The wonderful Undina and I swapped some samples a while back and I am slowly making my way through each and every one. It’s been a real treat. Today’s sampling was a very nice surprise!
WHAT I SMELL: A*Men Pure Havane opens with a wonderful sweet tobacco ladened honey. It’s warm and delicious and oh so edible; you just want to lick it off of your skin. This could easily have gone over the top, but it doesn’t as the labdanum and amber mixed with the vanilla and cocoa leaves this scent grounded. It’s so full bodied, gourmand and wonderfully unique and bold. Once this scent takes off, it remains in this state of sweetened warmth. You just can’t help but to continually sniff your wrist while wearing this. Thankfully A*Men Pure Havane also has wonderful sillage and longevity. Goody!
A*Men Pure Havane notes: fresh tobacco leaves, honeyed tobacco accord, patchouli, and bitter cocoa
WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Cuba 1955. I can picture a open aired bar with rotating celing fans to drive away the heat, a Mojito, a white suit, and a large cigar.
THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE A*MEN PURE HAVANE: masculine, comfortable, confident
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT A*MEN PURE HAVANE: CaFluereBon, EauMG, Now Smell This
BOTTOM LINE: This flanker is a limited edition, but can still be purchased on the Thierry Mugler website for a very reasonable $88 for 100ml bottle. I may just be doing that. Although I keep reading that this is similar to Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille so you might just see me at Nordstrom’s checking that out this weekend. However, I don’t think I can get Tom Ford for $88! Thanks Undina, I am loving this!
- Bone Rating: 4.5 out of 5 possible bones
- Scent: Oriental Vanilla
- Classification: Masculine
- Nose: Jacques Huclier
- Expense: $88 for 100ml EdT
The Scented Hound 
August 31, 2012 at 7:49 pm
I’m glad you enjoyed this Steve, I wouldn’t really wear it myself, but it’s very nice to sniff on others 😀
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August 31, 2012 at 7:51 pm
How come that sounds catty???? 🙂
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September 1, 2012 at 3:29 am
:O I didn’t mean it like that.
I thought that it would be too sweet for you. I was wrong 🙂 (Yes I try and guess the outcome before I read your review lol)
It does smell yummy on others – that’s not catty 😛
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September 1, 2012 at 6:52 am
Just pulling your chain my dear F! And actually this wasn’t too sweet at all for me, cause it’s grounded by the amber.
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September 1, 2012 at 7:16 am
You amber queen!
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August 31, 2012 at 9:51 pm
It sounds like a great one to me.
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September 1, 2012 at 6:44 am
I’m not a fan of sweet, but this has enough controlled sweet in it to make it different to me. Definitely not for every day, but I’m heading to the beach on vacation next week and this would be perfect for evenings on the town.
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September 1, 2012 at 1:52 pm
Yes it sounds Great for nightime beachwear!
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September 1, 2012 at 4:34 am
Another great review! Thanks for sharing. I never really cared about Muglers, especially those limited editions which are not distributed in Poland at all.
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September 1, 2012 at 6:53 am
This is the first time I have tried one. I know they are advertising the release of another A*Men flanker that is to be released next week which is a leather scent. I’ll skip that though, I could see how that could be way over the top for me, especially since I don’t care for leathers.
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September 1, 2012 at 7:00 am
I don’t care for leather (but I like some suede) either, co Pure Cuir isn’t of my interest.
How are ya doing today?
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September 1, 2012 at 7:04 am
It’s Saturday, always a good day! BTW, your package is going in the mail today! Yea!
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September 1, 2012 at 7:14 am
How cool! Thanks so much! I’m looking forward to it. Hope it travels well.
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September 1, 2012 at 8:00 am
I love most Mugler’s and this one sounds wonderful. I haven’t sniffed this one yet. Don’t you hate it when the ones you like are limited editions though?
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September 1, 2012 at 9:32 am
No… actually I think it’s very smart, because people like me will run out and buy them to ensure that I have it before it disappears. I admit, I am a marketers dream. I have no willpower.
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September 1, 2012 at 9:34 am
OK… i just re-read your comment. Yes, I hate it when they are limited editions. It’s early and I’m confused. 🙂
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September 1, 2012 at 6:20 pm
I like (and own) both – Pure Havane and Tobacco Vanille (a decant). I haven’t tried them in parallel but from how I remember Tobacco Vanille seems more unisex to me. But it’s definitely much more expensive so I almost hope you won’t like it 😉
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September 2, 2012 at 3:53 pm
Of course I’ll like it if it’s more expensive! 🙂
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September 2, 2012 at 3:26 pm
I wouldn’t mind wearing this myself. It is delicous! But I can’t get it here anymore. My man was not so enhusiastic about it when I asked him to try this.
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September 2, 2012 at 3:54 pm
LOL. Of course if you like it he won’t.
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September 3, 2012 at 1:47 pm
“Cuba 1955. I can picture a open aired bar with rotating celing fans to drive away the heat, a Mojito, a white suit, and a large cigar.”
You forgot the Panama hat!
How would you compare this to Spicebomb? I have Spicebomb and love it, although not enough to wear it everyday…it is probably the most masculine perfume in my collection.
Earlier this year, I went to Cuba on a “People to People” (type of license) trip and would love to go back. The open-air bars, rotating ceiling fans and mojitos are still to be seen but the days of the white suit and big fat cigars are long over :-). While there, I had an opportunity to go to a tobacco farm and also got to smell freshly rolled premium cigars. If this perfume is anything like it, sign me up!
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September 3, 2012 at 3:07 pm
I knew I was forgetting something. I only took a quick whiff of Spicebomb at Nordstroms and thought it was pretty sweet (and of course spicy). Pure Havane is completely different. Very gourmand in my book where I don’t believe Spicebomb would be. Of course, now you are making me wonder if I need to check out Spicebomb again since I barely sniffed it!
Lucky you to go to Cuba. I would love to be able to go. I keep picturing that it still looks like 1962!
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September 4, 2012 at 11:06 am
I’m glad you tried this. I keep hearing how wonderful and absolutely tasty it smells. Sounds like a rare grown-up gourmand gem that I just have to try. 🙂
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September 4, 2012 at 11:39 am
Kay – I’m not a huge fan of gourmands, but this really works!
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June 13, 2019 at 12:30 pm
After a couple of really disappointing customer service experiences with Mugler online, I sold off most of my Mugler collection. I kept my part used Pure Coffee and Pure Havane. If you like Pure Havane, try Xerjoff Naxos. Xerjoff are an unapologetic knock off company, although instead of selling a ‘cheap’ clone, they make luxury copies. You gave Oesel five bones, if you can find Gaultier’s Fleur du Male anywhere compare them, Oesel is almost exactly the same.
As for Tobacco Vanille, not even close, in my opinion, to Pure Havane. Tobacco Vanille, Phaedon Tabac Rouge, Noble Royale Tobacco Dynasty, and Art Meets Art Sexual Healing are all very similar.
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