I was a slow starter with the Kilian line. For a long time I did not get it. But when I finally did, a whirlwind love affair started and many of the ten perfumes that make up the L’Oeuvre Noir collection, wormed their way into my heart.
Some did so immediately, love at first smell (Prelude To Love, Love And Tears, Sweet Redemption), some more slowly (Love, Beyond Love) and some I actually hated at first (Back To Black, Cruel Intentions). A Taste Of Heaven was in the latter category. Dismissed by me as a masculine, barbershop lavender, it wallowed in limbo in my discovery set, green with envy that all its colleagues were used, while it was ignored. (Sorry, really bad joke!)
A glowing review by The Candy Perfume Boy got my interest and got the deliciously green colored A Taste Of Heaven back on my skin. And lo and behold, this time I was ready for him, we clicked immediately and since have gotten really close.
Created by Calice Becker in 2007, A Taste Of Heaven includes notes of Calabria bergamot oil, geranium bourbon oil, orange flower absolute, Turkish rose absolute, green absinthe oil, lavender barreme oil, lavandin abrialis oil, lavandin green absolute, lavandin green concrete, Indonesian patchouli oil, oak moss extract, costus oil, ambrarome absolute, vanilla bean absolute and tonka beans.
On me A Taste Of Heaven is a gourmand lavender that is complex and interesting, but most of all gorgeous and just eyes-rolling-heavenwards good.
The perfume reminds me of Vero Profumo Kiki and Xerjoff Esquel, both lavenders with gourmand allures.
But while Kiki is a lot more dirty-raunchy, and Esquel uses the lavender only as a starting point and ultimately goes off elsewhere, A Taste Of Heaven is very much worth being explored.
A Taste Of Heaven reminds me of nothing more than this wonderfully chaotic and colorful rendition of “The Sound of Music”.
Opening with a sharp, full-on lavender and bergamot, I am reminded of Guerlain Jicky as well, but soon A Taste of Heaven becomes more smooth, soft, sweet and warm. Vanilla and tonka sweeten and soften, patchouli and oakmoss give their earthy and dark green hue to the perfume’s base. It oscillates between uplifting and soothing, between exhilarating and comforting.
A Taste Of Heaven seems aptly named, for its intoxicating green fairy takes me on a trip, if not all the way up there then at least as far as the hills.
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I quite enjoyed this film when I was younger…!! but it has changed since then, and I feel angry, annoyed, terribly uncomfortable and embarrassed every time it’s on television now… How is that possible??
I use ‘angry, annoyed, terribly uncomfortable and embarrassed’ for this concrete emotion:
“Also known as ‘Spanish Shame’ (:D haha!)—sense of shame on behalf of another person, even though that person may not experience shame themselves—for example, cringing when watching a very bad comic—generally more intense when the other is well known to you, though possible even when you dislike the other person—similar to the Dutch term plaatsvervangende schaamte and the German term Fremdschämen— ‘external shame’ or ‘vicarious embarrassment’, being vicariously embarrassed by someone else. The humor enacted by video clips of very bad auditions for televised talent shows leverage the vicarious pain of this emotion.”
But I love your reference to the ‘wonderfully chaotic and colorful rendition of “The Sound of Music”’, the picture is perfect anyway. I can almost smell it too! 🙂
Lol, I know about fremdschämen, but I still enjoy this movie very much!
I love A Taste of Heaven. It’s the only one so far I’ve shelled out full price for a full bottle (I have Back to Black in the travel size).
Hi furriner,
it is really worth the price, isn’t it?
My sample still remains untouched but I know that I have to face my fear very soon (of Lavender that is)
My experience of By Kilian was similar, I put half into my love catergory straight away and half into hmmmm, not sure, will come back to that later. I did not find any to instantly hate.
My love and indifferent list is a little bit diffrent to your’s but there are some that overlap. 🙂
The first few minutes might be tough for a lavenderphobe, but once the drydown comes you’ll love it! 🙂
I ought to give this a second chance ( and really, I ought to spend more time with the Kilian line in general ). This one fell to at the mercy of limited skin-space and counter-time: a paper-test told me ”generic lavender” and I dismissed it in favor of trying Beyond Love ( tuberose trollop that I am ) and Back To Black ( which really grabbed my attention with that clover-honey feel ) that day.
I like lavender, but it tends to be too fleeting on me, and I’m left with what the drydown delivers.
This drydown delivers! Generic lavender was my first thought as well, but I did change my mind and how! 🙂
You summed this one up perfectly! One of my favourite lavenders 😀
Thanks for the linkage too.
Thank you and you’re very welcome! 🙂
I have just sprayed this for the second time and while the opening is a little off-puttingly masculine for me, it quickly settles into a very fine green lavender. It’s that green absinthe aspect that really makes it interesting. I’m surprised how much I’m enjoying it!
I was surprised too! It really turns into something addictively lovely after the first fifteen minutes or so.
This is sitting in my swap box, deemed beyond the pale because of the lavender and absinthe. I appear to be aligned with Andrea as far as my lavender phobia goes.
Do I dare get it out and give it a go, in the interests of scientific enquiry? Hmm, maybe if I have a stiff drink first, and not of Pernod, obviously…
: – )
Everything for science, Vanessa!
Go on, try it! I can’t wait for your judgment. Don’t worry, this is no Jersey sprig poking your nose. 😉
It has been rehomed! Only Prelude to Love and Straight to Heaven remain of my set of original By K samples. Sorry – I would have braved it… : – )
Oh, too bad. But it is the the intent that counts. 🙂
I really like this one, better than Back to Black, it is masculine but works well for me. This one really let me know that I can wear lavender really well. Honestly, I do like Jersey but not FB love it! This on the other hand, I would consider at least buying the travel size.
Same here. I found Jersey unimaginative at best, but this is a lavender I can get excited about. 🙂
This one went straight to
Heavenmy “don’t want to test more, swap away” box because it felt too masculine one time I wore it. But then I met Mr. Hennessy and after that I just couldn’t part with that green beast in a test vial without giving it another chance. That time hasn’t come yet but your review has probably moved it at least 10 samples closer: lavender is my new favorite note in perfumes, so I will re-test A Taste Of Heaven rather sooner than later.I’m very curious to hear how your assessment has changed over time. And I can totally see how meeting M. Hennessy has a profound influence on one’s perception. 😉
This is one that I fell for on first sniff. I have smelled smoother lavenders (I’m thinking of Caron Pour Un Homme). But I do love this one enough to consider a full bottle purchase (I don’t consider too many niche full bottles because of the price tag). Until then I will enjoy my sample vials immensely 🙂
You fell for a high priced niche scent here indeed. But some things are just so worth it! 🙂
Love at first sniff for me too— I just can’t get enough of this scrumptious lavender! I was prepared to love it, being such a fan of Reverie au Jardin, and I think that you’ve captured exactly how it feels to wear: that wacky rendition of the Hills are Alive is perfect! 🙂
What is your favorite of the Kilian’s so far, Dee?
Mmm… well, I think it’s almost a tie between Back to Black, and ATOH, with B2B just winning by a nose! Although, I’m guessing that the new Amber Oud will probably be a favorite, if and when I get a sniff! 🙂
I’m very curious about Amber Oud, I don’t know whether I should hope to love or hate it though.
I actually like this one. It reminds me of Kiki, but Kiki is more embracing and soft.
It reminds me of Kiki too, but Kiki has an added “human” element.
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