Back to Black - an intensely sweet and alluring gourmand. It opens with powerful notes of honey, cherry, vanilla and raspberry; it’s sweet and fruity with some dry touches in the background. The heart consists of a thickening of the cherry and honey combination with the addition of a slightly powdery almond and tonka bean which adds to the deliciousness of this scent. It then dries down to a sweet, syrupy honey with a dry, smokey tobacco to give it some power. The cherry begins to dissipate while the vanilla becomes stronger all while warm spices begin to creep in from the sides. The performance is great - it lasts all day and projects well, gathering great reactions from others. Back to Black is one of the greatest gourmands on the market, it’s sweet and delicious with lots going on however it never gets overbearing. This fragrance reminds me so much of Christmas and it’s perfect for nights out in the winter.
Smells like mentholated honey cough sweets. Heavy on the honey and pollen. Reminiscent of Bee Zoologist in that way. The tobacco is fleeting. Missable.
Well I was really looking forward to trying this fragrance despite not knowing anything about it and I tried this in a shop earlier in the week and as soon as I spray it I was automatically repulsed. Unfortunately I really hate honey!!! Genuinely can't stand the smell of it and that was the major thing in the opening which I took such an instant dislike to. Managed to get my hands on a sample and dispensing it differently (without a atomiser) completely changed the opening for me...very vague honey but many a massive DARK CHERRY which is nice and rich. This is joined by a thick, fresh, pipe tobacco and strong, hard, dense woods...this scent is gorgeous! Have to say the honey note is quite minimal and despite really not enjoying it myself it works so well in this composition and adds another natural feeling dimension. This being said it keeps popping up and getting stronger in the mix at times so it's still a bit of a contentious issue with me.
I felt I aught to re review this fragrance briefly as I've tried it several times now in store and had two sample vials, one which I wore myself and one I gave to my girlfriend to wear. Quite honestly my views haven't changed on this fragrance from my first review, I think it's masterpiece...just not for me to wear. The honey is so full bodied that I can't stomach it, the boozy rich and fruity sweetness of the rest of the fragrance is to die for. It's certainly not my wish that Killian had omitted the honey because Back to Black needs it to give that further dimension. Obviously if you like the smell of honey this fragrance is a show stopper and a must have. I also love the smell of it on my girlfriend. From a distance the sillage trail is all fruity, cherry liquor and its only when I get close I detect the honey again but it certainly seems better on her than on me. I like a lot of fragrances from this house but not many really stand out as individual compositions, showcasing true originality but Back in Black is one of them. Everyone who enjoys fine fragrance should try to get their nose on it, because you won't be disappointed.
