Hey guys! It’s Kayden back with another fragrance review! Today, I will be reviewing By Kilian Back To Black.
Brace yourselves, this is a very very complex scent and strangely, it smells very differently on different skin chemistry.
Top notes: Bergamot, Raspberry, Chamomile, Cardamom, Coriander, Nutmeg
Middle notes: Oakmoss, Honey, Patchouli, Vetiver, Frankincense, Cedarwood
Base notes: Ambergris, Labdanum, Bourbon vanilla, Bitter almond
Scent
Sweet, Powdery & Robust. On the first sniff, you will pick up the authentic and thick honey note, mixed with other notes to give off this powdery vibe. To untrained noses, this is simply it and this caused many to feel underwhelmed, especially when many are not fans of powdery fragrances.
After smelling over 200 fragrances and reading numerous reviews, I revisited this fragrance. This time, I can smell a cherry-like tobacco note at the top, as well as a chamomile note.
As the fragrance dries down 20 – 30 minutes later, the honey note becomes more pronounced. At the same time, I start to pick up the frankincense note, giving the overall scent a little smokey vibe. Towards the last few hours, you will start picking a slightly earthy/green vibe, which I assume to be coming from vetiver and patchouli.
Longevity & Projection
Insane longevity and above average projection. As mentioned previously, some claim that this fragrance lasts 1-2 hours but others say that this fragrance last over 10 hours easily. I belong to the latter.
This fragrance lasts over 10 hours easily on me and for the first 2-3 hours, this fragrance sits at an arm’s length and only after ~5 hours that it starts to form a tight scent bubble around me. Given how thick and robust this scent is, this projection is pretty decent.
Seasons & Occasions
Seasons wise, I would say By Kilian Back To Black belongs to the Autumn and Winter category. That is also the reason why my bottle is still very full after 2 years. Avoid wearing this fragrance during summer as it will smell too cloying unless you are staying in a big air-conditioned room.
I can see this fragrance being worn to parties and date nights. The strong scent profile definitely will make you stand out, especially among honey lovers. This is one of the best honey scents around. Please do not wear this to work or for any casual occasions as you would smell very inappropriate.
Back To Black vs Gold Knight
If you are familiar with the house of Kilian, you would know that they have one more honey offering, Gold Knight.
To me, gold knight’s honey is not particularly prominent. Don’t get me wrong, the honey is there. However, the herbaceous scent from the anise seems to be competing for the first place with the honey.
This herbaceous scent in Gold Knight somehow makes it more masculine than Back To Black. Lastly, if you are not a fan of powdery scents, Gold Knight might be better for you.
Both these scents are top tier honey scents but if you are in the market looking for the best complex and authentic honey scent, Black To Black is my pick.
