Rum Showdown. Kilian Black Phantom and Xerjoff Tony Iommi Monkey Special

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Another head to head today. Xerjoff Tony Iommi Monkey Special and Killian Black Phantom. These two share a lot of notes (rum, caramel, sandalwood, tonka bean) But there are some deviations. To start with the similarities, both are rum forward on the initial spray, so much so I wondered if this was a good idea to wear today at work. Some might get the wrong idea if I show up at 8 am smelling like rum. But, thankfully the rum forwardness wanes after an hour or so.

The procedure. One spray of Black Phantom inside left elbow. One spray Monkey Special inside right elbow.

Kilian Black Phantom. The dominant notes are hard to miss on this one. Dark chocolate and rum. This fragrance knows what it is going for and goes hard. It is very dark chocolate and the initial spray reminds me exactly of a rum ball. It is listed as a unisex but it leans in on the sweet bitter dark chocolate with slight caramel and vanilla supporting it. For that reason, it feels more feminine to me. I tried to get my wife interested in it for herself, but it was too strong for her even with one spray. So for projection, this performs very nicely. It can be noticed in a room or car, for hours. But you are not going to choke people out. One spray projected 4-5 hours before becoming a skin scent. Gone at 9 hours.

Xerjoff Tony Iommi Monkey Special. This one is a more warm rum fragrance with caramel and vanilla supporting the rest of the notes. Early on, you can definitely detect bergamot, passionfruit, geranium. The early notes lean sweet, slightly fruity, and slightly floral, but you cannot miss the vanilla and caramel. This is more a gourmand than a floral. As the fragrance develops, cinnamon comes into the mix, as well as the rose. This fragrance is a symphony with rises and falls of notes as it plays out over time. Projection is very good and outperforms Kilian. Still, it is not a beast projector. One spray was noticed in a small room. However, if you spray heavy, this one could dominate. Longevity outperforms Kilian BP as well. It was still projecting at 6 hours. Skin scent at 7 hours. Gone at 9 hours.

In the end, Kilian Black Phantom focuses on a few notes and does them perfectly. Chocolate and Rum. It is not a complicated scent but what it does it does really well. Its projection and longevity are respectable. Xerjoff Tony Iommi Monkey Special on the other hand is a complex fragrance with many notes changing and developing throughout the journey. It is warmer and for most it is a more appealing fragrance. Its projection and longevity out perform Black Phantom and you can easily get a full day out of this one.

How do you feel about these? Which is your favorite or which one would you try first?

Xerjoff Tony Iommi Monkey Special

Kilian Black Phantom

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