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Royal Tobacco is a tobacco scent like no other, it’s unique and memorable in its character but not as challenging or polarising as other fragrances in this line such as Silver Oud or King Blue. Whilst I’m not the biggest fan of tobacco, I can really appreciate what a lovely creation this is. The tobacco here is very dry, but smooth, complemented tastefully by an array of gentle resins and balsams giving the scent a slightly smoky, leathery edge. There’s this dry spicy facet coming most noticeably from the gentle whisper of liquorice, which thankfully isn’t overdosed, alongside the warmth of cardamom among other spices. It smells lovely - very smooth, dry and warming with little to no filth or stink about it. It’s not something I love or would rush to buy, as I said I’m not a big fan of tobacco in general, but for those that are I think this is definitely worth checking out.
Hey! Look! I'm the first person to say I love Woody ambers. Well, maybe love is a bit hyperbolic, I certainly like much maligned materials like ambroxan, cashmeran and Norlimbanol, IBQ, etc... which get a hard time from either snobs (include myself in there), or people who don't really understand what they are and how they are being deliberately used to benefit the perfume, or simply people who don't like them, and all of those are okay...it's all subjective and we're all free to have our opinions on stuff. Generally though, I'm not a straight outright hater when it comes to big, tenacious BOMBS and modern materials, so long as they are deftly applied and this SORT OF IS? (kinda??) I couldn't wear this. For all it's hyper colour of chewy, gourmand, resins and vanillic tobacco opening and ashy, smoky drydown, I can't get over the fact that AmberXtreme is screeching in my face. I mean it's a complex and balanced perfume, a modern triumph of tenacity and power, with loads going on and it's somewhat of a return to Amouage going BIG!!! (did they ever stop?) but it's not particularly enjoyable for me, I'm sorry to say. After the initial top notes and interesting tobacco 'angle' it's just kinda relentless! I mean I like aspects of it, and for all my criticism, I do appreciate the style and the skill on display here, but part of me also thinks, it seems as though the likes of Zarokian and Rasquinet have been given carte blanche on the tenacious, super power molecules and for all their talent, can't quite Sheppard these sprawling, beastmode concepts, into subtly conveyed perfume. And believe me if anyone can do it, it's those two. These kinds of release tend to be hit and miss with me personally, I'd site two similar recent offerings, I thought Silver Oud was decent (actually very similar to this, which is strange) and Enclave which I also enjoyed, and is yet another woody amber SLAYER!!!! I guess this is more of a general point about Amouage as much as it is a comment on this particular fragrance, which I don't hate btw, and I'm not saying is bad, like I said you either connect or you don't. My broader point about Amouage is just the direction, stuff under Chong (and before) used to be impactful and stylish and still is, but in a whole new way, I'm just not used to it yet and nor do I feel that the releases have been as good, sorry Mr Salmon. Top marks for the bottle. It seems they have scrapped the Opus style flask now (although Silver Oud was in one of those? I'm confused.) and this is housed in a standard collection, 'Man' bottle, which is all Matt finished white with a black cap and looks sleek and stylish but functional, like a souped up Mercedes or BMW M3 or something? UPDATE 16/08/22 So I was confident my appraisal of this perfume (based on spraying on my arm a couple of times) was accurate and I have enough experience to pen a review when not exactly the most familiar with a perfume, figuring my thought wouldn't change too much. Well they have! haha. No, fundamentally I stand by any implied negativity above (I wasn't that negative was I? I liked it even with minor critique) but having worn this for a day I have to say the experience was FANTASTIC! Which just goes to prove you should always wear things properly and give them a chance because studying something intently on your arm, you are going to fixate over the heavy set, woody ambers, and the sheer complexity of the thing. However when you wear it and let that go, it's not a screechfest but an inherently rewarding experience of dry ashen smoke and chewy resins with that dark tobacco/licorice opening and trail, then the amberX carefully softened and buffed to a satin sheen. I actually love it, I have to say.
This is magnificent, but far removed from what I had anticipated. I had expected to smell like an unfeasably wealthy Arabian prince who chain-smoked his way through 60 Marlboro Reds a day. Instead, this is oddly close to a gourmond, especially in the opening, which is a blast of fenugreek, aniseed and liquorice, mixed with soft caramel and chocolate. It's Amouage, so it's very powerful, undoubtedly too potent with even a hint of warmth in the air, but it positively unfurls in colder weather.
As it settles it mellows to a birch tar amber incense, heavy on the frankincense, mildly animalic, mixed with musky rose. It's still sweet, still herbal and spicy, but much more reserved ( and hence, wearable in general company). Oddly, I don't really get much in the way of tobacco at all.
As with most Amouages, its stength means spare application is necessary, but it's one of the more approachable house creations, and one I would wear in most situations.