PepperOpens with
RumHeart
LeatherDries down to
Alberto MorillasThe nose · 479 fragrances · also made Valentino Uomo Intense 2021 (2021)Portrait →Will you like it? Mark a few fragrances you own or love and we'll tell you.
By Kilian · Sold as masculine
Dark Lord
A dimly lit office after hours, where the scent of aged leather furniture blends with the faint whiff of a well-aged cognac.
Full bottle: Luxury tier, typically $250+. Links open each seller's own page. We may earn a commission; it never changes the order.
Dark LordLuxury · $250+
47%Similar accords, often for lessExplorer Extreme · MontblancMid-range tier, $40–100 · all 5 of its listed notes are in this one8 matches →How it wears
From community votes · bars are each option's shareComposition & Character
Notes Pyramid
TopOpening
HeartThe Soul
Main Accords
When to Wear
Who Wears It
The story behind the bottle.
Dark Lord, crafted by Alberto Morillas and launched by By Kilian in 2018, is an unapologetic leather fragrance that marries smoky and earthy notes with a fresh spicy edge. The composition opens with the sharpness of pepper and bergamot before giving way to deeper layers of cloves, rum, and davana, leading into a heart of jasmine sambac and birch. The base is dominated by vetiver, cedar, oakmoss, patchouli, and amber, creating an atmosphere that is both ruggedly masculine and mysteriously alluring.
Apply Dark Lord to pulse points for maximum warmth and projection. The smoky base notes take about an hour to fully bloom, so allow it time to settle before heading out. It pairs particularly well with cooler weather when its earthy warmth can envelop you.
Fig. 01 — Dark Lord, By Kilian
Where to buy.
Wear it for a week first
A decant costs a fraction of a bottle and tells you how it lasts on your skin.
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Not sure it's you?
Five questions, about a minute, no account. You get a shortlist that fits how you actually wear fragrance.
Alberto Morillas
The invisible architectAlberto Morillas is one of the most prolific and celebrated perfumers of the modern era. Born in Seville and trained in Geneva at Firmenich, he possesses an extraordinary gift for constructing fragrances that feel simultaneously complex and effortless.
“Technique is important, but it's the perfumer's soul that makes the difference.”
Alberto Morillas · Mizensir journal ('Nose-to-nose with founder Alberto Morillas'), July 2025
Designer By Kilian
More from the house · founded 2007 · Ireland
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Chosen from what wearers say it smells like, what its fans also love, and its notes
Love it, not the $250+ price?
Matched by accords and notes. Sample first, then decide.
The originalDark LordBy Kilian · Luxury · $250+Montblanc · 2025Explorer ExtremeAll 5 of its listed notes are in this one$40–100★ 4.24 (1,883)44%Match
Rasasi · 2018FattanShares 6 of its 10 notesunder $40★ 4.13 (1,796)44%Match
Floris · 1980EliteShares 6 of its 15 notes$100–250★ 4.10 (460)46%Match
Rochas · 1980MacassarShares 6 of its 16 notes$40–100★ 4.52 (245)
With By Kilian Black Oud
Adds amber, oud and rose; shares patchouli and cedar.
Suggested from accords and notes · not yet tried by wearers
What people
are saying.
Respected, if divisive: loved by 48%, disliked or hated by 18%.