Maison Francis Kurkdjian | The Scented Hound

October 7, 2015
by The Scented Hound 6 Comments

New Release: Aqua Vitae Forte by Maison Francis Kurkdjian

WHAT I SMELL: Aqua Vitae Forte opens softly with a beautiful sugar kissed bergamot and citrus. It’s light and ethereal, romantic and pretty as well as comfortably warm and lightly powdered. Blended seamlessly, the notes are very hard to distinguish except for a floral finish on a bed of beautiful sandalwood which also provides for a slightly soured bitterness, which does not detract from the perfume’s beauty. After quite some time, Aqua Vitae Forte begins to grow ever so quietly and a slight celery like accord and hints of spice come forward giving the perfume this floral and vegetal presence. The perfume is slow to develop and it transforms like a dreamlike cloud passing oh so slowly to reveal the sun once the wisps of the clouds have passed.

From the Maison Francis Kurkdjian website:

Dive into the memory of a summer day when the sun’s rays brush against a tanned skin. Imagine the caress of a floral and woody breeze… Aqua Vitae forte forges this invisible bond between the freshness of the nights to come and the heat of the days gone by.

Olfactory Description:

Bergamot and lemon from Calabria – Cardamom from Guatemala – Cinnamon from Ceylon East Indian sandalwood – Mandarin from Sicily – Orange blossom from Tunisia – Pink Szechuan pepper – Vetiver from Haiti – Ylang ylang from Madagascar.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: There’s a delicateness to the perfume, that’s met with a strong foundation like a set of beautiful fine china.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE AQUA VITAE FORTE: subdued, enigmatic, restrained

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT AQUA VITAE FORTE: Colognoisseur, Fragrance Emergency

BOTTOM LINE: Aqua Vitae Forte is like the second cousin of Puredistance WHITE, which I love. Except this perfume is a bit lighter and ethereal, but equally as romantic and beautiful.

Bone Rating: 4 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Woody Spicy
Noses: Francis Kurkdjian
Classification: Feminine
Expense: $275 for 1.7 oz Eau de Parfum

Sample courtesy of Arielle Shoshona

August 27, 2014
by The Scented Hound Leave a comment

A Hound CaFleureBon Post: New Perfume Review – Maison Francis Kurkdjian masculin Pluriel and féminin Pluriel + Un Homme et Un Femme Draw

There is no future, there is no past. I live this moment as my last. There’s only us, there’s only this; forget regret, or life is yours to miss, no other road, no other way, no day but today. – Lyric from Another Day (Rent)

Master and prolific perfumer Francis Kurkdjian has launched his latest creations as part of the new Pluriel collection in the Maison Francis Kurkdjian line. Comprised of two fragrances, masculin Pluriel and feminin Pluriel. Kurkdjian’s inspiration for the genesis of this new line was his quest to create eternal femininity and masculinity in fragrance unbound from convention. These two new unique fragrances are designed to evoke freedom and sensuality while harnessing a timelessness required for the creation of two classic perfumes with modern sensibilities.

masculin Pluriel and feminin Pluriel are sublime in their masterful interpretation of their individuality. Together, masculin Pluriel and feminin Pluriel create a mirror image of equaled masculinity and femininity and an understanding that the blending of those distinct traits makes for the perfect pairing.

To read the full review on CaFleureBon and to enter in a draw to win a sample of each, click here.

March 27, 2012
by The Scented Hound 2 Comments

APOM Pour Homme by Maison Francis Kurkdjian

APOM, which stands for A Part of Me, is one of those “I just got out of the shower” scents. To me, it reminds me of the freshness associated with bathing and the wonderfully clean feeling that you have afterwards. So given that, what exactly does APOM smell like? The listed ingredients are simple, orange flower, amber and cedar wood. This to me is a pretty linear scent; it doesn’t change much and the orange flower is the dominating note. The amber does warm the scent and tone down the orange flower a bit, but it ultimately remains in the background. This to me is a safe fragrance; clean and fresh, but not very interesting. For those of you who like fresh; this would be a great fragrance. Me, I like it a little dirty and will stick with my Absolue Pour le Soir.

From the Maison Francis Kurkdjian website:

APOM (A Part Of Me), a bit of oneself that one leaves on others. A relationship inspired from the beauty of the Orient: movement of people, flavors, colors and scents rediscovered from Lebanon. A combination of softness and strength.

APOM Notes: orange flower, cedar wood, amber