kilian

Apple Brandy on the Rocks by Kilian

by

Apple Brandy on the Rocks was a new release by Kilian Paris, that I really wanted to try ever since I first heard about it. Update: This post is from 2021, with some new additions. So, I ordered a sample to have as soon as I got back into town and have been testing this fragrance out. Does the Kilian Liquors perfume live up to the hype? How long does it last? Is it actually worth a buy?

Apple Brandy on the Rocks Overview

Notes include: cardamom, bergamot, ambroxan, apple, pineapple, cedar, rum, vanilla, and moss

Click here to try: Apple Brandy on the Rocks from Sephora

My Full Review

Here’s how Kilian describes this scent: Inspired by the city of New York, KILIAN PARIS introduces its new addition to the Liquors olfactive family: Apple Brandy on the Rocks, an olfactive soundtrack to nightlife’s liberation to come.

The opening to Apple Brandy on the Rocks doesn’t fully work for me. I’ve tested it multiple times on multiple days and still…meh.

There’s an aspect in here that I know I like, the apple and cardamom. However, the pineapple, bergamot, and ambroxan together are heavy and not very appealing.

Those do settle down and this Kilian fragrance will get better. After some more time passes, the apple not fully emerges which gives it a crisp finish, and I start to pick up more on the boozy rum note.

Apple, cardamom, rum are the keys to the second wave. Thankfully, that pineapple note pulls back. The ambroxan? It’s still around too much. It’s warm, slightly sweet, with a fresh coolness peaking through from apple and moss.

The next stage is apple and vanilla with woodsy notes, mostly. Oak, moss, and cedar sitting underneath apple and vanilla. The rum and cardamom, aren’t distinct any longer and provide a general warmth to the fresh woods.

It does simulate the apple brandy smell, well enough overall.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, I thought this one was going to be pretty powerful. The opening does hit strong and projects very well. That is short lived, however. Ultimately, it’s pretty moderate for a few hours. Then, it will sit close to the skin for the rest of the time.

The longevity isn’t great. I get somewhere in the 5-6 hour range, on my skin. That’s pretty bad for a Kilian perfume, as many others I enjoy will hit double digits.

It just doesn’t seem to want to stay around at all. That’s probably my biggest gripe with this one. I know it’s ‘fresher’ aspects can be short-lived, still rather disappointing for the price.

Seasonally, stick to autumn and winter. This is going to be at it’s best in colder temperatures. In the heat, the performance is much worse.

In the chilly air, Apple Brandy on the Rocks has its moments where it catches my attention. That being said, it does have a freshness to it that you might be able to sneak into the springtime, in many places. It’s not as ‘thick’ as Angels’ Share.

It’s a pretty casual fragrance that can be used for nightlife. Unisex for sure, probably leans a bit more towards the traditionally masculine side of the spectrum.

Daily wear too. But, I guess that depends on whether you can get away with smelling like apple brandy in your day to day life. Probably not the most office-friendly perfume for most people out there.

Overall Impressions of Apple Brandy on the Rocks

Overall, do I like this scent? It’s decent. I really like the original Apple Brandy by Kilian and was excited about this one, coming heavier with the fruit notes and freshness. But, ultimately it didn’t live up to expectations.

I was wondering if I was going to have to buy a full bottle of this, right after I did with Angels’ Share from the Liquors collection. Nope.

It’s not terrible and there are aspects that I enjoy. Mainly, the apple and cardamom when they are joined by the rum. The opening pineapple and ambroxan, I don’t like.

The dry down, with vanilla, woods, and moss added to apple and the remaining general warmth from the rum and cardamom is pretty good. It do get the comparisons with Legend, but they aren’t anywhere close to being the same, just have a few similarities.

So, even if the performance was awesome, I wouldn’t be inclined to get a bottle. The mediocre sillage and longevity, just compounds the reasons.

I don’t hate Apple Brandy on the Rocks. At this price range though, I do want something spectacular. To me, this just never hits that level. You may actually like it, but I don’t think it’s one to buy blind.

I did try a fragrance from the Dua Brand called, Blackberry Brandy. I know they have other fruit note brandy perfumes. That one is cheaper and quite good for this style of scent.

Perfume Comparison: Angels’ Share vs Oajan

by

Angels’ Share and Oajan are two fragrances which fulfill a distinct role in the winter months. That of the sweet and spicy perfume laden with cinnamon and highly attractive. However, since both are expensive to acquire and have so much overlap, they can often be the final two options that people need to decide between.

Well, on this page, I break down each of these unisex fragrances and compare them across categories. Which smells better? Lasts longer? Is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: Angels’ Share vs Oajan

Angels’ Share

Notes include: cognac, tonka bean, oak, cinnamon, praline, vanilla, sandalwood

Click here to try: Angels’ Share at Sephora

Read my review: Angels’ Share by Kilian

Oajan

Notes include: tonka bean, cinnamon, honey, vanilla, benzoin, musk, labdanum, patchouli, and more

Click here to try: Parfums de Marly Oajan EDP Spray, 4.2 oz

My Full Review: Oajan

Opening

Oajan kicks off with the cinnamon note being joined by benzoin and the tonka bean. Add to that, the continuing emergence of the osmanthus note, which adds the fruity-like sweetness to the mix.

It’s a bold and spice heavy opening act. Fresh and dark, with a thick warmth from the honey beginning to come through after 5 minutes or so.

Angels’ Share starts of with its signature cognac, oak, and its tonka bean note. The cognac has an apple-like sweetness to it, which is great.

The sweetness is enhanced by the inclusion of vanilla and praline. Which all plays well off of the spicy punch of the cinnamon note.

Which is better? It’s actually a very close decision for me, as I really enjoy how both of these perfumes start off.

But, I might slightly lean towards Angels’ Share. It’s boozy sweetness is better balanced with its toned down cinnamon note. Oajan can be rather intense that way. Not a massive win for the Kilian, but it takes this category.

Edge: Angels’ Share

Projection

So, with older batches of Oajan, this would’ve been a fairly straightforward win for it.

Now, it’s closer to being a toss up. The opening act is stronger and heavier with the PdM scent versus Angels’. That projection still packs a punch. However, it doesn’t sustain it for as long as it used to before settling into something more in the upper moderate range.

Angels’ Share doesn’t start off as strong, but it’s also got itself a good reach. It too settles into an upper moderate level.

That being said, Oajan still has an edge with this one. Not as much as it used to, but it fends off the Kilian.

Edge: Oajan

Longevity

With Angels’ Share, I get 9-13 hours of wear on my skin. It’s a really good performer like most of these colder weather scents.

Older batches of Oajan used to last 11-12 hours for me. With my current bottle, it only seems to get to about 9 hours. Or, the lowest of what I get with the Kilian perfume. Those last few hours aren’t exactly strong, either.

So, Angels’ Share takes it, nowadays.

Edge: Angels’ Share

Versatility

Both of these are cold weather fragrances. Neither is for formal wear.

While each is technically unisex, Oajan leans more masculine, than actually being something that most women would reach for.

I wear each of these for casual to semi-formal situations. Lots of the time, it’s for nights out or when I just want something substantial and cozy to have on.

There’s not much distinction here, other than Angels’ Share being more of a unisex fragrance. So, I guess that I’ll give it the slight edge.

Edge: Angels’ Share

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these fragrances do I prefer?

Obviously, since I own bottles of each of them, I think that they’re both great scents. As such, it’s more like I’d choose one 6 times out of 10 versus the other.

I’d lean that fragrance being Angels’ Share. It’s not always my favorite between them, as sometimes I dislike the praline note and how it presents. But, that cognac is great with the oak and other sweetness.

I will say, for most men, Oajan might be the one to go with. It doesn’t have the same level of sustained sweetness as Angels’ Share, though, it definitely is sweet and has periods where that sticky honey note really pops.

Angels’ Share in its current form, just does most everything a bit better than Oajan in its newer releases. That might change again, at some point. For now, I’d opt for the boozy Kilian perfume.

Winner: Angels’ Share

Angels’ Share by Kilian

by

Angels’ Share was released by Kilian in 2020. I bought a bunch of decanted samples from this brand, in order to finally give them full reviews, and this was among the lot. I hadn’t heard anything beforehand, so really had no expectations of this perfume in particular. So, how does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a try?

What does Angels’ Share Smell Like?

Notes include: cognac, tonka bean, oak wood, cinnamon, praline, vanilla, sandalwood

Click here to try: Angels’ Share at Sephora

My Full Review

Before we get into my review, let’s see how Kilian describes it: the perfume Angel’s Share is Kilian Hennessy’s most personal fragrance creation yet, inspired by his eighth-generation inheritance of Hennessy savoir-faire in cognac making. The perfume goes deep into the cellars of founder’s mind and memory, and into its most mysterious dimension: “la part des anges” or “angels’ share”— an evaporation of liquor in oak barrels that lifts, while aging, like a silent offering to the gods.

Wow. This is a gorgeous fragrance. Right away, I understand the comparisons between Angels’ Share and something like Oajan by PdM. Also, the base is the same smell as Nirvana Bourbon. Plus, it has a similar apple-like sweetness found in 1 Million Prive (I go more into this, at the end).

Putting aside its comparable scents for a second, Angels’ Share opens with an amazing blend of the cognac note, tonka bean, and oak. The opening really gives off an apple brandy sort of vibe, but with the oak of the barrel really coming through.

It’s interesting how much of that cognac takes on the apple aroma. Paired with the other notes it does get a delicious baked goods sort of scent.

Also, when compared with its Liquors companion Apple Brandy on the Rocks, Angels’ Share has more of an apple scent. Apple Brandy on the Rocks goes for more of a mix with the prevalent pineapple note. Which is one reason that scent was a disappointment for me.

Underneath that, is the cinnamon spice (which is never too heavy), and the praline/vanilla mixture adding to the delicious vibe that this By Kilian scent is putting out.

The sweetness does subside after the first hour. It’s still there, but it really resembles a warm syrupy fragrance. What really comes through, is the oak and some sandalwood.

It’s not that all the other notes fade, but they are behind the oak barrel soaked in cognac fragrance. This is what I get for the rest of the way.

So, the tail end is oak, sandalwood, cinnamon, and a sweet/syrupy booze aroma. Much less of that fruity infused booziness and a lot more of the woodiness.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this one is pretty moderate on my skin, the upper end of moderate. However, it does have pretty stable and decent projection throughout the wear. Just wear a bit on my wrist and I kept getting whiffs of this delightful smell, for a long time.

Angels’ Share isn’t going to choke out the room, but it will create a nice scent bubble around the wearer.

The longevity is great, just not the very elite level. It sticks around somewhere in the 9-11 hour range for me, depending on the day. Update: With a full bottle sprayer, this one actually goes over the 13 hour mark at times, it’s really the oak and vanilla notes but it’s still there.

angels review

This one just works extremely well on my skin and will hang around.

Seasonally, autumn and winter is the best time. Anything above a temperate climate is going to have poor results with Angels’ Share.

Update: Yep, this is an absolute killer when it’s cooler outside. The sweet warmth and spice of the cinnamon are absolutely amazing. I wore this last year for many winter activities like ice skating and received complements at the rink.

Within that limit, Angels’ Share is very versatile. It is a true unisex fragrance. In comparison to something like Oajan, I guess this does lean slightly feminine, but I’ve had no problems wearing it at all.

Probably not the best formal wear, but it’s fine in other circumstances, and can easily be a nightlife scent. Not a ‘club beast’, but it would absolutely work, in a more understated way.

I personally enjoy wearing it in the evening. It helps to create a chill atmosphere and it’s wonderful to catch that opening act in the crisp air, when stepping outside.

Overall Impressions of Angels’ Share

Do I like this fragrance? Absolutely. It’s actually kind of annoying, because I already have so many full bottles of perfumes that I want to buy for myself, and this just adds another expensive one to the list.

The opening act is utterly fantastic. I already had a great liking for this style of fragrance and this might be my favorite of the bunch. At least initially, I’ll update if my enjoyment of Angels’ Share subsides.

Update: I bought the full bottle, anyway. This has become one of my favorite fragrances ever. I had a high opinion of it, during the initial review and have become a bigger fan of this scent.

It has also become one of the most popular fragrances around it seems. I guess that’s thanks to a large social media influence. But, to me, it deserves all the accolades it gets.

While the dry down, isn’t as sweet and the woodiness isn’t my favorite aspect; this one does keep the opening aroma around in the background. As such, it remains a great wear because that oak note does seem like it has been covered by the cognac/apple brandy aroma.

This scent is awesome. I recommend giving it a try, if it sounds like it’d be your style, and you live in an appropriate climate…or just wear it inside.

What Fragrances Smell Like Angels’ Share?

Well, as I’ve already mentioned: Nirvana Bourbon by Elizabeth and James, 1 Million Prive by Paco Rabanne, and Oajan by Parfums de Marly.

None of these is an exact rendition of Angels’ Share, but each has somewhat similar aromas.

Nirvana Bourbon is like if you stripped this By Kilian fragrance down to the oak and vanilla notes. Then, layered the rest of it on top.

1 Million Prive and Oajan both have that sweet and spicy warmth. Prive has much more spiciness and isn’t nearly as refined. Plus, more resinous to my nose. But for the Paco Rabanne line, it’s probably the best they’ve ever done (if not, definitely top 3).

Oajan is a bit thicker, less sweet (still plenty sweet) and boozy. I do love that scent, but I’m for sure preferring Angels’ share, at the moment.

The latter two have the most in common in terms of the overall style of this perfume, even if they aren’t exactly the same. If you’re familiar with them, you’ll know approximately what to expect from this.

Woman in Gold by Kilian

by

Kilian’s Woman in Gold is a sample that I’ve had for over a year at this point, sort of forgot about, and recently found it stashed away in a box. So, I’ve finally got around to giving this perfume a complete run through, and coming back to it with a new perspective. How does this smell? How long does Woman in Gold last? Is it actually worth a try?

What does Woman in Gold Smell Like?

Notes include: bergamot, vanilla, tonka bean, rose, Akigalawood, freesia, geranium, aldehydes

Click here to try: Woman in Gold at Saks

My Full Review

Here’s how Kilian describes it: The notes conjure, in scent, the delicate gold leafing and play between light and shadow, for which the painting is celebrated. Perfumer Calice Becker was inspired by the fascinating contrast between the painting’s facets, which she describes as “texturized and brilliant, rich and voluptuous. Its zesty luminosity is the fragrant expression of this brightness. 

Woman in Gold opens up with a seemingly perfect balance of notes. Sure, the bergamot and orange note have the lead at the start, but this isn’t a massive citrus explosion.

The floral and fresh notes underneath are there, right from the beginning. Aldehydes give this a bright and cold burst, while rose, and some hints of geranium further bolster the blend.

Both the aldehydes and geranium will move off, however. The aldehydes more so than the geranium. This is especially true on skin.

Nevertheless, the freshness and that beautiful citrus mix gives Woman in Gold an undeniable appeal.

The floral notes is mostly a rose note. With the tonka bean and vanilla notes it comes across as sweeter than usual with more of a powdery finish. The akigalawood note, is basically like patchouli, maybe a bit spicier and intense in the early stages.

As Woman in Gold dries down, the notes begin to separate. Bergamot becomes the dominant citrus. Any freesia is displaced by the rose note. Vanilla really takes over the tonka bean.

The middle act still has the citrus influence and geranium. But, the dry down is a vanilla and rose scent. It’s not actually heavy, more of sweet/powdery cloud with a nice dose of patchouli and general freshness at the bottom.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is never massive. Woman in Gold isn’t going to leave a huge scent trail or have any real massive projection, off of the skin.

But, it is really consistent. It stays in the 3-6 foot range from the skin for almost the entirety of the wear. It’s maybe a little better than average, in this respect. However, I absolutely catch whiffs of it until the end, it’s just not in your face about it.

The longevity is pretty good. I get somewhere around 7.5 hours, on my skin. Not the best out there, just no real complaints. With the lighter moderate sillage, it can be easy to forget that you have it on, until it wafts up again.

Seasonally, Woman in Gold is very versatile. It’s not out of place really any time, except for the hottest days of summer. It’s got enough substance for autumn and winter, while still being light and dynamic enough for the springtime.

The versatility continues with when you can wear this perfume. It’s office safe, it can be worn casually since it’s not too serious, but it has a refinement for more dressy occasions. Signature scent worthy and easy as a daily wear.

It’s pretty, but not a sexy nightlife sort of fragrance, though. Go with something else if you want a nightclub beast.

Overall Impressions of Woman in Gold

Overall, do I like Woman in Gold? Yes, I think this is a very underrated scent from Kilian. It’s not the greatest ever or anything, but it is an extremely enjoyable perfume to me.

I like the balance of the notes. The citrus isn’t to screechy. The rose is tame and just right. The vanilla, doesn’t overwhelm on me, even with the presence of a tonka bean note.

Fresh, light, and cleanish. It’s not a total soapy scent or like fabric softener, to my nose, but it does kind of stray in that direction. So, maybe skip out on this if it’s not your style.

But, I think that Woman in Gold has a mass appealing quality to it. I couldn’t see how this would be offensive to most people out there and is a fairly safe blind buy from the Kilian lineup.

Good Girl Gone Bad by Kilian

by

Good Girl Gone Bad is a Kilian fragrance which I was already familiar with. But, I got sent a sample of it with another purchase a while back, and realized that I should finally put a full review on the site. Voila! How does this one smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a buy?

What does Good Girl Gone Bad Smell Like?

Notes include: rose, osmanthus, orange blossom, apricot, narcissus, tuberose, jasmine, cedar, amber

kilian good girl review

My Full Review

Tried this one? Leave your own rating and review in the comments!

How Kilian describes it: The uninhibited Good girl gone Bad finds herself in a luscious floral whirlwind in the garden of good and evil.

The opening of Good Girl Gone Bad is a mix of sweetish fruit, green notes, and some rose. The osmanthus and a bit of tuberose seems to give this one a greenish quality early on. However, much of the composition is dominated by the apricot aroma.

To me, this is a floral-fruity fragrance, that starts off leaning more towards the latter. Along with the apricot and osmanthus, is a slight May Rose which never fully takes over. The scent is fresh that will have a light creaminess that will come on more so after the opening act.

It shifts to being tuberose and orange blossom rather than the rose and osmanthus. Going from green-ish to more of a standard white floral fragrance. Very clean and not an overpowering mess.

For much of the middle, tuberose will be in the drivers seat, before this shifts once again.

Finally, the rest of the way will be jasmine led. That, apricot, general white floral notes, and some amber slipped in. Good Girl Gone Bad isn’t a super complicated perfume. It has a soapier quality in the dry down, leaning a lot more towards the floral end of the spectrum.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this one is a lighter moderate. The opening does have a bit of power, it’s noticeable for much of the wear, but it’s going to be more of a scent bubble than an overwhelming powerhouse.

The longevity seems to go for about 7-ish hours on me. You might be able to squeeze a few more hours than that out of it, but it doesn’t have that elite gear. Pretty good.

Seasonally, this one is fine from spring through the early autumn. Much prefer it in the warmer weather than even just a mild day.

This is a nice candidate for a daily wear fragrance, if you happen to like the blend. Produces a non-offensive and fresh out of the bath effect. Unlike what the name might suggest, this is much more of the daytime good girl, than getting up to trouble in the evening hours.

To me, this is one that can be used by younger women, as well as older ones. Not too complicated, easy to wear, and won’t feel out of place in a classroom or an office.

Overall Impressions of Good Girl Gone Bad

Overall, do I like Good Girl Gone Bad? I do. Personally, it’s one of their better ladies’ fragrances. Some of which are a lot more mediocre than Good Girl Gone Bad. This is not amazing to me, but an attractive floral fragrance nonetheless.

Tuberose isn’t one of my favorite notes, at all. But, within this perfume, I really don’t mind it. Plus, it will get subdued into a more generic white floral aroma.

The apricot sweetness for the duration of this scent is really what sells it to me. I like how it pairs with the jasmine note in the dry down. Yes, it gives off a soap-like smell, but sometimes that’s what you want to go with.

This is a safe fragrance, that will skew towards regular use versus special occasion. The performance isn’t top notch, but  it is pretty solid. Is that enough for the price tag? I guess that depends on you.

I think that the name is pretty misleading. The good girl part fits, I suppose. But, this never gets ‘bad’ or super interesting. Likeable, sure. But there’s no real seductive or bold charm to this scent.

Just understand that despite its popularity, it might not be what you’re looking for.