Havana Gold

Licorice and star anise hit first, a black, almost medicinal sweetness that feels like biting into a wintergreen lozenge with a citrus shard of mandarin wrapped around it. The heart blooms with tobacco leaf and cinnamon, warmed by a soft benzoin haze, before the base settles into leather and tonka with cypriol’s earthy, slightly smoky twist. The overall character is a vintage leather armchair in a cigar lounge, but someone has spilled anisette on the cushions and left a half-eaten candy on the armrest. It is undeniably sweet and heavy, leaning more toward the synthetic side of amber and vanilla rather than naturalistic, though the animalic undercurrent keeps it from becoming cloying.

With a longevity just above average and sillage that stays close to the skin, Havana Gold is a hushed, intimate affair, not a room-filler. It suits lovers of dark gourmands who enjoy the tug-of-war between licorice and leather, but skip it if you prefer fresh or clean scents, or if cinnamon anise makes you think of dental visits. This is strictly for fall and winter nights, a smoldering companion for cozy bars or lonely walks home when the air bites. The sweetness can feel a bit relentless, but that is its charm: a little too much, and wholly unapologetic.

Smells similar

We matched these by the notes each one lists, giving more weight to the unusual ones they share. Sharing materials does not make one a copy of the other.

Dua describes Golden Swirls Of Tobacco as inspired by Havana Gold:

“Inspired by Havana Gold by Dries Van Noten”

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