The thought of perfume containing tobacco essence might be repulsive to some until they realize how good tobacco really smells. It’s the smoke that actually smells so bad, not the tobacco itself. Anyone that has ever walked into a fine cigar shop can appreciate the rich, luxurious scent of good tobacco and see the wonderful possibilities of using that aroma in fine perfume.

Lagerfeld by Karl Lagerfeld is a good example of what tobacco essence can do for perfume. Combining the oils of spices and tobacco, Lagerfeld produces the smoky ambiance of a fine cigar spiked with spices that lend a slightly sweet, fresh note that evokes the very essence of masculine strength and luxury.

Tobacco’s bittersweet aroma makes it a perfect companion to cedar, citrus and spices. Some perfumers have added femininity to it by mixing it with honeysuckle, lemon or ambergris. A touch of coffee or cocoa makes it androgynous yet sensuous.

In fact, tobacco is so versatile that it can be added to nearly any perfume to elicit a variety of emotions or impressions. A scent with tobacco notes can bring to mind anything from dried fruits or gingerbread to the sharp impression of fine whiskey or the fresh scent of freshly cut hay.

Most of us remember the sweet odor of burning leaves in the fall and crisp autumn winds with the sharp bite of winter barely creeping in. Tobacco captures these smells and emotions so perfectly that you don’t realize your nose is enjoying a leaf that is so despised for its commercial use of smoking. Tobacco is also used in the leather family of fragrances as a base or middle note to compliment the scent of leather; in the right combination of scents, it can allude to aged, supple leather to create a warm and rich feeling of winter nights by a fire with a good book and a glass of fine wine.

Of course, there are synthetic versions of tobacco aroma that are being used more frequently in fine perfumes. The environmentally friendly synthetics are very precise and the quality is consistent enough that each batch of perfume maintains the exacting standards of the perfumer.

Regardless of natural or synthetic origin, or whether you deplore the use of tobacco aside from perfume, there’s no doubt that tobacco leaves provide a warm and sensual note to scents for both men and women. The person who wants their presence remembered for an uncommonly delicious fragrance should seek out those unique creations that contain tobacco.

Tim Walt

Fruity perfumes, particularly the more subtle ones, are refreshing and attractive. Many perfumes aren’t immediately noticeable as having fruit essences in them but you would notice a real difference without them. Amarige Mariage by Givenchy, for instance, doesn’t smell fruity but the mimosa, spices and violet depend on the accompanying essences of citrus, peaches and plums to bolster round out its enticing aroma.

Fruits are usually used after a process called “expression” in which they are pressed or squeezed to collect their oils. The peels of citrus fruits yield excellent results with this method because they hold large quantities of oil. Citrus is very cost effective to process for perfume, particularly because the fruit does not have to be of the quality required for sale as food in our markets. Lemons and oranges, the least expensive of citrus oils, are used extensively in many brands and types of perfumes and household products for this very reason. Plus, nearly everyone loves their fresh scent!

The Cold-Pressed Method is also used to harvest fruit oils. Since the oil glands in the fruit rind are easily broken open by pressure or grating, the uncut fruit is deposited in a vat with a very rough interior then rotated. The resulting oils are then collected, decanted and separated from impurities. Favorable economics as well as their pleasant odor make citrus oil a popular ingredient in perfumes and other products.

Many people also like the scent of apples, cherries and strawberries but these three fruits, unfortunately, don’t react as expected to extraction and their attractive scent is lost in the process. When you detect these fruits in various products or perfumes, you smell a synthetic imitation due to their unsuitability for processing.

Bergamot oil, from the fruit of the Bergamot orange tree, is the exception to cheaply harvested citrus oil. Its fresh fragrance is one of the more valuable perfume ingredients due to its relative rarity but more than a third of perfumes made for women contain it. Men’s cologne has recently made liberal use of Bergamot oil as it has become more in demand. Onyx by Azzaro uses Bergamot in combination with lemon, coriander (cilantro), Juniper, cedar wood and musk to create a very masculine and attractive perfume for men. Bergamot is an ideal compliment to the other, heavier ingredients and makes the blend lighter while still maintaining an earthy, masculine scent.

Fruits also lend a youthful attitude to perfumes and an atmosphere of carefree fun, depending upon what other ingredients they’re blended with. Using fruit oils in perfume allows perfumers to convey a variety of moods and emotions as well as unforgettable aromas.

Tim Walt