I’ve always been a fan of unisex fragrances. There’s just something about them that can be so versatile and they almost always are reminiscent of a place or a sense of nostalgia for me. Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille is no different.
The first time I discovered it was when a couple I am friends with from south London both wore it out to dinner at the same time. They had been joking about “who wore it first,” but all I could really focus on was its wonderfully spicy sweet structure and its ability to make even the dive-iest of bars feel like a cozy salon filled with tobacco and vanilla.
While Tom Ford’s bottled sophistication might be out of your (and mine!) price range, there are luckily plenty of great dupes on the market to choose from. I’ve compiled a list of 10 close dupes that might not be Tom Ford by name, but will give you that “Old London feel” all the same.
What We Are looking for in Tobacco Vanille
Created in 2007, Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille became a fan favorite for spicy, warming fragrance lovers. Powerful and long-lasting, the fragrance to me emits the classic London feel, transporting you to an intimate night out in the smoky salons of English aristocracy. While men can enjoy this fragrance completely on its own, women are more than welcome to pair this fragrance with something a bit sweeter and feminine in case they need a bit more sensuality, but in my opinion this fragrance goes a long way for any gender.
A nighttime fragrance through and through, the amber spice mixture opens with tobacco leaf and warming spices like cardamom and cinnamon. The middle notes become sweeter with hints of cacao and vanilla bean, which seamlessly dry down into dried fruit, woody notes, and a hint of ginger. With its warming spices and deep woodsy aromas, this fragrance screams the comforts of a fall or winter evening.
So, I know what you are thinking: sophisticated, warming, AND can be worn by both my partner and me? Count me in. Well, unfortunately, such an aristocratic feeling scent comes with a matching price tag. Don’t worry, I’ve done the work and here are the top next best things to get you ready for the London social scene in no time.
10 Dupes of Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille
1. Oakcha Torrid Day
Vegan, cruelty-free, and paraben-free, Oakcha created a triple threat that excels in the fragrance, visuals, and ethics departments. Opening with tobacco leaf and warming spices, this fragrance quickly develops into a sweeter sensation of vanilla, cocoa, and tobacco flower. Drying down into dried fruit and woods, I find this fragrance to be a tad sweeter but still bringing the same structure as Tobacco Vanille. Oakcha’s fragrance might elicit more of a cafe library than a sophisticated salon, but it’s just an ever-so-subtle difference that, honestly, I welcome.
Oakcha gets major points for its bottle design, looking the closest to Tobacco Vanille’s presentation than any of the others on this list. Mirroring the all-black square with a large geometric top design, this is a fragrance that could fool anyone making a quick glance at your perfume display.
2. Dossier Powdery Tobacco
The name gives it away: yes, this dupe will have some powdery elements to it, but it is still overall the same structure as Tobacco Vanille. Focusing its dry down on dried fruit and ginger notes, this fragrance feels cozy and not as demanding as Tobacco Vanille. To my nose, there is also a honey note which I think really adds to the richness of the tobacco and vanilla combination. The bottle is a simple clear and gold cylinder shape, but Dossier makes this fragrance vegan and cruelty-free which adds points in my book.
3. Sweet Smoke by Alexandria Fragrances
Another direct Tobacco Vanille dupe, Alexandria’s Sweet Smoke opens with cavendish tobacco that has the heightened smell of vanilla throughout the structure. Cacao, spice notes, and dried fruit are apparent in the dry down, though the dried fruit seems a bit more prominent here than in Tobacco Vanille. Overall, this fragrance has a Christmas-time feel to it, with strong sweet mulling spices being mixed with the dried fruit.
If you are wanting a bottle design that looks close to Tobacco Vanille, be aware that this fragrance changes its bottle for each size. None of them will have the square black look of Tom Ford, but the 60 and 100ML will be your closest bet with a black and blue design.
4. Sweet Tabacum by Dua Fragrances
Tom Ford’s fragrance is already a powerful scent, but if you were looking for even more of a statement, Dua’s Sweet Tabacum might be it. To my nose a much bolder opening, this fragrance opens with tobacco leaf and tonka bean then dries down into vanilla, cinnamon and clove. I am not gonna lie, the spice is sharp in the opening but it will mellow out while still staying a strong scent.
The bottle itself is a rounded structure with a geometric top with a brown cinnamon design throughout, which is definitely a departure from the Tom Ford design. One of the pricier fragrances on this list, the cost might be worth it if you were wanting even more of a punch from an already demanding fragrance.
5. L’Occitane Eau Des Baux Perfume
If you wanted more vanilla in your fragrance, this might be your best bet. L’Occitane focuses its base on vanilla and tobacco, but mixes this with pepper, cardamom and cypress, which brings more earthiness than woodsy amber to the structure. There is an incense quality to this scent that you could either love or hate, still, its essential structure is well matched to Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille.
Its design is a simple light brown spray style bottle, that’s sweet but nothing to leave a lasting impression. Overall, if you were wanting less spicy warmth and more vanilla and grounding earthiness, L’Occitane comes through with its twist on Tobacco Vanille.
6. Oil Perfumery Tobacco Vanille
Another vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free fragrance, Oil Perfumery honestly shocked me with its ability to perform just as strongly as Tom Ford’s fragrance. Opening with tobacco and spice, the fragrance dries down into a nice mix of vanilla and tonka before settling into a woodsy fragrance. Normally Oil Perfumery can leave its longevity to be desired, but this fragrance really keeps its power very well.
Packaged in the brand’s signature roller ball applicator, this is the perfect choice if you are wanting to wear this fragrance on the job or at a party where you might want to reapply.
7. Spice and Black Vanilla By Cremo
Although this fragrance is marketed only toward men, this is certainly still just as unisex as Tobacco Vanille. Using more pepper notes than Tom Ford, the fragrance opens with tobacco and dries down pretty quickly into sweet vanilla and woods. This fragrance isn’t as powerful as Tobacco Vanille, which makes it a good option if you want to layer it with another fragrance. Unlike Tobacco Vanille, this has a simple clear bottle design, and the liquid gives of a beautiful creme color.
8. Divain-196
One of the cheapest Tobacco Vanille dupes on the list, I think Divain did a great job overall getting the structure down with its simple focus on the tobacco and vanilla pairing. The key difference here is that there is a hint of nuttiness I haven’t found in any of the others on the list. It’s a good addition to bring a little more grounding to the base of woods and spice. The simplicity of the bottle works in its favor this time with a slim rectangular structure and wooden top.
9. Nicotianna by ALT
Another direct dupe fragrance, ALT Nicotianna is one of the few on this list that is less sweet than Tobacco Vanille. Opening with tobacco flower, tonka, and vanilla, it dries down into a nice woody spice. It seems this fragrance focuses less on the vanilla and more on the spice, which to me makes this fragrance feel a bit more masculine than unisex, but it is still perfect for anyone. Bottled in a simple square and clear design, this fragrance is the best choice for anyone who wants more spice than sweetness on their night out.
10. MAC Velvet Teddy
If the ALT fragrance was more male-centric, MAC is definitely going for the female side with this sweeter and lighter version of Tobacco Vanille. Opening with the same tobacco smoke and vanilla, MAC adds mimosa, papyrus, and ginger into the structure overall, lightening the powerful punch of the warming spices throughout. Still a strong, warming fragrance, to my nose MAC did a great job mixing the strong unisex scents of cinnamon with a lighter, more feminine feel of mimosa and ginger.
With a black and pink cubic design, this fragrance might look and feel more lady-like, but men shouldn’t shy away: this fragrance can hold itself up in the unisex market just as much as Tom Ford.
Final Note
Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille might feel like a bottled night in with the London elite, but you don’t need to pay a price tag to match that lifestyle. The spicy, warming scent of Tobacco Vanille is enough to allure men and women alike, but I’m glad to say there are some amazing dupes on the market that can save us the heartache of sticker shock. So go ahead and post up at that swanky bar for a cocktail, you will still be able to act posh without spending like it.
