Dark Lord

Yesterday I reviewed Angel's Share, inarguably the most established and celebrated fragrance currently offered by the house of By Kilian. Today I'm taking a deeper dive and checking out one that hardly ever gets talked about; Dark Lord. Just the name itself is intimidating and exhudes shadowy and mysterious masculinity. I don't know anything about the fragrance, but I have a feeling it's going to be intense, whatever it is. Let's get into it; Scent: The opening is woody, leathery, and earthy. The primary notes I get are pepper, leather, nagarmotha, and jasmine sambac. The strongest of the notes are the nagarmotha and leather. The nagarmotha takes center stage immediately after the first spray with a super intense, dark woodiness tinged with a solid dose of earthiness. Because of the intensity and depth I initially thought I was experiencing some type of oud note, but it is indeed the nagarmotha. It's one of the strongest wood notes I have encountered thus far. Underneath the nagarmotha lies the leather note. This leather note is not overwhelmingly animalic, but isn't overly mild or designer either. It walks a fine line between the two, giving the opening a nice, leathery bite that grabs your attention but doesn't eclipse the woodiness. This is followed by the pepper and jasmine sambac. The pepper in this fragrance is divided into two separate notes; pepper and sichuan pepper. Both offer a fresh spiciness, but the pepper focuses more on the nose-tickling type of spice whereas the sichuan pepper is milder with a touch of citrus on the back end. Lastly, the jasmine sambac hides away in the background with a subtle but noticeable white floral accord nuanced with a distinct sweetness. The dry down is woody, leathery, and green. The primary notes I get are nagarmotha, vetiver, leather, and rum. The strongest of the notes are the nagarmotha and vetiver. The nagarmotha still has the same supremely woody and dark wood note with the same earthiness, not much has changed from the opening. Meanwhile, the vetiver has emerged in the dry down for added woodiness accompanied by the signature green, grassy, slightly citrusy accord that vetiver is known for. Up next is the leather and rum. The leather is still present in the dry down, but to a much lesser extent than the opening. It has taken a step back to let the woods overtake the fragrance, but you can still pick it out in the background. Lastly, the rum has appeared in the dry down as well with a boozy and slightly sweet accord deep in the background next to the leather. Performance: Initial projection within the first hour is very strong and can easily fill a room. Sillage matches that intensity with a heavy scent trail. After about 4 hours the projection was still about 5-6 feet and the scent trail was still easily noticeable. When I was able to check again around the 9 hour mark, the projection was still about arms length and the scent trail was still noticeable, but lighter. The fragrance lasted about 11-12 hours before becoming a skin scent. When to wear: Dark Lord is a fall/winter fragrance best suited for evening wear. This fragrance is absolutely tailor made to be a special occasion fragrance. Date nights, anniversaries, weddings, or anything else you'd wear a suit and tie to; Dark Lord will fit the bill. For the same reason, this is not something I'd wear to the office. Blind buy: I would not consider Dark Lord a safe blind buy. It is hyper woody and dark, incomparable to anything I've tried. If you enjoy really woody fragrances, this one is definitely worth a sample. Final verdict: From the first moment I sprayed Dark Lord I was blown away. Never before had I experienced such a powerful woodiness in a fragrance. I can see where some people would dislike this, but I personally love it for its uniqueness and depth. Performance, as I expected, was strong. Powerful projection and scent trails for at least the first 4 hours, and lasting for about 11-12 before disappearing. Versatility is not what this fragrance is made for. It's crafted to be something reserved for special occasions in the cooler months, and it excels at that. Mass-appealing is not how I would describe this fragrance either. It is going to appeal to certain individuals, one of those "love it or hate it" type deals. In conclusion, I think this is a masterfully constructed fragrance that I will definitely be adding to my collection. I may not be able to find many occasions to wear it, but you better believe I'll stand out and smell great when I do. Scent: 10/10 Longevity: 9/10 Sillage: 9/10

The night in London feels thick with anticipation, as the fog curls around ancient stone buildings, wrapping the city in a haunting embrace. The air is heavy, charged with the kind of tension only a place steeped in history can hold. You make your way through the grand courtyard of an old, sprawling castle nestled on the outskirts, its looming silhouette casting shadows over the landscape. The sound of your boots echoes off the stone walls, each step deliberate and commanding, a reminder of your presence in this space of whispered secrets and untold power. You are dressed in an all-black ensemble that speaks of strength and dark elegance. Your Tom Ford black leather jacket fits like armor, its sleek surface catching the flicker of light as you move, a perfect reflection of your unrelenting confidence. Beneath, a Saint Laurent black turtleneck hugs your form, smooth and taut, emphasizing both your masculinity and the sensuality that lies beneath. Your John Lobb boots are polished to a dark shine, their purposeful weight adding gravitas to each step. You move through the space like a shadow, your every movement calculated, your presence suffocating, yet magnetic. The fragrance that surrounds you is Dark Lord by Kilian—a scent as powerful as it is bold, a fragrance that refuses to be ignored. The opening is an explosion of Sichuan pepper, hot and electrifying, like the first crack of thunder before a storm. It’s sharp, fiery, and instantly captivating, setting the tone for what’s to come. This pepper, full of raw intensity, cuts through the air, demanding attention and leaving a trail of heat in its wake. The scent immediately creates a feeling of dominance, like a warning to all those around you—this is your space, your moment. As the fragrance settles, the deep, rich notes of leather and rum emerge, adding a rugged sensuality that is both dark and inviting. The leather is raw and unrefined—sturdy, worn-in, a reflection of both power and experience. The rum adds a heady sweetness, but it's not the kind that comforts; it’s the kind that lingers with an almost dangerous allure, drawing people in, but only at your command. There is something darkly intoxicating about it, something that beckons, something dangerous. The fragrance continues to evolve, deepening further with vetiver—earthy, smoky, and intense. The vetiver adds a rough edge to the composition, grounding the fragrance in a primal, almost animalistic energy. The combination of pepper, leather, rum, and vetiver creates a scent that is bold, confident, and unmistakably masculine—an unyielding force that surrounds you, wraps itself around your skin, and doesn’t let go. The dry-down leaves behind a scent that lingers like the final trace of a shadow—strong, assertive, and undeniably powerful. The fragrance settles into something darkly beautiful, full of complexity and tension, yet somehow smooth, as if the rough edges have been worn down by time and experience. There’s nothing soft about it—Dark Lord is a fragrance that commands the room with quiet authority, a scent that demands respect and leaves an indelible impression. Dark Lord is for the man who walks through life with power and purpose, a man who demands control over his surroundings and exudes dominance at every turn. It’s a fragrance that reflects raw masculinity—bold, intense, and unapologetic. It’s not for the faint of heart; it’s for the one who thrives in the shadows, who embraces the darkness as a part of his identity. This fragrance is not just a scent; it’s a presence, an assertion of power that leaves an unforgettable trace, like the lingering breath of smoke in the night air.

I don't think this one is as close to GGA as a lot of people seem to think here! Where GGA on me reminds me of a mixture of gasoline, leather, "medicine" and wood where on me GGA almost gives a scent shock (which I like) and also on me smelled strongly of these mentioned scents, Killian Dark Lord is softer and more complex . The opening with pepper and bergamot doesn't feel that special to me, while the Rome scent comes quite quickly together with some scent note I've never experienced before. Could it be Davana? Jasmine is in the background and after about an hour it's very leathery. Vetiver and Patchouli together with leather seem to give a certain /Oil/Diesel/Gasoline scent but here it comes much later than in GGA and is not as intrusive. Wooden note? Probably and the blend itself is probably what gives a dark... a little "mysterious" scent character that I appreciate in Killian Dark Lord. GGA is more to the point which I also appreciate. My advice is that if you want a more raw "extremely masculine" perfume, GGA is the choice. If you want both the raw masculine but at the same time a more complex perfume, Killian Dark Lord is the one I would choose. If you can afford it, buy both because, at least on me, there is quite a big difference in how they smell. You can get both praise and disgust for both but I rarely prefer gourmet perfumes and the sillage is not extreme on Killian and thus is not difficult to wear and more gentle on the environment. Another difference, speaking of that, there is a tendency towards a little sweetness in Killian and it is probably the Rum note and the Jasmine note that give that sweetness, but it is far from a gourmet scent. This lasts longer than GGA but then for my skin GGA is stronger in scent when it really smells. The presentation with box and bottle is nice and I think it is possible to use this both at a nightclub and for some special event, but during autumn and winter where it gets dark quickly during the autumn, it can also be used in the afternoon and to make it smell strongly at me, I need at least 4-5 sprays. It is a disadvantage. 4-5 sprays with GGA and breathing becomes a little difficult. There, 2 is enough. Date perfume? If you know that the girl has a strong personality then absolutely, but if you are unsure and it is the second meeting and the first more intimate such as a dinner, I would not use it. Since Killian Dark Lord is quite expensive is it worth a full bottle? Yes, I think so, but if the economy stops then GGA is a good alternative. Men 35+ for both these perfumes which are quite unique but as usual... if a girl wants to wear Killian Dark Lord then why not. Regardless of gender and age, and because Killian (and GGA) is polarizing, the advice is get a sample before you buy. I myself made a so-called "blind purchase" on Killian Dark Lord and it met my expectations.

When I first apply this scent I often just want to head out to a biker festival and run wild for a few days. The leather is very realistic, well worn but loved leather jacket closely entwined with cypriol oil, rum, oakmoss and of course birch, offering that earthy tar note. It's somehow comforting and manifests like a reinforcement of my aura! A real confidence boosting, take no crap feeling! The ingredients just work together so well and are blended beautifully giving a distinctive and full bodied experience. There are no prisoners here! It's, as expected a dark and edgy fragrance that only appeals to the few despite being from the producer of angels share and the like! It shares little in common scent wise (except a boozy note), although construction wise it's clearly so well crafted and shares the performance, both for which Kilian is generally known and revered for. Although I lose the scent a little after a few hours I'm told by family and friends that it's easily detectable at arms length + for at least 6-7 hours and then some. This is reinforced by the fact that I can detect it clearly upon waking the following morning with refreshed senses. To that end I would have to say it's touching beast mode territory despite a little anosmia on my part! If Orto Parisi' Cuouim is too much (im a huge fan!) then this is a slightly lighter introduction to the niche leather genre. Still, it's fairly hardcore! Failing that, Kilian have a vaults collection that are similar but not quite as heavy as Dark Lord and the other smokes scents. Wearable almost all year I think and although other reviews only seem to recommend cooler temperatures, this product illuminates and projects very well with a little rise in temperature, not too much though. I wouldn't wear it on a very hot day, it'd be a little too cloying. Cold to warm days and certainly dark, cool and moderate nights are ideal, definitely wouldn't be great in high humidity. It's hard to describe who wears a scent like this, well I do for a start! I'm probably not a typical niche/indie fragrance lover though. I ride a V-twin motorcycle with the appropriate attire and weight train regularly so strong fragrances and a certain aesthetic suit my lifestyle, appearance and demeanour! Anyway, if I had to suggest a type, mostly male, possibly a darker female soul 😆 and any age that enjoys the heavy and darker, less generic things in life. Overall it's a great addition to my collection and one i wear regularly. Worth the price and highly recommend but try a sample first if you can.

When you mix two monsters, what do you think comes out? The essence of all monsters. Kilian Dark Lord, a complex fragrance with outstanding performance. As dark as it may seem, the opening is particularly beautiful, floral. Darkness receives a ray of light. The composition is monstrous ... Although the olfactory pyramid is quite rich, for me it comes down at three notes, leather and vetiver rounded by jasmine. I was curious to test Kilian Dark Lord and the first impressions are great. It smells great and reminds me of two other perfumes. But I will come up immediately. Although the opening is given by pepper and bergamot, I feel that this fragrance starts directly from the middle. It is very floral and green in the beginning and the rum is barely felt, not being as present as in the opening of Black Phantom. Jasmine brings a ray of light, heating the scent, making it a little fresh. Well, this feeling fades away, it doesn't go away completely until the leather that Alberto Morillas borrowed from Gucci Guilty Absolute enters the scene. For a long time the scent smells like diesel fuel, exhaust or rather the scent transport you in a car service full of tires, car parts full of engine oils, metals and water. All this feeling is rounded and softened by jasmine and davana unlike Gucci Absolute. The second phase of the perfume is green, earthy, dark and very persistent. From now to the base, vetiver is the dominant note and it was certainly not chosen at random. It is the same wet and deep vetiver that you can find in Lalique Encre Noir. A refined ink if you will, which is mixed with oily, smoky and medicinal leather giving the darkness of creation that fully deserves its name. Both longevity and projection are particularly strong. 10-12 hours on the skin and on the clothes.. even more. Despite its dark attributes, Dark Lord exudes elegance and can be worn successfully to events, business meetings being versatile enough to wear to casual. It is definitely suitable for use in spring, autumn and winter, even on cool summer evenings. To me, Dark Lord is a combination of two monsters, Gucci Guilty Absolute and Lalique Encre Noir. It is a dark essence, but unlike the other two, it adds a dose of light at the end of the tunnel.

This perfume was my first foray into Kilian. I went in expecting to dislike the scent as the bottles, marketing copy and name all felt gaudy and over the top. However, it ended up being my favourite perfume so far, despite leathers and smoky woods being completely alien to me prior to experiencing Dark Lord. On first sniff, the scent was very strong and peppery, but the smokiness and medicinal aspects drew me in. I felt reminded of something but I couldn't pin it down. The more I kept looking, the faster I fell for the scent and the more it resonated with me, like a bell tone increasing in volume and intensity. Light leather, rubber, smoky vetiver and cedar created the dark backdrop against which a pungent vegetal note, like marijuana, stood out to me. This was the note that I was fixated with. I walked away from the counter then, but I couldn't stop thinking about the scent for weeks. Looking at the notes, I thought it must have been the davana or cypriol that I was transfixed with, so I sought these notes out in different perfumes like Promise or Noir Anthracite, but none were able to engage me like the Kilian. I made up my mind, nothing could stop me, not even my colleagues reaction of disgust to the perfume's opening notes. In fact the polarising effect only strengthened my resolve. I purchased a full bottle the next week. Since wearing and learning about the perfume more, the truly magical effect the scent has is being able to balance out the dark smoky vetiver with sweet jasmine, creating an image of light piercing through darkness. Here, it's truly narcotic and I swoon every time I smell the scent from the nozzle. Performance is good, lasting 10+ hours and projecting well for the first 4. However, the scent isn't as overpowering as you think, I easily get away with 6-8 sprays. Very versatile scent, though I'll limit my wearing to nights. P.S: smells nothing like GGApH, where I mostly get sweetened dark woods from the cedar and vetiver, creating a strong chemical gasoline note. I get no leather, no smoke and completely different sweetness from GGApH.

The first sniff I had at a Kilian boutique was mesmerizing. On paper it transported me to a mossy dense forest full of deep aromas. I had to try it. Can't speak for anyone else but on my skin it was magic, intoxicating. Stepping out of the boutique into the open to test the scent I just could not stop smelling my forearm. My wife actually loved it on me (approved !), and indicated that she identified jasmine in it.... ?? So the secret seems to be an intense OVERDOSE of jasmine, not the subtle kind in most floral scents.... but an agressive slap of a 1000 jasmine flowers. This may appear to some as 'rubber' or 'gasoline', but I find it irresistible. Combined with a leather dry down that starts to peek out more as the skin warms the oils, the scent evolves magnificently into something mysterious, sure, but definitely a positive "mmm what is that?" showstopper scent (at least in my experience!). I disagree that this is a "smoky" scent. It is dark and spicy, but not smoky in the sense that it has no incense or "ash" notes. It is intense in both florals and earthy notes and this leads to some notion of "smoke", but it is not. Some people may find the opening "harsh", but the attack of the all the aromatics is sublime. Not sweet, not citrusy, not powdery..., different. Once you step over the threshold you will be wearing something unique. I am absolutely puzzled by negative reviews (specially those silly youtube's), so forget all those "old biker" comments... This fragrance is certainly not subtle, but it is sophisticated. This is something to wear pretty much anytime (perhaps not on a sunny beach day). It leans "cold" as a fragrance, so I would not wear it in winter... A temperate spring day, a rainy humid summer afternoon for Happy Hr will be just as appropriate as a black suit kind of evening for cocktails.

This is the perfume that put the subjectivity of fragrance into perspective for me. With most scents I can pick through others' impressions and find what they're seeing, even if my nose didn't side with the same impressions at first, but with this one? I have no idea about what these critical reviews are getting. There is a darkness to this, but it's a romantically suggested impression rather than from the notes themselves. This is a unique capture of calming jasmine, buttressed by the woody leather and a peppery finish to lean away from being femininely floral--but this is a jasmine perfume, first and foremost, and it's gorgeously done. I have to really hunt for the citrus from the bergamot, as I generally don't enjoy citrusy notes and hardly notice it here. A spiced, greenish oiliness sits calmly in the cracks, quietly bonding everything together, without projecting the usual tree sap or leafiness of green-forward accords. The end of the drydown is where I start to find the booziness: it's reminiscent of a man who's been out drinking all night, the alcoholic vapors seething from his bloodstream and mixing with his cologne. There's a loneliness to it, a poem of yearning written somewhere in the anecdotes of that man's life, a gentleness grown cold through the pain of loss. Aloof, beautiful, sensual, and far from challenging. The reviewers claiming gasoline, morgues, and lava are confounding to me, and I urge anyone with a nose for darker-feeling fragrances to pick up a sample. My only warning is to check the price tag on a full bottle before falling in love with it (oops).

People will buy into anything if the branding’s right. Dark Lord? Oh wow, must be Tom Riddle. No Limits? Same thing, just wrapped in a different marketing fantasy—one’s mysterious and dark, the other’s sexy, young, and rich bla bla... Same juice, different nonsense! Fragrantica “experts”.. no clue where they even get this stuff, worms in their brains, I swear.. Some basics say: leather perfume? Gotta wear a leather jacket, leather pants, sit on a leather couch, and stare at my leather motorcycle... — seriously? bravo! Flatter than the Earth.. Reality check: both scents, when worn right and by the right person, get plenty of compliments. No one cares about your Voldemort fanfic. And if anything, why the hell would he smell like some dandy barbershop leather from Kilian? Why not Le Labo Patchouli 24 or some burnt wiring by Naomi Goodsir? Why not rotten swamp, or hell, straight-up shit? Because, what, the name? Relax. It’s just perfume. Some people write these comments like they’re genuinely suffering..so much disgust, many complaints, it almost makes you want to call a psychiatrist. Anyway, both perfumes are great in their own way and bring a lot of joy to those who love these kinds of scents.. and to those around them too. If used well, with the right look (not necessarily leather, actually better if it’s not) and not drowned in 10 sprays.

Oh boy this is good. Finally, a leather that is dry, there's no vanilla, no ambery warmth or sweetness, yet no piss, doesn't go sour on my skin, no musk really to me. It really is like you've taken the only best from Guilty Absolute and No Limit$, amped the quality and performance, and make it more masculine and dark. It's peppery, spicy, but not oriental. It's fresh and aromatic a bit, but not vegetal, green, or sweet. There's lots of oakmoss, vetiver, papyrus, davana, cypriol... The rum? not sure, not boozy enough for me to call it rum. There's white flowers but not enough to make it feminine or indolic. It's like just a backbone, a support, to make it richer and deeper. All the aromatic elements make it woody, dry, masculine. This is the shit. I wanted a leather without sweetness, piss, that doesn't go sour on my skin for long. This smells 1:1 like a black leather boot locked in a cedar/dry wood box. Add dry, woody aromatics and a tiny touch, just complexing the overall aroma, white flowers in the back. To me it is masculine, but I can imagine some women wearing it. Suits bad boy attitude and leather jackets. Great for nighttime, any season but summer. Not office safe, a bit overpriced.

This is a more wearable version of Gucci Guilty Absolute. I can’t really state that one is of higher quality than another, but they’re definitely trying to achieve the same thing. This basically smells like a pair of leather boots that has been through and seen hell. Imagine leather with a mix of a bit of earthiness, oil, bandaids, petrol, wood, some sort of booze, musk, antiseptic disinfectant and oddly enough, blood. Once this dries down, it also gets a hint of jasmine, which makes it much more wearable than Gucci Guilty Absolute. It’s much more rounded and consequently more versatile. This isn’t for everyone and it encapsulates what the ‘niche’ in niche fragrances stands for. It’s quite bold and one must wear it for oneself. You may get a compliment or two here and there, but there will be more people who may just go ‘wtf is that’. You wear this to make a statement stating what it is you like & what you’re into. It lasts the entire day, but it doesn’t project loudly beyond 2 hours or so, beyond which it becomes a moderate projector. For further reference, my bottle has the batch code AA2 23110. This fragrance is very masculine and I can’t see anyone below the age of 25 pulling this off.

Dark Lord... Satan? Lord Vader? Nah. Maybe Lucifer from the TV series sitting in his club on a leather couch. Dark, leathery, woody but sweet at the same time. I understand why people say it is similar to Gucci Guilty Absolute as it has a similar vibe, but the fragrances are different. GGA is more harsh, less forgiving than Dark Lord. Dark Lord is imho cozy scent, that would go well with a leather jacket or a suit but it doesn't project dry oily gasoline like leather smell. It is a pleasant scent with a very good sillage. One small spray projects from my skin for 2 hours, then it becomes closer to the skin. It kinda reminds me of Plein's No Limit in terms of the vibe, but of course Dark Lord is blended better and has a leather note which I can't smell in Plein's hated creation (undeserved imho). One of my favorites from Kilian. When buying niche I don't like to go for easy crowd pleasing scents, I like to surprise myself and people around me with something unique. Dark Lord smells rather unique in the air and nobody will smell like you. So if you are tired of Kilians crowdpleasers or overpriced Tom Ford scents that last 1h, test Dark Lord.

🕯 Kilian Dark Lord — Violence in Velvet Rum. Pepper. Vetiver. Leather. It doesn’t open with charm — it hits. Like the slam of a steel door in a concrete hallway. There’s no sweetness. No comfort. Just smoke, blood-heat spice, and something that smells like revenge after midnight. The leather isn’t elegant. It’s worn. Stiff. Cracked at the knuckles. The rum doesn’t come in a crystal glass — it’s in the bloodstream of someone who’s been killing men long before you were born. It walks like Darth Vader in a dim corridor — not the meme, not the mask — the breathing, burnt, soulless shell that chokes you for thinking too loudly. This scent has no patience. No redemption arc. It’s here to erase things. No flirtation. No forgiveness. It smells like the part of the story where the lights go out, and only boots and screams remain. It stays close to the skin, but not because it’s shy — because real danger never announces itself. This isn’t a signature scent. This is the last thing someone remembers before the black fades in. 9/10. Don’t spray this unless you’ve already made peace with what you’ve done.

I remember testing Encre Noir a while ago and thinking that it would be the best fragrance for a vampire. In the same fashion, Dark Lord is a fragrance for exactly whom it names. It's what the devil himself would wear on a casual stroll through hell. Make whatever you want of this, but if you're into leather fragrances and you need something that smells more mature than Ombre Leather and more elegant/dressy than Tuscan Leather, this is what you're looking for. It's an absolute work of art. And here's an update because updates are great. After wearing this on a few occasions, I can say that its smell and power grows on you. I hope it will not be the perfume wearing me like someone pointed out in another review. This is the kind of smell that will offend people because they fucking love it. It's not the crowd pleaser that would make people call you a nice guy, but rather the panty dropper that gets women angry and sexually aroused (yes, I meant to write "wet") at the same time. Wear this at your class reunion's evening gala and thank me later.

I’ve owned this for over two years now, and with time it has matured into one of the most striking leather and jasmine compositions I’ve encountered. Dark Lord reveals itself as a study in dryness. The leather here is sharp, arid, and uncompromising, completely devoid of sweetness. Yet it never feels crude. Instead, it comes across as elegant, masculine, and quietly sophisticated. When I first purchased it, the infamous “burnt tire” accord that many people mention was far more pronounced and aggressive. With aging, that harshness has softened considerably. The fragrance has opened up, allowing the jasmine to emerge more clearly. What was once confrontational is now balanced. Floral, leathery, and surprisingly refined. This feels like a perfume that has learned restraint with time. The leather remains dry and commanding, but it now frames the jasmine rather than overpowering it. The experience of wearing it today is entirely different from when it was new, and far more rewarding. An ode to dry leather and jasmine lovers everywhere. 10/10

''By Kilian Dark Lord'' yeşil, simsiyah, karanlık bir ortam. ( ve oldukça yaşlı) Parfüm dünyasına klasik olarak designer parfümlerden başladım. yaklaşık olarak o zamanlar elimde 5 6 adet parfüm vardı ve youtubeye '' kullanması çok zor olan parfümler '' yazdım. bir kaç parfüm vardı hatırlamıyorum ve bir adet yorum şu şekildeydi'' dark lord ' un babası) . Dark lord o zaman beni ismi ile koku tarzı ile beni hayrete düşürmüştü. esans olarak kendisine ulaşabildim ve kendim ürettim. Bakalım bana neler çağrıştırıyor ? Koku oldukça aromatik ve zannettğim kadar kötü değildi. Daha çok koklayasım geldi bu parfümü.. Bu aromatiklik diğer parfümlere çok benzer değil fakat ortak olan notalarla üretilmiş. metali hissiyatı var olan bir parfüm. Birisi streoid e benzetmiş. Sağlık sektörü ve iğne olarak biliyorum ve bu çok doğru. Sentetik hissi olan metalik aromatik deri kokusudur. 50 yaş üstü insan gibi kokuyor ama ortama göre farklılık olarak kendim dahi kullanabilirim. 10/8.7

“The Fragrance That Doesn’t Exist” For those who love what cannot be seen. The first time it touched my skin, I didn’t understand it. It whispered in smoke — quiet, distant, alive with shadows. A dark veil drifted between the known and the forgotten. Minutes passed. Ten... twenty. And then, it changed — unfolding like a secret that didn’t want to be told. Something deep, unwelcoming, beautiful in its defiance. It took me somewhere I’d never been — a memory that never happened, yet felt older than time itself. That was the moment I fell. And I began the hunt. And yes... I found it. This fragrance is too dark, too deep, too soft — it pulls you into a place that doesn’t exist. It’s a paradox — warmth wrapped in fear, serenity veiled in chaos. A calm so infinite it almost hums. I love it. But it’s not for everyone. It’s for the rare ones — the ones who understand the language of shadows, who find comfort in silence, and beauty in the dark.

Dark Lord is a fragrance that needs time to sort itself out. You can smell all the notes working together on initial blast. You get the rum, the jasmine, the woods, the papyrus, the spices, before it ultimately dries down to soft refined leather and smoke. A reviewer below mentioned a similarity with Royal Mayfair... well... he's correct, as there is something eucalyptic that takes place as it is developing, but fades off after it completely dries down. Just like Sacred Wood, the dry down is really what this fragrance is all about, and its where things become dark and exceptional. Many compare this fragrance to GGA, though I can see how there are some similarities, they are both quite different scents. Gucci is green, woody, leathery, and really oily almost balsamic. Dark Lord starts off a bit citric and boozy and eucalyptic, but once it dries down it becomes all about leather and smoke that encapsulates the aroma of burning charcoal.

A mature, artistic fragrance that, in my opinion, lives up to its daring name. I find it suitably dark (go figure), but it comes across as a quality mix of leather, woods and florals. Aside from the leather being a highlight, the woody elements are very potent. I don't get "burnt tyre" from this, but I also can't quite say what it reminds me of specifically. As sophisticated as this smells, it's not versatile to me. This is either for special occasions, or for people in positions of power. It's unapologetically masculine, or at the very least, authoritative. So, the wrong kind of person might find themselves worn by this fragrance, rather than the preferrable alternative. Unsurprisingly, this is strictly a cold weather fragrance. Aside from wearing it at home or in some other personal capacity, I carefully choose when to wear this in the presence of others. It's beautiful, but not for everyone.

Oh yes... deep, dark, mysterious... not for everyone. I did compare it to Gucci Guilty Absolute and also Bronze Wood & Leather Jo Malone London. It smells like a mix of these 2. Now, my review. This perfume is done by the legendary Alberto Morilllas! He has made best sellers such as CK1 from the 90s, and Aqua Di Gio Armani in the early 2000s both were claimed as the best selling fragrance at the time. So now this. This is not for everyone. This scent is for those with a darker mind. I picture an all black outfit, leather, and silver... This scent is what dracula would smell like. Classy, dark... and sexy. I fell in love with this scent. And each time I wear it I love it more! Mind you, Im the type that only wears black and tailored black suits with tight leather gloves and Black sleek boots. I prefer night to light.

Ok, I don’t get gucci guilty absolute comparisons at all, those are not on the same team, they aren’t even playing the same sport. I love gucci guilty absolute because it’s a leathery punch. This is a different breed altogether. This kind of smells like what a bear would smell like after a nice wash, just rolling around in the flowery meadow. It’s animalistic and raw with a touch of gentleness. Does it smell weird? Yes. Am I continuously smelling it when I have it on? Yes. Would I recommend it to everyone? Yes. Would everyone like it though? Absolutely not. To me this is a masterpiece. I put it in the similar league to Orchid Leather by Van Cleef. The scents are different ofcourse but like Dark Lord, Orchid leather also has this touch of dirt that draws you in. This one is just a bit more raw and dirty. Love it.

I was just telling a friend about this so I decided to wear some just now. I LOVE this fragrance. It's dark and brooding. However, it is Gucci Guilty Absolute with Booze. Good booze, not mediocre booze. If DL was the same price or higher I would get a full bottle. But it's SUBSTANTIALLY higher than GGA. I have two, 90ml bottles of GGA (like I said I really love this DNA), because I heard it's discontinued. Whenever I run out, if GGA is hard to find I will pay the Kilian premium because I need this DNA in my collection. This is a great scent of gasoline/motor oil, leather, cypress and liquor. It is not for the faint of heart. It smells like drunk vampires in a mechanic shop. 🕷🦇 Overall, it is slightly better than GGA because the liquor. It's dark and it's challenging. But if you get it, you get it. 9.5/10

Now this is one of my current favorites. I’m a huge fan of dark, dank and heavy smells and for me Dark Lord is like a leather jacket the day after smoking a cigar. And you know what, that’s one of the more comforting smells i know. It’s leather, smoke and wood mingled together in a musky, almost oud-like quality on my skin. There’s a bit of progression through the opening to the dry down but honestly it’s mostly the leather and smoky woodsy notes that runs straight through the entire performance. There’s enough staying power to last the entire day and be noticeable when taking a shower the next morning. Also I enjoy the fact that Kilian sells a refill. I’m not sure how much of an impact it makes on the environment but it feels nice to keep the same bottle for some reason.

DISCLAIMER: If you’re a type who likes vanilla cakes-pastries and flower bouquets, this one is not for you. This is for a man who would sit on his leather couch over thick Persian carpets wearing pricey jacket and leather boots, walking in his library that has antic wooden cabinets (books all over), sipping expensive cognac on a cold-dark night oiling his gun by a wood fire place where his German Shepherds sit by the glass door staring the dark. Welcome Dark Lord —I haven’t smelt anything like you ever before. Amazing you’re other than that your longevity is poor. The dry down is dirty gasoline, musty books, stained leather, even some element of manly body odor thrown in. I will buy you again because I need you as much as I need my cognac, and peaty single malt.

Very deep heavy fragrance, I can understand the controversiality, but that's the whole point, it's not for everyone. To put it extremely simple, it's a heavy leather fragrance, not sharp, not shiny, just thick, stuffy leather, that's IT to say at the very least without being overly dramatic. I love it due to the craftsmanship and the 12 year process Killian took to make it, it shows thus it's a very ppersonal fragrance and was never meant to be mainstream or liked by everyone, but that's the point! When to wear it? No idea but the occasion will come to it and not the other way around (you'll get it when you smell it). Will it be numerous occasions? Nope, maybe once or twice a year UNLESS U get the guilty pleasure of wearing it. That's it!

Out of the hundreds of fragrances from all over the world that I own this is the only one that I have that hits the olfactory sense with total permeation. Disregard the marketing, the bottle, the name etc...The fragrance itself is next level in terms of being ahead of it's time, the cypress accord with nootka is not fair, It made me go lightheaded and my muscles tensed in gratification the first time I smelled this. It's the first fragrance in my 40 year fragrance journey that made me emotional. Just as a tip for this one, to me it smells better sprayed on clothes that on skin, If you're a woman wear it, if you're a man wear it, if your into compliments they won't stop, if you wear fragrances for yourself you'll be amazed.

I tried for YEARS to find a leather fragrance that could de-thrown Tom Ford's Ombre Leather and I think I've finally found it. This is so unbelievably good and I'm not even a huge fan of Kilian as a house! This is leather mixed with aged wooden barrels in a barn somewhere in the deep country, but with extremely appealing and smooth facets that elevates it to actually be wearable and dare I say. . .Sexy? I know that sounds odd, but that's truly what it evokes. It's fascinating in all the right ways. Pretty soon I'm going to be wearing a straw hat, brown leather, and drinking a fine whiskey on the steps of a barn with my lover resting on my shoulder. That's what this scent makes me conjure up in my mind.

To me this is how Gucci Guilty Absolute should have smelled like. The aromatic floral touches here compensates what GGA lacks to make it wearable in public. In the opening of Dark Lord i get a rush of green notes, Jasmine is very loud initially, starts to fade away after a while but still notable to me all the way. Leather slowly creeps in and dominate till the end. At some points i got whiffs of Creed's Royal Mayfair also. I love GGA, it is an olfactory experience but Dark Lord takes that DNA into a less intense leather and more green bright scent. This is not as dark as the perfume name suggest, i love it. Worthy of a full bottle in my opinion.

Opens up with a chocolatey patchouli to become a fresh more aromatic version of Gucci Guilty Absolute. It’s also oilier and there is a greenness to it. It is definitely an acquired taste. I think it’s also more accessible and wearable than GGA. If GGA is strictly for colder weather, this can be worn on slight warmer nights. This is the more refined and complex and nuanced version. If GGA smells like a mechanic (in a good way) his boss probably smells like this. Must test before buying, but if this kind of scent is your thing, definitely give it a go. Here’s hoping they don’t discount this as well otherwise we will be screwed.

This stuff is very good not as dark as i was expecting. I dont really get the guilty absolute comparisons smelling dark lord out of the bottle definetly took me back to the first time smelling guilty absolute very medicinal woody, but after smelling it for a while guilty absolute just smells like patchouli out of the bottle. The opeing of dark lord is very aromatic green floral, jasmine, leather and smells like it could be a million different fragrances to me. The dry down is dusty and woody similar to absolute. Don't think this scent is challenging at all, definitely wearable with the right outfit

Although I liked to smell and try a couple of Kilian fragrances and they smell good, Dark Lord is the BEST one and ruggedly manly with raw sexual appeal! It drew me in and made me want it immediately. The comparison with Gucci guilty absolute and habit rouge by guerlain are way off! There’s no other fragrance like this which is a bonus. If you like this type of scent then maybe A Midnight Stroll by Gucci, Maahir black edition by lattafa, the haunting blend, Oud wood or Ombré leather by Tom Ford, black incense or miglia by Chopard, Anónimo 7 by Loewe are great for you! Love these

Kilian Dark Lord does more than ignite the senses; it seeks a complete hegemony of unparalleled refinement. The GPHA already exudes an opulent perfection of rugged leather, but Dark Lord elevates it with an "oomph" of smouldering sophistication. Embracing the intensity of a blazing fire, it wields the power to leave one delirious and longing for more. Dark Lord is not your usual pick-me-up fragrance, but a mesmerizing journey through the realm of esctascy and enigma, like a dirty secret whispered in the night.

This is great. Smells the same as Gucci Guilty Absolute to me. Also like Jo Malone Bronze Wood & Leather. Maybe 10% different max. It's violent mix of alcohol/diesel and rotting/fresh wood and sharp leather. It's offensive but addictive. Sophisticated. One you wear for you and if others like it, great, if they dont then that's their problem. Great for a night out, feeling like a boss. Masculine. All three I mentioned are a must try. I dont get why they both exist, especially both being Morillas fragrances.

Burnt tires! 😆 This is my initial impression after the first sniff. Then it is getting interesting.. In a few minutes it mellows down to something Dracula or Lestat will wear when they go hunting at night. It is intoxicating in its darkness and rot, sweet decay but not repulsive to me. I find it mesmerizing, I probably won’t wear it but will keep it in my collection. Maybe before they put me in the ground when my time comes I will request a few drops in my coffin 😂 Dark Lord is work of art!

One of Kilian’s hidden gems—bold, unapologetic, and easily the strongest scent in the lineup. I absolutely love the leather note here. It leans more nutty and warm rather than rubbery or industrial, which makes it incredibly wearable. There’s a subtle touch of booziness too, layered with a bitter undertone that gives it depth and character. If you're into leather-forward scents with an earthy, spicy edge, this one is definitely worth trying. A real statement fragrance.

10/10 One of the signature scents for me and best scents from Kilian house in terms of performance silage and also scent profile. Yet to find something that smells similar to this, very smokey nice sweet leather dry down and great projection which softens down to a more intimate distance but still offering whiffs of the dry down throughout the day but not leaving an offensive cloud of scent behind. Perfect for evening cold days and more intimate settings

This has a gooey sweet dense oud-like facet in the leather, very mysterious and dark. Has it's similarities to Gucci Guilty absolute, but this has a little more depth. Feels very indolic to an extent, due to the Cypriol oil and a good dose of jasmine perhaps. But that boozy sweet spiced patchouli dirty thick gothic leather is where the magic is at. Overall, quite bold and challenging, but very unique, a confidence-boosting fragrance for sure. 8/10

Dark, smokey leather. Fantastic. Smooth, high quality and (on me at least) long lasting. I feel like the GGA comparisons come from the kind of people that recognize one note from another frag then think, "OMG it's the *exact* same as that other perfume!" or that friend you play some new music for and they think it's the same as that very popular band they know that also has a guitarist in it. Not the same. Stop the lazy comparisons.

A strapping conditioned man is standing at the treeline relieving himself when he spots the wild bear shi***** in the woods. Startled, he steps back abruptly into the camp fire catching his pants leg. His buddy is holding a Mountain Dew bottle of Copenhagen spit, and douses the man's pants leg, successfully extinguishing the blaze. A couple drops of scrotum sweat are inevitable at this point. Oh. And in a good way.

This thing hits hard. At first it is a blast of strong leather but dries down to a fresh asphalt, gasoline, leather and someone else said new car smell which I can get behind. It has all that but still has a soft side to it that balances it out very well. This is my favorite niche scent I have tried by quite a long shot. My only complaint is the performance could certainly be a lot better especially for an edp.

Great complex fragrance. This fragrance has two phases, in the first one you’ll find a lot of leather, jasmine and pepper, phase some people may find it disgusting but then, it comes the second phase, a very good and pleasant drydown with vetiver. At the end of the scent, it’s very similar to Terre d Hermes. Scent: 8/10 Compliments: 7.5/10 Sillage: 9/10 Longevity: 10/10 Overall: 8.6/10 Buy it: YES

my colleague told that it smelled like an infectious disease ward in a hospital or floor cleaning. but I somehow love it and need to feel it around me. I think it's the oil smell you smell in the garage. I love it... as people mention here it is the smell of a garage with cars. When I feel it, I need to travel by train, plane and ship with expensive luggage of Prada, and docks in a luxury hotel.

Prior to sampling this I knew this was similar to Gucci Guilty Absolute. And yes, it's VERY SIMILAR. Similar to the point where I believe Alberto Morillas just recycled the formula. To my nose the similarities are uncanny. I think he just added booze to Dark Lord and called it a day. Great Fragrance if you like this DNA (which I do) But just get GGA and save yourself the money

My first expensive perfume that bring me to expensive perfume world Such a Unique vetiver Scent. Leather open, Follow by Rum, Vetiver and Jasmine Sweet but dark, Feel like a boss anyway I understand why people remind Gucci Guilty Absolute Pour homme with this perfume. but trust me you can own both of them because it's same in opening but totally different direction.

This is a masterpiece that garners such polarizing results. It's not an easy wear, but the more you smell it, the more you're drawn in. It's name is a perfect description of what the fragrance is and the emotions and thoughts the scent evokes. It's earthy, dark, mysterious, brooding, yet intriguing, floral, and delectably boozy and not overly sweet.

Che spettacolo! Che splendido profumo! Nel mio podio personale si piazza al terzo posto dietro Last Season e Intoxicated solo perché mi intimorisce. Lo amo talmente tanto che fatico a trovare l'occasione giusta per indossarlo; riesco ad indossarlo quando ho un giusto mix fra abito, stato d'animo e occasione. Dark Lord merita rispetto! Eccezionale!

Wow! Dark! I get leather and some sweet citrusy elements. Very daring and not for everyone. Reminds me a lot of Gucci Guilty Absolute but not as dry and more sweeter. I get a nice sweet boozy rum in the dry down but its not overly boozy. Just enough to add a little more sweetness. Great follow up to Black Phantom.

Upon first spraying and smelling the initial blast, I did not like it. But after about 10 to 15 minutes as it was drying down...wowowowow. It smelled amazing. Leathery, smoky, dark, mysterious, slightly sweet...I'm not sure if this is worth a full bottle, but definitely a decant.

The use of leather with the other notes is unreal. A great winter leather fragrance. What makes it even greater is the story behind blending leather with the other notes, I believe jasmine is part of it, which made me even more addicted to this scent. 10/10

A stunning Jasmine/Leather combo. This scent makes me weak at the knees... And yes it is similar to GGA but lacks the dry woodsy notes. This is more of a lush leather supported by jasmine. I highly recommend this fragrance for jasmine lovers.