Welcome to Fragrance Friday, where each week weโll be keeping you abreast of the newest and most iconic releases in the dynamic world of menโs fragrances. Born out of the desire to showcase one of the most overlooked, yet versatile, elements of any discerning manโs style this weekly column will help you finesse your own signature scent. This week, weโre looking at the best Kilian Paris fragrances for men.
If youโve been paying attention to Fragrance Friday over the past few weeks youโd know that Iโve been highlighting specific brands each week that Iโve had a sufficient level of experience with. Iโve included some of the editions below so you can look back over them. And this week, I want to pay some attention to what is personally one of my favourite fragrance brands.
- Best Creed Fragrances For Men
- Best Jo Malone Fragrances For Men
- Best Xerjoff Fragrances For Men
- Best Tom Ford Fragrances For Men
Thatโd be Kilian Paris, inspired by the dark cognac cellars that Kilian Hennessy grew up in as heir to the eponymous spirit empire his ancestors built. As the eighth generation of the Hennessy family, Kilian clearly wanted to forge a new path for himself and so trained rigorously in perfumery, going on to work for brands such as Christian Dior, Paco Rabanne and Giorgio Armani. After years of working under these labels, he went out on his own to launch the Kilian brand in 2007, bringing a decidedly modern take to classic French perfumery.
And itโs worked quite well. Iโd readily associate Kilian with quality perfume and long-lasting accords. His style is nowhere near as traditional and charmingly simple as Creed, but rather he seems to lean towards contemporary tastes and divisive scents. Perhaps not as divisive as something like an Amouage, but thereโs a notable distinction to Kilian perfumes that have pushed them to the forefront of my collection with scents like Rolling in Love and Shield of Protection regular favourites of mine.
As such, here are five Kilian fragrances I think represent the brandโs ethos very well.
Rolling In Love
Heart Notes: Iris, freesia
Base Notes: Tuberose, vanilla, tonka bean, musk
Iโve highlighted Kilian Rolling in Love many times over the past few years and thatโs simply because itโs one the best fragrances I own. Period. My tastes lean toward gourmand, so what perfumer Pascal Gaurin has managed to pull together here is nothing short of perfect to me. The almond milk and ambrette on top give the unisex fragrances a charming, nutty character before quickly bringing in a lot of powdery iris and freesia, working to build up a profile comparable to red velvet. Itโs unique, irresistible and a great example of Kilian at his most creative. However, if you donโt like sweet perfumes you may not take to this one immediately.
Kologne, Shield of Protection
Heart Notes: Rosemary, neroli
Base Notes: Cedarwood, cashmeran, green vegetal notes
Iโm not quite sure about the name, but Shield of Protection is one of the better Kilian fragrances released over the past year. The green mandarin and bitter orange notes on top immediately bring a burst of freshness, going for something a bit cleaner and purer than what youโd typically get from the brand. It aligns well with Kilianโs spirit-inspired perfumes like Vodka on the Rocks and Angelโs Share, but moves towards something more botanical for gin lovers. I would credit this mostly to the neroli and rosemary slotted in at the heart of the fragranceโs journey, which projects really well almost as soon as you spritz it on.
Angelโs Share
Heart Notes: Cinnamon, tonka bean, oak
Base Notes: Praline, vanilla, sandalwood
Angelโs Share is quite obviously part of Kilianโs spirits collection. It smells like a sweet sherry cask, dialling in that really rich aged cognac vibe. The sillage on this one is very strong, leaving behind a trail of sweet vanilla and cinnamon mostly. Then youโve got a base of praline and sandalwood to tie it all together, cutting through some of that sweetness with a notable woodiness that helps restrain the fragrance and keep it from being too much of a vanilla bomb.
Black Phantom, Momento Mori
Heart Notes: Coffee, caramel, almond
Base Notes: Heliotrope, sandalwood
Chocolate, caramel and rum โ these arenโt often notes that perfumers would mess around with, given they can easily make for an excessively sweet and imbalanced profile. And yet perfumer Sidonie Lancesseur has turned in a brilliant, heavy gourmand scent thatโs heavy, long-lasting and wears incredibly well. Itโs Kilian to a tee, opening up with a thick slap of sweetened rum before balancing that out with coffee, caramel and almond. By the time sandalwood comes in to clean it all up and bring some creamy woodiness.
Gold Knight
Heart Notes: Honey, vanilla
Base Notes: Patchouli
Pascal Gaurin may have given Kilian his best work with Rolling in Love, but itโs hard to deny what heโs done here with Gold Knight. Honey is the central note, which is another left-field decision but fits quite well into the simple yet very, very effective profile. Anise and bergamot sit at the top and smartly stick around in some form towards the dry down, where patchouli sits to bring its characteristic creamy woods to the endearing heart of honey and vanilla. And no, itโs not as sickly sweet or syrupy as it sounds โ a testament to the quality of Kilian fragrances.
