Kilian Gold Knight Eau de Parfum is all about rich, golden honey that’s raw, unfiltered, and decadent. It’s fresh, slightly lifted by the addition of anise (but not enough that it overwhelms), and the patchouli merely adds a vague earthiness to the whole scent but never really comes across as distinctly patchouli. The progression was linear, so it was very much the same through its wear; the drydown was slightly sweeter as the vanilla merged with the honey and the anise receded.
Gold Knight Notes
It is described as a the “dark sensuousness of patchouli” paired with the “effervescent brightness of bergamot, and warm golden shimmer of vanilla and anise.” The notes are not laid out in a particular order, but they include: patchouli, bergamot, vanilla, anise, and honey.
What does Gold Knight Smell Like?
It opened with an herbaceous, zesty lemon with honey drizzle and subtle vanilla sweetness that became more noticeably spiced with anise after the first few minutes. Gold Knight was a dark, fragrant honey–sweetened but not sugary–the anise lightened and lifted it, almost making it like honey’s aroma emitting from a cup of hot tea. The patchouli, which emerged after a half hour, added an earthy, almost cocoa-like component. The anise was sweet, slightly earthy, and like a dark licorice with less sweetness than candied licorice.
The honey was more like fresh, unfiltered and raw honey–still a little floral, sweet and golden but not cloying. There was just a lift to it that made it a true honey note to my nose. For those wary of patchouli, I did not find it was a really noticeable aspect to the scent; it brought a bit of earthiness, a little dimension, but it wasn’t “patchouli” front and center. Gold Knight was heavy on the honey with anise lifting and giving it more depth without overwhelming the fresh, oozing, golden honey.
It had a linear progression, so by the time I arrived at the drydown, about six hours in, it was more golden, honeyed, and a touch vanillic with less noticeable effect from the anise.
Longevity
It lasted for eight hours until it was a skin-scent and about 16 hours before it was quite difficult to detect on my skin. The sillage and projection were moderate for the first three hours.
Personal Notes
I love honey when it is fresher and rawer, when there is a hint of all the various places the bees have visited. I particularly love a little bit of spice or tea elements with my honey, as they bring to mind good memories of being cared for on a sick day. This was definitely one I would have considered purchasing had I not received a sample!
These are more subjective feelings based on what I like (or don’t like) in a perfume as well as considering the fragrance against other perfumes I own and love.
Testing Methodology
For testing, I used 1/3 of a 0.7ml sample vial dabbed to the underside and topside of my wrist area. I used an unscented moisturizer prior to applying the scent as I found scent did not hold well here otherwise.
I purchased my sample in January 2022; fragrances are known to be reformulated over their lifetime, so be mindful of when a review was made, e.g. a review from 2010 may not reflect what the same-named perfume smells like in 2022.
Availability
Gold Knight is available for $250/50ml or just a refill for $200/50ml.
If possible, I highly recommend trying a fragrance before purchasing a full bottle because fragrance can wear differently just because of skin chemistry. Skin chemistry can effect not just the longevity of a fragrance but also what notes are prominent or hidden.
Gold Knight Samples
We recommend the following retailers for purchasing decanted samples (typically 0.7ml to 2ml in size). This is a fuller list, so individual availability may depend on inventory.
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