Tobacco Oroville (Xerjoff)

By Andrew

I’m having a hard time detaching my impressions of Tobacco Oroville from the expectations raised by its name. Asked to christen this composition after a blind wearing, I’d never have thought to call it “Tobacco” anything. The scent opens on a very nicely balanced blend of sweet citrus – perhaps mandarin and bergamot – and spice, then grows sharply aromatic. After just a few minutes a conspicuous note that smells to me a great deal like caraway wells up to dominate the composition. The caraway remains preeminent for hours, propped up by a construct of astringent aromatics that includes clary sage, geranium, lavender, and maybe just a touch of fennel. Alongside some lingering citrus and vanilla, these establish a brisk, spicy fougère accord in the tradition of Azzaro pour Homme and the old Crown Fougère. While tobacco is unquestionably present, it hardly rates star billing. Indeed, pipe tobacco is much better represented by other (much cheaper) fougères, like Havana, Jules, and Lauder for Men.

Only after three or four hours do the aromatics dissipate sufficiently for the tobacco to register in full, by which time Tobacco Oroville is already well into its powdery vanillic amber, sandalwood, and clean musk drydown. Setting aside my disappointment at not discovering a tobacco scent to rival Havana or Morabito’s Or Black, Tobacco Oroville is a solid scent, though the more I wear it, the more that nagging caraway note seems out of balance. At well over $200 per ounce, I want more than just outstanding ingredients (Mysore sandalwood); I want either blazing originality, an impeccably executed composition, or preferably, both. Since Tobacco Oroville is actually quite conventional in style, it delivers neither in proportion to its price.

Note: Xerjoff may have gotten the message – I’ve noticed they have dropped the “Tobacco” and now market the scent simply as “Oroville.” ;-)

House: Xerjoff
Year: 2010
Notes: clary sage, chamomile, orange blossom, neroli, carnation, tobacco, Mysore sandalwood, galbanum, vanilla, amber, white musk.