Tobacco Nuit
Atelier Cologne (2016)

While I'm glad that this is not another sickly sweet tobacco, the opening harkens directly to Cartier Declaration.

A very dirty intro passes to a smoother heart, but the cumin resides through to the base.

I was hoping for more citrus to overcome the cumin, maybe my skin chemistry pulls the other direction. YMMV.

I don't get much tobacco, if any, the cumin shoves everyone else out of the way.
So I don't sense any incense, patchouli, or labdanum; bummer, man.

5/10

I find most tobacco scents err towards the "blonde tobacco" theme, which I find a little irksome for at least two reasons: i. I prefer the smell of a good honest pipe or strong cigar; ii. no-one I've come across since returning to the UK has smoked anything like the blonde version of the weed. This means that the likes of the prominent tobacco scents by Tom Ford and Phaeton, among others, trade on an ideal type that is not be found anywhere in (my) reality.

Atelier's Tobacco Nuit takes a valiant stab at bolstering this somewhat weedy (pun intended) take on tobacco and darkens it with the use of spiced accords; you'll see them all the way through the pyramid. The opening has that spice drawer/cupboard effect, to the point where some may sneeze on exposure. Through whatever means, the tobacco accord is darker and to my nose more pleasant than many others. A touch of vanilla makes for a smooth and long finish. A definite win in my books.

A standard issue tonkabacco with a hit of cumin in the opening that dirties things up and threatens to make things interesting.

The opening is a citrus-spicy mix: am the citrus is tangerine with and orangey touch. The spice is mainly a strong cumin, which is given additional complexity by a cardamom note. The spices, which at times are emanating whiffs of labdanum too and are quite smooth, cover up the freshness of the citrus and make the latter more a glowing than a brightly shining contribution.

Very early in the drydown to tobacco tin is opened. This is a smooth pipe tobacco, quite rich and soft; it lacks any smokiness, harshness, smokiness, and there is no gasoline note à la Knize Ten present here. After a while the spices in the top notes are replace by a more incense-like component, with blends in perfectly with the tobacco.

The base adds a tonka impression that has a woodsy undertone, which the latter being somewhat nonspecific in character. Touches of a soft and quite thin patchouli come and go towards the end.

I get moderate sillage, excellent projection and a splendid thirteen hours of longevity on my skin.

This is a good autumnal tobacco scent, which, at times, reminds me of a complex version of Tom Ford's Tobacco Vanille, displays some original touches in the earlier phases and is blended very astutely. The development shows good complexity, and the performance is impressive. Overall 3.25/5

Tobacco Nuit Alas I applied this lightly and then lost my sample . Worn for a gig night, it was really distinguished. There was a clear tobacco and woods opening - just like opening a posh wooden cigar humidor. The discernible tobacco lasting the first hour with a smokey caramel blend, then it was all about the woods. As far as I could tell mainly quality sandalwood giving an impression of antique furniture: teak / rosewood / french-polish etc. Oh, and spices, lots of savoury spice like corriander seed, cumin, all-spice.Austere and never over-sweet The marketing blurb goes on about a Jazz-club and thats not a bad picture. I just pictured an old-school London gentlemans club like the Forum with wooden panelling, wing-back leather chairs. A kind of conservative scent. One of the most masculine from AC. This could stand up well against offerings from Serge Lutens. I'm thinking Egoiste with Tobacco. 84/100

This contends with any Amouage: strong from start to finish, this begins with a sweet, complex tobacco/citrus and ends with a drier tobacco plus a hint of smokey incense. Beautiful.