Tabac Original EdT (Maurer + Wirtz)

by Thomas

One of the nice things about the ‘old school’ scents is that 1) people have had time to get used to the smell, 2) you can be fairly sure that the scent won’t get yanked from the market, 2b) or reformulated, and 3) they’re inexpensive without being cheap. So, re-holster your Ambre Precieux and Vanille Galante – this here’s some old-school juice.

Since 1959 Maurer & Wirtz have made Tabac Original and it has become Europe’s answer to Old Spice. Truth be told, they don’t smell ALL THAT different, both have now churned through a bunch of flankers, and offer complementary grooming products – both shaving related. (as an aside, Tabac offers a top-notch shaving soap for a reasonable price).

So, what does Tabac smell like? Well, first: there are two variations on Tabac – there is the EdT, and the EdC. Today: the EdT. The opening is…umm…big. Broad. Loud. Spicy and citrusy, and a tad flowery-powdery. Overbearing, even. Big hits of lavender, carnation, pepper, cardamom, and orange blossom, all well-balanced but not too hard to pick apart. The loudness burns away in mere minutes, dulling the spiny pepper and the powdery blossoms.

Into the drydown we have a slight dulling of the spices but Tabac EdT still leans towards a shrill powdery-spicy-carnation-lavender composition. Unfortunately it is easy to over-apply, one spray is quite sufficient for polite company. This is, quite frankly, not what I’d expected based on the soap: the soap is considerably more genteel and rounded.

Out of curiosity, I took a sample of Polo Double Black and put some on the other side of my arm – the fruity notes helped balance things out a bit and dialed back the shrillness of Tabac. Seemed more comfortable and easy-wearing to me, which sadly means that Tabac is probably not going to be a daily wear, no matter how classic it is.

What’s interesting about Tabac is the notes of things remembered. Just as classical composers took folk themes and re-orchestrated them into symphonies, the bones of Tabac have in turn formed the basis for other scents: YSL Kouros and Creed Orange Spice, to name just two. I giggled to myself as I thought…Kouros is for the young buck who wants to be heard (or smelled) and Tabac is for the same man once he cuts his hair and dons a suit.

Year: 1959
Notes: Pepper, Petitgrain, Citrus, Neroli, Lavender, Camomile, Geranium, Oak Moss, Carnation, Sandalwood, Vetiver, Moschus, Ambergris