Kouros Silver by YSL

Kouros Silver is one that flew under the radar for me when it was released back in 2015. It has been discontinued for a long while now, but I had the opportunity to buy a small decant of the cologne, and jumped at the chance to review it for the site. How does Kouros Silver smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Kouros Silver Smell Like?

Notes include: apple, sage, wood, amber

My Full Review

So, right away, Silver has nothing to do with the original Kouros. That’s not a problem really, as other Kouros flankers like Body, smelled completely different as well. The precedent had already been set before this 2015 release, ever came around.

Now, what is interesting coming to this fragrance in 2022, is how much similarity is has to YSL’s Y line of colognes, that came afterward. Kouros Silver is very much like a stripped down version of a Y fragrance, packaged under the Kouros banner. A nice little way to make some cash, before launching a new line.

However, the scent itself, is actually kind of nice. The sage here is lighter than in Y, there’s no ginger, and the amber is less forceful.

What you get is a great sweet apple note, with some light sage in the opening. For the base, it is amber and just a touch of wood. That’s basically the cologne.

Now, the sage and apple pairing is fresh and does give you an herbal quality, but it isn’t like its later counterpart.

Early on it leans heavy on the apple. Later, it’s more of an amber fragrance with the sweetness of apple still lingering. Simple, but likeable.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, Silver actually has some power and trail leaving ability to it. It really jumps off the skin well, while still being a moderate cologne. It’s not heavy, but the projection is surprisingly good, especially in those first few hours of wear.

Not weak or poor performing at all.

The longevity was at least 7 hours on my skin, with the ability to hit 8. I don’t think that Kouros Silver goes beyond that. Though, it is no slouch.

Seasonally, this works well pretty much any time. Here in November, it is sort of chilly out but above freezing, and Kouros Silver was still fine for me outside. I might skip out on the depths of winter, but it wouldn’t be awful or anything.

Primarily though, Silver is a spring and summertime cologne, as that’s what it was designed for. I imagine it’ll be even better, in a warmer environment.

This is more of a casual fragrance. You could wear it during the daytime, it might draw complements, but it is low key and less in your face than many other scents.

Overall Impressions of Kouros Silver

Overall, do I like Kouros Silver? I sort of do. I’m not blown away by it and see how it’s a precursor to Y, but it actually does smell nice. I really like the early stages when the apple is in full effect.

Even the amber dry down is still pleasant, even if, a bit boring.

The performance is solid, the aroma is nice, and Silver is a very easy to wear fragrance. As long as you don’t try to compare it to the original Kouros, it’s not a bad cologne by any stretch.

Then again, there’s nothing here that is amazing or makes it a must have. Especially now that it’s been discontinued and the prices for the remaining bottles seem way too high. Not really a stand out from YSL, kind of an odd and short-lived entry.

It’s basically an interesting footnote in the Saint Laurent fragrance catalog at this point, but it wasn’t a terrible experience.

Best Men's Colognes

Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.