her secrets, with some strong coffee, and again, cigar. And then, in 2022 the same Habanita sits in the cafe or even expensive bar. She is still sultry, mysterious and seductive, just like the one in 1920, but now she wears a black leather jacket and a black eyeliner. Both Habanitas, of course, enjoy makeup, especially powder and a good lipstick.

@DomfromBE I am curious to see how you find your new fragrance as my latest one is batch '43801E' as well. I have gone through my bottle fairly quickly due to longevity but I also just love to wear it. I have an older bottle which has a heavy dosage of vetiver which I think is the main difference especially as the fragrance develops throughout the day my current bottle turns soft and powdery and the older bottle clings onto that dusty earthiness for many hours. I have ordered some more Habanita EDP as I am running low and I do hope it is a different batch to the one I am currently using up. EDIT: I have tested out Habanita EDP batch code '42909A' which seems to only be 2 months older than '43801E'. I smell a huge difference between these two batches and there is also a difference in color. The '42909A' batch smells how I typically remember Habanita smelling. It is deep, earthy, sweet yet somehow bitter. Lovely nuances of tobacco and animalic qualities quite potent and lasted well over 10+ hours on me. The '43801E' batch is the version I have been struggling with. It is dusty, effervescent airy and more vanillic muted almost. It has a soft powdery effect missing the intensity of the previous batch. It is gone after about 2 hours after spraying. These two differing batches which were only 2 months apart could be two separate fragrances that is how different they are in terms of smell and performance..

another blind buy that has introduced me to more notes that i will be looking for in future perfumes!! first smelling this nozzle (new and unused) it smelt vanillary, milky and green which reminded me of a match latte! initial sprays smells medicinal, green, woody, musky and slightly sweet, and as it drys down it smells much sweeter, powdery and slightly creamy, and i smell a smokiness like incense. the combination of nutmeg and vanilla gives off whiffs of a egg custard tart! its so comforting, weirdly nostalgic and so addictive, reminds me of smell inside an occult/ alt shop. even though it is categorised “for women”, it smells like a true unisex perfume - like somethingsn androgynous person would wear /suit. from the reviews ive seen all over the internet i thought it would be super strong, high in longevity and sillage but its very subtle for me. its the strongest in the first 1-2 hrs but begins to quickly fade lasting up to 6hrs and i have to spray a minimum of 4 prays on my wrists to be strong enough. im wondering if its bc of my own skin chemistry or if its just an older bottle or if i just need to let it sit for a few weeks / months as i only just got it less than a week ago. this is my new favourite, i only wish it was much stronger. habanita, you will always be on my mind.

Almost all my perfumes are blind buys, but this is the one I was the most exited to try! Sadly, the bb that dissapointed me the most when I first tried it on. I expected dark and mysterious, and I got none of that. But wait, I gave it another try today and I actually loved the opening punch (which actually is a bit dark). The only scent I have with a similar vintage vibe as this is Esprit by Oscar, this one is noticably "older" though. It's one of those scents where I can't really pick out many singular notes to explain what it smells like, but I believe it's safe to say that it's quite heavy on the heliotrope - it is very well blended and complex. It probably smells nothing like you would imagine by the voted notes or the reviews. I am sure this will be experienced very subjectively, depending on who you are and how compatible your taste is with this vintage wonder. Absolutely an experience to try - and if it's not your cup of tea then at least you have sniffed a bit of perfume history. I really enjoy this today. So powdery and unique. And I bet you'd be hard presses to find other women in my country who actually wears this. I'm sure those rare unicorns are out there, but I admit to feeling a bit unique in Habanita's cloud 😉

I have to run errands today and the wind is whipping round, I can hear it at my back door. It's a hat and scarf day and I figured it's the perfect time for Habanita. It's heavy enough to have the strength to wear itself in this weather, yet calm enough to not make people in lines purse their lips and sniff "Who's wearing that extremely strong scent?", although in this day of masks, I wouldn't see it if they did. It reminds me of a fireplace that's been burning for hours and the sweet smoke is in every corner of the house. I blind bought this simply because the reviews here were so positive and it's considered a classic, along the lines of Shalimar and Samsara. With 600 parts, it is hard to pick out pieces, especially since it's so well-blended. I have the newer 2012 EDP and when I first sprayed it, I got some of the powdery, sweet mastic, and spicy geranium, the woody herb of petitgrain. It flows forth and I can smell some of the nutmeg, heliotrope, vetiver, and a deep, dark vanilla. I swear I smell incense. To my nose, this is very much a unisex scent. This lasts on my skin for quite a while and the sillage is strong/moderate. The price is affordable for such a beauty.

The very first sniff and my first thought was - "I love you" , right there and then I knew that this is my new signature. Oh these kind of loves are really rare. It's perfume perfection to me. The beginning is amazing, oh that short blast of geranium, very feminine, at one moment I was afraid that it will be too flowery and it will be ruined for me, but no, only rich leather, penetrated with viscous flowers; some tobacco around, it's powdery vanilla, it's warm amber, sandalwood and vetiver. It's got everything - powder, expensive vanilla, good leather ant tobacco, warmth, the most important thing- it has right expression, mood. I'm so in love. Oriental, classic, timeless, sexy, powdery fragrance. It's a well balanced, characteristic, strong foundation, sophisticated, expressive, savory a bit subtly provoking, but at the same time not caring of other opinions. Balancing on edge of light and dark. It's confident sexy. It represents all that past glam, but at the same time it's so modern. No wonder, Molinard is an amazing house and knows how to create really good perfume with character and story telling.

@DomfromBE My order from Molinard has arrived and I have had a chance to test my new refill of Habanita EDP. I also purchased the EDT which they only sell in the refills so I am very excited to try that out. I received the batch code '51022A' which seems to have been produced two months ago. After anxiously waiting for it's arrival I am thrilled to say that this batch smells much more like the Habanita we all love and know. The colour of the perfume is a deep yellow, and I immediately pick up on the dark and mysterious Habanita DNA. The longevity is also wonderful lasting for majority of the day and it lingers on clothing until the following day. I now believe that the last bottles we both purchased with the batch '43801E' are to be an isolated case which is a great relief. I do hope they look into the batch '43801E' for you and are able to do something as there is definitely some type of issue there. I would love to know what the outcome is when they assess your bottle. It seems for now Habanita has NOT been butchered. I am over the moon, time to overspray and indulge.

I am SO glad I followed my own mind and purchased Habanita. I received the shipping notification and my heart dropped because I was convinced I made a fatal mistake. The notes and some of the reviews about it smelling like an old lady or being too strong haunted me. Well, my package arrived today and with vigor, I tore through the cardboard. I stared at the little black bottle and braced myself to be let down should the first smell burn my nostril hair (lol!). I pressed down on the sprayer and the juice flew onto my wrist. I sniffed. Paused. Sniffed again and smiled. Wider than the Cheshire Cat. This is BEAUTIFUL. On my skin, it is powdery and woody. It smells like soft temple incense mixed with baby powder. It reminds me of my younger days when my mom would bathe me, put lotion on me and pat in a little bit of powder so I'd sleep comfortably. In this, I feel delicate and gentle like a true lady. I absolutely adore the scent and will unapologetically douse myself in it all fall and winter. What a surprise!