Every scent evokes an emotion. In Scent Stories, TZR asks tastemakers, celebrities, and industry insiders to share the stories behind the smells of their past and present.
Few understand the link between fragrance and taste as intimately as Kilian Hennessy. In fact, one could argue he downright embodies it. A scion of that Hennessy family — French purveyors of fine liquors for nearly 300 years — Kilian founded his niche fragrance house, Kilian Paris, in 2007. While the brand has released several cult classics over the years that have little to do with libations, many of its signature scents are like a strong drink for your wrists; specifically those in The Liquors Collection, which consists of boozy concoctions (including the bestselling Angels’ Share) housed in rocks-glass-inspired bottles. At Kilian boutiques, they’re even served up from a literal fragrance bar.
The spirit of, well, spirits continues with the brand’s latest release, The Cocktails, a trio of fruity fragrances inspired by mixed beverages. “I wanted to start with three cocktails [everyone knows] and kind of follow through the night,” Kilian told The Zoe Report on a sunny afternoon in his SoHo boutique.
The evening starts with the bubbly Sparkling Royal, an interpretation of Kir Royale that creates effervescence through a blend of citrus notes and aldehydes, complemented with mint, rose, and black currant. Next up: the tropical Piña Paraíso, which brings together pineapple, coconut, and vanilla bourbon for a vacation-ready, piña colada-inspired fragrance that won’t leave you with a hangover; it’s “built on a patchouli-palmarosa type of accord, to give it structure,” as Hennessy explains. Rounding out the trio is Midnight Espresso, a gourmand nightcap with coffee and dark chocolate accords alongside vanilla bourbon notes.
Ahead, Hennessy discusses the origins of The Cocktails, the role scent plays in his life, and more.
Kilian Paris
The Origins Of The Cocktails
“The centerpiece of all our scents is the bar. We introduced the bar in 2021, and when it started to come to life, I felt that a bar without liquors would be very sad. So we came up with what we call The Liquors Collection. We launched with two scents: Angels’ Share and Roses on Ice. Then we launched Apple Brandy.
When you go to any bar, you can order a gin, you can order a vodka, a whiskey neat — and you can order a cocktail, right? Once you have the bar, it’s natural that in that bar, you serve liquors and cocktails; in a way, [we should have] provided much sooner. But they’re here! And the next cocktails are already created for the next few years. We’ll do [them all]; at one point, once that’s done, I want to start working with a mixologist and really see the bridge I can create between art, cocktails, and perfumes.”
The Role Scent Plays In His Life
“Very big! I wake up in the morning and go to bed thinking about scents. I have to wear all these scents, you know? But I think it plays [a huge part] for more and more people, you know. We were discussing how there are more and more very young men who are very interested in perfume and come into the store. Like half of my customers in Paris or here are below 32 years old. I think it’s one way of playing with the different facets of your personality … That’s why niche fragrance emerged; we offer you a way to build your own wardrobe, to be unique every day.”
The First Scent(s) He Ever Purchased
“I was 13 or 14, and it was the only perfumery in Cognac. We’re talking 1984, 1985; at that time, there were not a lot of men’s perfumes, right? I remember I had Pour Homme de Caron, Vétiver de Guerlain, Jules de Dior. The choices were very limited!”
His All-Time Favorite Scent
“Of my collection? Angels’ Share. Because it is my homage to my memory of the Hennessy Cognac, it feels so close to my home. It took me 14 years to create.”
The Scent Of Nostalgia
“Imperial Tea. I went to Kyoto in the spring for sakura season, and there’s a very famous walk, a water path, which is along a little river that is surrounded by sakura trees. And on that day — it was a gorgeous day, beautiful blue sky, but windy — the wind was blowing the sakura petals in the air, and it felt like it was snowing in the spring. That’s what I tried to re-create with Imperial Tea. It’s really this emotion, of the delicate flower petals blowing in the air around this little water stream. That’s why it’s a little aquatic over a very strong, woody base, because those sakura trees are gorgeous black trees. This one takes me back to that moment.”
The Scent Of Clarity
“Bamboo Harmony. It’s very peaceful, very simple, but complex at the same time. It’s very relaxing. I think you need to be in that state to find clarity. It’s built on a musky white tea with a citrusy freshness.”
The Scent Of Comfort
“Straight to Heaven. It’s a woody scent, very cozy. It’s warm: patchouli, cedar, ambrox, nutmeg. It just feels like a big cashmere sweater.”
The Scent Of Joy
“Oh, Sunkissed Goddess — the scent of holiday. Sun, tanning, summer.”
(Stay Up To Date)
Become A Style Insider
Join The Zoe Report’s exclusive email list for the latest trends, shopping guides, celebrity style, and more.
