Rouge Smoking

Rouge Smoking, inspired by BDK Parfums Rouge Smoking (c. 2018)

Cherry arrives first, dark and liqueur-like, brightened by bergamot and pink berries. Black vanilla then spreads through the heart, and heliotrope adds an almond-like, powdery softness, which together give the scent the feel of a cherry dessert. In the base, ambroxan and cashmeran (a musky, woody molecule) lend a smooth radiance, while tonka and labdanum keep it ambery and sweet.

About the original

Amélie Bourgeois created Rouge Smoking for BDK Parfums, the Paris house David Benedek founded in 2016. BDK files it as fruity and amber and links it to Paris nightlife in Pigalle. Fragrance references date it to around 2018. A separate Rouge Smoking Extrait came later with a different formula; this page refers to the eau de parfum. Now Smell This found the drydown reminiscent of Kilian Love, Don't Be Shy.

Our version

Ours is an independent eau de parfum made to evoke the same character. It is not BDK Parfums stock, not an official relaunch and not the original formula.

Who it suits

Sweetness is the main thing to know. Now Smell This judged it very sweet, so fans of cherry gourmands and vanilla ambers will be at home, while anyone who avoids sugary scents should steer clear.

Related scents

• By Kilian Love Don't Be Shy
• BDK Parfums Gris Charnel Extrait

Notes of the original fragrance, as published by the brand.

Top notes: Bergamot, Cherry, Pink Berries

Heart notes: Black Vanilla, Heliotrope

Base notes: Ambroxan, Cashmeran, Tonka Bean, Labdanum, White Musk

The opening pairs cherry with bergamot and pink berries, fruity and slightly boozy.

Black vanilla and heliotrope form the core: sweet, powdery and faintly almond-scented.

Ambroxan, cashmeran, tonka, labdanum and white musk give a smooth, ambered musk finish that keeps the vanilla going.

Is this based on Rouge Smoking or Rouge Smoking Extrait?

On Rouge Smoking Eau de Parfum. BDK also sells Rouge Smoking Extrait, a later and separate formula.

Does it smell of cherry the whole way through?

The cherry is clearest at the start. After that, black vanilla and heliotrope lead, with an ambery, musky base.

Is it like Kilian Love, Don't Be Shy?

Now Smell This compared its drydown to Love, Don't Be Shy. The opening differs, since Rouge Smoking starts on cherry and pink berries.

Inside the EU, delivery is free on orders of €49 or more. Below that it is a flat €4.99. Outside the EU, delivery is a flat €4.99 on every order. We send every order in 1 to 2 working days. It arrives in 3 to 7 days across the EU and in 7 to 14 days outside the EU. You have 14 days to return an unopened bottle.

BDK Parfums and Rouge Smoking are trademarks of their respective owners, and all rights remain with them. Parfumour is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or connected to BDK Parfums in any way, and no business relationship of any kind is implied. Our product is an original interpretation created to evoke a similar scent profile, and the trademark names are used purely for honest, descriptive comparison, so that you can quickly identify the style and fragrance family you are looking for. We make no claim to sell the original product, and we do not use the same ingredients or formula. Any similarity lies in the overall impression of the scent as interpreted by our own perfumers, not in the source materials.