Acqua di Cuba

AdC opens with a subtle, juicy citrus. At this stage it's classical Italian perfumery. Herbal, spiced and citric. Slowly, the tobacco sneaks it way into the mix. This tobacco is not the sweetened pipe tobacco, instead it's the raw cigar tobacco variety. It's a damp, spicy, aromatic and complex tobacco. As the scent progresses, the tobacco is enhanced with hints of honey and leather. But it never smells like honey+tobacco. Instead all the notes are used to let the tobacco progress, and show it's full aromatic bouquet. What a fantastic masterpiece. I refuse to classify this in terms of oriental or the likes. It defies description. AdC is just a great scent. It's as appropriate in a board meeting, as it is sitting by the beach whilst sipping cocktails. There is zero pretense. It's rustic and rugged, but in a incredibly charming way. It shares a slight resemblence to Odori's Tabacco. But Odori's Tabacco is damp and complex. AdC has a simpler agenda, and accomplishes it much better. If you like tobacco, but find the modern sweet tobaccos leaving you wanting, then this is for you. A fantastic scent. Longevity is fantastic - 15 hours +. Sillage is restrained. AdC never shouts. Instead it just remains present. Rating: 10/10

I got a bottle (from the last 5 available in London SMN store) last weekend. I did 3 sprays in the store and got 3 compliments from strangers on my commute home (!) On initial spray, I smell bright citrus, followed by photo realistic honey and dry tobacco leaves but very slightly. It remains mainly honey throughout which I don’t mind as I was looking for honey more than tobacco. The honey never crosses into gourmand, perhaps balanced well by the tobacco. Projection is arm’s length for the first 4 hours, then skin scent for the rest of the day; on clothes, this lasts more than 24 hours. Performance is way better than Guerlain’s Tobacco Honey, sillage is not as beast mode as Xerjoff Naxos but I can still detect the lovely scent walking especially in windy London. The scent is masculine if you are looking for the masculine notes, feminine if you are looking for feminine; 100% unisex, in my humble opinion. Feel free to message me if you would like a decanted sample (I have the 100ml bottle which I’d never finish using as I have too many ...... :D )

Raw nature, indeed. The almost shrill vibratory presence of apiaries across hot canola and rapeseed and wildflowers in bloom (funky). Definitely has a tang from the bottle that could come across urinal, vaginal, sharp-sweaty, or corpse-like. But the sillage is just witchy and intoxicating. This is not unctuous, mellow and delicious gourmand honey (see rather Mardi Gras, Slowdive, Bee, Velvet Teddy). There's something very serious and confident about this. Damn gorgeous but as challenging in its own way as, I'd say, as Kouros (something in common there, actually) or Hyrax or Aoud Cuir d'Arabie, et al. If you know Cuba by C&S, imagine that topnote that people struggle with but toss the mojito in someone else's face rather than your own; or think Bois Lumiere by Lebreton, sans the sour woodiness. The pure prickly essence of these honey accords is writ large in SMN AdC. I make the tobacco association by way of imagining leaves curing in a hot barn, bugs buzzing, the air pungent and sharp. It's damn gorgeous.

Working on a photoshoot in the actual original Florence "officina" some years ago allowed me the perfect opportunity for a little crafty shopping between barking orders at the talent and production assistants. This is the bad boy that came home with me. I've blabbed on about being a sucker for woody notes (tick "relevant") and green, fresh notes (tick "relevant"), but we've yet to get into the idea of "smoky". Yet here, this concept almost defied logic: it's the leather or even the honey notes that feels "smoked", while the tobacco, like a top quality unlit Cuban "puro" bides its time in a humidor with more than 70% humidity. Again struggling with the idea that any good scent should conform with gender stereotypes, but let's rephrase the discussion and say that not man could feel undermined by this one, even if he is rather cautious and conservative. I might not spritz it every day, but I'm very happy it's there.

It’s been a long time since I enjoyed a fragrance to this extent Let me put this way: It stars as a cologne full of citruses of all different variation’s Then a mix of dry tobacco which is mainly in the back of the scent together with the honey which is the true hidden gem here After a good while like a couple of hours almost 4 hours to be exact another perfect transition surfaces up which is the animalics and to my nose I was in heaven literally It’s what I needed in this time of the year I think it’s the only fragrance from this house that I personally will have reason is it’s the strongest one yet it keeps pumping all day long If you are an older gentleman it’s a must try Dont worry about the fragrance being sweet it’s not I love it and so might you