Montabaco

The opening of this fragrance is one of the best I've come across - it's soft aromatic suede leather, tobacco leaf, warm cardamom. There is a lot of ISO E Super in this number, which for me is both good and bad. The good is that in from the opening to the heart notes, it creates truly amazing effects. If you put even a dab of this on, it is very strong, with ISO E Super modulating the sillage into many vapour trails each of which have a slightly different 'take' on the central theme. This really draws you in. People around you would smell it and notice it - and it really does smell a cut above. Very noticeably - but nothing about this fragrance is 'in your face'. So in the beginning, the ISO E Super for me is acting as a modulator for the other scents, keeping everything dynamic and dancing around this central suede/tobacco/cardomom theme. As the scent dries down, I get more and more ISO E super, until it's all I can really notice and if I'm honest the effect is cloying. There are other things there, but the ISO E Super really does dominate. I was truly blown away by this fragrance on first application, and subsequently, the opening never fails to impress. But you have to really like ISO E Super to really dig this one long term (in my opinion), which, let's face it, is a synthetic molecule. If you are into Ormonde Jayne for the naturals which they excel at, it seems to me a bit off piste to go for a fragrance which steers so heavily towards Geza Schoen's calling card a la Molecule 01. Still a great fragrance, but for me Ormonde Man remains at the top of the list of offerings from Ormonde Jayne.

Fresh Tobacco. This is a fantastic take on tobacco. The mellow, woody tobacco is smoked with smooth suede; freshened up with a non-sour zest of bergamot; aromatized with a green accord of tea, juniper, and oakmoss; lightly-spiced with cardamom; sandalwood adds light soft woodiness; finally a clean, aromatic lavender-like note (mountain air? Iso E Super?) adds a further touch of cleanness to complete this olfactive symphony. The final scent is lightly-woody, slightly smoky, fresh, zesty, green, lightly spicy, clean, and cool. It is so well done! I know there is so much going on here but it is so well-blended, like a colorful painting. It almost causes you Stendhal syndrome. Seldom tobacco is made in such a fresh way nowadays, but here not is it only done but done to about perfection. Montabaco is a modernized version of the old, sharp barbershopy citrus-tobacco fragrances like Guerlain Vetiver and D&G Pour Homme but Montabaco is far from being that old sharp barbershop scent. This scent theme also gives the feeling that Montabaco smells familiar or even "generic" to some but that character and depth it has makes it, again, far from that. One of the best masculine scents I've smelled in a while. Like a fresh version of YSL's La Nuit de L'Homme. If you mix La Nuit de L'Homme with Montblanc Legend/A&F Fierce you'll end up with something similar. The opening also reminds me of Carolina Herrera's classic Herrera for Men. This is a great date fragrance. Perfect for neutral and warm weather. Good performance. I totally "Love" it despite how very familiar it smells.

I bought this in winter 2021 and it took me a long time to write about this. This is the first fragrance I bought that is far and away what I would call a masterpiece. I personally use this autumn/winter, under-spray for daytime and normal for special occasions/nighttime. It would suit someone else differently for other times I'm sure. Obviously performance is stellar. It's cool and highly aromatic. It's got a fresh edge to it, and it sparkles and cuts through the air, yet doesn't feel confined to summer. The notes accurately portray what you can expect, but the quality is off the charts. It was the first fragrance to clearly demonstrate how a scent develops over time. It showed me what was possible and what luxury perfume is. The notes are distinct, identifiable yet also balanced and done to complete perfection. I got compliments, my parent's had their minds totally blown by this too. My mom identified each note correctly but at the same time we wanted to wear it. Once you get going smelling this you really don't care about anything else. It's like opiates. It gives super city chic/glam or 2000's Mr. and Mrs. Smith. It gives NYC in the winter, glamorous young woman wearing a dark burberry trench with metallic detailing stepping into a limo, smokey eyes and Victoria Secret blowout and whipping put their phone texting en route. It gives Pierce Bronson and Daniel Craig's James Bond dressed up at a party. Really cool Oriental Fougere.

The first I've tried from Ormonde Jane...I think? Well this is the first review in any case and I have to say, a very impressive fragrance. The composition of this scent is truly well conceived, I often think of Geza Schoen being an ultra modern, minimalist (or con-artist?) due to the eccentric Molecules line. In fairness he's done many works worthy of note like Kinski and Bouddica Wode which are pretty complex. Anyway... Montabaco is a real knockout and I'd say it's quite a floral focused scent at it's core. The sweetness of jasmine and magnolia definite chime strong in this and more so as I was expecting it to be laden with heavy tobacco, especially from the way the SA sold it to me. The tobacco isn't that strong though and even the bergamot, and herbal clary sage/tea combo comes through delivering quite a fresh and uplifting scent. There's a warmth behind it all the time though and I'd attributed that to sandalwood and cedar ~(ISO) but when the main event lands the tobacco sits subtly but powerfully under those top notes. I genuinely couldn't Identify it as tobacco from the first couple of hours and then, as if by magic it's there and suiting the other notes perfectly. It's even a little bit smokey too when you get deep into the drydown. I don't know what else to say about this fragrance other than I wholeheartedly love it, and I want a bottle.

Montabaco by Ormonde Jayne is a fragrance that embodies the signature style of perfumer Geza Schoen and the distinctive DNA of the Ormonde Jayne brand. Although its name suggests a focus on tobacco, the scent is actually centered around a refined tea note with a fresh citrus opening, making it a standout in modern perfumery. The fragrance opens with a bright blend of air note, orange absolute, bergamot, juniper, and clary sage, providing a fresh and invigorating start that captures the senses. The heart features a delicate mix of tea, magnolia, rose, and hedione, creating a floral and aromatic complexity that is elegant and sophisticated. The base of Montabaco is composed of subtle tobacco leaf, suede, sandalwood, tonka bean, ambergris, and musk, adding depth and warmth without overshadowing the tea and citrus notes. This balance makes Montabaco more about a journey through nuanced tea fields rather than the heavier tobacco, making it a true masterpiece of modern perfumery. Perfect for those who appreciate a fragrance that is both fresh and complex, Montabaco offers a contemporary twist on classic elements, making it a versatile choice for any occasion.