Mäurer & Wirtz
Mäurer & Wirtz
130 votes
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
The citrus trio erupts with immediate vitality—neroli and bergamot dancing around a distinctly peppery core that feels almost aggressive in its clarity. Lemon adds a zinging edge that's closer to cleaning products than fruit, whilst that black pepper establishes an almost confrontational spice that sets the tone: this is not a comfort fragrance.
As the citrus fades, a quieter, more meditative character emerges. Oak wood absolute develops into something almost leathery, whilst lavender and chamomile create a herbal, almost aromatic-cologne quality. The smoky accord becomes more pronounced—not literal tobacco, but rather the phantom of burnt wood and incense smoke curling through the composition. Geranium adds a faint peppery-green rosiness that keeps everything feeling fresh despite the woody-herbal turn.
A soft, woody-musked base settles onto the skin, with sandalwood providing creamy stability and carnation lending subtle spiced sweetness. The ambergris and vetiver create an impressively intimate finish—barely detectable to anyone closer than conversational distance, yet undeniably present. The fragrance becomes entirely about subtle woody-spicy warmth, a skin scent that rewards proximity with restrained complexity.
Tabac Original is a masterclass in restraint—a fragrance that whispers rather than shouts, yet demands your full attention. The genius lies in how Arturo Jordi-Pey has weaponised spice against the expected. Rather than a tobacco-centric composition, what unfolds is a peppery, almost volatile opening that immediately establishes an air of intellectual precision. That black pepper cuts through the citrus top notes with the sharpness of a freshly lit cigarette ash, creating an entirely unexpected friction between bergamot's brightness and something altogether more austere.
The heart reveals the true character: a woody-green nucleus built around oak wood absolute and lavender that feels distinctly herbal—almost medicinal in its clarity. Chamomile enters quietly, softening the composition's harder edges without ever allowing it to become soft. Geranium adds a subtle green-rosy counterpoint, preventing the fragrance from tipping into pure tobacco-house territory. This is where the 64% smoky accord becomes apparent, not as a literal tobacco note but as the olfactory equivalent of burnt wood and incense—an atmospheric quality rather than a literal rendering.
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4.0/5 (167)