Amber Oud

I blind bought this one because I'm a fan of vintage Kilian and I was blown away at first sniff. This is actually one of the best fragrances from the house. It's extremely hard to find and expensive, which is why you don't hear about it. But trust me, this would be super popular if it was released today, in 2024. Unlike some some of the Arabian Nights collection, this one is completely wearable by westerners. Kilian Hennessy said he wanted to make this an oud fragrance that would have the animalic and controversial properties removed, and replaced with Madagascar Vanilla and benzoin tears.The vanilla smells like it's been has been barrel aged. In addition to the aged vanilla, you get some slightly smokey oud but it's not strong or skank like pearl oud. The best way I can describe the drydown is to imagine an expensive creamy sassafras (root beer). This is one of the best vanilla fragrances I've ever smelled in my life. Thankfully the person I bought this vintage bottle from is a collector, so the bottle and liquid are in perfect condition. This one truly is a "hidden gem". It took me 3+ years of waiting patiently to find a good price, and it was worth the wait. -------------------------------------------- Scent 10/10 Performance 6.5/10

For the first time I have finally made my first Kilian purchase and bought this fragrance. I was shocked at the price tag, 410CHF (Swiss francs) for a 50ML bottle ?! That is quiet insane and my most expensive perfume in my collection. However, the SA was so convincing. She said it was her favourite perfume and that it was incredibly long lasting. The beautiful box with the key that came with it also grabbed my attention. So I went for it ! Firstly, the fragrance itself is absolutely gorgeous, which is why I fell in love at the store when the SA introduced me to it. It is perfect for the colder weather. A very distinctive amber and oud. It is sweet like vanilla but not cloying. It is earthy to give it the warm touch. It is a very complex amber, which was initially exactly what I was looking for. Very sensual and dark. BUT my disappointment lays with what many have already mentioned, the longevity and projection is incredibly poor... I can't get over how short it stays on me when I paid that much money. Do all the Kilian perfumes have the same short longevity? After literally only 30 minutes I only get a faint amber on my skin. If it is the same with other fragrances I will not be looking into Kilian anymore unfortunately...

I like Amber Oud in spite of myself. Easy to dismiss as rote and familiar and readily substituted for a considerably lower price elsewhere, Amber Oud nevertheless works because it's so well-rounded. The notes may be few, but they blend in a seemingly organic fashion such that the whole is undoubtedly greater than the sum of its parts.The cedar smells authentic, the amber is soft but not powdery, the bay proprotioned judiciously and, best of all, the vanilla is used as a means to imbibe a natural sweetness instead of it being forcibly tagged on to make it gourmand - as tends to be the case in many amber-based perfumes. Oh, and the oud is barely present, though I can't say it really bothered me in this instance. I appreciate the subdued nature of it all, too, purring away as it sits above the skin. It's meant to be a 'private' fragrance, I think, something to while away the evening hours with in the company of a loved one or a few long-time friends, the mood both contemplative and nostalgic. Amber Oud: toasty, cosy and comfy. Lovely.

After much consideration I finally decided to look passed the high price of this perfume and today it arrived. While unwrapping, I felt so classy because of its fine crafted box. So much love for detail and luxury. But now back to the scent. to make it plain and simple, I am absolutely mesmerized! At first a honey sweet cloud with hints of bay leaf and spices opens up the bouquet. Almost shy but within minutes the actual stars of the composition unveil themself. Amber and Oud! But not the animalic kind. Somehow it reminds me of bee wax. The drydown is spectacular as benzion and vanilla emerge, giving this perfume its sensual and alluring heart without being intrusive or too sweet. The base of precious Cedarwood completes the balsamic formula. This is true art. this is alchemy! Never have I smelled anything so complex, rich and well balanced. Its seduction in a bottle and I highly recommend this perfume to all Amber lovers out there. Kilian, I admire your work!

Gentle and smooth this one... Incredibly nice. I realized a while ago that gender categorization for perfume is pointless and largely redundant. I would really not erge anyone to agree or take my opinion on board because its just that...an opinion. I can't help applying the old paradigm of Homme/femme. It's totally unisex and I would wear this in a heartbeat it's a wonderful fragrance I can't fault it. Just in terms of this Arabian nights collection I'd categorize Amber Oud as leaning slightly more toward the feminine. It has a more gentle approach more ambery and is softened by the presence of vanilla. I only mention it because personally I don't know any women who would wear a strong woody or oud fragrance anyway. So when there's a range of unisex fragrances I naturally feel the lighter of the bunch to be more suited to the ladies. If it was cheaper I'd certainly consider adding it to the collection as a good amber scent.

As someone who is NOT a huge fan of oud, I really liked this fragrance. I tried Musk Oud and Incense Oud as well, and they were a bit too overpowering on the oud for me. With Amber Oud, I can definitely smell the oud in the beginning. But it slowly fades after about 30 minutes and you are left with the lovely warm amber-vanilla. I do believe the oud is acting as a fixative to make this fragrance deeper and longer-lasting, however. I have a 7.5 ml of this and a 5 ml of Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan. Both are lovely fragrances. With Ambre Sultan, the amber is the star from start to finish. With Amber Oud, the amber doesn't come out strongly until after the oud "chills out" a bit. But I will say that while Lutens' creation is long-lasting, Kilian's is VERY long-lasting. On my skin, the dry-down of both fragrances is very similar as well. All in all, it's a lovely amber fragrance with a little bit of oud in the beginning phases.

One of the more popular named oud fragrances done By Kilian, Amber Oud is a creamy, sweet, resinous delight that is an excellent scent. It's not an overwhelming powerhouse but rather it's properly dense, a decent mix of amber, benzoin, and vanilla. I suppose the "bay" note adds some oud or spiciness, but I'm not familiar with this. Amber Oud is surely far more amber than oud, far more a sweet gourmand than a bitter oud. It's an enjoyable, easy wear, and I'd be curious to compare it to Acqua di Parma's Colonia Ambra, which is a vanilla/amber mix mixed with some of the Colonia DNA. Performance is somewhat lacking for a fragrance priced at $395 for 50ml, so it's difficult to stomach buying this unless it's an absolute favorite, which it is not. Still, the scent is really superb, one of the best amber/oud interpretations, and a recommended try, particularly if it's one you would actually buy. 8 out of 10

This is one of the most wonderful perfumes I've ever had the chance to try. What a masterpiece... Incredibly beautiful, fragile and strong at the same time, ethereal and haunting. It's so perfectly executed, every note blending so seamlessly with the others, and yet leaving its own imprint. The amber is sweet and intoxicating, the vanilla of the best quality possible, the benzoin so alluring and sensational, the west indian bay leaf so determinate and different from what I was expecting, the cedar so earthy, warm and inviting. Calice Becker created a phenomenal perfume. A true work of art. Thumbs up, Ms. Becker! I adore this! I want it in my life.

Summary - An amazing soft woody amber fragrance, very light and easy to wear. Reasonable performance (4-5hrs), good silage. Barely detect Oud in this (Oud is not mentioned in the notes either), very slight animalic note in the background. Despite all the good things I don't think this one is worth the price. This is versatile for an amber fragrance, it is also very linear not changing much after the initial opening. What I really like is how transparent this is, you can pick out each note if you look for it. Overall this is a love for me, a 9/10 would be perfect if it was priced better.

It is a very nice classy night out event fragrance. I sometimes use it for business meetings at exclusive restaurants and had many people ask me what fragrance i wear. You wear a dark color suit, clean shave etc and put this fragrance on, you will be noticed and receive many compliments. Is it worth the price? I do not think so. I have just half bottle left but i would not pay high $$$ for this again since there are cheaper alternatives that does the same job. Worth a try though if you can get a half bottle on ebay or something.

Un'ambra legnosa molto asciutta, austera, elegante. Molto bella e molto costosa. Nella mia ricerca personale, ho trovato il profumo uguale identico (anche in sillage e persistenza...Entrambi dopo un'ora si dissolvono...) : Amber Wood Monotheme Black Label, prezzo piccolissimo e stesse prestazioni, un bel profumo. Anche se per me le "ambre" più emozionanti restano Ambre Loup Rania J (stupenda) e L'ambre des Merveilles Hermes, dove la nota dolce vanigliata si fonde meravigliosamente ad ambra e patchouli.

EDIT: I received my bottle and as much as I still love it, I have to say that I regret purchasing it. Unfortunately, the sillage of this beauty is very minimal and it stays so close to my skin that I can barely detect it. The longevity is also very limited. Weird though... I didn't get the same impression from the sample I had, bought straight from the kilian site... Don't get me wrong... The quality is still exceptional and I love it to bits, I just cannot justify the 295 euro price tag...

I can chime in and agree that the oud is barely there. But what is there is wonderful. I think of this as a delicious, comforting amber scent. Nothing sourish, just sublime cashmere-smooth amber held steady by a suggestion of bay and vanilla with benzoin weaving in and out. It lasted 9 hours with me yesterday and I only used a few drops. I caught gentle waves of it all day, and every time it put me in a good mood. Yesterday was a better day because of Amber Oud. It just fits.

I feel honored to receive a free sample before it is released in the market on coming March. It's warm amber ,sweet vanilla and benzoin. It's spicy (Bay leaf) and oriental ,a touch of animalic oud wood ,not too much in the composition which makes feel very good about it. It's a very good amber fragrance.I will look for a bottle of this!Thank you Mr.Kilian.This is an excellent fragrance!

Warm vanilla and amber with a hint of contrasting aromatics from the bay leaf. No oud or anything animalic that would make it challenging. Very much like snuggling in a warm cashmere scarf. Autumn and winter, sits just at arms' length on me.

If you like this you’ll definitely like Umbra d’Orient by Kaisar Parfums, wouldn’t say they’re the exact same scent but they both give off the same vibes and they do share a few similarities, rich Arab humble prince vibes, highly recommend.

Why, why would they discontinue this beautiful, spicy scent?? Please bring it back, Kilian!! My husband loves this and he rarely comments on perfume!! Does anyone have a close dupe for this? Thank You!!

I got the sample frmo Kilian, thanks a lot! It is just beautiful! Warm and spicy but not the usual way. Delicious,amber-gold fume. It's mystherious and kind. All in one:-) A must have!!!!

There is indeed a slight resemblance to Cologne pour le Soir, this one leans more gourmand though. Drydown is pure vanilla amber on me. Nice. Good lasting power and sillage.

Warm golden amber, cosy cashmere, soft faded velvet, perhaps just a hint of salt, and the scent you get kicking through autumn leaves. Fabulous. Perfectly unisex