Love by Kilian Amber and Oud Special Blend 2023

Oh boy, this is a polarizing one, I'm sure. To start: This scent opens strongly with orange blossom and a mild and funky oud. I own a lot of real oud scents by Bortnikoff, Ensar Oud, etc. I'd bet money this is real oud, at least in some measure. Real oud has a sharp, but very organic, smell and feel and Amber Oud 2023 has that in spades up top. The oud is balanced by a "marshmellow" note that, combined with the orange blossom, reads like tuberose + orange blossom. The base reads oud + ambergris (not vanilla amber, which is what I think people are expecting from this based on the name and reviews). This is a floral, semi-sweet oud+ambergris type scent that reminds me more of Sir Winston by Bortnikoff (with a nice oud note added) than some flanker to the Kilian main line. Longevity is great at 10+ hours with moderate projection for an hour. I'm giving this an 8.75/10. It doesn't feel like a Kilian scent, at all. This is a niche scent in all ways. You need to enjoy real oud. I paid just over $170 for it at Cosmetic Company, and that feels like a deal for something I'm sure has real oud and is well-made. I'm also positive that this is as far as you get from a Sephora/mall Kilian type feminine scent as you can get and if you're expecting something similar to the original Love (or similarly made to things like Smoking Hot, Apple Brandy, etc) skip this.

My first Oud fragrance, I adore LDBS so I figured Id go for this (had SAKS points + was on sale), I didn't know what to expect due to seeing reviews of oud smelling very "animalic" or "fecal" and how the other special blends were heavily disliked... I've only wore It once (three sprays to test projection and to test scent without nauseating anyone due to the oud) I was told countless times throughout the day that I smell beautiful (I'm a dude). To me this is a woodsy, sweet rose with very thick resinous sweetness, with some obvious animalic tones (which I'm used to due to the OG having that synthetic Civet note). I'll come back to update later with more wears but at first test/wear its not what the other special editions are like. Nothing gross about this at all edit 03/30/26: Extremely wearable; picture it - Love Don't Be Shy the original, toasted around a campfire

I recently tried love by kilian Amber and Oud Special Blend 2023 is a luxurious and captivating fragrance that beautfully merges rich amber with deep oud. The opening is warm and inviting , with a hint of sweetness that draws you in. As it evolves the complexity of the oud that adds depth and sophistication, making it a perfect choice for both men and women.

Thank you! I’m happy that I had a great experience. I’ve made a few orders now, and both the product quality and timely delivery have been flawless. Love by Kilian Amber Oud Special Blend 2023 is exceptional!

This is actually my first purchase from the house of Kilian. I have tried the samples and clones of Angels share, Musk Oud, Sacred wood, Intoxicated and Playing with the Devil. All are amazing scents. I love the darkness and the unique character the house of Kilian has to offer. Coming to the Love by Kilian Special blend 2023, I tried it along with Musk Oud and Pearl Oud (Unfortunately sold out). At the time Musk Oud felt very powdery and sweet for me but as it dried down I felt like royalty. On the other hand I tried Amber and Oud it was for my nose a more mature and bold scent. Not everyone would appreciate it, I believe. The opening is sweet with a mix of Orange blossom and Amber. As it sits longer on the skin, it dries down to 100% of all the three base notes mentioned. Dominantly, the Agarwood note can be identified. But the Bulgarian rose notes are very hard for me to crack (I think this is the mild sweetness in the fragrance) As for the scent character this can be work as a unisex perfume than a female one for the woodsy notes are pretty versatile. I would wear it in a cold summer day or spring. However, all the ouds are pretty much versatile for me. Sillage: I thought it was a fragrance that sits closer to the skin but I was wrong. It is pretty bright rather than loud. I got complements from my colleagues with just 3 sprays around my neck. I guess it performs different on different people. But the scent profile is like that middle eastern royalty. Very high quality and fantastic dry down. Cost: The cost is a bit heavy on the wallet but hey you are not gonna smell like any other perfume in the market and that is for sure. Moreover it is a limited edition and the cost makes more sense. I was comparing it with LV's Nuit de Feu for the "Oudfullness" and price. But 300 euros for 50 ml is a bit heavy handed. I would highly recommend if you choose to afford the scent if not I would highly recommend Musk Oud and Pearl Oud (not similar scent profiles) for the oud is just amazing in these too.

My first Love Don’t be Shy Special Blend so I can’t compare it to previous releases. This starts with an in-your-face, funky oud. A little barnyard-y but not massively so. It’s dark, heavy, and very much present. Some sweetness comes in after about 20 minutes, but I can’t really tell whether it’s the marshmallow or amber (or both) which is contributing towards the sweetness. It’s not Love Don’t be Shy sweet, but the fragrance does get sweeter as it lays on the skin. It blends beautifully with the oud to soften its edges. I don’t really see why these are associated with Love, they very well could be their own collection that Kilian could release. Annoyingly, this fragrance smells very similar to my nose to a fragrance I haven’t long sold - Gold Spot by Sarah Baker. Composed by Master Perfumer Chris Maurice, which marries oud with the sweetness of butterscotch. I will keep this as I am a huge Kilian fan, and the bottle looks beautiful with my other Kilian fragrances in my collection. Scent: 7.5/10 Bottle: 9/10 Longevity: will update later Sillage: will update later

This one is infinitely better than the previous version of LDBS Special Blend. That one had a cheesey raunchy oud that absolutely ruined it because it lasted for the entire duration of the fragrance. This one, is much easier to stomach. It's still got oud and it's slightly funky, but not that bad. I think this will be a better option for most women looking for an oud scent that westerners can actually wear in public without anxiety. The amber isn't prominent and it doesn't read as an amber centric fragrance on my skin. The marshmallows and orange blossom are pillow soft just as the original, and that softness will make the oud palatable for some. However, if you're new to oud, I still would definitely not blind buy this one. Sample first. Scent 6.8/10 Performance TBD

smells like bubblegum on the drydown, overall pleasant and not too sophisticated

god did not intend for marshmallows to smell spicy... once it dries down though and the marshmallow has faded its smells much more enjoyable but i fear it's not enough to make up for that egregious opening

I'm so disappointed! I purchased last year's special blend and found it far too strong of an Oud note for me. I really hoped this year's version would be more wearable for me as the oud was in the base and there seemed to be more notes that may soften the blow, but nope! Its almost identical to last years...I did get a little of the marshmallow somewhere in the middle but everything is completely drowned by that oud note again. Longevity and sillage are very good but if you have the 2022 special blend then I don't think you need this one!

If you drank this like a potion it would taste like marshmallow mead orange cream soda and it would grant perfectly shaved and moisturized legs for the rest of your life. The musky elements make it smell like you just naturally have glans that sweat scented body oil or something

Stop posting reviews of fragrances you haven't tried yet. You are the ones ruining Fragrantica and the art of perfumery itself. Take your negativity and prejudice elsewhere. Get a life man.

@netan.el it’s funny how people like you assume someone hasn’t smelled a fragrance because YOU don’t have it. The fragrance smells gross like I said!

I have for sale. I live in Hungary but I can send it all over eu + shipping costs. if you are interested