Back To Black

By Kilian Back To Black dupe, inspired by the original

Back to Black, subtitled Aphrodisiac, is one of By Kilian’s most loved gourmand scents, part of the house’s reputation for turning simple ideas into rich, addictive perfumes. It pairs honey and tobacco into something warm and slightly boozy. Our interpretation rebuilds that cosy, sweet tobacco character as a long lasting eau de parfum made in the EU.

The Story Behind the Scent

By Kilian was founded by Kilian Hennessy, who came from a family known for cognac, and that heritage shows in the house’s taste for warm, indulgent, slightly intoxicating scents. Back to Black leans into that fully. It opens with a touch of fruit, then moves into a heart of honey and tobacco that feels like sweet pipe smoke, soft rather than harsh.

The trick with a honey tobacco scent is keeping it from turning cloying, and the original manages it by grounding the sweetness in cedar, almond and a resinous labdanum base. The result is warm and comforting without feeling heavy, the kind of scent that reads intimate and a little sensual. Our version follows the same arc, rebuilt at a higher oil concentration so the honey and tobacco stay present for longer.

How Our Version Compares to the Original

We do not claim this is identical, because no interpretation ever is. What we have captured is the original’s honey and tobacco heart, carried on the same soft vanilla and cedar base. Ours is blended at up to 40% perfume oil, so it projects clearly early on and lingers on skin and clothing, at a fraction of the niche price.

Who It’s For

This is for anyone who loves a warm, sweet, slightly boozy scent with a cosy tobacco edge. It suits cooler weather and evening wear, though its comforting character works year round. Unisex in feel, it sits easily on anyone drawn to a rich gourmand style.

Notes

Top: Raspberry, Bergamot

Heart: Honey, Tobacco, Cedarwood

Base: Vanilla, Almond, Labdanum

How it Smells

The opening is warm and lightly fruity, with a touch of raspberry and bergamot adding a soft sweetness before the deeper notes arrive. It feels inviting rather than sharp from the first spray.

The heart is the signature, a blend of honey and tobacco that smells like sweet, soft pipe smoke, rounded by cedar so it never turns harsh. This is the cosy, slightly boozy centre that makes the scent so recognisable.

The base brings vanilla, almond and resinous labdanum, adding a smooth, warm sweetness that lingers close to the skin. It dries down comforting and a little sensual, leaving a soft honeyed trail on clothing.

Common Questions

Is this the original By Kilian fragrance?

No. This is our own interpretation of the Back to Black, Aphrodisiac scent profile, rebuilt at up to 40% perfume oil. It is not the branded fragrance and does not use the same formula.

Is Back To Black a sweet perfume?

Yes, it is a warm gourmand scent built on honey and vanilla, though the tobacco and cedar keep it from feeling flat or purely sugary.

When is the best time to wear it?

It is at its best in autumn and winter and in the evening, when its warm honey and tobacco notes feel most at home.

How long does it last?

Our version is blended at a high perfume oil concentration, well above a standard spray, so most wearers get a full day on skin and longer on clothing. Longevity always varies a little with skin type and weather.

Is it for men or women?

It reads as unisex. Back To Black works comfortably on anyone drawn to a sweet tobacco style, regardless of gender.

Does it smell like the original?

It is built to sit very close to the original’s character across its top, heart and base. No interpretation is ever identical, but the overall impression is faithful to Back to Black, Aphrodisiac.

Disclaimer

By Kilian and Back to Black, Aphrodisiac are trademarks of their respective owners, and all rights remain with them. Parfumour is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or connected to By Kilian 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.