TOB/01 Tabac & Jazz Zara 2023

Arguably the most recognisable trumpeter on the planet today, Chris Botti is an international star in the world of pop and an award-winning artist and composer. He left Indiana University during his senior year for brief tours with Frank Sinatra and Buddy Rich. In 1985, he moved to New York to hone his craft as a studio musician. In the 1990s Botti recorded and performed with artists such as Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, Bette Midler, Joni Mitchell, Natalie Merchant, Scritti Politti, Roger Daltrey and the Brecker Brothers, as well as an extraordinary decade-long touring and recording relationship with the legendary Paul Simon. I love this guy and own a bunch of solo albums. I discovered him during one of my business trips, and I would very much like to attend a live show by him, perhaps in one of the historic venues in Manhattan, where you can still breathe that atmosphere full of hints of smoke, alcohol, and leather.

TOB/01 Tabac & Jazz is primarily a tobacco, rum, and vanilla fragrance that kicks off with a sweet and spicy blast. The sweetness comes from the fruits, the citruses, and the blossom. Instead, the spiciness is that of the pink peppercorn, not mentioned, but detectable. Very fleeting top notes of bergamot and orange blossom are present on the nose upon spritzing. This is sweeter, though, but not sugary or bubble gum sweet. Tangy and piquant pink pepper dominates the opening, but artfully and subtly—not to the extent where it almost makes you sneeze. The spicy pink pepper and the citrus peel create a pleasant aromatic and irresistible blend.

Immediately following, the heart notes contain the sweet spicy nuances of an alcoholic rum accord; this prevails over its companions osmanthus and sandalwood, both barely detectable. From the osmanthus, I receive a powdery veil, while the sandalwood offers creamy overtones. These drunken notes are deep, heavy notes that hit you so intensely that some of you might even find them overwhelming. Little by little, the fragrance becomes darker, denser, spicy, sweet, leathery, smoky, and resinous touches appear. Up close, I can smell something bitter and viscous in the background.

Ultimately, the tobacco and vanilla blend gradually replaces the massive alcoholic wash of rum I got in the opening. TOB/01 base notes compile of a smoky tobacco accord, a heavy dose of vanillin, and a smidgen of cedarwood. The scent dries down with the olfactory sensations of smouldering cigars, damp wooden floors, and overtly sweet but profoundly earthy Bourbon vanilla beans. I cannot leave it unsaid that, during the dry down, it becomes noticeably cosier and warmer.

You will appreciate this fragrance if you are looking for a rummy, tobacco-ish scent that’s potent and seductive, yet cosy and comforting. Those masculine top notes settle down into a very sweet, semi-dirty, smoky vanilla, not overtly feminine, that on me lingers close to my skin for many hours. It is best worn at nighttime in fall and winter. With moderate longevity, the scent stays with me for half a day, or night, and has a good projection for the first hour, then becomes more intimate. I rated it 4 longevity and 4 sillage, brief and intimate, sigh. The sweet, woody notes are well-balanced, and the smokiness in the background adds a delicate touch. It has the Brooklyn Jazz Cotton Club vibes, with the massive boozy wash of rum in the opening, gradually replaced by tobacco and vanilla for the drydown. I could be wrong, but this aroma seems familiar to me, and I have the impression that I have already smelled it among the previous ZARA releases.

I'm writing my impressions on a bottle I've owned since October 2023 (BC 32680).

-Elysium

... I go today to listen to a jazz concert. As I enter the room, a cloud of tobacco smoke hits me first. I walk to the bar and order a rum. I enjoy drinking it. The concert begins and it was great.

When applying this fragrance, the first thing you notice is a citrus floral accord with a slight pear note. This is mixed with the alcohol note of the rum, which gives the scent a somewhat masculine touch. A fruity note comes through from the osmanthus, which unites with the sandalwood. Furthermore, vanilla and woody notes blend in. The tobacco enhances the masculine notes.

The longevity and sillage are average.

This is a fragrance for men over 25 years old; I can't really imagine it on younger ones. This perfume makes a good impression on cold days. I wouldn't necessarily wear this scent during the day; I see it more suited for the evening at a dinner, in a bar, or a club.

If you enjoy a sweet leathery woody spicy sweet scent with a masculine vibe, this is a great choice.

Anyone who has ever sniffed Tom Ford's Vanille Fatale will recognize the DNA. Since I never really liked TF (too old-fashioned), I was surprised that I prefer this affordable fragrance. Of course, compromises have to be made: the bottle looks cheap (the cap with wood aesthetic was replaced for me with a simple black plastic cap), the sillage is thin, and overall it is less noticeable than Vanille Fatale (which is just an association on my part). However, the latter is an aspect I like when wearing Tabac & Jazz. It is beautifully vanilla and remains pleasantly noticeable even with a decent dosage (15-20 sprays). A cozy choice for a cooler day that you can wear wonderfully for yourself and it doesn’t hurt. To be honest: €9.99 is so cheap, you really can’t complain (it was on sale at the local Zara store in Kassel).