About the FRAGRANCE
Known as a playground for the mafia and wealthy elite, Havana in the mid-1900s hosted many vibrant music venues like the Tropicana or the members’ guild Buena Vista Social Club. The rhythmic pulsations of Habanera, Latin jazz and Salsa that were heard everywhere coupled with the dazzling showgirls added to the tropical island’s allure. After the revolution in 1959 many establishments closed down and with that an era of Havana ended. The scent La Habana by 19-69 shines a light on the golden musical era of Cuba between the 1930s and 1950s. Fragrance notes include Saffron, Incense Resinoid and Oud.
INGREDIENTS
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FRAGRANCE NOTES
- Saffron
- Warm, dry, and slightly leathery. Spicy floral nuance with a soft hay-like sweetness and a gentle bitter edge.
- Incense Resinoid
- Smoky, resinous, and warm. Deep aromatic incense with a dry, slightly balsamic richness and a lingering smoky trail.
- Vanilla Absolute
- Warm, sweet, and rich. Deep vanilla with a soft creamy warmth, subtle woody undertones, and a smooth, full sweetness.
- Caramel
- Sweet, warm, and rich. Burnt sugar softness with a smooth, buttery depth and a soft, rounded sweetness.
- Laotian Oud
- Deep, dark, and woody. Rich resinous wood with a smooth smoky depth and a warm, slightly sweet earthiness.
- Golden Stone
- Warm, mineral, and smooth. Dry stone-like texture with a soft golden warmth and a subtle resinous glow.
A SAILOR’S REMINISCENCE OF CUBA
The Fragrance Journey is based on a sailor’s reminiscence of La Habana, Cuba.
“So, in the 1950s, one of my four uncles, Gunnar, went to sea, where he stayed for nearly thirty years. When I was a kid, he would tell me stories of all the exotic places he’d visited, like Japan, China, and Australia. Time after time, he returned to his memories of Cuba. ‘It was so different then, before the revolution. The most beautiful caramel-colored showgirls, all dressed up in feathers and headdresses, at the Tropicana. Everywhere, casinos and vibrant music venues offered the very best of Habanera, Latin jazz, and salsa music.’
‘You know, Havana was very much like a rose,’ my uncle told me. ‘It had petals, it had thorns. It was so sensual, yet had a darker side to it. They were all there: Sinatra, Nat King Cole, but also Al Capone, Lucky Luciano, and Meyer Lansky, staying at the Hotel Nacional. There were the horse races at Oriental Park and the small alleys, church towers, and terra-cotta rooftops. I can still recall the different smells lingering, like saffron from a kitchen window. The music that was everywhere, and the cigars. My friend, who worked for a big hotel, drove us around in his Cadillac.
After the revolution, things changed. But on one visit, I met a girl and decided to stay. Marry her, have a few kids, you know. I let the ship return to Sweden without me. Though it didn’t take long for the police to catch the escapee. I was sent to jail for three months until the next boat arrived. However, jail was not bad. I spent all my time in this mafioso’s jail cell, playing poker and drinking Bacardi.’”