A Gent For Men

A Gent zeroes in on one of the great sweet-tobacco gourmands. It opens on fresh tobacco leaves, dry and aromatic, before quickly warming into the heart that matters: a rich honeyed-tobacco accord drizzled with vanilla, sweet and faintly cherried, the cigar-dipped-in-honey signature that made A*Men Pure Havane a cult favourite. The drydown adds earthy patchouli and a dusting of bitter cocoa, giving it a slightly chocolatey, lounge-smoke depth. Where the Mugler fills a room for the first hour and clings for ten-plus hours into a long skin-scent, this dupe is a little flatter and simpler through the middle and projects more modestly, trading some of that sillage and tenacity for the price. It is still a satisfyingly sweet, cosy take on a beloved scent. Best in autumn and winter, it is a warm evening and date fragrance that suits cosy days too - a recognisable, indulgent budget stand-in for Pure Havane, gentler in reach.