Smoke

This has been on the top of my to-sample list and has FINALLY sated my quest for a smokey scent. By the Fireplace was my favorite for a while, but I was looking for something less warm. This, in contrast, is almost menthol-y on opening, but is settling down to a true, neutral smoke scent. I will be layering as well as wearing on its own during the fall.

This smells like a smoked sausage to me.

To the soundtrack of Kacy Hill 07/27/2026 Re-reviewing since it's been two years since smelling this. Again, man, so wish this was smokier and bolder. After all the little experience I've gained since first trying this I've since smelled way smokier things - this just kinda falls squarely in the middle. Makes sense though. Akro's probably going for a very wide appealing demographic with this, the Tobacco Vanille crowd and maybe the Kerosene crowd too. They overlap with how sweet and accessible Smoke feels. At least to me. This also reminds me of 19-69's Chinese Tobacco, but not as contrasty or confused as that fragrance is. It's kinda the perfect sweet spot of CT's cola-fizzy opening and sweet-dark tar base. I also for whatever reason, get hints of some aquaticness not unlike Zoologist's Squid. Probably a similar tar like base they share. All of this comes together to make a very mass appealing, though lovely, tobacco fragrance that really packs a punch in longevity and sillage. You could do much worse. Though hearken back to my original review... if you're looking for something that smells like a Vegas casino, I think Celine's Nightclubbing is more cigarette forward than this. 04/18/2024 The opening smells a lot like mosquito spray around a campfire with a dash of alcohol. Very strange and nothing like cigarettes. In fact I'd say Smoke's whole longevity barely smells like a cigarette at all. Clove is huge to me. Once it's dry it reminds me of a crisp October morning in my grandma's apple themed kitchen - it's comforting and nostalgic. I could easily see this being a fragrance that was huge in the 80s, there's a sort of seductive and mysterious allure to it. This would be Faye Valentine's signature scent from Cowboy Bebop. As far as cigarettes, if you're looking for something that smells like a Las Vegas casino where ash is inescapable this isn't that. But if any of you know something with that quality let me know!

Olivier Cresp managed to realistically recreate the smell of cigarettes e da nicotina 🚬——it's impressive. "I don't smoke, so I had to ask my son—who does smoke—for help, and he explained the differences between burnt smoke and ‘smoke,’ etc. Olivier Cresp "

I like smoky fragrances but this is too much for me Smells like the old Djarum Vanilla cigarettes, its nice smell but not for a fragrance. Similar to Tobacco Vanilla but a lot smokier and just a touch vanilla.

Olivier Cresp has a little fun with smoke for Akro and brings a fresh perspective to the category. Tobacco, cade oil and benzoin form a solid accord which, softened by tonka in the base, creates a suave aromatic representation of stygian sootiness and ash. I am reminded a little of Etat Libre d'Orange's 'Jasmin et Cigarette' but this is much better. It won't hit everyone's sweet spot but I like it a lot. Tested from a sample.

One of the best tobacco fragrance ever. A beautiful representation of pipe tobacco with cade and tonka bean in the end to sweeten up the tobacco like Cavendish tobacco. A very dry start, it may smell like a stale cigarette or an ashtray, but just give it 10 minutes, and you'll get what i mean. Not everyone can wear this kind of fragrance (i surely can't), but the realistic facet of it is enough to appreciate what a masterpiece this is (along with Dark).

Probably the "driest" smelling fragrance I've ever smelled. The olfactory equivalent of rubbing your hand across sandpaper - but in a good way!!!! very VERY masculine scent and I can definitely imagine this being an "acquired taste", but man this is a really fun scent to have on. Don't be scared of other reviewers claiming this to be "straight up BBQ smoke", this is wayyyyyy more complex than that. PS my mother really enjoys this so +1 for the mom factor

It's more ash and tar than smoke, smoke is there but more tarry, I bought 30 ml only to layer it with other tobacco fragrances that lack smoke. Dry down is better than opening. On its own, I'm not sure why would you wanna smell so tarry and smokey. Smoke is good when contrasted by vanille or resins, here the contrast isn't present. Good for layering if you want an extra smoke and presence, but I wouldn't wear it alone. The dry down is of semi sweet pipe tobacco.

i have absolutely no idea how people are getting cigar from this. it smells like mesquite bbq. like smoke wafting from a meaty charcoal grill. id scrunch my face immediately if someone walked past me smelling like grill meat…

Pure tobacco leaf, smells exactly like a shed drying tobacco leaves for cigars, obviously with some smoke as well. Transitions to a sweet vanilla with some hints of smoke. Not for everyone, it's intense and dark but I love it so much.

Akro #5 – Out in the clear or into the storm? Before i sprayed Smoke, i anticipated to finally leave the umbrella of gourmands behind and get in the clear. But, with a scent called Smoke, am i really heading “into the clear” or into a storm? Turns out, both things check out because we seem to leave the gourmand family behind and we are heading “into the thick of it”! For someone who hasn’t dwelved into the unusual sides of perfumery, Smoke will proove to be a challenge. Its a dark scent that trails off the beaten path of traditional perfumery. As the name suggests, the opening hits you with a thick veil of smoke and this ain’t just any kind of smoke. This is not transparent car exhaust or small campfire smoke but an opaque, cough-inducing black smoke like the one produced by burning tires. Akro has done it again because this one perfectly accomplishes its brief too. Despite being challenging early on, Smoke isn’t a perfume made for cheap shock value or “built to be ugly”. Its a pleasant and romanticised rendition of black smoke. As the scent settles and the smoke starts clearing up (pun intended), other sides of the perfume are revealed. The first thing emerging from the black smoke is a glint of a red cherried accord. This cherried accord gives it a layer of beauty for those patient enough to lean in for subsequent sniffs. Secondly, in the drydown we get an ambery benzoin and at this point the scent arrives at a calmer, more familiar stage. If Akro’s Smoke was a character, it would be Quasimodo from Notre-Dame. Those who don’t turn their backs or run away from him on first sight will learn that there’s more here then meets the eye. If we gather our courage to stay and listen, we realise that our treatment is hasty and unfair. Similarly to the Quasimodo’s character, Smoke is the type of perfume that is easily dismissed on initial impression but there is pleasantness to miss out on. Akro’s Smoke shares commonalities with two perfumes that i own: Mancera Red Tobacco and even more curiously, Liquids Imaginaire’s Peau de Bete. Red Tobacco immediately comes to mind when met with this accord, being one of the well known cherry tobacco perfumes. Smoke lacks the spicy part, retaining only the red cherried part. With Peau de Bete on the other hand i initially struggled to see the common thread but it must be the Cade Oil found in the opening phases of Smoke. Cade Oil is not a note i have experience with but apparently its related to Juniper and it has a phenolic, acrid facet. This facet reminds me of the skatole/poopy nouances of Peau de Bete, not to mention that one actually features a Juniper note. In the end, Smoke initially recreates a realistic smoke accord as i haven’t seen in perfumery as of yet and benefits of a pleasant evolution. It is a very interesting, bold and generally unique perfume made for those with a brave heart. Just as with Akro’s Awake, a 100ml bottle would be unnecessary for these kind of perfumes but luckily the company makes 30ml’s. For the experience and quality they come with, they are worth having in that format.

Im in love it. Its what TF TV should've been. Its dark. Roch. Smokey. Sweet. Elegant. Its complex. Its mature. Its year-rpumd wear depending if you work in an AC environment. Date-night wear. Make a statement wear. Wanna get chose wear. Jus-fpr-you cuz u like it wear.

Cigar or pure cigarette smoke and ketchup ? i'm so confused. Waited for dry down after one hour, still pure smoke/ ashtray and tomato ketchup. what ???? does anybody else get this ? :)) ahah who can wear this or stomach it !

realistic smoke scent, super unwearable though. somehow remind me of smoked stingray i ate when i was a kid. however, super unique!

I thought there is tobacco in the opening but nope, this is just smoke. Why would anyone want to smell like a house that burnt down and you were standing next to it? This is crazy. I hope they discontinue this one

The most challenging from the base collection. Tar. Not smoky, straight up tar from cleaning a wood boiler and chimney. Over time piped tabacco emerges and softens the profile. Tar is present throughout the life of the fragrance.

Oh yes - fire up the barbecue in the opening! Then it fades to a nice tobacco leaf… very enjoyable if you like smoke. Definitely reminiscent of chewing tobacco if thats your thing. IA A City on Fire is my choice

this is just straight stale tobacco

Now you too can smell like a smoker without actually being one! In all seriousness, this is really nice. I've always liked the smell, but didn't want the accompanying lung cancer. Now I can carry around that scent with me regardless. However it's not cheap cigarettes if that's what you were looking for. Definitely high quality/premium cigars. This is one juicy ass, dry tobacco. Absolutely lovely. Be careful not to overspray though, it's strong stuff.

It's not my favourite. There is something industrial about this perfume, smells like burned rubber, and the factory dust. It is a bit softer and sweeter on the skin, but this is definitely not a safe blind buy.

Very weird…like rubber on hot pavement with a whisper of eucalyptus far in the background.

Smoke hit exactly how I expected. Tobacco. Smoke. Darkness. Alright. What I didn’t expect was how little it cared about being livable. I kept hoping against hope it would calm down. Be easier. More everyday. It absolutely wouldn’t. This is a very specific fragrance for a very specific crowd. It’s divisive and a little nasty. People talking shit comes with the territory. 🧨 That’s the tax. Smoke is Akro planting their flag and lighting it on fire. I tested this while “quitting” smoking. Lungs resting, hands bored, brain bargaining. Resolve allegedly firm. And Smoke has been there the whole time, warming and maddeningly comforting. Like standing too close to someone you want who smells incredible and doesn’t ask how you’re doing. 😒 What keeps pulling me back is that it smells like a dying campfire in the open woods or insanely good roll-ups with a cherry-dark edge. Not cheap cigarettes. No stale smoking rooms. It’s dry, slightly green, tarry, and outdoorsy. It’s that feeling of stepping out in real cold for a drag, jacket open, fingers numb, but mouth still warm. That said, this perfume needs air. Near-zero temperatures. Winter, ideally. Non-negotiable. Long walks. Open space. Nighttime. It throws hard and lasts offensively long. Showers mean nothing. Wear it in an enclosed space and you’ll either get a headache or turn everyone against you. ⚠️ Unless they smoke. Smokers will instantly relax around you. Once on skin, it’s dense and packed tight. Dry, bitter tobacco and rubbery birch cave in on themselves, going tar-thick, almost charred. But after about an hour, benzoin and tonka start to creep in and push it right up to cloying. Weird. Especially for something so smoke-drowned and unsentimental. And that’s where it loses me, honestly. It drifts much sweeter than I’d like. I wish it took a sharper, fresh-spicy turn. More ash and sparks, less of a vanilla detour. The drydown matures everything aggressively, like x10. By the end, Smoke starts acting too grown. I wanted it messier. The first thing I got, though, wasn’t tobacco or smoke but BBQ-smoked prunes. Fruit dried over embers. Instantly. That chewy sweetness wrapped in char. Birch smoke, dark-fruited dry tobacco, and the resin underneath all lock into that exact smell. And once you catch it, it really sticks to you. Which also unlocked a memory I didn’t order: I briefly dated a firefighter. I met him straight after work one night, fresh from a fire, and his clothes smelled just like this. Smoke-dried prunes, fabric and sweat that hadn’t cooled yet. Only he got to smell like that for free, so lol. Still. Kind of hot. I’d totally wear it, but only when I want to be intentionally unsettling. Like meeting his parents for the first time. ’Cause nothing says “I have lived” quite like controlled combustion. Or a wedding where the dress code is pastel. No gift. I’d bring incense-sweet smoke and emotional weight instead. If I buy it, it’ll be the 30 ml. This isn’t a daily driver. It’s time-, weather-, and mood-bound. But it’s special, deeply non-trivial, and would fit right in with the rest of my dirty bunch. No rush.

Bought a bottle because Sebastian “the perfume guy” from YouTube liked it. It was interesting but definitely not for me. Dry, off putting, smoky but in a resinous way. I love smoky perfumes, but this had a steamed rice and mothball aroma rather than a fire smoke that the name suggests. Sold my bottle, and don’t miss it.

this smells like cigarettes smoke hahha drydown has virginia tobbaco leaf smell this is a best hangout fragrance for junkies and smokers

Opens with a mild white smoke but then...holy smokes!!! (pun intended)...this is IMO, a more addicting version (but a tad sweeter) of This Is Not A Pipe by Demeter--the cade here is definitely present, but not overbearing, it sits more in the far back compared to the other notes. The tobacco leaf here is just so addicting (for context, I dont smoke, for those that think they may be noseblind/dont smell the tobacco), when combined with the rest of the notes, just balsamic and sweet enough to tell a picture as a whole. Wow. Layering this with Leatherize by DS&Durga is such a treat, even though this frag is much lighter. But it's rather disrespectful, because this is just so addicting on its own. I will say the smoke is more of a faintly-sweet pipe-esque smoke, sliding between fresh-stale, but present, as opposed to a burning smoke, and really is more of a supportive note than one that stands out. I didn't like Akro Ink when I tried it, but this find was a big win from this house. I will say the Demeter frag is more of an eau de cologne, while this is an EDP (even though this is not really a good metric, they do actually differ in performance--this is better), and 100mL of Akro can be had for under 100$, I'd say this is highway robbery (slightly less so) as with the Demeter frag.

My second Akro experience and it did not disappoint. It is, without a doubt, smokey. And smoke accords can be polarizing, but the accompaniments here are perfect. The net result is a smokey incense aura which ends up being rather addictive.

At least on paper the opening is deadass straight bbq and one of questionable sauce composition. I have a little hope for the dry down based on reviews but yeah that opening smells like straight food grade liquid smoke, and there's a sour almost mustardy note I do not fuck with. Reviews are tripping I do not smell ANY cigarette The smoke note here is incredible and super photorealistic though and I fuck with that heavy. I sense some really nice layering potential here with something spicy or sweet to balance out that damn mustard in the opening, and shall update once dry down is experienced. Have not tried on skin so expect a review update here in case it plays nice

This is a beautiful scent to wear during the day in summer because that drydown really shines in the heat.

Usually with most tobacco scents you get a familiar evolution: tobacco right up front that slowly sweetens into an amber base—often honeyed, sometimes even a bit fruity. What I love about Akro Smoke is that it completely flips that structure. The opening is almost abrasive and ashtray like, But give it about 20 minutes and it shifts into a very realistic, slightly sweetened pipe tobacco. Overall it’s warm, cozy and wears pretty light! If you can get past the opening, which is the most challenging part, the drydown is genuinely addictive.