The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Havana Tonka was launched in 2026 as part of Byredo's Night Veils collection, with Jérôme Epinette composing the fragrance. Its brief is centered on a bespoke interpretation of roasted tonka bean. The opening gathers bergamot, rum, and pink peppercorn, creating a bright, spiced entry before the composition moves toward tobacco and the creamy sweetness of white suede. Together, the notes build a fragrance that balances lively citrus, warm rum, dry tobacco, creamy suede, and roasted tonka. The result is both inviting and composed, with enough spice to keep the opening alert and enough softness to give the composition depth. Tobacco and roasted tonka form the central pairing, framed by rum, benzoin, patchouli, violet, musk, and cashmere wood.
Roasted tonka is the point of gravity, forming the warm center of the fragrance. It sits well beside rum, benzoin, and patchouli, with each note contributing a different expression of sweetness and depth. Rum brings a rounded, boozy warmth, benzoin adds resinous sweetness, and patchouli introduces an earthy texture. White suede and cashmere wood contribute soft, tactile notes that complement the darker materials without taking focus from them. Tobacco introduces a dry, almost ashtray-like edge, creating contrast against the creamier facets of the composition.
The evolution
The opening arrives with bergamot, rum, and pink pepper, a quick lift of citrus and spice before anything has time to become overly comfortable. Crème brûlée sweetness and rum warmth follow, then the fragrance settles into tobacco, white suede, violet, and cashmere wood. That middle phase is where its personality becomes most distinctive: creamy, dry, and slightly smoky at once. White suede gives the composition a smooth texture, violet introduces a cool floral accent, and cashmere wood adds a soft woody quality beneath the tobacco. As the day turns, roasted tonka, benzoin, musk, and patchouli take over, leaving a warm trail rather than a bright sparkle. The drydown is the part that stays with you, sweet and resinous, but shadowed by tobacco and patchouli.
Cultural impact
Havana Tonka sits within a fragrance culture that places unusual ingredient pairings and strongly characterized notes at the center of discovery. Its roasted tonka and tobacco profile places it near other gourmand amber woods, while rum, crème brûlée, benzoin, patchouli, and musk broaden the sweet, warm register of the composition. Community descriptions often compare it with Angels' Share by Kilian, making Havana Tonka an inviting fragrance for those drawn to rich gourmand woods and tobacco-led interpretations.
The House
ByredoFounded in Stockholm by Ben Gorham, Byredo distills memory and emotion into minimalist fragrance. Each scent is a narrative — from the dusty roads of Jaipur to the anonymity of a crowded city. The house rejects the ornate traditions of European perfumery in favor of restrained Scandinavian design, letting raw materials speak with startling clarity.
The Creator
Jérôme EpinetteEpinette's style can be described as modern and sophisticated, with a focus on natural ingredients and clean lines. He has a knack for creating fragrances that are both wearable and interesting, often incorporating unexpected elements to add depth and complexity.
