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maik64 – :
I have modern Habanita (which I love) Habanita L’Esprit (which I love), and… this.
I am not sure how old my bottle is; it’s not in a black, opaque glass bottle as shown above. It’s a rectangular, clear glass bottle with a rectangular black plastic lid. The volume of (dark, amber coloured) perfume is not printed or shown anywhere on the bottle, but the number 902161 is printed on its base.
I find climate has a great impact on my enjoyment and interpretation of perfume, so will mention that it’s a cool October evening here.
On first spraying, there is – to my nose – very little similarity between this and the modern Habanita. This is VERY smokey and actually has a sort of savoury, foody smell, which makes me think of meat cooked over an open fire and the fat spitting and hissing onto the dry wood below. Frankly – whilst it isn’t a repulsive smell – it’s not pleasant. I don’t know the age of this or how it’s been stored, but I suspect that rather more than just the top notes have gone.
It takes about 30 minutes for that smoked foody odour to start to dissipate and this is the point at which tiny hints of modern Habanita start to peek through. Unfortunately there aren’t enough to redeem my vintage bottle; there is no hint of myrrh, vanilla or flowers. I am just getting an unremitting smoked leathery, meaty smell.
I am certain that this is cannot be how Habanita smelled when it was first released, so it’s not a fair reflection on the original fragrance – but I am uploading this review as a warning to others that your vintage perfume may not be as beautiful as you had hoped; if you can test it before buying, you may save yourself both money and disappointment.
Megju785elipseskism – :
I have been wanting to try Habanita for a while and finally got my sample today 🙂 First impressions – powder and leather. I can totally see a similarity to Toujours Moi, but sort of peppery and a lot smoky. Definitely for evening, or feeling a little daring on a night out. I like it, but will have to wait for the weather to cool off a bit, seems more of a winter fragrance on me.
HUKBEZ – :
Deep, dark, sultry, smoky and incredibly sexy.
I get the woodsy vanilla, leather and amber the most. The powder balances its depth. It is so rich and complex, the epitome of a dark fragrance.
jekky50 – :
Deep, rich throw back scent with leather and powder. Sweet Cuban cigar club vibe. I like it but I think I’m happy with my samples. Looking forward to checking out the EDP.
perja – :
Didn’t “get” Habanita til now. Now I do. 1960s. Diana Dors stuffed into satin. Cigarette in hand, ground out cig stub stuck to the sole of her high heeled shoe. Champagne dahhhling? It’s heavy, it’s sultry, it’s dated, it’s divine. The dry down is pure heaven, fags thru vanilla and vetiver thru hairspray. I think I’ll get me a FB.
JOKER 13 – :
One more thing, people mention civet and I agree but civet doesn’t seem to be a listed note. Thoughts?
mysanna2011 – :
So happy to have found and bought that beauty on the web. I enjoy Habanita in every possible version. A musthave.
sanick – :
I’m a fan of Toujours Moi and Shalimar so I ordered some Habanita samples. At first dab, I found Habanita a bit rubbery and smoky but after the first half hour it became more darkly powdery and spices/ musk. It’s also got a vanilla almost cinnamon thing going on. I like it as it wears on but all in all I still prefer Toujours Moi. This is a mysterious vampy badass girl( not me) maybe id like to be sometimes! But I I can see how women wear this to feel sexy it would go great with leather, cigarettes and rum and coke. A clubbing fragrance. If you like flapper type scents of recommend this. Oddly i think this one is better in warmer weather.
maksimus88 – :
Finally received a vintage bottle from a lovely swap and OH MY yes! I love this stuff. It’s a very unsophisticated comparison, but to me, this smells like baby powder and rubber tires. It doesn’t have that heavy acetone at first spray that I get from Toujours Moi it is much easier to wear and not as fussy and old fashioned. There is maybe a slight resemblance (the powder) but honestly this is far superior. Wonderful silage. I’m so glad to have this timeless beauty in my wardrobe.
Diemexteque – :
OMG, goes on tobacco and powdery and a little sharp then leather then dries down to civet central; oh heaven
moclobaltette – :
Wearing a sample of the current EDP received today; so similar to the drydown of vintage Bal a Versailles. The tobacco, smoke, leather, without the dusty spicy flowers of BaV. Very pleased to have discovered it because if I ever use up my stash of vintage BaV I can turn to Habanita. Waiting for small bottle of vintage pre-reformulation Habanita to compare the two.
Erhard – :
CunningStunt that’s one of the best reviews I’ve read on here! What a story and what a life! The perfect description of the woman who can pull off this amazing fragrance.
In my opinion, Habanita has much more personality than Chanel No. 5 and I’ll take personality over fancy any day.
poludurok – :
Picture it: 1930’s rural Appalachia
My great grandmother (1915-2006) wore Habanita as her signature since the time she was a young woman. She was a poor country girl who rarely wore anything besides her ragged aprons and ankle length scrap cloth dresses back in those days, yet one day she decided to treat herself as a reward for her hard work as the wife of a coal miner and mother of 7 children, and boy did she ever have a treat! She stole that first bottle of Habanita from a privileged woman who tried to take her husband- although they weren’t legally married until sometime in the 1960’s!
It smelled amazing on her, especially when she chewed tobacco. She also loved moonshine straight from the jar. She was a real woman, barely stood 5ft tall and prided herself on being a rough and tumble type, but when she curled her long jet black hair (much like my own) with sock rolls, burnt a match to make her some eyebrows, rouged her cheeks and lips with some crabapple or blackberry juice, and put on a dab of that Habanita, she transformed from everyday woman to femme fatale.
Hardened by poverty and the oppressive social norms of the early 20th century, she taught me that you can’t make anyone happy but yourself, and piss on anyone who doesn’t like it. I can still see those glittering deep brown eyes as she stared off into the distance whilst I told her my troubles, and she would always say, “It’ll be alright, honeybee.” I miss her..
To me, that’s what Habanita is about: unapologetically enjoying and celebrating your womanhood, regardless of what kind of woman you are. In the times when men were excused for infidelity because “men are men” my great granny found the strength within herself to say, “Hell no! Get your sorry behind back home!”
She also liked Chanel no.5 but didn’t think herself fancy enough for that. She always called it “channel five” haha! What a character.
dredd24 – :
And… I also bought a 1 oz parfum.
Darker and thicker, but not more potent than the EDP… this parfum is oilier, has more of a rubber essence. I decanted the parfum into a lil atomizer and that worked great. Wonderful lasting power.
PHILIPP – :
Since the EDP of Habanita is my new obsession, of course I had to grab this vintage EDT.
And it kills me to say…. but I’m disappointed. I don’t find it super potent and it doesn’t smell like the EDP- in fact I find it way too similar to my other love- Shalimar. It’s a more polite Shalimar. Which means, I do love it, but it’s just not what I expected.
Now, call me crazy…. but I thought I read that shaking perfumes was bad? It disturbs the “molecules” or something like that? So it’s best not to judge a scent that JUST came in the mail (shaking in shipping) but rather let the perfume sit? I found that with the EDP this happened. At first I didn’t think the EDP was potent at all, but now I do! The EDP lasted on my pillow for DAYS… maybe a week! So I’m sure this EDT is just fine. 🙂
The EDT (right now) lacks the creamy, sweet, waxy powder-vanilla that flows thru the EDP. This EDT is very leathery, dusty-musky-smoky, and incensy. Just like Shalimar… haha, but def toned down, smooooother Shalimar.
Now, the EDT had a reformulation at some point right? Like estimated the 80s/90s? Maybe that is the problem? My bottle came from ebay, sealed in box. But maybe it’s just not the potent powerhouse other people describe?
Later in the day update: Def has soft, but great lasting power. I’m getting heavenly wafts of myself all day. And it’s a lighter version of the beautiful EDP– soft smoky/incense delicious vanilla powder. This is what bliss is. <3 I put on at 7am- about 3 sprays, and then at 8am, 3 more. It’s 2:30pm now. The sillage is all Habanita, so it’s not similar to Shalimar now. <3
After this EDT has been “sitting” on my shelf, it’s much better. BUT, I do still think it’s like a less sweet-vanilla-powder EDP. So, because the EDP is so available and cheap online, I don’t think the EDT is exactly worth it.
904putasu977 – :
My review is about vintage EDT (shown on the pic above):
80% Similarity to very old vintage guerlain l’heure bleue. Unless I got a decant of l’heure bleue instead of Habanita. LOL
Oriental, powerhouse, not for the office use. Any perfumista should sniff it. It reminds me Tabu and Toujours Moi Dana, but much much better. Going to buy a modern version out of curiosity.
Nidalap – :
This is my second review on my first day of wearing this , right off the bat i am blown away by this strong blast of complex strange new gorgeous spicy strong interesting note (s) I cant stop smelling my wrist!!!!! Why oh why can it not stay the way it is in the opening? The first hour is a heady sexy very Nuit de Noel kind of fragrance only happy and uplifting . I found Nuit de noel sort of sad, almost morbid but strong and lasting . Habanita goes from a mysterious spice bomb and as it fades too quickly on me i am left with a sickningly powdery sweet baby powder that i cant live with . But because it is so terribly good for an hour or two i will buy it and wear it to bed when I am alone~ my arm right next to my nose .
Al_MAB – :
Habanita is utterly heavenly. Divine. Stunning. A masterpiece!!!! It’s beautiful. So beautiful. A gorgeous warm, fruity, powdery, soft, enticing – feminine and gloriously sensual, deep enriching luxurious feminine perfume. Such a heavenly rose, sweet and lovely dense jasmine, orange blossom and lilac, heavenly heliotrope, soft smooth leather, musk – fluffy and comforting, deep and intoxicating. Gorgeous rich vanilla and benzoin, creamy, smooth and delicious. Deep dark oakmoss. All ravishingly beautiful. Dark and Exquisite!!!! Such a wonderful perfume. Truly truly wonderful. I adore Habanita!!! And the bottle is also divine.
GerasimAgrenenko – :
I have both vintage and new formulas, the vintage in edt , but new formula in Parfam. The vintage one is totally causing me migraine, the new Parfam is much softer and pleasant to me, relaxing and a lot vanilla in the first top note. The old one is less vanilla and more leather/oakmoss. What surprised me the most is the disappearing of topacco accord from the new one,or at least it is much less obvious from first sniffs, unlike the old, that one is leather/tobacco/oakmoss/vanilla all the way. This is how I smell it. Bottom note: the new formula is more wearable, especially if you wear perfume abundantly like me. But if you wear perfume on PULS POINTS or the classic way, then go with the vintage juice. And to be honest, the old Habanita is a must for any Parfumista or any Collector.
nomidon – :
Habanita is an easy to wear Oriental.
It’s a popular fragrance but I think this is the reformulation not the vintage original. It’s still such a good fragrance. I smelled fruits at the first spritz: a synthetic but decent peach, some citrus and raspberry. It’s sweet very sweet and quickly turns powdery with heliotrope, rose and violet. The flowers are not my favorite part of the scent however although in the new formula they have more time to shine.
There’s also vanilla that is more on the powdery side. The soft florals are not the main attraction as the scent develops into a warmer muscatone. There’s a great deal of leather in this scent that can border on the masculine but it’s not a bad thing. It reminds me of a lighter Bandit by Piguet.. I am loving every moment that this perfume is on me. It’s incredibly long lasting. As a paid entertainer and lounge singer I rely on fragrances like this. They PUT ME IN THE MOOD to sing like an old time lounge singer, a cabaret singer, this is very much that type of scent. Think Marlene Dietrich. If I’m in the mood it comes through my voice and I put the audience in the mood and that’s all that counts.
This perfume makes me feel so damn sexy. I feel like I’m wearing a long black evening gown with a slit on the side showing my leg. It’s so GILDA with Rita Hayworth singing and dancing and turning on all the men in a nightclub. She is saucy, but sweet, a tigress in need of taming. She has sweet notes of raspberry and roses, but has that civet bite and a bad girl in leather temperament. Somewhere in this scent there may be incense.
I love the vintage but this perfume is a lighter and more feminine version of the original one which was smoky and tobacco flavored and smelled like a tobacco shop in Cuba. This is more on the powdery side but it has enough musk to keep it in the mature and glamorous side of the original.
Gorgeous.
yohansaul – :
Total yummy smokey slightly powdery rosy spicy deliciousness! Divine!!
I absolutely love it!! What a unique scent. And like others have said, at first it is quite reminiscent of a cigar/cigarette shop or factory (but slightly more pleasant than that, I expect!).
After a couple of hours on my hand (this is the EDP), some of the big hitting spicy/smokey kind of notes that assaulted my nostrils earlier if I sniffed too hard or too closely (which I kept doing all the time), have now backed off and I’m getting a lot more powdery/vanillary scent coming through, although I still get the rose very strongly, and it has been quite strong virtually from the start, which I’m thrilled about. I love rose and this one is really beautiful. The (dreaded) oak moss that I could detect earlier, albeit beneath other notes, has now pretty much dissipated. Not a fan of the bitterness so pleased it has gone.
Generally, it has lost a bit of it’s punch (after about 3 hours I guess) and it’s not quite so strong a scent now, but I can still smell it, which is what I love. And just like many others here, I can not stop sniffing my hand!!
This was a blind buy, based on the reviews I read and perfume pyramid, and I’m so pleased I got it…..one of my new favourites for sure.
Edit: Warning! This gave me a headache most of the day while I wore it (a very rare thing to happen for me)….it may have had something to do with the fact that I couldn’t keep my nose from my hand all day!! So, my advice would be to go gently with it, and try not to keep dipping your nose into it because it is some seriously strong stuff!
katija – :
Get the vintage EDT.
I have the vintage parfum from the 80s. Its deep , quality is there but it is so overwhelmingly powdery its other notes have issues getting out of the powder bomb. Now if you love powder, richness, then this is up your alley. I wanted to smell all the lovely reviews here, and looks like the EDT is the way to go.
Mepkn649Diobtetty – :
I had my sample as a gift from a perfume shop in London, where I bought many others. I was incredulous, I smell more than 200 perfumes a year and never have I been so disappointed, considered the hype on this fragrance. After wearing it for three days in a row I have no doubts, this is not smoky, I love hardcore smoky scents, this is just the stink of thrown away cigarettes’ butts and nothing else. It’s not my chemistry because I smell the same thing directly from the atomizer…No comment!Not even good as an air freshner for the bathroom.
arienta – :
I cannot do a better job of describing it than Beantoes already did: it indeed “smells like roses wrapped in leather and sprinkled with powder and then dipped in a vanillic booze”. It is the perfect description. Gorgeous. That said, I actually prefer the modern version of this. Allegedly the ingredients are the same but the proportions are different – I can believe that. That said, it is a pleasure to smell the older formulation.
bertold – :
HABANITA
MOLINARD
GROUP: AROMATIC ORIENTAL CHYPRE
NOTES: citrus, spices, orange blossom, raspberry, peach bergamot lilac orris root, jasmine, heliotrope, ylang-ylang incense tobacco benzoin patchouli rose leather, amber, musk, benzoin, vanilla, oakmoss cedar
SILLAGE: HEAVY RADIATES AT ARMS LENGTH
LONGETIVY VERY LONG LASTING 6 TO 12 HOURS
REMINDS ME OF: MAJA MYRUGIA TOUJOURS MOI DANA
Habanita is a sexy, sultry Oriental perfume, which was one of the many that became popular during the early 20’s Oriental craze. The original vintage scent is hard to find and Maja by Myrurgia is easier to find if you want to smell something similar to the kind of scents worn in those days. Habanita is considered an Oriental because it has ingredients found in Orientals and has smoky incense and woodsy notes but for me it’s more a Cuban tobacco scent. It smelled like the inside of a tobacco shop in Havana. It has a masculine cologne aspect. I can smell the musk, the citrus, the patchouli, the oak moss and the incense. It has a distinct jasmine scent as well. It’s got spices which give it a really strong and pleasant kick. It’s been reformulated to have sweeter notes of peach and vanilla. It is not too sweet however and can still feel like you’re wearing something close to the original. Very fragrant, mature, and sexy unisex cologne for the confident person that wears it. I do love it but I’m crazier about Maja. This scent can sometimes turn too fruity on me especially the reformulation. There are times when it’s sweet peach and vanilla but if you like that check it out. Most of all it’s a spicy Oriental which appeals to a lot of vintage lovers. Very few fragrances out there like this one.
vist315 – :
I pulled this out just to renew our acquaintance and am feeling the love today. To my nose this is a powder bomb: mostly leather, vanilla-amber, oris root, the occasional rose wafting through with a spicy! benzoin kick! The flowers are well blended with heliotrope and ylang-ylang, but no note, except perhaps the rose peeks through, and it’s their beautiful marriage that makes for the powder. I have a supply direct from Molinard from 1999, and I have the EDP from about 5 years ago purchased also from Molinard. There are some differences. But overall, the soul and essence are there (perhaps it is more powdery, less spicy now).
To the untrained and “young” nose this will perhaps smell of “old”–all I can say is “Fie on you powder haters.” I was wearing this at 25, 30 and now–and it’s considerably “older” than I am. It’s a classic scent. I personally love powder and enjoy the tremendous complexity of this scent; it is both utterly feminine yet fantastic for a man: sexy, spicy-powder, amber-vanilla-benzoin goodness with silage and longevity that rivals all the fruity-licious-berry-bombs out there (so tiring). Doesn’t anyone want to smell the scent of adventure, of travel, of history, of the exotic and erotic and individual?
DaNek95 – :
This is beautiful. Just absolutely stunning. It smells like roses wrapped in leather and sprinkled with powder and then dipped in a vanillic booze. I sprayed it on and my eyes immediately rolled back and closed for a few seconds out of some strange automatic reaction. It’s losing some of the floral nuances as it dries but it’s still heavenly. I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed something with so much powder in it. I wish this sample could somehow become bottomless so that I could go back and spray with abandon until I’m choking on a thick cloud of it. Stunning fragrance. Need to hunt down a bottle of this promptly.
BuyNexium – :
A MASTERPIECE!!! It was about time this formidable lady and I met. And we got on like a house on fire. LITERALLY! She sat there, all ruby lips, intense enigmatic stare and raven wavy black hair and she smoked, and smoked, and smoked. But I didn’t mind, its part of her personality. I read she was created in 1921, just as Europe came out of a devastating Great War and all the political and economical circumstances of it. Women held the home front while men were in battle, they even joined them to make their own contribution, they became aware of all the possibilities ahead, they would soon claim the vote, they could choose their profession and direction in life. Habanita was created for the modern woman of every and any age. She is a lady of few words but imense action! There are so many things going on for her, resins, smoke, fruit, leather, florals… Now, the hard facts: benzoin, which can be tricky, comes first and foremost, but in this case instead of a load of gasoline one gets a Smoky, fiery resin wrapped in leather and vanilla to begin with, smoke and leather are very prominent at this stage, then a sweetness kicks in, one would think it’s the fruit, but, no, this is a resinous sweetness, with touches of raspberry and peach, but make no mistake, this is pure resin! However bergamot and oakmoss lend a touch of beautiful freshness without any harsh effect, the entire blend is masterly combined!!!
The leather and smoke carry on till the end. A very well composed scent with all notes working to perfection! Longevity is beyond belief so is sillage! Just relax and let this Lady caress your body, your soul and senses. Very sensuous yet unisex due to smoke! This is amazing on a woman, and on a man….lethal! Habanita, you are my new found love!
devisednb – :
Scarlett O’hara in her red dress when Rhett Butler forces her to wear it and attend Ashely’s party… This is what she would have worn.
Mine by the way, is exactly as the photo shows. The EDT version. I am not sure I can call mine vintage as it reads full ingredients on back:
My hands were literally shaking as I opened to box to get it out. How have I never smelled this in all my years? This iconic fragrance! As I opened it, that box and bottle…gorgeous. So I sprayed it and initially I get a very sweet powdery note. For an EDT this is insanely potent. I can only imagine what the vintage extract was like God how I would love to smell it. So initially it felt like an amplified Johnson’s Baby powder with a huge niche quality to it. Sort of dirty.. bad girl disguised in powder. You can’t help but continue to smell your wrist. Then the second time I sprayed it (before my shower) I was able to use a heavy hand.. my second impression changed. Yes baby powder but bad ass powder with some skank mixed in. And I don’t say this in a negative way. It has strong similarities to Jivago’s sweet dreams. There is a vintage feel here but it’s still very wearable in today’s standards – this feels very niche in nature. I am not smelling any tobacco really as I had read about, nor am I smelling floral or wood. Second time around I do get soft leather.
I am on the fence with this one really. Straight out of the bottle it’s intense almost unwearable for me however after I rinse some of it off and it settles this amazing sex in a bottle comes throughI
olenka7726 – :
This fragrance in it’s vintage form is one hell of a tobacco incensed floral fragrance. It evokes the cigarette factory scene in Bizet’s opera Carmen and I can picture Carmen herself smelling like this. It’s smoky, sexy, seductive and very Spanish. This is more or less like the fragrance Maja if youre familiar with that one. It’s spicy with a Latin flavor. I have the old vintage bottle (a cologne) and the new formula which is a spray bottle. I love the design of the bottle. I don’t know if the list of notes on Fragrantica are speaking on behalf of the new formula or the old formula because they’re very different. The old one had aldehydes and citrus/lemon/bergamot which smelled like the opening to a man’s cologne. Very citric. But then it softens for a while into a rose-lilac floral scent. But this is not a floral frag at all and its woodsy aspects, it’s oak moss, muskiness, leather and animalic notes are what linger for the longest time. There is also incense and benzoin, smoky accords. It’s aromatic and hot. I feel very sexy wearing it. The new formula is not as intense and it’s more wearable because the leather and musk is subdued, however it’s still clearly there and it pays tribute to the original. This is a gorgeous classic fragrance that vintage perfume lovers should get their hands on. I have nothing but love for Habanita. Ole!
dantez – :
I tried vintage habanita, and all I get is wow on the tobacco; bitter, no flowers, powdery aldehyde. I really love it but am not smelling leather or floral. It is BIG tobacco on me.
slavazoom – :
My first fragrance. I fell in love with Habanita when i was fourteen years old, and then, totally fall for perfume universe.
I still wear it today, actually i return to my first love about six years ago, and it still like love at first sight.
I love this floral oriental and very powdery fragrance, and especially its tobacco tones blended to vanilla. It is probably the most sensual fragrance i ‘ve ever smelled.
The actual reformulation, the Eau de Parfum, is a good interpretation, very faithful to the original one.
Very very longlasting on skin, with a great trail: i am totally addict to Habanita.
invoftbeeloff – :
Mmmmm sweet leather, heavy yet soft, strong yet gentle.
Gloriously exotic smelling, expensive, makes you feel like a woman.
nat636JeomiWogkig – :
Habanita will change depending on where you place her. For me, if I place her on my wrist or anywhere near my face, its POWDER/BENZOIN.
If she’s sprayed on my ankles or back of my knees, then I can smell a dry yet sweet peach/raspberry at the beginning. Then lilac, orris root, heliotrope. And it will dry into an ambery peach vanilla.
I’ve always wanted to smell more of the leather since I love leather in fragrance but I never ever get leather from this one…
If one isnt used to smelling powder in fragrances or if its too close to your face, powder/babywipes is all you will get.
esmailions – :
magnifico cipriato d’altri tempi (la formulazione originale risale al 1921) che richiama le vibrazioni di altri classici francesi, come Mitsouko, Toujours moi o Shalimar. Le note di muschio di quercia sostengono dal fondo una moltitudine di impressioni che si susseguono, senza sosta, tra il primo spruzzo e l’assestamento. La sua complessità si dipana su note di cuoio, vaniglia, benzoino, rosa, garofano, ylang ylang, agrumi, legno di cedro, ambra, per citarne solo alcune, in un tripudio di esperienze olfattive istantanee e meravigliosamente equilibrate. Quando i profumi erano sovrastrutturati la gioia del naso non conosceva confini. Molti lo considerano datato: per me Habanita ha il valore di un documento del gusto della prima metà del novecento. Super evocativo. Bellissimo!
bulata25 – :
This is a beauty from another time… At first I smell strong fresh flowers, then it turns into leather (and reminds me of Ciara By Revlon) and at last it becomes baby powder mixed with delicate citruses. Really one of a kind, and not for timid perfume wearers.
This review is based on a vintage pure parfum.
GroupleAllove – :
Has so many twists and turns…
Opens with overpowering baby lotion. Did not get any other opening notes – just Johnson and Johnson’s baby lotion, the kind that comes in the pink bottle.
Then the leather, dusty and dry like a vintage purse. The rich rose note starts to creep in. This is my favorite part: an unexpected level of sophistication that brings a welcome sensuality, playing with the muskiness.
The musk morphs into amber. And then, surprise! A sweet, almost candy-like vanilla flanked by a whisper of jasmine. A faint note of bitter oakmoss rounds out this complex scent.
Ends on delicious cedar.
Habanita is a wonderful fragrance that covers a lot of territory. Unfortunately, that’s the problem I have with it – it’s all over the map! It’s a storyteller all right, just not one I’m interested in following.
islamik – :
Vintage: This is an exciting leather perfume that takes you through multiple stages before finally settling into a confident, warm coziness. First spray was almost a chypre leather, the smell of a green, woody, newly cut piece of leather. Within minutes the scent of amber begins to arise followed close behind by a cloud of Johnson’s baby powder that’s like dropping a huge, open bottle on the floor. A while later their is the aroma of heliotrope, vanilla, benzoin, oakmoss and cedar. And half an hour later I smell burnt rubber tire. Finally, orris root emerges and beings an earthiness to the leather giving the feel of a comfy, worn leather sofa, while the sweetness of a powdery vanilla flows through the air around you.
In the end, Habanita has grown on me but it does take a while to get there. I’m not sure that I’d wear it often but it’s an interesting perfume and definitely not boring.
torrent_555 – :
Although it´s not geographically accurate, the scent is like the voice of Yma Sumac. Badass 5 octaves, mystique and depth, full of sweet untamed strenght.
Black beautiful flacon only.
erggf – :
An moody fragrance that seems to wear better in much colder/rainy weather. After the scary first blast in does change into something luxurious and lovely.
I think i have half a bottle? It’s hard to tell since the bottle is opaque.
ZaXareNok – :
This is an odd one. At first, I adored it– it smelled like a whisper, like opening the gate to an old garden. There were few bold powder notes to speak of, instead blending into a wonderful, fresh breath that was never overwhelming.
Something seems to have changed with how I interpret it. From the same bottle, I now get powder galore; it’s very intense! I assume the weather has a heavy hand in how this EDT blooms.
Even with the powder trying to blow you away, the feminine leather notes shine. It’s a good idea to treat Habanita with a light touch in cool times and an even lighter one in the heat, but if you can find the balance, it’s hard not to love!
Dorcemarco – :
After researching reviews here on Fragrantica and other perfume websites, I decided to revisit incense-based & smoky perfumes. Recently re-tried Habanita by Molinard and OMG…I really really like Habanita, I do!!
As others have stated, the initial opening and application is a bit rough, so rough that it actually made me sneeze! I think the opening accord is quite bitter, very green (perhaps citrus) with bergamot, peach, other fruits…almost foul or rancid smelling! Initially, I moaned, “Oh, no…another scrubber,” but based on reviews, I waited and the dry down provided a huge surprise.
On my skin, Habanita morphed into a warm, powdery, mellow, soothing sensuous oriental with LOTS of vanilla, amber, some patchouli, and a bit of warm honey. After an hour or so, I definitely detected a wonderful floral bouquet of jasmine, lavender, rose, ylang-ylang and resinous wood…but NOT a lot of tobacco or smoke…not much leather, for that matter.. Unlike many orientals, the floral bouquet did not completely over power the middle and earlier notes, not at all. For me, all of the middle & base-notes came together and formed a beautifully seductive and pleasing scent.
This fragrance remains close to my body with very minimal silage. And similar to two of my favorite fragrances, Habanita’s longevity is wonderful… lasted for hours! I can still faintly smell its delight as I type this review some seven hours later.
The ONLY problem is that my beloved husband, who LOVES Creed Jasmine Imeriatrice Eugenie and ADORES Musc Ravageur continually verbalized his distaste all afternoon long for “whatever it was I was wearing.” Told my sister, “I smelled like I had slept in a head shop.” He also told me “I reminded him of his old aunt with smudged red lipstick who used to reek of old perfume.” <br