Blackmail

Blackmail is an interesting interpretation on what it would be like to have a gourmand oud perfume. In that vein, John Pegg makes a very wise decision of placing oud in the company of dark purple and blue berry fruits and a vanillic sandalwood. The berries are lightly juicy, not syrupy sweet. But what makes this whole thing work is that the oud is steered clear of its rotted, funky, barnyard characters and allowed to project its woody and leathery facets. It’s unmistakably oud, but kept very well in check. The oud links the berries to wood smoke in the heart that is attention grabbing by most standards, certainly not an insipid little wallflower, but noticeably restrained and smooth for such a large and looming presence compared to a few other Kerosene perfumes that are far more wood-smoke-heavy. That characteristic style of there being breathable air and a lot of space in Pegg's perfumes for Kerosene is still very much present in Blackmail. In particular, the base is as beautiful as it simple. In Pegg’s hands the vanilla and sandalwood have a richness that does not translate into density or lumpiness. It is airy yet supple, mouthwatering yet satisfying, and it has a texture able to be felt in the nose and throat but it feels like a silk thread running across your hand. Lovely. The best of Pegg’s perfumes for his brand so far are usually full of high velocity and energy, a vortex of spices, smoke, woods, blacks, grays, browns, and deep copper reds in some spartan space lit only by orange moonlight. In their rustic and gung-ho behavior there is a very upfront confidence to them. Blackmail though - it holds back, concealing its energy and confidence behind a cheeky grin, and a relaxed gait. The perfume is highly diffusive and very long lasting, but at no point is it ever loud or forceful. It knows something you don’t know that it knows, and maybe you don’t even know yourself. It has the power, and feels no need to prove it; its presence is proof enough. Another fantastic piece of work from Kerosene and Pegg.

This was a blind buy for me, and upon the first spray I was a little nervous about the decision. Oddly, the very first impression was like a more wearable version of Toskovat's Age of Innocence. As fascinated as I am with that fragrance, it's not a scent I'd ever wear out, hence my initial apprehension when I first smelled similar notes in this. Fortunately, the initial rubbery pavement scent dissipated within 10-15 minutes and left a more pleasant, wearable smoke scent. As the first hour of wear went on, it developed nicely and the berry notes came forward. This fragrance is reminiscent of late summer camping trips to Teanaway River in Washington; campfire smoke, burnt wood, and forest berries on the verge of over-ripening in the summer heat. I appreciate this fragrance because so many similarly cozy scents have a sort of indoorsy feel, like they're formulated with blankets, candlelight, fireplaces and sweaters in mind. This fragrance takes the coziness outside and under the night sky. It's not quite a warm weather scent, but I can see it being appropriate for some late-night outing in August. I love this scent and can see it becoming my new go-to, in spite of whatever time or season it is. It's not a boring fragrance by any means, but the dry down is pretty simple, which might make it fun to play around with layering; I find that Blackmail smells fantastic layered with Lush's rose jam body spray. It's not a crowd pleaser in the traditional sense, but I think it's a versatile perfume that likely won't offend anyone unless you're overspraying. It's sexy in a cool, unexpected way. I don't think this perfume is something everyone would like to wear themselves, but on the right person, it's perfect. The price is reasonable for such an interesting fragrance. My only complaint is the bottle. It's awkward to spray due to it's large square shape. It doesn't fit in the hand nicely so it's hard to spray using just one hand. It looks very cool but it's not very functional.

I saved my 100th Fragrantica review for Kerosene’s Blackmail which I find deeply appealing for its unapologetic maturity, balance of grit and polish, and sense of lived-in sophistication that doesn’t pander to trends. Blackmail projects a bold, resinous darkness on me. It's a mix of smoky woods, leather, incense, and a faint metallic sweetness that feels both industrial and intimate. For a man who has spent half a lifetime cultivating taste and confidence, this is not a scent that tries too hard to impress. It commands attention quietly, with the kind of complexity that unfolds slowly reminiscent of a conversation over a Glenfiddich 26 Year Old Grande Couronne single-malt scotch. There’s also something nostalgic for me in Blackmail’s composition: the faint motor-oil grit and charred amber evoke the smell of old vinyl stores, vintage motorcycles, and worn leather jackets which I do find rather cliched. But it never veers into caricature with its elegance in its darkness. A man in his late forties might recognize that balance between edge and restraint, a fragrance that reflects both his experiences and his comfort in his own skin. What makes Blackmail particularly satisfying for me is its texture. It has weight and presence, yet feels refined like dark velvet rather than raw asphalt. It’s the kind of scent that doesn’t need to shout because it already has a story behind it. The wearer who chooses it isn’t trying to reinvent himself; he’s simply choosing something that matches his self-assured, quietly magnetic personality. Blackmail is for a man, such as myself, who’s traded impulse for intention. A man that has lived enough to appreciate the beauty in shadow, the allure of restraint, and the art of leaving a lingering impression long after he’s left the room. The sillage is sensual with a slightly threatening backbone making your absence the olfactory equivalent of a smirk and a lighter flick. Blackmail is a masterpiece.

Love this. Love love love this. First off, it does not smell like By The Fireplace, but they are in the same family. The is like the Halloween sibling and BTF is like the Christmas sibling. The smoke here is much more literal, like smouldering embers, campfire, burning wood. The smoke in BTF is more of the suggestion of smoke, the heat from a fire. Where BTF is boozy, this one has sweet berries (not too sweet, but sweet). Blackmail opens very smokey for me, very much burning campfire with a background of toasted marshmallow. All the notes are immediately present, but the volume is turned highest on smoke. The oud doesn't stand out as oud and melts into the smoke. I struggle with oud sometimes, when it goes very patchouli and old fashioned, but this is not that. It works very well here and I don't get that rotting patchouli quality at all. The smoke slowly fades from burning to smouldering and the berries come out more. The vanilla is present the whole way through but acte as support and doesn't overpower. The sandalwood and amber do the same, but in a much more subtle way. The smoke lingers the whole time, but becomes more and more gentle like a dying fire. I sprayed it once on my wrist, and that was enough to leave a pleasant trail around me. Good sillage, but not monsterous. It lasted overnight. I sprayed it on around 7pm and now. Around 11 am the next day, it is still there, though soft. Overall, really enjoyed this one. I love smoke scents but it is nigh on impossible to find a good one. You either get barbecue, ashtray, or pencil shavings. This one is none of that, but manages to be a nice niche perfume without ever veering into a cheesy indie Halloween themed one. I will definitely be picking up a full size of this one at some point. Being that the bottles are 100ml, I imagine it will last me forever, as I live somewhere that's warm most of the year, and I can't see wearing this in weather over 70F.

Blackmail is my favorite Kerosene fragrance to date, and really perfection for someone who both enjoys oud scents and loves gourmand/amber scents. I can understand why its extremes--a reasonably heavy-handed use of oud but still an abundance of sweetness, overall--could each be a bit overwhelming to fans of more modest fragrances, but I love these extremes, and find them to be worked well with each other, as it leans slightly sweeter than oud-intensive, as would generally be my preference. The sweetness is also interestingly a great mix of creamy amber, vanilla, and fruits—specifically, mixed berries that lean toward raspberries, mostly. It’s a solid blend, not too fruity or too heavily vanilla-only. And at least on my skin, it’s strong—very strong—I’d give it a perfect 10 out of 10 as far as performance though it might be a smidge weaker on my skin than, say, the dark Slumberhouse juices (Ore, Jeke, Norne, Sova) or perhaps a couple of Tom Ford Private Blends, but it’s basically perfectly strong. I really only used a modest few sprays from what remains of my original decant from a couple of years ago, considering I’m at work, and it’s still beastly. The Kerosene atomizers are fortunately pretty strong and consistent but not, say, as overwhelming as Creed atomizers. Blackmail has the peculiarity of only being sold via the boutique of the same name in Austin, TX, and it must be ordered over the phone, as the boutique does not have an online shop. Needless to say, a little added effort is worthwhile if you love the fragrance as much as I do. And $140 for 100ml remains a great price for what generally are pretty strong perfumes from the Kerosene line. This is a superlative fragrance, a nod to both gourmand- and oud-lovers, and a fun, bold expression that reminds me why I love fragrances so much. 10 out of 10

If Dracula wore a fragrance, this would be it. This is an absolutely gorgeous and romantic mix of dark sweet mulled berries mashed together with this deep, dark and sappy oud. The oud in this is mostly woody and smoky, it comes off sappy almost as it's very thick. I love the juxtaposition that this fragrance has. It's not as smoky to me as some other people are say it is, sure it's smokey but the smoke to my nose is co starring with the woods and berries. As it dries down the berries become less syrupy and the focus shifts to the oud. This is where the vanilla and sandalwood come in to support the best assets of the opening/majority of the fragrance, the sweetness and powder. I really really like this fragrance, bordering on a love, but it just doesn't my personality enough for me to buy. If you like the vibe of "Hermann a Mas Cotes" by Etat Libre D'Orange, you will probably dig this. To the comparisons to "A City on Fire" by Imaginary Authors: This is a completely different product, sure they share the concept of being a smoke focused fragrance, but this is sweet and much more mass appealing than city on fire is. City on Fire is how actual smoke smells, this is an almost romanticized version. To the comparisons to "By the Fireplace" by Maison Margiela: This is a bit more valid but still very different. This is smoky/sweet but focused on jammy and syrupy berries, BtF focus' on more baked goods spices and sweets like hazlenut and nutmeg. Great longevity and sillage as per usual from Kerosene. Fall/Winter nights would be the times I can see myself pulling this off, but I think it could work in the daytime if you really like the profile. 9/10 Edit: I have fallen in love with this fragrance. I’m getting it.

This perfume already has a bazillion reviews but god do I love it. It's my favorite scent ever, and what I'm known for amongst my friends who notice perfume. It's the perfect winter/fall scent and honestly I'm sad that spring is approaching because I won't be able to wear it as much. It's like eating a bowl of overripe blackberries by a campfire. So interesting, unique, and powerful. I sampled before I bought the full size and I instantly fell in love. There's no other perfume that comes close to this one, in my opinion. The price is so reasonable considering what you get for it! Edit: I take back what I said about it only being a fall/winter scent. While it works best in those seasons, Blackmail has become my year round signature scent and I constantly get complimented on it. Whether I'm in the office, at university, with my parents, or even friends who just wear Bath&Body Works, they always notice it. It's so incredibly versatile, I can lean into my vampiric, goth side or my sophisticated side with this. I nearly had a heart attack when I saw it was sold out on my fave perfume website (Ministry of Scent) but thankfully I've been able to find it elsewhere. Every time I try a new perfume it never compares to this. Especially other smoky scents, they all have an indoor quality whereas this is purely outdoors, with a leather jacket and a cigarette.

Love! The only oud I want to bathe in for the rest of my life. Year round! So (so!) smokey, so woody, a bit rubbery, a bit berry. Oh. My. God! It smells like sweet campfire smoke, with some burning tire in a wonderful, beautiful way. It isn't bug spray spicy fresh type oud smell, it is rubbery-woody, deep and mesmerizing. The berry accompanies it in a perfect balance. I love it from the very first second to the last. I misplaced my near empty samples I'd been sniffing every night, paralyzed by indecision, and I felt almost choked up over losing this one, especially. Very happy with my new bottle. Even one spritz from my little spray sample lasted just...forever. I'm talking through a hot day, even lightly through a shower at the end of the day after cooking a strongly scented meal; it just wanted to be known! I could smell it wafting up from my arm as I reached for things all day. Another time I put it on at 6pm, slept in it (and I sleep rolling around on my arms, where I put it) and it was still a noticable skin scent for all the next morning, and not just the base notes, the whole thing. It might be a little masculine leaning but I think it is so good everyone and their mother should own this--it's unisex in the best way, not because it lacks personality, but because it is so good, who could resist?

Instant delight for me! I'm a fan of scents that mix fruitiness with smoke, black tea, or mate, and while I enjoy lighter ones like Nest's Indigo, and especially Byredo's offerings (Black Saffron, and Mixed Emotions in particular), as well as spicier, gourmand-leaning scents like Perfumology's Sudu Te and Chris Collins' African Rooibos, this is hitting the spot for me in a way nothing else really has. I smelled MMM's By the Fireplace on paper and it was SO smoke forward that I didn't bother trying it on my skin. By contrast, Blackmail offers a smoke that is more reminiscent of dried leaves and stems rather than wood (more smoke bath than mesquite barbecue), in my mind. It's softer even than some of the leather and cashmeran scents I've tried that have a nutty smokiness. Personally, I think the scent does evolve slightly from the top notes -- within a couple of hours the amber and vanilla have dialed up. I can still get some smoke, but this isn't like wearing the sweater you had on by the campfire the night before, which I appreciate. I enjoy that smell when I come by it naturally, but I don't need it bottled! At any rate, I'm a huge fan - this sample has me wanting a full bottle for sure, which is a rarity for me.

This is the ultimate example of a perfect “what is my type” fragrance. A review below me reads “ This has to be the worst smelling thing EVER CREATED, my nose needed holy water afterwards and I think i've summoned an ancient demon by spraying this.” - while this one of my favorite colognes, he’s not exactly wrong. 2 years ago I would’ve agreed, and if I had Fragrantica would’ve wrote that too. Back when Acqua di gio Profumo was my ultimate fragrance, I had sampled this and thought it was absolutely rubbish. Disgustingly bad. A year later, I thought it was okay.. I picked out the sweet smoky savory aspects of it and picked up on almost a vanilla raspberry or fruity mix. Fast forward to now, this scent really speaks to me. It has this deep darkened tone to it, like an even deeper Replica By the fireplace. Keep in mind, by the fireplace is one of those that many find too polarizing and challenging in person, but is popularly complimented as a good smelling cologne. Same applies here. My fav kerosene. Vanilla in Promises promises is that the drydown here, with the smoky oud in the opening. It’s a sweet scent, one of my favorites for sure. This one is a great benchmark for seeing what you do and don’t like.

Finally bought this after many after-work trips to smell it at Scent Bar. I love this fragrance, especially the way it dries down. It's woody and smoky with the perfect amount of sweetness. This scent feels very mature and mysterious to me. When I first smelled it, Blackmail reminded me of several memories from my childhood: my grandparents' house during the holiday season (being surrounded by older women, who smell slightly of smoke, laughing and sipping red wine together), a dark wood-paneled, dimly lit winery, and being bundled in a thick sweater out in a cold forest (a burnt-out campfire in the background). I love how Blackmail projects in very cold air; it's both comforting and protective. The bottle itself is very nice, and it's a decent size and concentration for the price! It does last quite long and isn't super strong the whole time, which is good because too much of this is a bit intense. It's a great going-out scent and can be worn during the day when it's very cold out (I wouldn't wear this to work at all). I've also gotten a good amount of compliments while wearing this, all from very confident women. Blackmail is a spell - seductive, mysterious, nostalgic, and empowering.

This is truly one of the best perfumes I've smelled in my life. It smells like juicy, almost overripe berries and stone fruits soaked in baking Vanilla, along with velvety burning oud and incense, almost like a bakhoor scent. Blackmail is dark and mysterious, while still having a comforting sweetness to it that is irresistible. This is far and away the best oud i've smelled from a non-middle eastern fragrance house, and I believe the oud accord used here is on par, if not better than oud used in Maison Francis Kurkdijan's Oud Satin Mood. My mouth waters every time I smell this. This is also my most complimented fragrance ever, one of my friends saying it's the best thing they've ever smelled. It is long lasting and the sillage is great, but doesn't have the immense strength of some of Kerosene's other fragrances, such as Followed. One of the best fragrances on the market today, and a real steal for $140. Kerosene's high quality reputation is carried through in every aspect of this perfume, and it smells far more expensive than it is in my opinion. The house of Kerosene continues to make scents that are a world unto themselves, and Blackmail is no exception. 10/10 (my first 10 ever).

I am picky, especially hate oud, was not looking to buy a scent like this, and live where it is perpetually perfect weather But... I knew I had to buy this fragrance from the first sniff. To me it is dry, sweet, wildfire smoke with a base of something I could eat. I grew up and still live in Los Angeles and I have always loved the smell of wildfires, the way their scent is carried in the wind has always encapsulated me. I get the same airy, sweet smoke that I love about wildfires, but with a sweet vanilla and berry that I love about a lot of women’s perfumes (without the stickiness). And it combines to make a beautiful, interesting, unisex, and mass appealing fragrance that I am honored to wear. I am in my twenties and love wearing this at night to concerts, events, anywhere that I can admittedly dress cooler than I am and have a unique smell that goes with is that no one else has. It’s also relatively inexpensive, long lasting, and not obnoxiously loud. Hopefully this pairs with a great time in my life and I get to enjoy it for longer. Nothing bad to say about this fragrance, it has something greater than itself and checks off every box to the highest degree.

It took me a couple of tries but I'm to the point where I really enjoy this scent. The first time I tried this, all I got was smoke and it was intense and a little nauseating. But, now, I was able to distinguish and appreciate some of the other notes in this. At first spray, it's a strong, smoky and resinous oud with a slight fruitiness behind it. I mainly pick up on the raspberry, syrupy and sweet, but sadly couldn't detect the plum. This is largely how it remained for the rest of the wear. I got some peeks at the vanilla every now and again but the amber and musk were hiding from me. I didn't get any woodsiness from the sandalwood, only the oud. The strongest profile in this scent was the smokiness. As I said, I picked up on the raspberry, but it was mainly in the background and it faded about halfway through the wear. The rest was dominated by the smoke. This lasted for about ten hours on my skin. Overall, I really like this. It's perfect for cold and gray days—inviting, cozy, warm and sweet. It made me think of passing a jar of jam around the campfire on the last night of summer.

Blackmail is my first full bottle that luckily was gifted to me by my friend, knowing full well that I was obsessed with it. I first caught wind of the house through Followed, but I was always far more interested in Kerosene. My girlfriend bought me a sample of it and instantly I was in love. Blackmail is very smoky the same way a campfire is smoky. Its not so much industrial smoke, far more like natural woods being burned at night. I remember seeing someone describe it as "a campfire with red berries roasting above, their juices falling into the embers and caramelizing", and the description always stuck with me because of how accurate it was. The jammy red berries that accompany the smoke prevent it from being too similar to Broken Theories, while the smoke prevents it from being too juvenile. Personally I don't detect musk or vanilla. I don't think this is particularly suitable for hot weather wear, and I would stray away from it for day wear personally. My girlfriend loves when I wear it, though, especially for date nights.

This is a super interesting one. My girlfriend bought this for me on my 24th birthday. I haven't worn it a lot since because it is STRONG. There is a very imposing oud note in there that is not everyone's cup of tea : my brother for example hates this perfume. But my girlfriend and I both appreciate the spicyness, smokyness and even the slight "sourness" of this juice. When you spray this on your skin, it immediately smells like a barbecue. The smokyness is very strong BUT I have to say that the blend is very well made. There is a sweetness to it, with the plum and raspberry dancing together in the cloud of smoke and oud. The profile is very dark, sensual, manly and round. One of my friends say that I even smell like a bouddhist temple. If you're looking for something suitable for colder seasons and bold, go for this. Keep in mind that not everyone will love this, so don't blind buy this, and definitely don't wear it to the office, because the projection is pretty good too.

BLACKMAIL is the first and only oud I've ever loved. The smokiness is heavy with the tart berries just peaking through, framed in woods. This is a dark scent story with depth and scope for the imagination. Unlike anything I've experienced before. Edgy, dangerous, and compelling. Perfectly unisex. P.S. I think Kerosene is an underrated house because people do not expect fragrances to transform throughout the wear. Mass produced, generic scents that remain "stable" with only a brief hint of top notes that quickly burn off, have conditioned consumers to have a short attention span and limited understanding of how a carefully crafted fragrance can perform. Kerosene brings an entire scent story in a bottle. Each one is a journey that lasts hours. Just as you can't accurately judge a book by it's cover, you can't judge a Kerosene scent in a few moments by spritzing on a card. You must spray on skin and give them at least 4 hours to fully display development.

I really do enjoy the house of Kerosene. However, the bottle that I own is Blackmail. Regarding Blackmail, I've heard many comparisons, even to Tom Ford's Plum Japonais! In a nutshell, this is what I get from it: I get a campfire smoke scent mixed with a slightly sweet (sandalwood and vanilla) incense and a sour note (most likely the berries). Although this description sounds harsh; however, the mixture of the notes create a beautiful, mysterious, and alluring aroma that keeps you coming back for more! Although it is labeled as unisex, I definitely believe that it leans more towards the masculine side. I would say that this scent is more for the "daring" type of individual. Where people think you are arrogant because you remind them of their weaknesses. When I feel that I have zero desire to fit and conform to average, I wear Blackmail

My girlfriends nose has developed a lot since we started dating. It’s due to the fact that I’m constantly having her smell new stuff and her experiencing a lot of fragrance upon my person. However no matter what crazy niche frags she has smelled from me, she still thinks this smells like burning @$!hole. But she does admit that it gets pretty good when it dries down. I do think it’s a bit aggressive in the opening with all the smoke(still love it) but boy oh boy that drydown is AWESOME. Yet again another one from Kerosene I will always have in my collection. This may just be my favorite from the house. That smoky oudy vanillic berry drydown is gorgeous. I think a big reason why I like it so much is because I also love Mr.Bojnokopffs Purple Hat. They don’t smell the same but I suppose the structure is what reminds me of it.

A captivating, immediate blast of smoke and oud with an overhanging sweetness of dark berries. They're not a fresh from the vine type of berry though, this is like they've been simmering in a pot with some sugar to make a delicious jam. Deep & mysterious. A little churchy. A little witchy. The perfect October fragrance to wear with your leather jacket. This is totally different than By The Fireplace - I wouldn't even compare the two. BTF is a purely wood smoke and marshmallow/vanilla scent. Blackmail is more akin to incense and the heavy dose of oud and berries make it much darker and more moody. There are no berries or oud in BTF. Blackmail, like most Kerosene offerings, lasts for eternity and projects to the heavens. You will smell beautiful all day. 10/10!

It reminds me of some dusty fairgrounds I went to when I was a child growing up in the early 2000s, sometime in the fall... There is a sweet smell and a smokey smell, which blends together nicely into a sweet, dark, nostalgic and overall welcoming scent. It's very present and noticeable and has an earthy touch, maybe like a maple syrup or sweet tree sap. Together it reminds me of the smell of a fair, the sweetness like the smell of caramelized sugar or cotton candy and the smokiness like the exhaust fumes of the equipment (definitely not as nauseating as that sounds but just to represent the memory). It's very nostalgic for me, but perhaps not for everyone. Its pretty unisex, but leans a bit more masculine. Would make a good scent for fall or winter.

So freaking good. Dark, smoky, juicy. Exactly what I would want to smell like during Halloween. It evokes a memory of being at the lake that my dad had his boat on when I was a child. We used to have friends and family and would stay till evening and make campfires roasting marshmallows at the end of the night. The smell of our clothing on the ride home was very similar to this. This is what Jason Voorhees from Friday the 13th would wear as he’s stalking rebellious teenagers by camp crystal lake. An amazing offer from Kerosene. I absolutely love the vibe they give off. Avant-garde gothic. And not to mention an absolute beast of a performer. Sillage and longevity are both incredible as with most of their perfumes. 9/10 Spooky 👻

Blackmail is an exceptional fragrance...from what I’ve encountered, it’s also a very unique fragrance...it starts off with a blast of wood embers & smoke (oud)...upon investigation, John Pegg said the oud accord is partially synthetic and part Indian black agarwood (same accord in R’oud Elements)...it smells more like burning agarwood chips than oud...one of the best woodsmoke notes/accords I’ve come across...he deserves acclaim for that alone...within seconds a fruity berry accord joins the woodsmoke...a heavenly blend...after a few hours, the woodsmoke dials back a bit and a creamy vanilla joins the berries...the scent gets more ambery and less smokey/woody...has great performance, good price...leans masculine 🏆

Oh my. This is quite possibly the sexiest scent I have ever encountered. It smells occult. I don't think I can do this justice in words. The smoky, simmering dark berries are just so dangerously sultry. This is not your office scent. This is your pagan ritual in the foggy forest on an autumn evening scent. This is your mysterious succubus scent. I say all of this as someone who does NOT like smoky scents in general, that's how wonderfully done I think this one is. Also, as a nerdy side note: if you played the video game Hades, this is what that game smells like. I was instantly reminded of it when I smelled this. If you want to smell like the sexy, hedonistic underworld, this is your scent. Full bottle worthy.

Just a public service announcement: The Blackmail brick and mortar store has sadly closed its doors. However, as of 3.25.19, you can now purchase Blackmail the fragrance through Kerosene's website! I got a sample of this with my order of Unknown Pleasures and fell in love with it. At the time, Blackmail wasn't available on the Kerosene site and I was confused why they sent me a sample. So I emailed the company. They got back to me that same day with a personal email, and even sent me anther email the day Blackmail popped up on their site as a reminder. My Unknown Pleasures arrived via USPS in 3 days from my ordering it. This company knows what they're doing!!

Kerosene makes some of the best fragrances I’ve ever indulged in. The price point is affordable also. Close to some designers (2023). I just ordered this, and 3 others from the house. They seem to use natural / raw / high end ingredients. Nothing smells synthetic at all. This one is a true beauty. It’s not too in your face. Extremely wearable, smoke , leather, oud, incense, with a tinge of vanilla and sandalwood to bring a balance of sweet creaminess, but it’s not a sweet fragrance at all. Just a tinge. It developed on my skin better over time. At first it wasn’t the most wearable, but at the base, it’s a gorgeous winter fragrance that makes me feel warm.

John Pegg has changed my mind on oud - well... perhaps... THIS oud. Typically I don't get along with oud at all and I don't find it appealing on others either. I realize this is a deeply unpopular opinion, so sorry to those who'd take offense. At any rate, THIS is MY oud. A burnt match, caramel boiling over on the stove, and berry jam. People compare this to Margiela's By the Fireplace but that fragrance lasts literally 5 minutes on anyone and this is absolutely divine, smoky and very different from anything else on my shelf. I love this one very dearly. Longevity and sillage are quite nice and this one garners compliments.

A fall/winter perfume with smoky and burnt woody notes accompanied by resinous amber with a touch of raspberry. Scent profile reminds me of something that I can't point out exactly at the moment but have smelled before. Perfect perfume for cold weather season which will fit perfectly on the days when the sky is gray. It's neither nose-stinging, nor oppressive or challenging in closed environments. Overall, it's very pleasant and easy-to-use. Don't be intimidated by the oud listed in the notes, there's not even a trace of real oud in this perfume. A western style synthetic oud used in it for giving a burnt woody feeling.

A beautiful incenseperfume. Opening is jarring, the instant you spray the perfume you'll get hit with the amber, oud, wood and smoke. I don't think this is a fire pit smoke but more of a church incense scent. The smoke sticks around but it softens and becomes more like a veil with the sweetness of plum and vanilla coming through. I wouldn't say this is similar to by the fireplace as blackmail comes off more like incense because of the oud. A personal blind buy but I wouldn't recommend it as it is quite polarizing on the opening. Overall a nuanced dry downand lovely experience, I personally love it.

I waited around six months to review because I have very strong feelings about this scent. Dark and sweet. Oud, vanilla, and amber all playing perfectly together, and come together to be greater than the sum of their parts. The first time I tried this scent I was instantly brought back to smelling an overshirt after a fire a few moves ago. It's uncanny how true to life it smells like a small fire, while still being identifiable fragrance accords. This is the bottle I would swim and drown in, and I wear it while sitting at home just to smell it.

Easily one of the best Kerosene creations I’ve experienced. Right up there with R'Oud Elements and Unknown Pleasures. Once again, the blending is exceptional: complex yet approachable, layered yet never overwhelming. This is the kind of niche fragrance I truly appreciate. Distinctive and original, yet timeless in its appeal. Simple on the surface, but with real depth beneath. A true masterpiece. I’m genuinely in love with the house of Kerosene, and knowing it’s largely the work of one person makes it all the more impressive.

The scent of this is exactly what it says. Smoky scent as if you were by a campfire, with berries being roasted. Very sweet and smoky. Much better together than I could have thought. For me it lasts long enough that I can put it on in the afternoon, sleep, wake up and it’s still somewhat detectable to others. The sillage and projection are fantastic for me as well. Room filling with a decent trail. I can’t stop smelling myself when I wear this, I cannot put into words how good it is. Perfect for rainy days too.

This fragrance is a wild one! It opens AGGRESSIVELY, but then the dry-down is actually quite lovely? Yes it is smokey and leans slightly masc, but the vanilla and faint fruit softens the edges and it performs really well! It is for sure polarizing (the Catholic guilt reviews make me snicker), definitely not a safe blind buy, and would also be pretty gross for warmer weather, but even with those less-than-flattering traits I really enjoy this fragrance, and am excited to sample more from this house!

I believe John Pegg somehow captured the hotel setting the movie The Shining. The fireplace crackling in a mostly dominate wood room, with a vanilla candle burning. It evokes a feeling of dry / matte vanilla and smoke. I’ve been wearing this for the last 6 months off and on. It’s getting better and better as it mancerates too. It’s a soft non feminine vanilla with an acceptable amount of smoke and wood. To me. So fire 🔥 love it. I see this one being very sought after once it’s discontinued.

One of my absolute favorite go-to scents! The ambery, woody, oudy warmth of this is ideal for fall and winter. People have compared it to By the Fireplace, and I'd agree, except instead of a crackling fire it's more mysterious smoldering embers (could they light up again? could they burn down into smoke?). Very sexy, very empowering and grounding fragrance. It's a "you survived the day, now spritz on some of this, curl up under a blanket and read a mystery novel" toasty treat.

My fragrance soulmate maybe... blackmail is not for everyone or every season or every time of day. That being said it’s definitely for me. It’s just sweet enough for me to feel like an angel just maybe an angel who well works as a car mechanic too. Really the whole reason I am so drawn to Kerosene in general. But this one is is special I break the intuitive sense that it’s meant for nighttime and wear it all day because it’s so delicate and intimate and the plum is divine

This fragrance is honestly really unique. I was pretty excited for this to arrive and once I got my hands on it and gave it a go, the smell was alluring yet mysterious. In the opening, it definitely has obvious smoky note and it smells abit leathery but believe me it’s really pleasant if your into that note. At the dry down, it begins to smell like a fireplace with notes of sweetness and faint vanilla. It’s one of a kind in my collection. Perfect winter and fall scent.

Very impressive, it has an aura or atmosphere about it. Feels greater than itself in some sense. Smells like being lost in a forest dark enough that it is hard to see and dry enough that it is hard to breathe. Suddenly you stumble upon a wooden cabin, doors open, the air coming from inside feels decades old and carries a strong incense. Something is very wrong, you feel your heart racing and realize you need to get out of there immediately. You walk inside anyway.

Wow, this scent takes me straight back to my old house, where my mom would intentionally light a fire hazard by placing oud bakhoor on the hot coal in the wooden bakhoor stand, then forget about it and leave it burning until the morning. By then, the bakhoor would have turned into fine ash, and the slightest movement would send it spilling or puffing into your face. It smells exactly like that ash mix that had the smell of the oud bakhoor infused into it.

This is my all time favorite fragrance...although I haven’t tried that many, just for reference. Blackmail smells just as it’s named—dark, smoky, seductive, with a tinge of sweet. I smelled this perfume at Dover Street Parfums Market in Paris, and out off all the niche brands they carried, this was the most memorable to me. Most people gravitate to broken theories from the brand, but I believe Blackmail deserves more recognition and notoriety.

Kerosene has really made a masterpiece with this one. It was addicting from the first smell. It is an intoxicating smoky berries. A fragrance really unlike any others. Performance is great and it lasts a really long time. Not necessarily a compliment beast, but people will notice it. A really great winter and fall fragrance, but it is wearable in the evenings if you are inside. 10 out of 10 and highly recommend getting your nose on this one.

Kerosene is a great house if you love the smell of gasoline. This scent to me is a testament to John Pegg's car factory nose, in the best way. I wear this on cold morning motorcycle rides and it makes my nervous system bloom really intensely when it mixes with the smell of oil on startup. Intense oud & smoke with a hint of sweetness underneath. Definitely a love or hate for the average sniffer, though this scent is sublime to me <3

I first smelled this gorgeous modern classic at an actual store called BLACKMAIL. A beautifully curated “ dark” boutique that has closed . I have gone through several bottles and was my signature scent for a few years ( still adore it) . The scent gets me a lot of strangers saying , “you smell amazing, what is that?! “ A sexy witch’s campfire - dark ripe fruits and smoldering wood and incense . Bewitching and sophisticated.

Blackmail is breathtakingly beautiful with a magically powerful smoke and the deft artisinal hand of parfumer John Pegg, giving this fragance THE most alluring and evocative oud I've ever smelled. In my mind's eye, the berries bleed out juice from thickly, prickly, gnarled brambles. Everything about this concoction is so measured, so exacting, so perfect. All of this with a slim grace of amber and some tactile-like vanilla.

I have been wearing this off and on for 6 months now, and I absolutely love it. This is the perfect balance between smoke, sweet, vanilla, and dry wood. Performance and silage are great. There is so much thought John Pegg put into this creation and you can tell when you wear it. It’s fantastic! This is more for the frag head, Dior Sauvauge wearers wouldn’t understand it as it is not a crowd pleasing scent.

I blind bought this perfume wishing it was a fruity smoke bomb, however, i found out it leans more towards woody berries with a subtle smokiness. I compared this frangrance to headspace Santal and even tho blackmail has a darker feeling, they are really close relatives. At the end it was a succesful blind buy, longevity and sillage are amazing and to be honest, it's an excellent perfume for a good price.

Smokey sweet wood with a suggestion of fruit. I'm loving this. The oud note isn't animalic or leathery or rubbery like some ouds can be. It's just a dark woody note. Something makes me think of labdanum (or hydrocarboresine), i assume maybe a bit of that was used in this composition. I find this to be unisex, but i need to wear this and see how sweet the drydown is. Definitely a cold weather scent.

Such a gorgeous smoky vanilla with a hint of juicy berries on the dry down. It’s sexy and a bit mysterious, but the warmth from the amber and sandalwood lend it a creaminess that balances out the smoke. It’s my go to when going out, as it lingers on my skin for hours and always gets me compliments. Overall, it’s just unique, beautiful, well balanced fragrance.

Love at first sniff but it got even more incredible after it dried down. This screams sexy to me and I need it ASAP! Fruity, smoky leather with a touch of earth. I immediately put this one on my skin and I'm glad I did because it doesn't shine nearly as bright on paper! Definitely better for cold weather but hard to resist even in this summer heat.

At first it is 70% smoky oud and 30% blueberry pie. The blueberry pie is realistic and comes in and out of focus. Sometimes I can’t smell it at all. The oud smells natural, bold, and charred. Smoky campfire, absolutely. Later on it becomes sweeter and more vanillic. I could smell it on my wrist the next day. An awesome fragrance, truly. 9.0/10