The opening is deceptively sharp and fresh, a one-two punch of leathery saffron and crisp apple, bathed in a haze of that smoky, medicinal Mancera oud. This phase smells like oud chips fermenting in a vat of honey – medicinal, slightly pungent, and deliciously sweet-n-sour.
But it’s not long before the scent shakes off any semblance of freshness and melts into a thick, juicy amber that smells like a river of molten honeycomb coursing around pipe tobacco, dried plums, and fruitcake. Red Tobacco is so confidently spiced with nutmeg and cinnamon, it practically sizzles. With time, the sweet, rich pipe tobacco emerges from its bed of amber and spice to reveal itself as the true star. The bombastic sweetness of the scent is toned down a little by the slightly dirty, smoky oud note and a patchouli note that smells like damp dark chocolate. A naughty little cousin to Montale’s Honey Aoud, Red Tobacco will warm your bones in winter and the blood of anyone who picks up your scent.
