Long before it was commodified and commercialized by Europeans, tobacco had a long history in the indigenous Americas as a sacred plant, smoked or burned for shamanic healing, purification and dream-vision rituals. This is the inspiration for Tabac Tabou, a tobacco perfume unlike any other, which strips away the preconceptions of cigarettes and cigars and Western indulgences and returns this holy crop to the natural domain from which it originally draws its great, mystical power.

In Tabac Tabou, the tobacco leaf arrives folded in whiffs of fresh hay and wild landscape, rich and utterly untamed. A green, fresh narcissus meets white flowers, rough-hewn leather and compellingly fur-like animalic notes. Sweet, honeyed immortelle supports the main ingredient's natural sweetness, while unannounced secret ingredients lend incredible depths of earthy yet delicate nuance, confirming our feeling that this isn't so much a standard fragrance as it is a direct pipeline to a mystical world that used to be.

Featuring a high quantity of extremely rare and precious materials, Tabac Tabou is now part of Parfum d'Empire's permanent collection, but the fragrance will be produced each year in restricted quantities, with the label indicating the vintage.

Tabac Tabou Fragrance Notes

Immortelle, tobacco, narcissus, honey, grass, musk

Tabac Tabou Sizes Available:

50ml

~~$205~~ $145

0.7ml sample

If you like Tabac Tabou Extrait de Parfum, we recommend you try:

Fougere Bengale by Parfum d'Empire

Anubis by Papillon Artisan Perfumes

Salome by Papillon Artisan Perfumes

Bois d'Ascese by Naomi Goodsir

Iris Cendre by Naomi Goodsir

MEM by Bogue Profumo

Here's what other people are saying about Tabac Tabou...

My sample of Tabac Tabou started out sexy-very Chanel No. 5. It morphed into the smell of a classy older woman who still fits into all of her beautifully-tailored old clothing but who also has a bladder-control issue. My husband agreed. The urine notes in the musk are too intense. Minus the "beautifully tailored old clothing" I fear I might become that older woman. Trampolines are already off-limits for me. Wearing Tabac Tabou would inspire me to do more Kegel exercises, but I think I'd rather set an alarm on my phone or put a post-it somewhere.

By elizabeth - potter from Philly on 4/3/2019

Very grassy, warm, with a touch of smoke on me. Sweet without being gourmand or cloying and very sexy in a unique way.

By Keila - Chef from Vancouver on 2/13/2019

This is certainly my favorite scent purchase of 2018. It's a solid masterwork. I find that the scent stays very close to the opening notes all day long. Its sillage is understated but the scent is beautiful on the body or clothes. I wear it in both places. I find notes of honey and some white flowers but also, as others have noted, an animalistic note--maybe barnyard but not hay, maybe fecal but not a bathroom. It's very sexy, very adult, not for the faint of heart.

By Joseph - Man about Town from Washington DC on 12/25/2018

This is really beautiful. I sampled it in the W Hollywood story and it was magical. I had a bottle sent to me and I've worn it many times in the past six weeks. It's luscious, earthy, primal. It's dirty. It's simply great. And the reason I wanted to review it is because it lasts all day--very impressive. The drydown is very true to the opening, if softer. I love how I get a whiff of it several hours after I first sprayed it. I do spray it on my t-shirt and arms; it lasts longest on my t-shirt.

By Joseph - Man about Town from Washington DC on 12/21/2018

Holy wow, this perfume is crazy, and I love it. Narcissus, with hay and warm, furry animals bounding about in there. In spite of its name, I wouldn’t have picked up on tobacco as a major note. However, upon reflection, this does remind me somewhat of the smell of nicotiana flowers, which are related to the tobacco plant, so maybe that’s more the angle. Dirty-innocent; natural-sexy. I like it. This also feels like a sister scent to Fougere Bengale from the same house, which I love too, though Bengale’s immortelle is much more noticeable. Tabac Tabou’s immortelle is more a supporting note, blended in with all the other sweet wild things. Definitely need more of this one.

By Molly - writer from Seattle on 11/9/2018

This is actually quite nice. I didn’t think i would like it but it’s quiet and not heavy with tobacco. I will give this a chance.

By Mary Burrell - Medical Technician from Dallas on 3/11/2018

Very beautiful, love the mix of grass/hay and narcissus in the beginning. Very faint tobacco, however - in fact, kind of faint overall. The vaunted rare and precious materials fade very quickly.

By jerseymaiden - writer from saratoga springs ny on 5/31/2017

Very nice tobacco and hay. Very smooth, not too sweet. A bit like Aomassai. Nothing for a top note though. Would be nice with some galbanum to sharpen the beginning.

By seline - teacher from chi on 5/19/2016

loving this fragrance, especially the sweet, clean hay and tobacco. 'thought the narcissus and immortelle might be too much for me but the balance is lovely. because i wanted more tobacco, i've been wearing it layered with bell'antonio by hilde soliani. that combo is perfection! longevity is great; i can smell it at the end of the workday.

By marina - program coordinator from los angeles on 1/27/2016

Floral start with that smell less intense after dry down. I was picking up sandalwood and incense (patchouli?) It was not the smell for me. I totally missed the tobacco.

By W Kevin - Restaurateur from Charlotte on 1/24/2016

Love at first sniff! It opens with the most true to life narcissus that I have ever experienced. Then it becomes a fresh tobacco note blended exquisitely with immortelle. A fresh, almost herbal green tobacco mixed with a rich honeyed sweetness. An absolute masterpiece! Gorgeous springtime in a bottle.

By Alisha - Perfume enthusiast from California on 1/22/2016

I just don't get beyond the hay and honey. Quite bland on me. I want a fragrance to make me feel sexy or pretty. This does neither.

By Anonymous - Surgeon from Austin on 1/17/2016

Animalic Opening. The honey note is quite pleasant, adding a faint sweetness that is never too much. This lends an almost caramelizing effect on the hay and tobacco. Nicely constructed, just not my cup of tea. Well done. Thumbs up pass.

By Jim - Not for Profit from Chicago on 11/27/2015

That opening hay note really is as big as a field. This is a big scent in general; the tobacco is beautiful and fresh (without being at all "smoky"), and when that narcissus moves out of the way it settles into a rich earthy-leather palette with just a hint of a sweet autumn-leaf smell. Very livable, though that first moment of H*A*Y!!! is, as it probably should be, sort of a private happy moment for the wearer.

By Angela - editor from Seattle on 11/11/2015

This masterpiece reminds me of the great Creed Tabarome Prive (Vintage) in the drydown. Parfum d'Empire has never let me down but I didn't expect it to be this good! I immediately purchased a bottle after sampling.

By Jermel KIdd - Musician from Pensacola on 11/10/2015

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