Tobacco
A rich, warm note that evokes dried tobacco leaf, leather, and a faint honeyed sweetness. Tobacco adds a sophisticated, slightly vintage quality to compositions.
Fragrance Pyramid
Olfactive Character
Rich, warm, and gently smoky. Tobacco in perfumery evokes dried leaf rather than cigarette smoke. It has a honeyed, hay-like quality with hints of leather and dried fruit. Sophisticated and slightly nostalgic.
Origin & Harvest
Tobacco absolute is extracted from cured Nicotiana tabacum leaves by solvent extraction. Virginia and Oriental tobacco varieties produce the most valued absolutes. The curing process is essential to the aromatic profile. Synthetic tobacco accords are also widely used.
Key Molecules
Solanone provides the characteristic tobacco-leaf character. Beta-damascenone adds a honeyed, fruity richness. Megastigmatrienone contributes a subtle, spicy-woody quality. The absolute is complex, with hundreds of identified compounds.
Safety & Regulation
Tobacco absolute is IFRA compliant at standard use levels. Contains known allergens. No nicotine is present in the absolute. The material is used for its aromatic, not pharmacological, properties.
In Perfumery
Found in compositions such as Tobacco Vanille by Tom Ford and 1899 by Histoires de Parfums. Pairs with vanilla, oud, and leather notes. In KIDA KYO, tobacco adds warm, sophisticated depth.
History
Tobacco reached Europe from the Americas in the 16th century. Its use in perfumery began in the early 20th century. The note experienced a renaissance in the 2000s with the success of tobacco-focused niche fragrances.
