FRAGRANCE | Cuba Blue EDT by Cuba Paris: Yet another cheap thrill

I got this as a freebie and I thought, well, might as well try it. Although I'm aware of the brand, which features a host of presumably tobacco-based cheapies, I haven't tried anything from Cuba Paris yet until Cuba Blue.

First off, the presentation. I'm sure some will easily dismiss it as tacky but I do appreciate the cigar-shaped bottle encased in an equally slender tin can. It's cute and handy, actually.

And as someone who digs tobacco-based fragrances, I was expecting something that's really heavy on these dry leaves. Apparently I was in for a surprise because I was greeted instead by something light, fresh, and pleasant. Granted that the opening is a little screechy, I'm actually reminded of CK One, although rougher. If Penhaligon's Quercus is its more refined cousin, then Cuba Blue is probably its bad boy half-brother.

Clearly I missed the sign, that it's named Blue for a reason. This ain't going to be your usual dark tobacco fragrance after all. However, upon closer sniffing a few minutes later, I finally get the tobacco. There's something metallic about it and it's quietly underpinning the whole scent that it's easy to miss. Cuba Blue isn't a projection beast or a leggy performer—and I don't expect it to be. It certainly isn't a must-have but sometimes there's just something about cheap thrills that they're, well, nice to have.