The weather finally cooled down enough today that I could justify breaking this one out. I picked up Tabac 28 last week while I was in Chicago, and I’ve been waiting for the right day to give it a proper wear. There is something extra fun about that with Le Labo too. The bottle was compounded in Chicago, dated, and personalized for my wife and me, so it already has a little memory attached to it before I even really know the fragrance. 😎 And this one definitely feels like fall. Warm, woody, smoky, a little sweet, and very comforting. I’m getting that tobacco character right away, but it doesn’t smell like I just walked into a cigar lounge. It feels smoother than that — more like warm tobacco, woods and a little boozy sweetness sitting together in the background. Exactly the kind of thing I’ve been waiting to bring back into the rotation now that the weather is finally cooperating. And as someone who enjoys a good cigar, I’ll admit the name alone probably gave this one a head start. 😂 So far, I’m really enjoying it.

11. Give a fragrance 30-60 minutes One thing I try not to do anymore is judge a fragrance from the first few minutes. The opening can be loud, sharp, sweet, citrus-heavy, alcoholic, or just completely different from what the fragrance is going to smell like later. That first blast is usually where the most volatile notes show up. Citrus, aromatics, lighter fruits, and some brighter materials can jump out right away, but they’re often not the part of the fragrance that sticks around. For me, the real story usually starts once the fragrance has had time to settle. After about 30 to 60 minutes, you start getting more of the heart and the early drydown. That’s where woods, florals, spices, amber, musk, leather, vanilla, resins, and other deeper materials can start showing themselves. I’ve had fragrances where the opening didn’t impress me at all, but once I gave them some time, they turned into something completely different. I’ve also had the opposite happen: a great opening that faded into a drydown I didn’t care for. That’s why I like to give a fragrance some time before I decide whether I like it. If I’m in a store, I’ll spray it on skin or a cotton round, walk around, and come back to it later. For me, the opening gets your attention, but the drydown is where you really find out what you’re wearing.

“You need absolute freedom to create beautiful fragrances. And you need time. And the best ingredients you can get.” — Andy Tauer Freedom gives creativity room to breathe, but great work still needs time and the right materials. Protect the space to think, resist the pressure to rush, and give your best ideas the ingredients they need to become something meaningful. Enjoy the #Journey. Love to hear from ya’!