Tobacco Nuit by Atelier Cologne

Hey Posse, Tobacco Nuit has been in my collection for a while. After draining a 3ml decant from Surrender To Chance in weeks I bought a pre-loved bottle from a FB Sale Doc. It came around half full maybe, you can see it’s been loved. From the Orient Collection, which were the first releases after L’Oreal acquired the brand in 2016. It consisted of Encens Jinhae, Mimosa Indigo, Philtre Ceylan, Poivre Electrique and Tobacco Nuit. I thought I’d reviewed this here ages ago and was surprised to find it has missed having its moment in the Posse sun (as Patty so beautifully wrote about on her ALoF Freckled and Beautiful post the other week)

Tobacco Nuit by Atelier Cologne 2016

Tobacco Nuit by Atelier Cologne

Parfumo gives us these featured accords:
Top: Italian clementine, Russian coriander, Indian cumin
Heart: Egyptian labdanum, Turkish tobacco flower, Uzbek frankincense
Base: Atlas cedar, Brazilian tonka bean, Indonesian patchouli

Tobacco Nuit is a good name, eh? It conjures up stories of grandpa smoking his pipe with a whisky in hand. He’d be sitting by the fire and telling stories of derring do and adventure. You’d have hot chocolate and adoring faces. Life would be a fairy tale. Sadly, it’s not really like that though. Sorry.

What does Tobacco Nuit smell like?

Sweet herbal spiciness opens. A sizzle of spices in the pan. Frankincense is already in noticeable amounts. So is the creamy whirl of lightly animalic labdanum. A perfect autumn/winter fragrance. I am warmed and cozy in Sydney on this very cool spring night. Quietly surprised cinnamon isn’t a featured note however, because my nose picks it up distinctly.

 

Tobacco Nuit by Atelier Cologne

 

The heart of Tobacco Nuit dries out, becomes smoother and richer. It also cools a bit as the spices burn off. Subsequently the sizzling smokiness becomes unburnt incense, sweet amber and a clean-ish 21st century patchouli. Still cozy. There is tobacco but not the honeyed super sweet animalic creature niche has led us to adore. Here it’s quieter, less showbiz.

I find Tobacco Nuit unisex, leaning traditionally masculine but not ferociously so. Longevity is excellent and it remains softly fragrant for a few hours before dropping off to a whisper.

Does it read like you could wear Tobacco Nuit?
Portia xx

  • Tara C says:

    I have this and really enjoy it. I would not have guessed it had cumin in it, I don’t smell it.

    • Portia says:

      Hey TaraC,
      Yeah, it isn’t the big sweaty cumin of other fragrances. Spicy herbaceous rather than sweaty jock.
      Having said that I don’t find Déclaration d’Un Soir by Cartier particularly sweaty either and others find it repulsive.
      Portia xx

  • NancyC says:

    I’m sure I tried this once upon a time, since Sephora was a haunt of mine, but can’t remember what it smelled like now. I did pick up a small bottle of the Mimosa Indigo from the collection. Need to pull it out for an appearance on the perfume tray!

    • Portia says:

      Hi NancyC,
      Sephora is amazing. We only got it here in Australia a couple of years ago and I love it, so much good browsing.
      OOOOH! I never tried Mimosa Indigo! What’s it like?
      Portia xx

  • March says:

    That sounds delightful! So interesting about the cinnamon, I love those “phantom notes” when they show up, as long as they’re something I like…

    • Musette says:

      I know, right? Nobody wants to get a note that smells like an old, empty tuna fish can… or a litter box… and these days, who knows! It could happen! xoxox

    • Portia says:

      Heya March,
      Yeah, “Phantom Notes” happen a lot. I wonder if the perfumers just don’t include everything or if I’m creating the smell from flawed pieces of scent memory? I like that they’re there though because it adds layers and levels of unexpected.
      Portia xx

  • Musette says:

    I keep thinking I have a lot of tobacco scents because the whole ‘Grandpa’s pipe’ always sounds so comforting… but the only one I have is Liz Zorn’s (Soihvole) Tobacco and Tulle, which I love – it’s that warm, rich tobacco with florals – and it’s gorgeous!
    xoxoxo

    • Portia says:

      Hey Musette,
      I think there’s a small bottle of Tobacco and Tulle around here from one of Liz’s big sales. Now I am going to look for it.
      Portia xx

  • Dina C. says:

    I’m afraid this would be my kryptonite: with tobacco, cumin and patchouli. I love the word picture you paint though. Sounds spicy good.

    • Musette says:

      my kryp in this, Dina, would be the cumin. I amp cumin something awfy – past ‘light sweat’ and into ‘omg! go take a shower’ realm. There’s a distinct possibility that this would end up being ‘grandpa needs to change his Depends’ on me – alas. xoxoxo

    • Portia says:

      Bummer DinaC,
      Glad you enjoyed the read though.
      Portia xx