A soft veil of smoke slowly settles over the darkness. Cinnamon and black pepper sharpens the silhouette, dry wisps of elemi and incense unfold, rosemary anchors. Leather, woods and earthy tones seep in with silent depth. By the end, a restrained warmth lingers like an afterglow. All Black reveals without showing.
Best Broken Theories by Kerosene Alternatives & Similar Perfumes
Broken Theories by Kerosene is an oriental spicy fragrance defined by a warm and smoky blend of incense, tobacco, black pepper, oud, vanilla, sandalwood, and blood orange. It combines woody and spicy depth with a hint of citrus brightness, creating a complex, rich composition. Those drawn to smoky, resinous scents with a touch of sweetness and a spicy edge will find Broken Theories a compelling choice.
All Black by Insenf £125.00
- Key notes:
- black pepper
- castoreum
- gaiac / guaiac wood
- incense
- rosemary
- tobacco
- Aromagroups:
- aromatic
- leather
Ember Shaan by Byermia £130.00
- Key notes:
- chocolate
- coffee
- gun powder
- incense
- oud
- rose
- sandalwood
- tobacco
- Aromagroups:
- leather
- spicy
“Shaan” is a Sanskrit name meaning greatness and majesty. The perfumer intertwines the name with the legend of the Egyptian pharaoh Thutmose, the conquering leader whose final battle was foretold by the oracles. Ember Shaan is a fragrance that shifts and evolves, reflecting the concept of victory intertwined with sorrow. With a variety of ouds and frankincenses, this extrait explores how a bright fire fades into a smouldering ember, while also deepening into something more profound. Coffee, rose and sandalwood combine their rich effects into an olfactory syrup that infuses the woods, while spicy opoponax and stony gunpowder add punctuation and surprise.
Black Afgano by Nasomatto £130.00
- Key notes:
- coffee
- hashish
- incense
- oud
- tobacco
- Aromagroups:
- leather
- woody
Oily, big and blissful, Black Afgano is all the browns: coffee, hashish incense, oud and tobacco. The notes refer to substances that induce temporary bliss, but with Black Afgano’s considerable hangtime, the pleasure of this perfume is practically permanent.
Cruelle by Wesker £220.00
- Key notes:
- blackberry
- incense
- oud
- smoke
- tobacco
- Aromagroups:
- leather
This elixir is a complex expression of the spirit of duality. Cruelle is a perfume of contrasts, a potion that embodies both beauty and danger, sweetness and venom. Tender violet and mouth-watering blackberry compel you deep into the heart of tobacco and frankincense, with the purple haze intensified by plum and iris root. Resinous labdanum and oud add to the mystery, which includes a provocative hint of fresh rubber tyres. With Cruelle, the wearer is both the predator and the prey, a reminder that every beauty conceals darkness.
The Grudge by Beaufort £125.00
- Key notes:
- ambergris
- incense
- oud
- tobacco
- Aromagroups:
- aromatic
- leather
Inspired by the ‘white gold’ that appears occasionally on Scottish beaches and the alchemy of time & tide, The Grudge finds beauty in the unexpected: the journey of ambergris from the rectum of the sperm whale, rolled on the tide, retrieved from a beach and tinctured into a bottle. A metaphor for the alchemy of presence; forgiveness; peace.
Vi et Armis by Beaufort £125.00
- Key notes:
- birch tar
- black pepper
- black tea
- incense
- opium
- oud
- smoke
- Aromagroups:
- spicy
- woody
Formerly known as East India the perfume is back with the new name: Vi et Armis (Latin for 'by force and arms', the motto of the East India company)
The olfactory references in the perfume are exploring Britain’s complex relationship with other nations and its dominance of international sea trade across the centuries, this heady, narcotic scent challenges as much as it beguiles.
Using imported and exported goods of the East India Company as its key notes, this addictive fragrance recalls the words of George Bernard Shaw: “Emotional excitement reaches men through Tea, Tobacco, Opium, Whisky and religion”
Paradoxical and challenging, we imagine the roots of our island nation steeped in contradictions.
Anti-Blues by Pierre Guillaume Black Collection £195.00
- Key notes:
- cocoa
- dark chocolate
- incense
- saffron
- tobacco
- vanilla
- vetiver
- Aromagroups:
- edible
- leather
- unconventional
- woody
A socially acceptable way to smell like you spend your downtime writhing naked in milky melted chocolate, spiced with saffron, smoked by tobacco, caressed by vanilla. Cue eyes-rolling-back-in-their-head pleasure for anyone who smells you.
Atman Xaman (EdT) by Lorenzo Villoresi £150.00
- Key notes:
- amber
- incense
- leather
- tobacco
- vanilla
- Aromagroups:
- edible
- woody
A deep, intense, mysterious fragrance that radiates unique atmospheres: magical, spiritual, real and imaginary.
An enveloping scent of Leather, Tobacco and precious woods with light undertones of flowers and wild herbs, on a gentle, sensual background of fragrant resins, of Vanilla and Patchouli, of Amber and Musk.
Lost In Translation by Maison Matine £60.00
- Key notes:
- black pepper
- leather
- rosewood
- tobacco
- violet leaf
- Aromagroups:
- leather
- woody
A bait-and-switch perfume that starts sharp and clean with juniper and crisp, metallic violet leaves. Then comes the gentle abyss: a faded haze of tobacco, patchouli and leather swirled with white tea and musk. The message might be lost in translation, but all meaning will be found in the fragrance.
Silphium by Stora Skuggan £130.00
- Key notes:
- black pepper
- cloves
- myrrh
- sylphium accord
- tobacco
- Aromagroups:
- aromatic
- green
- unconventional
Silphium was a plant widely renowned as a spice, medicinal herb and perfume ingredient throughout the empires of classical antiquity, outshining both saffron and cinnamon. It was praised by Greek philosophers and writers, as well as Roman emperors and cookbook authors. The demand for Silphium eventually became so overwhelming that it was harvested to extinction, and the taste and smell of the once greatest spice in the world were lost in time.
This extinct plant was reconstructed by researching assumed relatives of Silphium, using aromachemicals (the molecular building blocks of scents) to create an accord reflecting historical descriptions. This is set against a background of ancient incense, woods and leather.
About Broken Theories by Kerosene
- How does Broken Theories differ from the fragrances listed here?
- Broken Theories combines a balanced blend of incense, tobacco, black pepper, oud, vanilla, sandalwood, and blood orange, offering a spicy oriental with a slight citrus brightness and creamy woods. The fragrances listed share some of these notes but vary significantly in sweetness, smokiness, herbal or gourmand accents, and animalic or leathery nuances.
- Which fragrances here emphasize the smoky character most strongly?
- All Black, Black Afgano, Cruelle, Vi et Armis, and The Grudge are notable for their strong smoky presence, often enhanced by notes like birch tar, ambergris, or hashish, making them darker and more resinous compared to others.
- Are there any fragrances similar to Broken Theories that include vanilla?
- Yes, Anti-Blues and Atman Xaman share vanilla with Broken Theories, adding sweeter and warmer facets to their smoky oriental compositions.









