Tabac

I've had this for about 2 years now, and I'm just now starting to appreciate it now that I've gotten more into my classic drugstore types of fragrances. This is to Germans what Old Spice is to Americans, if you're my age and you live in Germany, there's a good chance your grandpa wore this stuff every day and maybe your dad has memories of using the bathroom in the morning and it smelling like Tabac. I think the Eau de Cologne was the most popular back then, but this review is going to be for the Eau de Toilette. Now, I love Old Spice, and the current formula of the aftershave is REALLY good still although it doesn't last very long. However, the current formula of the Old Spice EDC is absolute garbage compared to what it used to be. Tabac, however, has held up incredibly well over the years and it still smells great in the opening, great in the mid, and even the dry-down even though it's not anything special, it has something going on with it. If you're going to buy Tabac, just get the modern stuff because they clearly still care about this stuff enough to make it smell good. I'm not sure if I've reviewed this in the past, but I've changed my previous rating of "like" to "love", because this really does smell incredible for the price you can get it at. It's dirt cheap, and I'm actually really happy that I've got 2 bottles of it now. I think I got the pair of them for less than $20 on eBay. I'm very interested to try the EDC, perhaps I'll get a big bottle of the splash version of that so that I can use it like an aftershave. That's a good pro-tip btw: if you want an aftershave that's going to last, just get the splash bottle version of an EDC and it works just about the same as an aftershave. I do this with Canoe, Jovan Musk, and I'd like to do it with this as well. Even though this is definitely not one of the fragrances I'd wear out on a date or anything, or at least it wouldn't be my first pick, this is one of those fragrances I have no issues wearing out in public as even though it does smell like something that your grandpa might have worn, it still holds up and ultimately it just smells nice, fresh, clean and even a bit classy. Much like vintage Old Spice used to smell like back in the day. I think you could wear this into the office as a 30+ guy, but maybe if you were in your 20s you'd have a bit of explaining to do and people might tease you for smelling like an old man. I personally couldn't care less about that shit, so to me it'd be something I might reach for.

I've recently purchased all 3 versions of this (after shave, cologne and eau de Toilette) After shave: Obviously the weakest in terms of longevity, but I find that while it lasts, projection is about the same as the cologne (not great - they both sit quite close and rapidly become a skin scent). The scent itself though, is gorgeous. Rose, carnation and geranium present a beautiful, powdery and softly soapy bouquet. This one is probably my favourite in terms of just the fragrance. I first smelled this on an elderly Spanish gent, and in a flash I realised that floral fragrances are my thing. The aura it gives is relaxed and genteel, not ostentatiously sophisticated or "rich", but certainly not cheap or brash. Quiet, thoughtful and unassuming masculinity, which wears a faded rose as its button hole. Eau de cologne: More lovely floral powderiness here, but with a little time jasmine enters, rather shyly at first, and before it can become too overtly pissy a light, subtly creamy sandalwood appears and blends with it to absolute perfection. Eau de Toilette: Things are quite markedly different here. The EDT opens up with lovely zesty, fuzzy, sherberty lemon notes (some lemon thyme in there as well I think). There is still a noticeable rose, but I find this an altogether fresher experience of rose - one of those higher, "zingier" floral notes. There is not much development with this fragrance, but it really is rather pleasant (trying not to damn with faint praise here!). All in all, a relatively more assertive, fresher incarnation of Tabac, which is somewhat less floral and powdery. Age wise, I think all these versions will tend to appeal to the more mature men and women. For me Tabac, in any of its forms, is a perennial favourite.

Anyone who knows Tabac Original has more than likely heard the claim that the EdC is the one to get—and that the EdT is nothing short of horrid. If you're a Tabac fan, you've probably followed suit and avoided the EdT. I, too, have been wearing—and enjoying—Tabac Original Eau de Cologne for many years now. Yet, without ever having so much as sniffed the EdT, I found myself parroting that same old saw... "Get the Cologne, avoid the EdT at all costs!", I'd warn one and all. The truth is, I hadn't even an inkling of what the Eau de Toilette actually smelled like, and yet, I crowned the EdC König. How absurd. So I finally did something about it. I bought the EdT, tried it, and I am happy to report—I like it. A lot. What does it smell like? To begin with, it's certainly not in any way horrid, nor is it—as one might reasonably expect—simply a stronger concentration of the EdC. Indeed, it is a different fragrance. Soapy. Spicey. But the Tabac DNA is there. That alone makes it interesting. Because like the brand's aftershave, bath soap, shaving soap, deodorant, shower gel, and other products in the line, they all smell slightly different from one another. And according to the company website, they acknowledge this variation on the theme. Although the EdC remains my Tabac of choice, I'm happy I finally got around to trying it. I discovered a new fragrance... and learned a little life lesson in the process. Give Tabac EdT a try. It's still made in Germany. Still inexpensive. Still 100% Tabac. Of course, there's no guarantee you'll prefer it to the EdC, or even that you'll like it... but then again, you just might. Hals und Beinbruch!

Tabac is not really for the average person under 30. A review written by anyone more suited to wearing Paco Rabanne 1 million or something expensive from Guerlain, is going to be skewed against something like Tabac because the latter is less than 30 units of currency (often less than 20) and is available at a local chemist's shop. The young men who don't like it probably had fathers wearing Paco Rabanne and Cool Water, which is fine. The older men who deride it probably want to escape their father's fragrance choices, that's okay too. This is what nostalgia is for them and will inform their fragrance choices. Dismiss any preconceptions and take Tabac for what it is: a rather sophisticated 'barbershop-style' preparation that doubles as a fine understated cologne. Its long heritage and ability to have avoided the slide to the bargain bin that other old classics have suffered, means it has retained a sense of dependable quality. Like Old Spice it has now become intertwined with how old-school gentleman comport themselves. Tabac isn't a cheap musk-bomb, or an overpowering cloud of sandalwood or an alcoholic astringent. It is a complex of crisp floral and citrus top-notes, mild lavender and gentle spices and petitgrain at the heart, woody moss at the bottom and a pinch of tobacco throughout. It doesn't shout out like Brut upon application and it develops well before it dries down. You catch it on your clothes at the end of the day (even the following day) and the fragrance is refined. Tabac is affordable and dependable and quality. It is probably best as a daytime fragrance (both summer and winter).

To hadrian what a good review ! Your words are mine.. I love these barbershop grooming type of scents . Freshly shaven out of the shower you walk to the closet where your +150 frags are divided into 4 olfactory groups all yelling to you : pick me PICK MEEEE.... Its hot and humid and you skip the sweet and deep orientals... Closes the door of this group ... Next door : aquatics (citrus-ozonics) .... Mmmm im done wearing these aqua boys lately im more into a frag with a kick...closes door Next door the woody / leather group ... Mmmm damn its hot today i want some freshness... Maybe i need a sharper citrus like eau savage or rochas?? Last door i open : my oldskool powerhouse group full of soapiness and yes my verdict is done: I pull out the big 300 ml 10.2 oz edc Tabac and splash my upper torso and neck with 2 hands of this magical bliss... Combined with 2 sprays of edt to combine Im al awake fresh and shaven ready to go for work Kissing wife and kids downstairs and they tell me how good i smell ... Not old fashioned - tacky - grandpa stuff but a well done blast of bergamot, aldehydes, lavender, fresh tobacco and florals welcome your new day to come. Drydown is also very sublte as it combines in your cotton leaving a pleasant aura I truly love the EdC and i love the EDT in both ways , where i find that the EDT has more smokiness on the drydown and the Edc has more freshness and light tobacco in offering From start till end both stay linear but good Masterpiece - underrated by many (thank god) , so it will maintain an oddity :-)