Sunken Tobacco by BeauFort London explores an olfactory theme that seems more relevant than ever right now: tobacco. Over the past few weeks and months, I’ve noticed more and more new launches featuring this ingredient, and I’m curious to see if tobacco will become the new “it” ingredient in the world of niche perfumes.
Yet it is precisely the recently launched creations—such as Éveil du Faune by Hellenist Paris, Tobacco Carnaval by Maison Crivelli, and Tabaquero by Anatole Lebreton—that demonstrate just how multifaceted and varied this fragrance note can be interpreted: Animalic, spicy, boozy, but also gourmand, fruity, and vanilla-like. After all, tobacco also plays a central role in Vanilla Affair by D’Orsay and Tobacco Memories by Chambre52. Sunken Tobacco is now introducing yet another exciting variation of tobacco fragrances to the niche fragrance scene: salty, maritime tobacco.
Have you read these yet?
· *Acrasia* by BeauFort London – Full Speed Ahead!
· *Force Majeure* by BeauFort London – Acts of God
· *Cape Wrath* and *The Grudge* by BeauFort London – *Force Majeure*
· *Sirenide* by BeauFort London – Scotland’s Mythical Creatures
Sunken Tobacco by BeauFort London – What It’s All About
Leo Crabtree, founder of BeauFort-London, was inspired to create Sunken Tobacco by the legendary Swedish warship, the Vasa. A visit to the museum in Stockholm and the unique scent there left such a lasting impression on him that it ultimately gave rise to the idea for this fragrance. But what exactly makes the Vasa so special?
In the early 17th century, the warship Vasa was intended to become the pride of the Swedish Navy and strengthen Sweden’s position among the maritime powers of the Baltic Sea region. The richly decorated ship, armed with 64 bronze cannons, was built in the 1620s on the orders of King Gustav II Adolf of Sweden. However, during construction, repeated expansions and modifications were made to the ship—one gun deck eventually became two—which compromised the Vasa’s structural integrity and design. The wooden ship became far too tall, while the hull itself was far too narrow. As a result, the galleon’s center of gravity was situated far too high.
In August 1628, the Vasa’s fate was already sealed on its maiden voyage. Barely 20 minutes after setting sail, it sank before the eyes of horrified onlookers. A few gusts of wind had caused her to capsize. The pride and glory of the Swedish Navy sank in Stockholm Harbor after a voyage of just over one kilometer. It wasn’t until 333 years later that she was salvaged, and she has been on display at the Vasa Museum ever since.
And it was right there that Leo Crabtree discovered the wreck, laying the foundation for Sunken Tobacco. For quite some time, the idea of a tobacco fragrance had been swirling around in his head. It was to be special, unique—a perfect fit for the BeauFort London portfolio. And so he imagined “a pack of tobacco leaves, with all their fermented, honey-like beauty, lying in a wooden box on the seabed for many, many years—infused with salt and that character that only time and the tides can bring.” Scottish perfumer Euan McCall turned this idea into the fragrance Sunken Tobacco.
Top notes: star anise, cardamom, saffron, cherry, honey, frankincense, black currant
Middle notes: Juniper, clove, iris, myrrh, plum
Base notes: tobacco, seaweed, oak, ambergris, guaiac wood, birch, oakmoss, cedarwood, vetiver, labdanum (rockrose), gurjun balsam, nagarmotha
Sunken Tobacco opens with dark, spicy notes and a generous dose of cool incense. Woody-spicy, earthy-smoky, and salty-mossy notes define the fragrance from the very beginning. The tobacco in Beaufort London’s new fragrance is very dense, complex, and fascinatingly mysterious—a far cry from the honey-sweet, golden warmth usually associated with tobacco leaves. Here, spices and resins add edge and character. And the woods certainly don’t lend the creation a cozy vibe either: dark, brooding, and enveloped in salty seaweed notes, they lend the composition further striking and unconventional facets.
As expected, “Sunken Tobacco” by BeauFort London is not a pleasant, uncomplicated fragrance. I had already anticipated this given the brand and the perfumer. Tobacco stored underwater in a wooden barrel—or rather, in a wooden ship… I can definitely see this inspiration in the Eau de Parfum. A woody, resinous, and smoky-cool blend of woods and spices, interwoven with all sorts of sailor’s yarn—er, seaweed. In my opinion, it’s rather masculine and not necessarily a fragrance for every occasion. For BeauFort London fans and lovers of unconventional creations, it’s definitely a must-try.
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