Gentle and smooth this one... Incredibly nice. I realized a while ago that gender categorization for perfume is pointless and largely redundant. I would really not erge anyone to agree or take my opinion on board because its just that...an opinion. I can't help applying the old paradigm of Homme/femme. It's totally unisex and I would wear this in a heartbeat it's a wonderful fragrance I can't fault it. Just in terms of this Arabian nights collection I'd categorize Amber Oud as leaning slightly more toward the feminine. It has a more gentle approach more ambery and is softened by the presence of vanilla. I only mention it because personally I don't know any women who would wear a strong woody or oud fragrance anyway. So when there's a range of unisex fragrances I naturally feel the lighter of the bunch to be more suited to the ladies. If it was cheaper I'd certainly consider adding it to the collection as a good amber scent.
Not a lot of saffron or incense in this at all. My humble opinion...It's oud and guaiac wood no sweetness there and nothing to lift it. It's really good if you like the smell of agarwood don't get me wrong...Longevity and projection are massive. A dark, strong, dank, woody smell but it's not great and certainly not worth the money. What I love about MFK OUD is the saffron and patchouli are totally evident and make an actual perfumers composition...a piece of art if you will. It's one thing being minimal but this is just lazy and the only way the price tag could be justified is if the finest Oud has been used. I don't know if that is the case? I find the mark up on By Kilian has a lot to do with the packaging...I mean the bottles are nice sure but not THAT NICE! The refills are quite reasonably priced if you enjoy the scent, I'd just get them. Not this one though there's a bewildering array of more imaginative Oud based scents out there. Shame too because I've quite liked By Kilian perfumes so far. Listen to the wise words of @jht4060 below and you won't go far wrong.
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.
Stunning opening smells absolutely amazing right out of the bottle... Must be the plum and orange whatever it is it's wonderfully fruity. That lasts for all of 30 seconds (shame) and what you're left with is a woody floral musk (to quote the description) and nothing more really. A good scent for a guy I think, quite masculine, very clean soapy vetiver dry down a little bit of smoke but again that's gone quite quickly. The spicing is tame by Amouage standards but well balanced and actually a nice wearable scent. Yep dia is alright in my book.
Awful!!! I'm not a knee jerk reaction sort of guy I like to give fragrances a chance to charm me. Also I'm a massive fan of Amouage on the whole and even the ones I don't like I appreciate the craft and how nuanced and generally complex the fragrances are and what they have to offer. Ciel however has an accord that I will describe very simply and please folks don't think I'm a philistine but I can help the imagery my nose conjures up! The smell of a men's toilet when you urinate directly onto a BLUE URINAL CAKE (I think that's what they're called?) and some of the fragrant lavender scented blocks give off pungent vapour mixed with the smell of your own juice. So sorry for the powerful imagery but I can't get past that...was going to say worst Amouage ever but then I remembered Gold man! It's a complex one and is better in the dry down there's something nice behind the awful smell that I'm trying to sniff beyond but I just can't! Shame.
I tried this a while back but reserved judgement for when I had a wearable sample. Just not to my taste Opus III. The mimosa although not entirely unpleasant, is just not my bag baby. It's quite vanilla really I get the ylang ylang too and all in all it's a complex fragrance. It reminds me of when I used to collect samples on a weekly basis from a wet wipe company to test in my lab. This is very reminiscent of what the factory smelled like...and I'm not be cruel to Opus III the smell was complex and quite nice really. It's a clean smell which has not spicy tricks up its sleeve like the typical Amouage thing, also this has a vague synthetic banana thing much like reflection man. Luckily that goes away in the dry down in fact everything dies down and you're left with an agreeable if not a little floral smell.
Wowee!!! What a little stunner this is! For me the jewel in the crown of the Opus collection...reminds me a little of Fate man with the strong cardamom and other cooking spices. But that takes a few minutes to develop and like many Amouage fragrances the transitions are frequent as the mixing pot swills around and settles itself down on your skin. The opening is supreme, heavenly I get a huge fruity, juicy, refreshing mandarin and citrus then comes the typical cumin/fenugreek/caraway/cardamom etc... spices and ton of incense, also floral sweetness coming from something all this with a musky base. This fragrance is complex but somehow peaceful and has a mellow meditative vibe about it. I'm a fan!
Hmmm...Kind of boozy right out of the bottle, reminded me of a kilian rum opening that dies away quickly and it becomes an all too familiar amber/incense fragrance. I think that booziness is the amber and sharpness from the labnanum perhaps? Stings my nose a little but I quite like it, has that kingly vibe. Could've sworn there would be oud & rose in here but not according to the notes listed. Not up to par for Amouage's flair for individuality but as a fragrance very nice and they(by they I mean different perfumers everytime) can't come up with something totally unique on each outing...and I completely understand it. For me this is quite similar to two recent additions to my collection, By Kilian Incense Oud and striaght to heaven which share some similar notes (including cardamom which I think is in here.) As this dries down it's less like a rose/oud thing and more of deep amber vibe on reflection.
Ahhh...A nice surprise in the Opus collection. This is reminiscent of L'artisan Perfumeur Fou D'Absinthe to me and that's a very good thing! Fresh with lavander and wormwood but well balanced, tiniest amount of smoked incense with spice from cardamom and a hint of cinnamon. It's really good...I love the opening...flip flopped a little about it...then decided it was nice again. Amouage for me are big occasion fragrances that would struggle to work as a regular scent...with some exceptions of course Jubilation XXV springs to mind. Opus II however is similar in that it's very wearable and for me although perfectly unisex does lean toward the masculine ever so slightly.
Okay so Opus I has a massively floral opening I thought it was like a lily maybe and definitely tuberose! The cardamom is present but not over the top unfortunately the florals most certainly are, at least in the opening. There's something I want to like about the floral element, probably the jasmine but in combination with tuberose doesn't sit right with my nose. Whoever first mentioned the musty book smell below is totally spot on. Opus I does have that strange quality to it, very apt considering it's from the Library collection. It's not a good start, with that opening but as it dries down it becomes sweeter the florals become more settled and a slight tonka bean thickness starts to come in. For me though this is not something I'd wear nor does it appeal but an interesting smell if you're prepared to give it a chance.
When I first applied this fragrance I thought I'd found some heavenly stuff the opening few seconds are fresh and you definitely get a brief citrus blast..at least I did anyway and it was not what I was expecting. Then within seconds it starts to develop from the mouth watering...to the headache inducing! A VERY PETROLEUM like vibe starts to develop and as much as I kind of like the smell of petrol in a Pervy sort of way, I would never understand a desire to smell like it! Now except for my beloved Fahrenheit of course but that is different from this Xerjoff signature effect I've observed in a few others now. It has a hint of smoke too and between that and the stinging petrol note you can just about make out the pleasant powdery scent underneath. I'm saying petrol, it's a kind of grubby diesel. The petrol dies down and the fragrance improves a little to a leathery type scent in the dry down. Despite not smelling it at all at first it has the lavender and gernaium/carnation powder of a Rive Gauche, pleasant shave soap, type scent, Alfra's review below comparing it to Knize Ten but I don't think it's as floral. It's a little harsh at first but challenging to my olfactory system and keeps me sniffing which I like.
This is a serene, peaceful fragrance...the pine and birch tar perfectly complement the frankincense, this is the last stop on my CDG Incense trail and it's been an eye opening, whistle stop tour around the world. I've reached the conclusion that I love incense when surrounded by other notes in complex compositions the likes of Amouage epic, memoir and interlude. Another reason I like them is they have a smokiness, I honestly couldn't describe any of these as being smokey with the exception of Kyoto and Zagorsk which have a mild smokey texture but I was expecting more. Again, not that I'm complaining this collection has more than delivered and educated me about different faiths and the smells associated with them. Hats off to Comme de Garçons!!!
Great review below from Dr Kool. :) I have no idea what authentic Orthodox Russian church incense smells of? I'd assumed CDG had done some research? maybe they had? Perhaps the sample churches they chose smelled like this? or maybe a cock up and this incense range was labelled incorrectly? maybe zagorsk is supposed to be jaisalmer as he suggests....I love this one all the same and has been a recent addition to my wardrobe but I can't wear it yet as for me it's not warming enough for winter...will be lovely in spring I reckon.
Bright almost lemony/Limey citrus (from the labdanum perhaps?) in this is so invigorating! Very woody and then as you inhale deeper you get a spicy edge of incense and pepper. Drys down to a lovely close scent which is unlikely to offend anyone...incense lover or not. Ouarzazate was not what I was expecting at all. I thought I wanted this collection to go in a Stronger, harder direction but this much lighter offering is just the tonic and my favourite so far, from an interesting bunch. This collection truly takes you on a unique journey with each fragrance and this one is probably the most conventional, and accessible wearable amongst them.
This is a special fragrance! Opens with a mystical chime of fresh cedar and cypress...then Bam!!! It's spiced beautifully with incense and has a slightly earthy quality from the woods and vetiver. This is great but you have to be brave to wear any incense scent and this is no exception. I'm tempted to add this to my collection because it's so unlike anything I've smelled before (in a perfume anyway) it would be interesting to try the Tom Ford which is listed as being similar on here.
Great scent this one...reminds me of lots of things but I still can't quite place what? It's a spicy and oriental, right out of the gate the cardamom and dry pepper are there with a clean pure incense which feels somehow cleansing. Something slightly tiger balmy in the opening but settles to a very subtle scent. 2 down 3 to go and the series is a total hit with me so far let's hope one of the next ones I try is an absolute knockout!
Wow!!! Them Catholics certainly know a thing or two about incense. This is great...yet again it's not smoky and dark enough for my liking! I like a balance between fresh and burning incense flavours and this is just short of the mark. Still very nice and I can see the comparisons with Montale full incense but right away this has slightly more depth and to me is a little more refined. At the end of the day I'm splitting hairs here and being super critical because I'm searching for the holy grail of incense perfumes...in truth this is amazing, resinous, spicy, smooth a must for incense fans.
Hahah! Gileshowe's review/comments below says it all so eloquently. I will just add that the opening of this fragrance is disgusting, really vile like a chemically supercharged roque forte!!! Really it has a putrid cheese note to my nose! Pardon my French... it's fucking terrible!!! However, once that subsides you get a very rough and unrefined leather scent which is so primal it actually has a certain charm of its own. More madness from Montale...try it once you get past the horror of the opening (if you can?) it's an interesting raw leather fragrance.
Rose and patchouli are massive in this and not too my taste at all. It's very intense in the opening and smells almost fizzy if that makes sense? I couldn't wear this it's really not good, you'd think with Montale's calibre and a name like Black aoud this juice would be great...sadly the word I'd use to describe it is 'industrial' or 'aggressive' in the extreme. With so many Rose/Oud combos out there why would you get this? Yuck!
This was a straight forward one for me...found it cheaply online as I'd come across it numerous times on my fragrance discussions/adventures and decided to blind buy. A brave decision and something I almost never do but I couldn't find samples or even anywhere that sold this near me. I'm so glad I did though, it's wonderful, dark, complex, bitter, sweet composition is perfect. It's masculine, almost gourmand, soft but strong it's quite the conundrum. Right out of the gate I got a slight minty wave that fades almost as instantly as it appears out of the bottle. Then comes a lovely, thick liquorice note (bare in mind if you don't like liquorice, there's no way you will like this fragrance!) and behind that a base of dense woodiness and vanilla and a little almond which softens the whole thing. Speaking of almond! I categorized Au Masculin with another fragrance in my collection, Cerruti 1881 Black which is similar but a little sweeter and the almond is the dominant note.
The reviews on here are confusing! I'm going to add further confusion by stating...I don't know what to make of Full Incense? For me it might just be too 'Full' meaning pure incense, a little linear and simple, lacking complexity...could that be right? It smells beautiful...Kinda tame though and not smoky enough for my liking. I do detect a hint of cedar and labdanum but the main question I ask myself is would I wear it/buy it?? I'm still not sure as somebody who is drawn to incense and loves the stuff, Full incense is undeniably pleasant to my nose. I'm hoping the Comme de Garcon Avignon is more complex than this as I have a sample at home which I've not opened yet.
Okay so this is the first Montale review I've posted on Fragrantica and despite having tried many of them I decided to start with this one. My initial reaction to this fragrance having no prior knowledge about notes was maybe a coffee vibe due to the name? I think many people assumed this and were maybe disappointed by the lack of coffee. Anyway my initial thoughts were... Intense floral opening...ROSE!!!...maybe something calming too ...like jasmine? oh then a little touch of the soft background vanilla... then after a few minutes musky/amber. When this settles I do get a very faint coffee note and I'm not just imagining it....it's there! At first it was a little tiny bit like cacao or chocolate (more specifically white chocolate.) but as it dries down it's like very milky, vanillary coffee. The drydown is really very nice and the vanilla comes to the forefront as the rose calms down, when you get a faint waft of it there's barely any rose at all. However, go in close and sniff your skin and the rose remains, a nice little trick it plays with my chemistry. The deep dry down is a really nice Vanilla & Amber. Do you know what? I chose this fragrance to talk about first as it really interested me I couldn't stop sniffing my arm and trying to make up my mind on it. I'm not mad on rose centric fragrances for men despite having a few myself and seemingly recent reviews have been full of roses! This is a great fragrance for delivering on depth and putting interesting notes together that can be easily deciphered. I'm not normally a fan of what I would consider a light(as apposed to dark) rose/vanilla/musk/amber scent but I feel inclined to give this one the benefit of the doubt as I like the smell. This being said I won't be adding it to my collection.
Just to revise my review below....I love this and will be adding it to my collection. Intense cafe takes a few wears but it definitely grows in stature. It taps into my gurgling inner child that loves the sweet and comforting, gourmand softness of this scent. The Oud is really nice and increasingly evident. This is one of ten Montale's I've tried and only four I've reviewed and I have to say I wasn't that impressed with the house to begin with, Pierre Montale has a reputation which proceeds him and I'm starting to think it's fully justified. When I actually think about it the four I've worn extensively have all been excellent if not a little crazy like Oud cuir d'arabie and Black aoud. Intense cafe is a smooth rose/Oud scent which is very cosy and which I'm totally in love with now...I'm wearing it today and I couldn't be happier.
Lovely, bright citrus and clean vetiver...this does have some character created by other notes but my nose can't really detect what they are? Not much else to say. It's in the vein of Jo Malone for me which is only a good thing, As I've mentioned in other Diptyque reviews I really like everything from this house and vetyverio is no exception... it's just not exceptional.
Okay so...If you've read any of my reviews you maybe aware that I'm not a huge fan of overly boozy scents. However, this effort from By Kilian is amazing and was instantly a favourite among the ones I've tried. (which is the vast majority now) Straight to Heaven has all the suave, sophistication of a fine brandy/cognac hardly surprising given Kilian's pedigree. I instantly liked it and bought it there and then...a rash decision perhaps?...but I can definitely see myself wearing this quite regularly. It's bold but it doesn't announce itself and make the big statement that incense or amber Oud do. It has that gorgeous quality of dry fruit and wood with warm amber and quite a pronounced patchouli which ordinarily I wouldn't like but it works in this. What I mean is if I read the notes before trying I'd have wagered a bet on me not liking this. I think this is a case of everything being pretty 'full on' and as such creates a kind of harmony...not so much a delicate touch with a dash here n there but a overflowing, bubbling cauldron of indulgent juice. I can understand the comparisons with Amouage jubilation 25 as this has a very fruity feel throughout and a tiny bit of smoke too. The sweet, dried fruit vibe also reminds me of Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille a little. This juice is unisex and could definitely be worn by many women but for me this leans slightly more toward the masculine in comparison with some of the other unisex offerings from By Kilian. Bare this in mind if you don't want to shell out the full amount... I bought the 50ml refill version for £70 as the full bottled price was too much for me. The little funnel and atomiser you get are real quality.
This sample is due to arrive with me shortly so I will add a more detailed analysis later. I've tried it a couple of times in the shop and once on my skin. I'm a little torn about it already, frankly this was love at first sniff. Gorgeous mandarin oranges in the top, with a hint of rosemary. I'll be honest, I've no idea what amyris is but the florals in this juice only enhance the overall experience and don't put me off in the slightest. The base is creamy with tonka bean and yet again it's a superbly well blended scent from MFK. Just don't know whether I can justify the price tag for what is an exotic fresh summery fragrance for me. However, the same could be argued maybe about the likes of Creed Aventus, or Milesime Imperial(This fragrance is actually better value) but if you like them...you like them. I'll make my mind up when I get a sample...The only sure buy for me is the sublime MFK OUD Absolutely stunning!
