Venenum Kiss

Wow! I thought I loved Venenum kiss for one reason and it turns out I actually love it for another. When I tried it in store I was treated to what I perceived as quite a kitsch, pastiche of a fluffy, pink fragrance echoed by the colour of the perfume itself. It still is this hot pink Cadillac of a scent with an extremely fruity, Jammy rose accord in the opening clearly backed with vanilla, it’s crystal clear and almost too cloying and too much to bare after about 30 minutes. I’m not one for labelling a fragrance too feminine for being sweet and rosy but VK nearly had me beat. However it’s when the Base notes of creamy sweet sandalwood and vanilla and a heart of leathery and opulent saffron take over this fragrance transforms (and not even in smell because all this is there from the get go) with the rose dying back and everything else chiming in, exuding quality. There’s something modern about it that I love, it has an almost pop art attitude, technicolour and unabashed. I really like it, I must say.

Very nice. My chemistry sometimes dislikes the saffron note but not here. It is the dominant note but it's closely followed by the sandalwood and nutmeg. It's way better than the Aramis Calligraphy! It only smells lia bit like Calligraphy saffron when it's starting to wain. I think the rose and artemisia add an interesting twist along with the often used amber and vanilla. The result makes me think of red wine. A sort of warm, perfumey wine. Ironic since I don't drink alcohol. It surrounds me in this warm room. Good sillage. The styrax remains far in the background.

I'm always moved to either love or strong dislike with this brand. This one is a love with a capital L. I seriously dislike most saffron forward/dominant fragrances, but this one is very well done. Somehow it comes across as a creamy, slightly spiced, sweetish rose. I think it's all the base notes playing well with the saffron and nutmeg, but somehow rose is an equal player and not overpowered. Not sure how that was accomplished with such strong supporting notes, but it is what it is, to my nose at least. Thanks Annie, for giving me the rest of your bottle❤

Oh this is delicious but you need 3 sprays - on the neck and behind the ears then in 2-3 min the surrounding fragrance reminds of freshly baked spicy cookies. Although the opening is rose forward and up close I can feel a sharp floral note, the surrounding fragrance is sweet, comforting and slightly spicy, probably the nutmeg and not very rose forward, reminds me more of rosewater than a green or musty rose. Warm and scrumptious, way better than I expected! Perfect for colder months

A denser scherzo by Miller Harris. They have the same DNA and smell really similar. Venenum Kiss is a bit dirtier and spicier while Scherzo is a bit more light and innocent. One if for mom and the other is the daughter. It is a feminine oud and it is stunning on a woman. Very different scent that what you usually smell. Performance is great and Fall/Winter/Spring scent. I love them both. Ex Nihilo didn't disappoint me till now with any of their scents.

It is a nice scent, but quite boring. It is sopy rose-oud scent. It is not sweet at all to my nose. Edit. I tried this with adding some molecules. I adored the one with rose de mai and with orange blossom...those were stunning stunning stunning. I'd get the one with orange blossom someday! It is more wearable through any seasons! Hence, my rating 5 is for the one with orange blossom not the original one!

Working through my travel size set of the Addiction Ex Nihilo fragrances. This one is my favorite. It's a gourmand without smelling like food. I get a little spice, a little rose, a little sweetness. Reminds me of Delina Exclusif but a bit spicier and sweeter while less powdery. Good sillage and mediocre longevity. Overall, FBW for me. Love it.

OMG so good and NO OUD!! I swear I can sense it but have to believe the pyramid in here - no Oud!! Amzing, very stylish elegant scent , close to skin oriental - I personally tried to overlay it with Burberry London Women and got Bond Street 9 Indigo (a creamier and more rounded version - seemed to me)...

I like this a lot. As a spicy and amber rose this is actually very subtle, somehow even smells powdery, softly dusted. It reminds me of Honore Delights by that subtlety, not as a scent, just by that not dramatized composition. +

It’s a huge LOVE from the first sniff to me! I expected for it to be more spicy with the top notes of saffron and nutmeg. It’s not. It’s very balanced, no one thing is too loud, everything sounds so harmonious. Perfection.

one of my top 2 from the ex nihilo line. i dont know why a previous reviewer called this scent 'faint'--- it's definitely one of the louder smells in the collection. it definitely stays on the skin for a long time.

Reminds me of Noir de noir by TF, both are mouthwatering and sexy night scents. Love it so much, Venenum Kiss is more pure ingredients than noir de noir and screams luxury.

A unique metallic floral scent. Not a safe blind buy.

I admit I have a guilty pleasure, sandalwood is one of my favorite notes and I was really happy to get a travel spray of this but now I'm puzzled. Somehow this unisex fragrance smells more feminine than Bond no 9's chinatown-which is screechy as hell compared to venenum Kiss. In this fragrance I get 40% creamy fuzzy ghostly sandalwood, 40% "refridgerated" generic roses (nothing spicy and moist like kazimi or dry and naturally sweet like lyric), and maybe 10% vanilla and 5% nutmeg and 5% dryer sheet fabric softener. It's weird and more feminine than I anticipated and Im in love with Xerjoff richwood for comparison. In it's defense, the nutmeg with a touch of vanilla does kick into higher gear around the 3.5-4 hour mark at the expense of the rose which is an interesting transition and frankly much nicer than the opening and early dry down. Scent: 8.5/10 if you like sandalwood and rose, this could be a really big hit for you. The eccentricities of the fragrance make it memorable to an experienced nose and there is nothing offensive about it so it could be a signature scent. Projection: 6/10 actually has some push, for a Nihilo which surprised me. Tight bubble but well balanced. Sillage: 8/10 for the first hour. I was shocked that this sweet little frag from Ex Nihilo had the kind of train this composition leaves behind you, and how long it lingers in the air. Calms down a lot by hour 3 but what a surprise. Longevity: 6/10 I only get about 6-7 hours onmy skin as point blank range but actual usefulness for me would require reapplication mid-day. Not terrible but not ideal. Would I buy a full bottle? ...yes at a steeply discounted price. It is a wonderful sandalwood/rose combo and worthy of your attention. Definitely sample it. Just on a personal note it does feel more feminine than I'm used to pulling off so I would have to be in a particular kind of setting and mood to grab for this-hence the need for a steep discount to say yes.

This is yet another winner from the house, my 4th and not one dissapointed, and have Love Shot on the way. This is a vey typical Oud & Rose combo, nothing new here. All the ones I've smelled from the house are nothing groundbreaking yet extremely well done with gorgeous raw materials and impeccible blending, rendering these remakes of smells of the past, however due to the craftsmanship and materials used put this in a category of it's own, and Bisch yet again does not disappoint. I can smell the Oud, and I can smell the Rose as well as the Amber and a hint of vanilla giving it a slightly sweet touch, *but* (to me) I can detect something of an accord that hints to whiskey in the background, peaking around the corner every now and then, giving this blend sightly new breathe of life from the regular Oud/Rose combos. If you're a fan of this genre then it would be a welcome addition, however that being said it might render some other composition in that genre redundant, so might be worth a smell before you fork out on this. If on the other hand you wish to dip your toes, then this would be an elegant blind buy, for either genders. No point in going over the versatility and/or seasons, gender etc for this combo, it goes down the same line as many other predecessors. A remake of a well rehearsed combo, but so pleasantly done, it is indeed very welcome. God bless and enjoy :)

Now I haven’t left a review in...years I think, so forgive my brevity. Id call this a poor man’s “Portrait of a lady” if it wasn’t so dang expensive. Right off the bat it has a jammy vibrant pink floral component that is sweet without being sickening but quickly settles in to a nearly saffron and nutmeg dusted candied rose. As it dries down that vanilla sticks around without going into a cotton candy territory that certainly highlights the quality I come to expect from Ex Nihlo but it fails to push past the realm of competent into surprising or groundbreaking. Mature but not quite mature enough to be inaccessible to a younger wearer. I think this is an imminently fine fragrance and bottle worthy if you like POAL but want something more translucent and agreeable for more versatile occasions. Ex Nihlo is great generally and I think if you can get it at a discount it’s worth it but at full price it’s going to be a tough sell to my palate.

Am I the only 1 getting Side Effect in the opening? Like exactly the same? And then it's a less sweet scherzo, but exactly the same DNA. Less sweet, and powdery in the drydown as well but smell very very similar. This has a sandalwood-y drydown and scherzo has more of an oud-y(non animalic) drydown which comes across more powdery than sandalwood. To me, it's like you spray scherzo on your skin first, wait few mins, spray half a spray of side effect and it's Venenum kiss. I love( absolutely❤️) and own both side effect and scherzo so even though this is a truly beautiful fragrance, I won't spring for a full bottle as it's not filling any voids in my collection!

Venenum Kiss by Ex Nihilo is a wonderful perfume. Quentin Bisch has created a gorgeous scent. Probably one of his best for the brand. Venenum Kiss combines the timeless elegance of roses with the warmth of amber and the rich, resinous notes of styrax. The way these notes have been blended is perfect. The rose brings a delicate sweetness, while the amber adds a cozy and comforting touch. The styrax brings depth and complexity, giving the fragrance a unique and intriguing character. Overall, this fragrance is perfect for those who appreciate a blend of classic floral notes with a hint of warmth and intrigue. I give this 8/10.

I just purchased a 100 ml bottle@Skins Cosmetics. What I initially went for was MFK’s Oud Satin Mood. However, when my bf and I went there and sniffed, he didn’t like it.. we sniffed quite a few others and then I saw the Ex Nihilo display. I sniffed it and at the same momen the sa advised me to try that one instead, since it is in a way comparable to OSM, but less sweet and dark, more fresh. I loved it and so did my bf. I bought it and next time I’ll purchase OSM.

This one is interesting. At first I sprayed it and it smelled like a mix of spices and amber, reminded me of Sensual Instinct by Montale, but not as synthetic. After few hours I started smelling something sweet, creamy. and simply amazing (it was the sandalwood and vanilla I guess). I couldn't believe that it was the same perfume. It transformed completely on my skin. One of the most underrated Ex Nihilo creations IMO

This is a pleasant, almost dirty, rose amber scent. It's quite muted, which surprised me because the notes here tend to be loud (saffron, rose). It reminds me of a few scents without actually being the same as any. It gives me wafts of Burberry Her, Oud Satin Mood and La Capitale (Xerjoff) but somehow is it's own vibe as well. I like this, but it's a bit 'same-y' to some other scents at the moment.

This is such a pink rose, but it isn't powdery, it's more jammy. It combines the fleshy jammy aspects of darker red rose, like in La Fille de Berlin, with the sweetness of a pink rose, like in Love Don't be Shy extreme, or Loukhoum Poudre. It is unapologetically feminine and floral, very pleasant!

"Ex Nihilo" is currently my favorite brand; he is able to personalize each creation in an original way. "Venenum Kiss" is fantastic, a concentrate of regal freshness. Sandalwood, saffron and nutmeg are perfectly caressed by almost imperceptible floral notes. For this reason sublime. Great sillage.

The first saffron fragrance I’ve tried that is well balanced. Still not my cup of tea, but a safe choice for someone eager to try the note.

Sandalwood pretty much steals the show.

Very strong and potent opening, this fragrance is not playing around. At the very first sniff, it brings back memories of my mum wearing opium in the 80s. It's a different scent profile but the same ballsiness. It calms down pretty fast, developing a slightly more creamy feel with the flowers and the smoke coming through. It smells exciting but all under control. Sadly, it's not as long lasting and memorable on my skin as others say. 6/10

Warm spices that rest on a blanket of airy amber. Saffron is present throughout. Woody vanilla base that almost has a powdery bubblegum quality. Despite amber, it has freshness due to the artemisia and neroli. It's definitely a nice one and I like it better than the new Gold Immortals but still nfbw for me mainly due to the price. Overpriced. That said, this is probably my favorite of the Ex Nihilo fragrances I've tested. -

Wore a sample of this for more than an hour trying to figure out what it reminded me of— On my skin, after drydown, this is at least 80% identical to Gaultiers Classique EDP. A bit less powdery and lacking the signature anise note of Classique. Almost seems to have a base note in common with JPGs La Belle Le Parfum (same perfumer) as well. Not bad, but I prefer Classique.

Intense Cafe, but less sharp, and slightly more natural. Reading reviews for Ex Nihilo’s creations, the recurrent theme seems to be “nothing special”, and Venenum Kiss certainly fits that description. Not sure why anyone would want to go for this instead of Intense Cafe or Velvet Rose and Oud.

Soapy rose, it gets sweeter as it dries down. Not truly unisex as it leans strongly feminine in my opinion. Not my cup of tea.

Much too loud, jammy, syrupy, and synthetic for my personal taste. Apologies in advance for being a hipster for a second, but this scent is very...mainstream. Like the samples I used to smell in my mom's Vogue magazines. Brings to mind $1000 stiletto pumps on display at the mall, the perfume counter at Macy's... I'm sure this is someone's taste, just not mine

I loved the design of the bottle,classic with a precious touch in the cap. The package too is interesting,and can be practical to travel too! As i was shopping i passed by a corner of the "ex nihilo" brand,which i didn't know and never heard of. Followed by a skilled sa i started sampling some of their perfumes and on the paper they all smell interesting. I was particularly fascinated by the opening of Venenum kiss, i detected something sweet and fruity,maybe the dried apricot smell..and the dry down seemed good too,nothing that will clash with mu skin...so i finally decided to get this bottle,and i m glad i did,the perfume is sweet but not overpowering or powdery. The opening is sweet and fruity,i get apricots and a touch of rose. The dry down shows a beautiful classy touch of amber and sandalwood on my skin..i don't get vanilla at all(somehow vanilla doesn't seem to go with my skin so i m glad it doesn't show up) down side of the creation will be that is too faint for its price and also,on some days the fragrance changes and the dry down reminds me of Nina Ricci rose extase which i found too powdery and artificial.

A gorgeous and opulent, syrupy saffron with a hint of its signature rubbery quality, coupled with a bloody red rose. Smells lovely and rich and reminds me a little of Oud Satin Mood (the rosy bit) and it has an oud quality without smelling like oud. Venenum Kiss to me is moderately sweet but it's strong and can be overwhelming, so I'd recommend it for the late fall or winter. For those that dislike strong perfumes, avoid this one! The lasting power is long enough for me (6 -8h), I don't care for everlasting scents. I will be using my travel spray before deciding whether I need a full bottle or not. As someone mentioned before, this does have a "Middle Eastern" vibe but smells very high end, unlike the Middle Eastern dupes you might smell - definitely well blended and closer to Roja than Lattafa.

I have tried to get into ex nihilo perfumes. Venenum kiss had great potential, however, with my skin chemistry I truly hate something in it. A couple of other ex nihilo’s are weird with my skin too. I also get this from all Vilhelm Parfumerie perfumes. Either it is something in their DNA that urks me or my skin chemistry ruins them. I fell in love when I tried it in store by spraying it on a strip, I thought it was wildly good. I strongly smell the nutmeg and styrax, eventually it softens at which point I start to tolerate it. At some point I get angel’s trumpets (even thought there is none here), a poisonous flower that I absolutely love. I cannot get over the long intro of something that reeks like the bottom of a trash can on my skin.

I get a dominant saffron note in the opening, turning into a sandalwood, rose and what I perceive as oud in the drydown. I’m surprised oud is not listed. Venenum Kiss exudes quality. Projecting in the first phase with a long drydown, and more formal than casual. Steamy opulence with a Middle Eastern vibe. I like it but I’m not sure I would find many occasions to wear it. Still a thumbs up because it’s obvious Venenum Kiss is well done, but a full bottle pass for me. The 7.5 ml bottle I purchased with a deluxe discovery kit will scratch my Venenum Kiss itch if needed.

Smells like... Leather and fruit to me? I saw someone mentioning the saffron/nutmeg combo being quite bitter, maybe that resembles bitter dusty leather to my nose. And this syrupy sweetness, amber rose combo maybe (like rosebottle jam)? Also something soapy about it due to the rose note. Altogether it smells like old ladies, kind of a mainstream grandma smell imo. Don't get me wrong, it does smell expensive and the silllage/lasting power are great, but it's not my cup of tea

Saffron and rose bomb with a dense sugary aspect, the kiss here is sweet, prolonged and very intense... slow explosions with this one...I don't see the venenum... I hope my life is not in danger haha...excellent longevity and projection. The rose is mature and dark, more like a gothic rose, with some spice added. Very interesting and different. Full bottle worthy.

Wanted to love, but my skin loves saffron and the note usually takes over if it's front and center. Definitely honeyed saffron, slight jammy rose. I would have loved to get artemisia. Ultimately without TRYING to pick out the notes I just get an ambered saffron.

This (along with Brompton Immortals) was my introduction to Ex Nihilo and was love at first sniff. I can see why people say this smells like MFK Oud Satin Mood, however on my skin the dry down it smells almost an exact replica of Thameen Royal Sapphire.

This is very creamy comforting scent but I wished it was more unique. Opening is catchy I like that but after drydown i feel more unisex version of mirach by terenzi. I'm serious these are really close. I'm in shock that two niche frags are that similar

The creamy saffron is intoxicating in this one, it reminds you of many. Oriental perfumes that comes in roll on format in the gulf but this is very refined and luxurious.

ربما اكون مخطئا .. لكن العطر بوجهة نظري نسخة متوازنة و مخففة لـ لانكوم عود بوكيه او لاچر عود .. او اي عطرٍ شرقياً اخر لست مهتماً .. لا شيء مميز يستحق الحديث

-Opens smelling like some sort of fruity floral scent, with a hint of woody notes. -Slighty soapy scent. -Dries down creamy thanks to the sandalwood. (-)

Smells so much alike Killian Back to Black.. love it so much and it’s perfect for a blind buy or gift. I am in love... Feminine, alluring, sexy.

Spicy, ambery, sensual, warm.. very nice and feminine.. :) I am currently heading to more 'musky' fragrances, so selling my FB.

Very green, a tad musky, fresh and comforting. Feminine 100%. No rose detectable, not one bit.

Elegant woody-oriental fragrance, but very faint unfortunately.