The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Honeyed Tobacco & Oud arrived in 2021, combining honey and tobacco in a known pairing. The challenge was making it mean something. Jacquin reached for smoky oud, warm cinnamon, and leather to build something with actual presence. The name says honeyed tobacco, but the oud in the heart is where the composition reveals its depth. The sweetness of honey mingles with the smoke, and the warmth carries through without apology.
The note structure is where the intention shows. Honey and tobacco are the obvious pairing, but Habibi NY pushed further, adding smoky oud, warm cinnamon, and leather. What makes it work is the honey itself. It leads from the opening, thick and sweet, and the other materials support it rather than letting it drift into something generic. The drydown features leather, amber, coffee, and deeper notes that give the fragrance its character. It's not a simple comfort scent. It has a strong presence that announces itself.
The evolution
The opening spreads with bergamot and pink pepper creating an immediate citrus lift. Sage adds a brief herbal undertone before the heart develops. Cinnamon and tobacco drive the middle forward, with the oud arriving to deepen the composition into something darker and more resinous. The geranium keeps things floral and green, preventing the honey from becoming overwhelming. Then the base arrives. Leather and amber assert themselves in the final hours, with labdanum adding a sticky, animalic warmth. Coffee appears here too, grounding the sweetness and keeping the drydown from becoming too soft. The drydown is where this fragrance develops its character, settling into something intimate and warm.
Cultural impact
The pairing of rich oud with honeyed tobacco brings together different aromatic traditions. Oud has been prized in Arabian perfumery for centuries, while tobacco notes have deep roots in European luxury scents. This blend appeals to those seeking distinctive scents beyond mainstream offerings. Such creations draw from heritage ingredients while appealing to modern sensibilities.
The House
Habibi NYHabibi NY is a New York-based niche fragrance house founded in 2016 by husband-and-wife team Shakir Ahmed and Tabassum Khan. The brand creates emotionally-driven scents inspired by the power of connection and the art of personal expression. Habibi NY offers a portfolio of fragrances spanning oud, woody, leather, and floral categories, with releases spanning from 2020 through 2024. Notable works include Rose Amor, White Moroccan Leather, Spiced Bergamot & Orris, Penthouse Suede, Rare Woods Elixir, Cashmere Oud, and Palace Grove. The brand retails through its own website and Bloomingdales, with a free sample included in every order. As a founder-led house, Habibi NY positions itself at the intersection of accessible luxury and authentic storytelling, drawing on the founders' personal vision rather than a house perfumer tradition.
The Creator
Amélie JacquinJacquin favors clean structure with unexpected detail. Her compositions tend to open bright and legible, with a clarity that lets each ingredient read distinctly before the deeper layers unfold.
