Skip to main content

Sweet Redemption by Kilian

Orange Blossom, Vanilla, Benzoin, Opoponax, Myrrh, Incense.

My first thought after wearing Sweet Redemption is that it leans slightly feminine, but definitely not enough to dissuade me. That's simply the result of Blossom and the oriental theme being the bedrock of this fragrance. After just a few minutes, I am convinced that either gender can successfully pull this off.

Mrs. Aromi gave me her usual truncated and comical review of what it smelled like on my skin. Her response was immediate and through pursed lips and furrowed brow, she exclaimed that it smelled like extremely pungent cotton candy that was at least a week old. I cannot say I share her sentiment, but I always get a kick out of her opinions.


Sweet Redemption is a very substantial scent. There's contrasts here as the blossom seems to grate ever so slightly against the myrrh. The spicy quality that lives in Sweet Redemption is supple due to the balsam that is prominent. The smokiness here is of a different sort and ( to me ) is more hazy than anything. This implementation isn't like the more obvious renditions. It never permeates and is tuned more for accent.

After numerous wearings, I'm impressed with the blossom. It doesn't go over the top, but is ever-present through all stages of Sweet Redemption. It stop short of rendering this too sweet and the myrrh seems to keep it in balance. More linear than I expected, the volume dictates the variations and not until the drydown do I notice any real shift in prominent notes. I have to state that the myrrh really comes to life on my skin and perhaps others will have a different result. The top and heart accords aren't exactly what I'd call my cup of tea, but as it stands, I find I like Sweet Redemption more with each wearing.

The sillage is deceiving. Apply too much of Sweet Redemption and you truly have the potential to clear a room. The aspect I respect most is the sweet, bitter and balsamic nature of this fragrance. It's a controlled struggle tuned to near perfection.

As always with me and by Kilian's, the prices are killers. I haven't yet found one I enjoy so much as to throw my cares to the wind and make a purchase. A few are extremely good, but unless I get a bargain somewhere, I'll choose to do without.

That carries over to Sweet Redemption as well. This is a substantial scent. The longevity is as impressive as the presence. Some will love this and others will have a reaction akin to Mrs. Aromi. I fall in between those categories and can say without hesitation that I am in like with this fragrance. Thumbs up from Aromi with the recommendation to sample first.



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Oriental Lounge by The Different Company

Bergamot, Curry Leaf, Pepper, Red Rose, Tonka Bean, Labdanum, Satinwood. I suppose the first thing I noticed about Oriental Lounge is that as a man, this is a bit of a stretch to pull off. Since the core of Oriental Lounge is a powdery tonka and amber duo, it really does lean a bit too far feminine for me to wear. However, it would smell just as lovely on a woman and more appropriate as well. I bring this up simply because it's marketed as shared. I was wondering about the curry leaf. Actually, this "note" brought nothing to the table with the exception of possibly enhancing the pepper note just a bit. Even so, the pepper note itself was low key ( at least on me ) and both blended nicely with the citrus opening. From the onset of Oriental Lounge, it's unmistakable that this fragrance is.......well.....an oriental. From other opinions, I read some gripes about longevity, but it lasts on me quite awhile. This fragrance is uncomplicated and without much movemen...

Black Suede by Avon

Nutmeg, Clove, Amber, Musk, Moss, Wood Notes. Yes.........I am reviewing one of the Rodney Dangerfield's of fragrance. Black Suede has been gracing medicine cabinets, for better or worse, since 1980 my friends. If you're expecting me to inform you ( like others may have already ) that Black Suede is a nasty scrubber, you will be disappointed. On the other hand, if you're expecting a glowing review claiming it's a diamond in the rough, you won't hear that from me either. I will say though that Black Suede doesn't deserve the hate it's received and most of that is due to snobbery aimed at Avon products in general. I kid you not when I state that a close relative to this fragrance is Cacharel Pour L'Homme. The array of spice in both ensure comparison, but the "smoother" of the two is Black Suede due to its implementation of Amber. While wearing Black Suede, one can detect a hint of "drugstore". That quality doesn't manife...

Paco Rabanne Pour Homme

I am reviewing the original Paco Rabanne Pour Homme ( circa 1973 ) thanks to a generous basenoter who sent it to me recently in a swap. He also sent me the current formulation in order for me to do a side by side comparison. The side by side resulted in what I had already imagined would be the case. Not that the newer formula is terrible by any means. The original version simply is better by being deeper and a bit more masculine. No......you shouldn't go to ebay searching for the vintage formula and paying stupid prices. It's simply a notch or two better than the current and noticeable by comparing the two in real time. Rabanne Pour Homme opens with a slight shimmer in conjunction with lavender, spices and a subtle woodiness. It's an old school introduction, however a good one. The lavender takes about 5 minutes to raise its volume and evolve into a soapy rendition. I dislike when a boatload of soapy lavender takes over a composition, but here it doesn't go over t...