what fragrance would this character use

That's easy....Mouchoir de Monsieur..Guerlain

Drakkar was mentioned recently above. Im the op. I have vintage Drakkar, its not exctly what i want now, as its not tobacco nor leather and its very recognizable as a very dated and overused popular scent. But, fyi, i tried current Drakkar and read reviews of it and it is an awfully weak unusable reformulation. If i wanted Drakkar Id have to try a copy, looking for one better than current reform. Theres some copies out there, not of great interest to me now.

When I'm old and frumpy, I'll still wear Caron Yatagan! The most comforting of smells, which is both fresh and if my wife is the judge, smells very hot too.

I tried Yatagan in a store and was aghast at how overwhelming and strong a pine scent it is, and read reviews online where it's considered as a strong scent generating divisive opinions similar to Kourus, Aramis (initial note smells like urine to me) , Fahrenheit (initial note has a benzene smell). I concluded Yatigan is for people who want to walk around with a weird overbearing powerful pine smell, its been referred to as a smell a real lumberjack might have (not considering a human smell, just the pine forest.) Since Im considering the concept of what an older professor at a university might wear, someone word travelled (ie going to conferences etc) some connections to the literary or professorial world, i dont imagine Yatagan as what such person would wear. Theyre not lumberjack inclined, more into old books, cigars, maybe a good scotch, wearing Harris tweed, etc.
I figured such a person might have picked up a good classic maybe European fragrance yrs ago maybe something like Knize Ten or SMN Spanish Leather, but right now Im using Tabac edc and waiting to try Pinaud SR. If this character is older and American, maybe theyre still into Old Spice and getting the good stuff from India, but thats an AS so maybe theyd have a good edc. Something old, clasic, distinguished, bound to have notes of leather or tobacco in the scent. I didnt yet buy Knize Ten or SMN Spanish Leather due to cost, wanted to try Tabac AS and edc first (which i like and use). SMN also has a Patchouli i imagine such person might like, especially if a liberal 60s background in their younger years.

I'd suggest the prof try out Encre Noire. It's reasonably priced and has a unique profile of cypress, vetiver, musk and cashmere wood. It definitely possesses a comfy chair in a well-appointed den reading an old book vibe. It really does it's own thing. But if you don't dig that thing, I'd point you towards something in the Santa Maria Novella family, perhaps Tabacco Toscano.

im the OP. Ive got Encres Noir on my list to try, but havent found it in a store yet. Its affordable but reviews are divisive, its got a 40 percent synthetic scent some people dont like. I was able to try SMN Spanish Leather and the vintage car scent in a store. Same day i was on the fenc whether to buy SMN Spanish Leather or Knize Ten but I opted to hold out and wait for my Tabac AS and edc to arrive via Amazon, as theyre about $20 compared to $80-$125. I like Tabac. I tried to go to the SMN store in LA after that but they were closed when they were supposed to be open and i never made it back. Last night i got to try Creed GIT (again), Penn Sartorial and Aqua de Parma Colonia and liked those (but not many others i tried). Of those 3 , Sartorial is #3 but available discounted on Amazon. SMN is about $125, Sartorial is about $80. GIT is what $200? Tried Cool Water, it is no GIT. I still like Tabac edc.

I can see what some would perceive as synthetic notes from Encre Noire, but it's so unique. I got a couple sample sprayers off eBay for about $5. You might want to check out the r/fragsplits or r/fragdecants subs on Reddit. Both are great ways to tap into a lot of knowledge and a wide variety of frags in smaller sizes.

Encre Noire is inky, damp, swampy, and almost fetid. I don't think it is what you are looking for. It is fun to smell.

The reference by me to Encre Noir being 40% a synthetic sustance is not subjective.

Just for clarification (if needed) - 45% of the fragrance component in Encre Noire is Iso-E Super, but not 40% of the entire volume of the end product.

For reference, Terre d'Hermes is 55%.

I like Terre de hermes. Its one of a few scents i tried, liked but didnt yet by, didnt feel its "my scent" but close, also not cheap. In this category fall Burbery London, Guerlain Vetivier, Eau Suavage, and expensive scents i thought were high for me ie GIT, Tom Ford Patchouli Private Reserve. I was hoping Pinaud SR would worK but Im not getting edc level longevity and sillage. One reason I didnt get Knize Ten or any SMN is Eau Sauvage or Guelain Vetivier is much cheaper online. Right now im using Tabac edc or Halston 112.

I like Eau Sauvage, but I find that it doesn't last very long on me. I normally reach for Aramis Tuscany when I want a citrus, but even then I only get 4-5 hours. I think I have the current formulation. Vintage is described as being similar to Azzaro pour Homme, and mine doesn't seem similar at all. I think I like it more than modern Eau Sauvage. Vintage Eau Sauvage has an animalic note in it that the modern sorely lacks. Tuscany has a touch of patchouli and leather in and I think it also has some hedione.

Theres a Dior Eau Sauvage Perfum (and or Intense, i forget). I tried both at Sephora, preferring the latter. Description says it is a completely different scent. I think online its about $90 so i didnt get it yet. Right now i juste used Proraso Red and Tabac AS and this works for me, considering i can add Tabac edc later. All 3 products all together are about $42. I intend to get Proraso Red AS but i like Tabac AS with Proraso red soap and i dont feel like trying to search out a cologne like Proraso Red. My point is if i add Proraso red with Tabac (AS and or edc), i think thats a good scent for me probablt better than the red alone. Im getting some longevity from the Red soap.

Im the OP. For awhile i was rotating Proraso Red, Tabac and Clubman SR, all AS and sometimes using varios edc Ive pickup up cheap like Quorum, Halston I12 and z14, etc.

Ive felt good using this stuff but didnt feel Ive found "my scent yet.

Very recently Ive acquired Stirling Gentlemen and Glastonbury AS and i enjoy these, Glastonbury in particular.
It has patchouli and i think my ideal scent maybe should have patchouli in it.

Ive also got Sung for Men and 2 scents by Kanon... Norwegian Wood and Agar. These are all usable and inexpensive but maybe not real close to what I want.

Im now thinking in the realm of Tabac, Stirling Gentleman and Glastonbury, and Tabac AS wondering what i might like even more than these.

I think im missing a strong tobacco scent. Also im thinking maybe i need to buy Knize Ten and maybe some Santa Maria Novella scents to get to the really good stuff. But i really like the 2 Stirling scents. I think i need to try the Maggards tobacco scent.

OP - As far as leathers go, I would recommend you try: Knize 10, Hermes Bel Ami, GFT Spanish Leather, and Tom Ford Tuscan Leather. As far as tobaccos go, I would try: Parfums de Marley Herod, Phaedon Tabac Rouge, and Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille. I would also try GFT Eucris and Creed Bois du Portugal. Neither of these last two are leather or tobacco, but they both have an older distinguished gentleman vibe. Hope this helps.

Creed Green Irish Tweed
Acqua dSilva
Caraceni 1913 bad ***
Bay Rum (prefer Derby Chop Shop, Atomic Age, Dominican) again bad *** I just dont care scent

Im the op
Ive tried Knize Ten. Wasnt sure it was ideal for me. Felt it was a little soft/powdery and didnt want the cost compared to Tabac AS and edc, and Clubman SR. Ive also tried Tom Ford Tobacco Vanilla but wasnt so enthused by vanilla and its expensive. I also tried a a Tom Ford Patchoui Reserve which i liked a lot but its expensive. Santa Maria Novella has a Spanish Leather, a Patchouli, and a tobacco fragrance, also the other scent that smells like an old sports car, so all of those appeal to me and theyre cheap than Tom Ford i think. But i did come to the conclusion if i want good stuff, with good longevity I should put Knize, Tom Ford and Santa Maria Novella on a short list. But ive still been playing around with low cost scents instead ie Stirling Gentleman, Glastonbury AS (and I want to try Baker Street), Sung for Men edc, and going back to Tabac (AS edc and edt) and Clubman SR. I do feel if i bought and only used Tom Ford (i tried the Reserve product line), Knize, or Santa Maria Novella, that would work. I made a trip to the LA Santa Maria Novella store once but they were closed during normal biz hours which annoyed me. I tried 2 of their scents at Lucky Scents in LA. The Tom Ford scents i tried at a Bloomindales.

I got Stirling Sharp Dressed Man and Executive Man. Im allergic to the former (hives). I have trouble smelling the latter. I liked the Creed scents i tried in Bloomingdales but didnt want to spend the $.

Caraceni 1913 from what ive read is expensive, floral, not suited to casual wear, and probably not sold in US (n9 longer sold by Lucky Scent). So not a great match for me. I want to try Alt Innsbruck AS/cologne.

Caraceni may be floral but only in sense of apocolypse haha.

Have you ever considered a bay rhum? The derby chop shop bourbon variant is truly unique