Reviews of "Vintage" Tabaróme by Creed
This for me is the pinnacle of fragrance. There are plenty of reviews that should give you all an idea of what to expect. I'll simply add that this is my favourite. Guerlain Derby is my second favourite, but some distance back. Would I ever buy more to boost my last 10mls? let's be real, no not a chance. Not even at a quarter of what it currently changes hands for.
Creed Tabaróme (1970) or "Vintage Tabaróme" as it's sometimes known, is the original tobacco offering from the esteemed house of Creed, and part of the vaulted eau de toilette series that represents re-creations of what were once claimed to be past commissions from their historical clientele. Creed have since retconned most of that unverified history, and most of these old "gray caps" stay in the vault now, never to be seen again. In most instances, the claimed resurrections of past commissions really just smelled like Creed's take on popular designer tropes claimed to be older than what they resembled a la Creed Orange Spice (1986) compared to Yves Saint Laurent Kouros (1981) despite both being Pierre Bourdon creations, but in some cases like Fleur de Thé Rose Bulgare (1980), do smell like something that could have once been commissioned in old times by a monarch or some such person of means. In regards to original Tabaróme, I can see why it was eventually replaced with Tabaróme Millésime (2000), as this is such a dark and uncompromisingly masculine scent in such a base and crude way that it goes strictly against the sort of upturned noses and frilly lace shirts bullshit Creed was selling as market copy at the time, until a more modern sense of haute bourgeoisie took over into the 2000's and necessitated a move away from baroque interpretations of elitism Creed had favored when still operating from a single boutique in Paris. As for me, I just like things that smell good, and I ignore the hubris in the market copy, I just can't ignore the price.
The opening is pure aldehyde kick, but darkened with the anise and spiced orange vibes of mandarin and clove. Bergamot is here too, and stronger spices like black pepper and pimento come along as well with birch tar smoke reminiscent of Hermès Bel-Ami (1986). Some of the "brown" feeling into the heart also reminds me a bit of another Hermès, the older Équipage (1970), but an even closer comparison would be to the mail order discount house Avon with their fragrance simply called Leather (1966). This comparison really makes sense into the dry down, as a "boot leather" and virile amber quality enter with the oakmoss and slight Mousse de Saxe vibe, finished up with some vetiver and a bit of tonka. I'm guessing the tonka is the link to tobacco the scent is going for with a name like Tabaróme anyway, but this is definitely more of a leather chypre with a heavy clove element and an animalic amber vibe. Some people like to say this smells the most like Clubman Pinaud Special Reserve (19??), but that scent is far more about clove and a dry brown shoe leather than the heady mix here, which has more in common with the aforementioned Avon Leather but does get closer to the Pinaud far later. Wear time is about eight hours or so and this doesn't scream on my skin, but it is quite the shockingly hirsute fragrance for a brand known most to make pretty ambergris floral citric things that make all the nouveau-riche boys crazy. Best use for me is in fall through early spring, and you're going to turn heads smelling like you wrestled a bear once.
When I initially smelled what replaced this, Creed Tabaróme Millésime, I was pretty disappointed at the distinct downplaying of the tobacco note in a composition that is named after the stuff. However in "Vintage Tabaróme", I can also see that tobacco is ironically not the star player here, even if the fragrance is more to my liking than Tabaróme Millésime. Overall, what you can expect from Tabaróme is a stiff old 20th century leather chypre full of aldehydes, isobutyl quinoline leather, birch tar, and a Mousse de Saxe riff running straight through the heart of it. The stuff is pretty grand but also a challenge to modern noses used to more deliberately "pleasant" smells, while Tabaróme takes no prisoners as a full-on masculine chypre assault not unlike a number of drugstore/high street leathers from the 1940's through 1960's. Since Creed Tabaróme is like thousands of dollars for just a taste, while you can fill a bathtub with Pinaud or vintage Avon and still have enough money to pay your mortgage, credit cards, the car payment, plus even have money to sock away for Timmy's college fund after splurging on fragrance, I see zero reason to get excited about or even recommend this to anyone, period. That said, I can see why old Creed heads who bulked up on gray caps or their associated cloth-covered flacons back in the day went nuts over the switch between this one and Tabaróme Millésime, since this is like switching out a vintage Jaguar XJ6 for a Ford-built Jaguar X-Type and saying it's the same thing, then wanting to charge even more money. Thumbs up.
The opening is pure aldehyde kick, but darkened with the anise and spiced orange vibes of mandarin and clove. Bergamot is here too, and stronger spices like black pepper and pimento come along as well with birch tar smoke reminiscent of Hermès Bel-Ami (1986). Some of the "brown" feeling into the heart also reminds me a bit of another Hermès, the older Équipage (1970), but an even closer comparison would be to the mail order discount house Avon with their fragrance simply called Leather (1966). This comparison really makes sense into the dry down, as a "boot leather" and virile amber quality enter with the oakmoss and slight Mousse de Saxe vibe, finished up with some vetiver and a bit of tonka. I'm guessing the tonka is the link to tobacco the scent is going for with a name like Tabaróme anyway, but this is definitely more of a leather chypre with a heavy clove element and an animalic amber vibe. Some people like to say this smells the most like Clubman Pinaud Special Reserve (19??), but that scent is far more about clove and a dry brown shoe leather than the heady mix here, which has more in common with the aforementioned Avon Leather but does get closer to the Pinaud far later. Wear time is about eight hours or so and this doesn't scream on my skin, but it is quite the shockingly hirsute fragrance for a brand known most to make pretty ambergris floral citric things that make all the nouveau-riche boys crazy. Best use for me is in fall through early spring, and you're going to turn heads smelling like you wrestled a bear once.
When I initially smelled what replaced this, Creed Tabaróme Millésime, I was pretty disappointed at the distinct downplaying of the tobacco note in a composition that is named after the stuff. However in "Vintage Tabaróme", I can also see that tobacco is ironically not the star player here, even if the fragrance is more to my liking than Tabaróme Millésime. Overall, what you can expect from Tabaróme is a stiff old 20th century leather chypre full of aldehydes, isobutyl quinoline leather, birch tar, and a Mousse de Saxe riff running straight through the heart of it. The stuff is pretty grand but also a challenge to modern noses used to more deliberately "pleasant" smells, while Tabaróme takes no prisoners as a full-on masculine chypre assault not unlike a number of drugstore/high street leathers from the 1940's through 1960's. Since Creed Tabaróme is like thousands of dollars for just a taste, while you can fill a bathtub with Pinaud or vintage Avon and still have enough money to pay your mortgage, credit cards, the car payment, plus even have money to sock away for Timmy's college fund after splurging on fragrance, I see zero reason to get excited about or even recommend this to anyone, period. That said, I can see why old Creed heads who bulked up on gray caps or their associated cloth-covered flacons back in the day went nuts over the switch between this one and Tabaróme Millésime, since this is like switching out a vintage Jaguar XJ6 for a Ford-built Jaguar X-Type and saying it's the same thing, then wanting to charge even more money. Thumbs up.
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I get just a hint of that "turned vintage masculine" vibe in the opening, before it's overwhelmed by what I'd swear is aldehydes. It's soapy, powdery, clean-smelling, dry & kind of "white" in tone. Ten minutes in, it all settles into smoky, peppery woods with a faint touch of bergamot. Sniffing up close, there's something vaguely mentholated, then half an hour late there's leather. Ninety minutes in, it all sweetens slightly, & at the same time there's a crisp, papyrus-like note running through it. After three hours, there's salty ambergris & moss, & later a metallic twang, which could be vetiver. There is a vaguely gingery note here too, if I search for it, but at this point it's become a skin scent. It's still going softly seven hours in.
I don't get tobacco here at all, & this isn't something I would wear, but I appreciate having had the chance to try it.
I don't get tobacco here at all, & this isn't something I would wear, but I appreciate having had the chance to try it.
This one doesn't suit me. I get an image of a sink of dishwater after the dishes have been washed, right before draining the sink. It's harsh and unwearable for me.
Trying this again a few months later, I had forgotten my review, and I was coming here to give it a thumbs down, and see it's already done. Today, this one reminded someone next to me of "Dollar Store potpourri," which didn't sound wrong.
Trying this again a few months later, I had forgotten my review, and I was coming here to give it a thumbs down, and see it's already done. Today, this one reminded someone next to me of "Dollar Store potpourri," which didn't sound wrong.
The "newer" Tabarome Millesime has always struck me as an intense, tobacco-leather and spice experience. Trying out the "Vintage" version was interesting, to say the least.
It happens to be full-bodied, with the presence of controversial oakmoss to add its lichen-like earthy mossiness. Definitely leathery and suited for older, more mature wearers; there are plenty of Creed scents that younger wearers can appreciate (e.g. Viking, Erolfa, et. al.), but this may not be one of them.
The newer Tabarome has a gingery presence which "Vintage" lacks. Patchouli is another note that I really catch in the newer one as well, not to forget the legendary ambergris accord; "Vintage" relies on regular, albeit nice, amber resin instead.
Between the two, I have been so used to the 2000 Tabarome that "Vintage" (from 1875) just feels a bit rigid and dated to me in comparison.
It happens to be full-bodied, with the presence of controversial oakmoss to add its lichen-like earthy mossiness. Definitely leathery and suited for older, more mature wearers; there are plenty of Creed scents that younger wearers can appreciate (e.g. Viking, Erolfa, et. al.), but this may not be one of them.
The newer Tabarome has a gingery presence which "Vintage" lacks. Patchouli is another note that I really catch in the newer one as well, not to forget the legendary ambergris accord; "Vintage" relies on regular, albeit nice, amber resin instead.
Between the two, I have been so used to the 2000 Tabarome that "Vintage" (from 1875) just feels a bit rigid and dated to me in comparison.
Stardate 20171231:
It is a decent fragrance. One of the few decent Creeds. The leather is that of K10 type (which I dislike). But creed made it muted and that works well.
Pretty linear and nothing remarkable. I do not understand the hype.
Clubman Pinaud Special Reserve has the same leather accord up top and much better drydown. And at $7 a much better option than this overhyped unicorn.
Pass
It is a decent fragrance. One of the few decent Creeds. The leather is that of K10 type (which I dislike). But creed made it muted and that works well.
Pretty linear and nothing remarkable. I do not understand the hype.
Clubman Pinaud Special Reserve has the same leather accord up top and much better drydown. And at $7 a much better option than this overhyped unicorn.
Pass
It is an exceptional fragrance and more suited for your personal enjoyment than making a statement. It has a laid back aroma of pipe tobacco and is immensely enjoyable to wear.
It has a very calming effect on the wearer.
It has a very calming effect on the wearer.
This is what I was hoping for the first time I tried Tabarome Millesime, but I found out that the two fragrances have only a minor resemblance to each other.
Millesime is dominated by a syrupy sweet gingery molasses'y note that overpowers the entire fragrance after about 10 minutes. The opening of Millesime is quite nice, but once the gingery syrupy note takes over, that's all I can smell.
VT doesn't have the gingery note at all. It's a much drier, more sophisticated fragrance with each note standing out on it's own, but still somehow blended into one harmonious fragrance. It also has the smoky tobacco dry down that I was expecting with Millesime but never got.
The only downside of VT is that the opening is a bit harsh, at least to my nose. I have to give it at least 30 minutes before I'm in love with it, sometimes longer.
If you've tried Millesime and find something that you like about it, but can't tolerate the ginger sweetness, give VT a try.
Millesime is dominated by a syrupy sweet gingery molasses'y note that overpowers the entire fragrance after about 10 minutes. The opening of Millesime is quite nice, but once the gingery syrupy note takes over, that's all I can smell.
VT doesn't have the gingery note at all. It's a much drier, more sophisticated fragrance with each note standing out on it's own, but still somehow blended into one harmonious fragrance. It also has the smoky tobacco dry down that I was expecting with Millesime but never got.
The only downside of VT is that the opening is a bit harsh, at least to my nose. I have to give it at least 30 minutes before I'm in love with it, sometimes longer.
If you've tried Millesime and find something that you like about it, but can't tolerate the ginger sweetness, give VT a try.
This is by far the best Creed that I have smelled hands down.
The opening had a bit of citrus in it which quickly faded away giving way to leather and tobacco notes which lasted for much of the life of the fragrance. Oakmoss was present throughout the entirety of the scent. I was able to pinpoint some of the notes mentioned on fragrantica such as the amber, pepper, and sandalwood. I wouldn't consider it that dry of a fragrance. It's definitely apparent that the ingredients that make up VT are top notch and the scent is so unique. I get moderate silage and good longevity from it. I consider this a bit more versatile than I imagined prior to getting my first impressions of it. Good for wearing for formal occasions and perhaps special and upscale events as well. I do get a mature vibe from this scent and likely younger people may not like this unless of course they are into vintage fragrances. Overall this one of a kind and another yesteryear masterpiece from the classic Creeds. Well Done!
The opening had a bit of citrus in it which quickly faded away giving way to leather and tobacco notes which lasted for much of the life of the fragrance. Oakmoss was present throughout the entirety of the scent. I was able to pinpoint some of the notes mentioned on fragrantica such as the amber, pepper, and sandalwood. I wouldn't consider it that dry of a fragrance. It's definitely apparent that the ingredients that make up VT are top notch and the scent is so unique. I get moderate silage and good longevity from it. I consider this a bit more versatile than I imagined prior to getting my first impressions of it. Good for wearing for formal occasions and perhaps special and upscale events as well. I do get a mature vibe from this scent and likely younger people may not like this unless of course they are into vintage fragrances. Overall this one of a kind and another yesteryear masterpiece from the classic Creeds. Well Done!
One thing I'll give Vintage Tabarome is that with a drop I'm still getting some scent going on so longevity and sillage must be at the top level. It's like a nice green cayenne pepper citrus. Very unique and easily better than the new Creed Tabarome. VERY MANLY. The citrus and the pepper with the basenotes is what makes it so unique. It's almost like Tabasco leather. I'll probably have to age another 20 years before I can pull this off. I'll also probably have to age before anything like this gets released again. I think what makes this a great scent for me is what reminds me of oakmoss in Grey Flannel. Fragrantica has it in the notes but others (including Creed) don't list it. The perfumed court says there's tobacco but it doesn't seem like the tobacco in the new Tabarome which is like cigarettes. One of the best scents ever.
When I was very young (30+ years ago), we would visit my great grandmother's house and there was an overall fragrance of linseed oil and musty odor. She also used some kind of cream to polish her silverware. That's the combination in Vintage Tabarome. A dank, dusty, oily smell. I'd give it a thumbs down rating if it wasn't for this very personal affectionate sense memory. Not sure that this is something that would be pleasant as a personal fragrance, but I can't help having a little respect for it.
Genre: Leather
Vintage Tabarome is one of those much-admired scents that I approach with a certain degree of trepidation. Its reputation looms so large that I fear disappointment. Having now worn it, I can't say that I like it, but I do admire it, and I certainly understand what all the fuss is about. Like some other early twentieth century landmarks, including Bandit, Knize Ten, and Tabac Blond, Tabarôme is utterly uncompromising. Nowhere does it bow to "prettiness." This is Churchills's cigar, smoked in a leather paneled gentlemen's club. It's "dated," but that's not necessarily a pejorative. It's just that Tabarôme speaks of a particular time, milieu, and social class. I find it hard to wear myself - it makes me feel stuffy and even a bit dowdy, but I must admit the quality is there.
Vintage Tabarome is one of those much-admired scents that I approach with a certain degree of trepidation. Its reputation looms so large that I fear disappointment. Having now worn it, I can't say that I like it, but I do admire it, and I certainly understand what all the fuss is about. Like some other early twentieth century landmarks, including Bandit, Knize Ten, and Tabac Blond, Tabarôme is utterly uncompromising. Nowhere does it bow to "prettiness." This is Churchills's cigar, smoked in a leather paneled gentlemen's club. It's "dated," but that's not necessarily a pejorative. It's just that Tabarôme speaks of a particular time, milieu, and social class. I find it hard to wear myself - it makes me feel stuffy and even a bit dowdy, but I must admit the quality is there.
Finally got a sample of this and tried it today.
I definitely hear the chypre but it's riding on this cedar/mothball current in the background. My parents are in their 80's and I feel like I'm sitting in their house.
This smells like old people
I definitely hear the chypre but it's riding on this cedar/mothball current in the background. My parents are in their 80's and I feel like I'm sitting in their house.
This smells like old people
Vintage Tabarome is the best tabacco fragrance I've ever smelled. This is a scent that makes me feel very rich and powerful when I wear it. The dry down smells like Patou Pour Homme with a stronger tabacco note. Along with Patou Pour Homme and Derby, VT is the very best that money could buy.
One must harden without ever losing tenderness.
When facing a fragrance like Vintage Tabarome we should all forget about labels, brands, marketing, hype and stuff like that. We should just face the fact that the world of perfume is, in the end, divided in two: good fragrances on a side and bad ones on the other. Vintage Tabarome is a great, GREAT fragrance. No matter which brand released it...
Upon application, what immediately results as undeniable is the incredible quality of the ingredents. The perfect belnding and balance. Fresh spices with an old-fashioned leathery presence serve to introduce and incredibly dry chypre driven by a stark tobacco note which is miles above the average quality available on the market. Earthy and incredibly mossy, simple yet extremely complex. I would classify Vintage Tabarome as a rough masculine fragrance but, at the same time, it shows an overall dandified vibe that only superior class compositions can achive. Mervellous.
Good projection, outstanding lasting power. One of Creed's finests. Literally mind blowing.
When facing a fragrance like Vintage Tabarome we should all forget about labels, brands, marketing, hype and stuff like that. We should just face the fact that the world of perfume is, in the end, divided in two: good fragrances on a side and bad ones on the other. Vintage Tabarome is a great, GREAT fragrance. No matter which brand released it...
Upon application, what immediately results as undeniable is the incredible quality of the ingredents. The perfect belnding and balance. Fresh spices with an old-fashioned leathery presence serve to introduce and incredibly dry chypre driven by a stark tobacco note which is miles above the average quality available on the market. Earthy and incredibly mossy, simple yet extremely complex. I would classify Vintage Tabarome as a rough masculine fragrance but, at the same time, it shows an overall dandified vibe that only superior class compositions can achive. Mervellous.
Good projection, outstanding lasting power. One of Creed's finests. Literally mind blowing.
An extraordinarily welcome addition to any serious fragrance collection. One of a kind, superior quality ingredients, and the composition works magnificently. As others have stated, it's often considered one of THE power fragrances. I often wear it when I'm in power business mode, and it performs without fail. Long-lasting, perfect projection and sillage, a superb complement to formal business wear. For particularly daring thrills, try it when you're just knocking about town on a Saturday afternoon. I find Vintage Tabarome to be amazingly versatile. Truly, if you're a collector, and have the opportunity to purchase Vintage Tabarome, jump on it immediately. A solid investment by any reasonable measure.
I even hesitate to give this a medium rating. I was so hyped to try it and if the sample I have is any indication of this older version of Tabarome, then it doesn't hurt my feelings that it is priced out of my reach or that Creed is only going to cook up a batch for VIPs.
The first note that hit me was very "plasticky" and synthetic, like the smell of a plastic packaged item when you first take the wrapper off. I kept trying for something more but it wasn't till the drydown that I caught balsam and some amber. I never got any of the "tobacco" scent only a vague cedar wood maybe. I couldn't give this a high rating except for longevity, I could still smell it on my wrist this morning after putting it on last night before dinner.
The first note that hit me was very "plasticky" and synthetic, like the smell of a plastic packaged item when you first take the wrapper off. I kept trying for something more but it wasn't till the drydown that I caught balsam and some amber. I never got any of the "tobacco" scent only a vague cedar wood maybe. I couldn't give this a high rating except for longevity, I could still smell it on my wrist this morning after putting it on last night before dinner.
Indeed a truly great fragrance. The rich, aromatic, musty tobacco is accompanied by leathery notes, especially in the midnotes and basenotes. Heavy and rich but with nuances that develop well. Good (for Creed) longevity of around three hours. A classic, male, traditional and formal fragrance, that I'd wear in the evening for special occasions - the latter necessitated by it's rarity and expense.
I've worn this several times now, and all I really smell is a nice talcum powder.
Perhaps my sample is duff, but given the praise this receives, I don't get it.
Perhaps my sample is duff, but given the praise this receives, I don't get it.
"Vintage" Tabarome exemplifies everything that is great about Creed. No marketing scams, no low grade ingredients, no games--this is the genuine article. Tabarome is strong with great longevity and sillage yet still refined, restrained, and gentlemanly. I believe Creed may have reached its high point with Tabarome though it plays host to a number of other timeless classics from yesteryear including Royal Scottish Lavender and Citrus Bigarrade. The leather, tobacco, and peppery aromatic components are superbly integrated and balanced. The tobacco here is not honeyed (i.e. Acqua di Cuba, Tobacco di Toscana, etc) but stark, authoritative, and staunch. The base is a gentle though synthetic cedar of respectable quality that keeps ambiance of the tobacco and leather going long after they have departed. Is this a cigar? Perhaps, but the driest and most regal. I would think of Tabarome as more of a time and place--a high end social club in Victorian London perhaps on the Pall Mall where wealthy industrialists and earls tend to congregate. Do not bother with the newer Tabarome Millesime as it has nothing to do with this beautiful Tabarome except a slight tobacco note in its base.
This is a masterpiece. Obscured by Creed's pompous, self inflated "credentials" and the general disdain by critics that I do respect (e.g. Turin). This was instantly a fragrance that I liked and. like all truly extraordinary fragrances, it transcended its own smell, infredients, etc. In an abstractly way, this intoxicating fragrance captures a "smell" of very old-school power, pretige and "clubiness" unlike any other. Creed clearly uses exceptional raw materials in its fragrances. For example, Green Irish Tweed is redolent primarily of high grade ambergris. That same ambergiris is foundin other Creed fragraces, such as the sublime Neroli Savuage. I spend less time marvelling over the quality ingredients in Vintage Tabaorme than I do in relishing the effect of the EDP. I'm not sure I'd know tobacco when I smelled it in a fragrance though I love the smell of tobacco itself. Green tea? Who knows what that smells like. Curiously, I smel nothing animalistic in Vintage Tabarome unless you consider the tobacco to be animalistic in its character. I went to Yale and I went to Cornell Law School, and if anything in the fragrance world evokes the aura of the "Eastern Establishment" elite, this amazing fragrance does. It is not without effect on women. My wife "likes" it, but I have noticed that during the uncommon occasions when I feel it is fit to wear (e.g the Atlanta Opera) women are drawn to it, while I don't smell the slightest hint of musk, civet or castoreum. Bottom line, it smells like money. (The new Tabarome nauseates me.)
I tend not to be fond of tobacco or tobacco notes (the one exception being the smell of pipe tobacco), but "Vintage" Tabarome is well done. It may not feel modern, but must it? It feels classy and refined with a better than average drydown for a Creed. Not for me, but certainly a must try for the tobacco lover (if you can find it).
I wore VT for the first time to a black tie event a couple of weeks ago. I have never worn a fragrance that has received so many compliments - from ladies and gentlemen, young and the not so young alike. It didn't smell dated on me considering that I am just in my early 30s and it lasted on me for a good 10 hours before starting to slowly fade away.
This fragrance is THE man's scent. Masculinity in a bottle and we are going back to 1875 for this. This is a James Bond fragrance, leathery, tobacco and peppery type of fragrance. Extremely strong and very professional. One of my favorites!! Smells like money, old fashioned fragrance where men were men. I am so happy I have a bottle.