Thirteen years separate Kilian's two best-known sweet fragrances, and they were written by different hands. Calice Becker composed Love, Don't Be Shy in 2007. Benoist Lapouza composed Angels' Share in 2020. Both are sweet. That is where the resemblance stops.
Love, Don't Be Shy (2007) is the marshmallow. Neroli, bergamot and pink pepper open it, then orange blossom, honeysuckle, jasmine and marshmallow fill the heart, over sugar, vanilla, caramel and musk. It smells like orange blossom marshmallow dusted with icing sugar.
Look closer at that base and you find civet, an animalic material, sitting under all the sugar. Most write-ups skip it. The prettiest marshmallow in perfumery has something faintly dirty underneath, and that is why it smells alive rather than flat.
Angels' Share (2020) is the cognac. The name is a distiller's term for the portion of spirit that evaporates from the barrel as it ages. Kilian Hennessy comes from eight generations of the Hennessy cognac family, so the reference is personal. Cognac opens the scent on its own, then cinnamon, tonka bean and oak arrive, with vanilla, praline and sandalwood beneath. It smells like brandy warmed in the glass.
Choosing between them is a mood question. Love, Don't Be Shy is daytime, playful and floral sweet. Angels' Share is evening, boozy and spiced. They share a shelf, not a personality.
Our Delight is our take on Love, Don't Be Shy, a UK-made spray at 35% concentration. Find it with the rest of the Kilian inspired collection, or start with the best Love, Don't Be Shy dupes in the UK.
