By Kilian Incense Oud Fragrance: Illusion of Oud + Draw

Paul Trouillebert, Servant de Harem

I have been a big fan of the By Kilian collection overall but the first two releases in the Arabian Nights Collection, Pure Oud and Rose Oud, are among my favorites. M. Hennesy alluded to these in Michelyn Camen's Lost Interview on Back to Black and hinted that Calice Becker may not be the sole perfumer involved in future projects. However the standard that Calice Becker set with those two initial entries had me hoping for a truly special set of five fragrances when all is said and done. The three remaining fragrances  were reported to be Incense Oud, Amber Oud and Musk Oud. The choices all highlight similarly strong partners for the oud. As someone who would say incense is one of his favorite notes, I was really looking forward to see what 2011’s release, Incense Oud, would bring to the party.

The first thing it brought to the party was a different date, perfumer Sidonie Lancesseur. As I said above the first two Arabian Nights releases are among my favorites but my very favorite By Kilian fragrance is Cruel Intentions -tempt me! Cruel Intentions was the only oud based fragrance in the L’Ouevre Noire Collection and Mme. Lancesseur used the oud in that fragrance as skillfully as it has ever been used in my opinion. The thought of her composing one of the Arabian Nights Collection had me almost giddy. Then I received the list of notes  for  Incense Oud and as I looked throughout that list of thirteen notes, nowhere was oud listed. That was interesting; incense was prominently listed but no oud? Where was the oud going to come from? Just as Mme. Becker did with By Kilian Back to Black by creating a tobacco note with a group of other notes, without tobacco present; so would Mme. Lancesseur do here with a combination of her own to create oud, without oud. The effect it has is to create a softer less medicinal oud accord.

 A Modern Olympia, Paul Cezanne

The incense half of Incense Oud is firmly in place from the first moments it hits your skin. Joining it in the early going is geranium, cardamom, and a grapefruit surrogate Methyl Pamplemousse. Methyl Pamplemousse is recognizably grapefruit but smoothed out and that bridges the green of the geranium and the zesty cool spice of the cardamom perfectly. The incense is drily resinous seemingly vaporizing off my skin. Then in a fragrance that has no oud listed in its notes, oud appears. Mme. Lancesseur found a combination of sandalwood, patchouli, and cistus, most prominently, to create a facsimile of oud. Together they create an oud accord that is more unnaturally soft than one could expect and quite spectacular in its presence. In many ways based on the name I expected a powerhouse and this oud accord is far from that while still adding the sensuality of oud to Incense Oud.  A hint of rose and musk bring Incense Oud to a close. 

 

 

Mme Lancesseur has pulled off quite the neat trick in Incense Oud. By creating an illusion of oud she has shown me something new and with the panoply of oud fragrances on the market that is no easy feat. I think Incense Oud is going to be very popular because Mme. Lancesseur has created an oud accord that will be more broadly appealing than any that have come before.

Incense Oud has way above average longevity and above average sillage.

Disclosure: This review was based on a preview sample provided by Luckyscent.

Mark Behnke, Managing Editor

We have a draw for one sample of Incense Oud. Please leave a comment on site regarding Incense Oud or any By Kilian fragrance. Draw ends February 9, 2011

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33 comments

  • I am dying to try this! Maybe I'll get lucky this time. I like Pure Oud, Rose Oud, Love and Tears and Back to Black, don't make me choose just one! I would love a bottle of just one, but I'm living on decants because I can't justify the cost.

  • This sounds lovely. You intrigue me with the comparison to Back to Black's tobacco note. I love oud but it's often too harsh. A created "oud" note sounds very interesting to me. Please do enter me in the draw!

  • How interesting this sounds, Mark. "Oud without oud." I like the idea of the grapefruit, geranium, and cardamom at the top. Geranium particularly is one of my favorite notes in any composition because of its unusual greenish astringency. Thanks for the preview of this new one. I thought BK Rose Oud was a marvelous composition.

  • This does sound interesting. l'Artisan also has an oud-less oud with their Al-Oudh but I didn't think much of that one. My favorite Oud to date is the Tom Ford – it does very nice things on my skin. Other than that, some of them tend to go a bit soapy.

  • I am looking forward to smelling this.  I absolutely adore Pure Oud, but it smell better on him than me.  I love incense too.  This one may be just right for me.

  • I once said that Kilian gave oud back where it belongs – to the woods. Indeed, it's an oud without oud.

  • I would love to try Incense Oud. Maybe it is the Oud which gains my heart, because I haven't found my perfect oud yet.
    My favorite By Kilian is Back to Black. I simply adore it. Tobacco and honey, and camomile… gorgeous.

    Please, enter me in the draw 🙂

  • I have not tried a single, solitary By Killian in my entire life. Please enter me in the draw so I might change that.

  • This sounds amazing!  I love Oud and keep thinking I will find one/some that don't have patchouli.  When I wear Montales "Black Oud", my family complains.  I think it's the patchouli.  Oh well.  I will keep trying.

  • I've only tried one fragrance by Kilian, Back to black, which didn't blow me away. Now with all the praise for Rose Oud, Pure Oud and now this one, I'd love to try some more of their offerings. Please enter me in the draw. Thank you!

  • I love many By Kilian fragrances, especially Back to Black, Liasons Dangereauses and Rose Oud. Looking forward to try out Incense Oud.
    Mark, great description!

  • I have truly loved every single fragrance to date  of the KIlians. I am so curious about this one since it is nothing like his earlier scents. If I don't win this I ma going to seek out a sample for myself somewhere! Great article just makes me want it even more=)

  • My favorite By Kilian is Back to Black, but A Taste of Heaven comes in a close second.  I tried to like the others, but wasn't floored by them.  However, maybe it's time to go back and retry?  I'd also like to try the Ouds, which I have not yet tried.  Please enter me int he draw.
     
    Thanks,
     
    Geordan

  • Somerville Metro Man says:

    Joe,

    I am so fascinated with the oud accord Sidonie Lancesseur created I gave short shrift to the opening. The Methyl Pamplemousse is like a soft grapefruit and with the soft slightly lemony spicy character of cardamom it is a truly uniqure and beautiful opening.

    Mark

  • Somerville Metro Man says:

    Tama,

    It will be interesting to see if this one does the same on you since it isn’t really oud.

    Mark

  • Somerville Metro Man says:

    Marsi,

    You are missing something. There is a discovery set which contains all of the L’Ouvre Noire fragrances and it is an affordable and great way to introduce yourself to the By Kilian style of fragrance.

    Mark

  • Somerville Metro Man says:

    Kelly,

    There is patchouli here which is what comprises the oud accord. When I focus specifically on it I can pick out all of the components but when I just let it wash over me it smells like oud. I wouyld be interested if you focus instead on the patchouli over the accord.

    Mark

  • I really want to try both this and Rose Oud, especially since I have no idea what oud smells like – thanks for the draw!  

  • So many of the Kilians are syrupy sweet…would love to try the oud and see how far along the continuum Kilian can move…

  • This one, and the Rose Oud, I'm really looking forward to trying; I have yet to try any from the line as of yet, but I hear that I can at the Houston Galleria, and I'll be there in two weeks! Yay!
     
    Thanks for hosting another draw 🙂

  • My favorite by Kilian perfume is Cruel Intentions and I strongly dislike Beyond Love (not as a creation but as a scent for me – it gives me headaches, I tried). I haven't tried yet any of the perfumes from the Arabian Nights Collection but I plan to since this is one of the Houses I respect for the quality even when I disagree with the particular aroma (and definitely not a fan of their prices! 😉 )

  • Somerville Metro Man says:

    elise,

    I wouldn’t describe any of the Arabian Nights collection as syrupy sweet. I think Incense Oud might be a good place for you to start.

    Mark

  • Somerville Metro Man says:

    Undina,

    Cruel Intentions is also my favorite of the line, too. Based on that I think you’ll really like Incense Oud.

    Mark

  • favourite Kilian is back to black. It is absolutely divine. I´d love to try the ouds since I´m a huge oud fan 

  • Like Marsi, I haven't tried any of the By Kilian line yet either (thanks for the heads-up about the discovery set), and rather sheepishly admit that I haven't smelled any oud-centric fragrances yet either. However, incense in all its nuances does wonderfully on my skin, so I'd be very interested in smelling this!

  • I haven't tried Incense Oud and I would love to, 2 reasons: I love incense and haven't made up my mind about oud.
    The only By Killian I tried is Back to Black, and I did like it.

  • Scentabulous says:

    Back to Black is baby powder on this girl's skin … so sad.  Perhaps the (not) Oud, where there is a lot of Patchouli involved, might work … hmmm … enter me in that draw, please …

  • Havent tried this yet but sounds wonderful. I so love Oud… Thanx for the opportunity to try it.
    Great article Mark.

  • With the current preponderence of Oud fragrances, I'm intrigued by your assessment of the "neat trick" Mme Lancesseur has pulled off in Incense Oud of showing you something new by creating the illusion of oud. To me this is the mark of a talented perfumer.
    Thanks for the draw opportunity.

  • Hello ,I started use Kilian in Feb 2010 and I fell in love from first side.I do own it ALL of them.My late  addition. is Incense Oud.I did get a lot of good comments.I am in love with KILIAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and my sons Alex and Jeffrey !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!