By Kilian – Angels’ Share – All aboard the hype-train. Next stop Angels’ Share. One of the most hyped scents of 2020. Every man and his dog seem to have a bottle. Released as part of a duo dubbed “The Liquors,” the perfumes pay tribute to the Hennessy family roots of producing quality liquor. Gin and cognac inspire Roses on Ice and Angels’ Share, respectively. Both fragrances come housed in a flacon designed to look like an old fashioned glass.
A gourmand at heart, Angels’ Share retains an admirable balance without becoming overly sweet. Cinnamon, praline, cognac, vanilla, and tonka bean are prominent. Countering the gourmand facets is an underlying dry woodiness and spice. It instantly reminded me of something else when I sprayed it on. The boozy, cinnamon, vanilla combo evoking Ambre Narguile from Hermes. It doesn’t smell exactly the same as the Hermes, as the praline takes it in a different direction. The Hermes is sweeter and is more akin to an apple pie, whereas the Kilian smells like a warm, cinnamon bun with creamy chocolate on the inside. They’re bakery buddies, though. In terms of Kilian scents, it reminded me most of the oak/vanilla combo in Apple Brandy. The boozy, candied orange cognac scent, 1270 from Frapin, albeit a thicker and heavier blend, is also in a similar ballpark.
Obviously, with all these comparisons I’m throwing around, Angels’ Share’s major downfall is its uniqueness. If you’ve tried the scents mentioned above, this won’t be anything new to you. Another area where Angels’ Share loses a few points is in its projection. Even though it’s a long-lasting scent, I had to put my nose close to my wrist to detect it after about 30 minutes. Still, that can be a positive, making Angels’ Share a little more versatile than your average gourmand. A few extra sprays of Angels’ Share probably won’t suffocate anyone within close proximity.
Despite the hype and my reservations around the projection and uniqueness of the scent, I still give Angels’ Share a thumbs up. Kilian has crafted a crowd-pleasing, warming gourmand that doesn’t fall into the trap of overdosing on sugar and calories. However, I already get my cinnamon gourmand fix from Ambre Narguile, so ultimately, it won’t be one I add to my collection. It’s well worth a try, though.
Note: Images courtesy of Kilian website. Sample obtained by the author.
Brilliant review! “All aboard the hype train” hahaha the hype is a turn off for me. I also don’t need it, it’s nice but not outstanding!
Haha. Thanks for reading and commenting, Tetê. Yes, I tend to avoid the hype scents too. This one is well done but not unique enough for me.
Yeah I agree with everything here, pleasant but not that special, performance leaves a bit to be desired on me (as do most Kilians, or well most perfumes to be fair :D). I don’t have anything similar in my collection though, so I don’t mind having bought this 🙂
Thanks for reading and commenting, Kati. Yes, for a heavier darker fragrance it’s performance was somewhat lacking. It’s a nice type of scent to have in the collection, though. Glad you are enjoying it. It’s an easy one to love. The bottle is stunning.
Ha! Ha! All aboard! I’m going to try these in the next month or so. Great reviews, Daniel. Instagram had a fragasm about these two when they were launched, so curious to try them.
Haha, yes fragasm is a good word for it. I didn’t try the Roses on Ice yet. I’d be surprised if you didn’t enjoy the Angels’ Share as it is very likeable. Thanks for your support as always, Rich.