Quick Sniffs: By Kilian Back to Black Aphrodisiac (plus Serge Lutens Fille en Aiguilles and Mazzolari Ambra)

BY KILLIAN BACK TO BLACK (Aphrodisiac): after the volume level on the lauding and praising died down a bit over Frenchman Kilian Hennessy's surprisingly adept interpretation (well, surprising to me, at least) of the Middle Eastern incense genre with his limited edition Pure Oud release, the company debuted Back to Black, the eighth brick in his self-described Black Masterpieces wall.

I've been less than impressed with previous Kilian creations, and was genuinely skeptical when it was announced that Mr. Hennessy was tackling the Arabian oud for an upcoming release. On first reading the news, I wrote: "What is it with thin white Frenchmen and their insistence on butchering oud for the Western market?" -- but I had to eat those words when Pure Oud turned out to be suffused with rich musk, a dusty desert rose and layers of sweet smoke for an unabashedly decadent result.

Back to Black (Aphrodisiac) follows in the same decadent footsteps as Pure Oud, but rather than smokes and musks, it expresses its excesses in gourmand-flavored terms: bitter-cocoa enriched patchouli, a berry tinged tobacco, honey drizzled woods and spices. Denyse Beaulieu at Grain de Musc writes that "During the time I spent at the By Kilian counter, I saw no less than three women get sprayed and swoon" while Michael Davis writes for Sniffapalooza Magazine that "Back to Black ... is more than a fragrance. It is an experience . . . another return to paradise for all who wear it."

Apparently, swooning is a genderless response.

Rather than focus intensely on the fragrance while sitting in a quiet, still room, I decided to take Back to Black through its paces on an average day -- grocery shopping at the market, reading and writing at the coffee shop, a spin through downtown Seattle with my camera in hand. While the fragrance opens in a burst of amaretto and tobacco, what I noticed most about it as the day progressed was the dry, semi-sweet cocoa at its base, with hints of vanilla and honey moving in and out. Like Liz Zorn's Oudh Lacquer, it's an easy pleasure to wear and can certainly take its rightful place on any Comfort Scent list worth its salt.

Added bonus: company founder Kilian Hennessy believes enough in his brand to take to the road promoting his new releases. After working as a marketing director for Alexander McQueen and Giorgio Armani, Hennessy learned what works (and what doesn't?) when building awareness for a luxury product/series, and what seems to work for his By Kilian fragrance brand is the slow, steady rollout backed by the man in charge.

The Boston Herald reports: "(Hennessy) introduced By Kilian to the United States two years ago at Bergdorf Goodman in New York. Last year, he began rolling out the family of fragrances at West Coast Saks stores, and has been slowly, traveling salesman-style, working his way east . . . Hennessy described his passion for perfume as a calling, saying, 'I don't think I've slept much. I've been a like a drug addict working on scent. I was so hungry to learn.'"

Relevant anecdote: Jarvis Chen posted on his Facebook page that a very polite gentleman opened the Boston Saks Fifth Avenue door for him as they were both entering on Monday, October 12th, and that it turned out to be Kilian Hennessy, in town to promote the new Back to Black release, as well as the brand in general. Now, that's my kind of addict.

Other opinions:

1000Fragrances: "The fragrance is a delightful oriental honey cherry, a classic with a twist in a powdery veil . . . Everything is smoothed like a velvety touch of human skin."

Perfume Posse: "I'm really most cross with Kilian. The first few fragrances I thought were fine, but other than the nifty bottles, I just couldn't justify the price tag and could simply ignore them. The last two they've done, Pure Oud and Back to Black, I'm having to buy bottles of this stuff at $225 and up, and that really sucks. Really. Really. Sucks."

Katie Puckrick Smells: "This irresistible Calice Becker confection insinuates itself into the animal brain with its lethal blend of yummy, cozy, and horny."

WAFT by Carol: "All this too much-ness is just enough to make me want more more more."

Note: If you balk at shelling out a couple of hundred bucks for what amounts to a fancy wood box and silver key presentation, By Kilian also offers Back to Black in far less pricey, and conveniently portable, purse spray and refill formats.

PLUS MORE:

I've also been testing Serge Lutens Fille en Aiguilles and Mazzolari Ambra. I like both, a lot.

The Lutens is a harder, bolder take on pine and incense than the smooth, calm scent of Parfum d'Empire Wazamba, but it doesn't make it any less attractive to me. Others have expressed that the opening is too harsh and medicinal, too reminiscent of household cleaning fluids to make it worth sticking around for the spicy, smoky finish (see: From soul of pine to PineSol: Wazamba, Fille en Aiguilles), but (and much to my surprise) I liked Fille en Auguilles from start to finish.

Granted, it's not nearly as lovey and cuddly as Wazamba, but it's strikingly attractive and composed with enormous skill. If you're good with the sharp, green, pine needle opening, then the rest of the ride will be nothing but a pleasure.

And I don't have a lot of experience with the Mazzolari brand, but Mazzolari Ambra is a delight -- warm, not too sweet, a tad spicy (ginger) and a little smoky (ladbadnum) over a passel of smooth, polished woods. I might just have to circle in for a more in-depth look.