Aqua Vitae Forte Maison Francis Kurkdjian for women and men

Beautiful, smooth, creamy ylang vanilla (not listed in notes but this does have facets of vanilla ice cream to my nose), with cardamom and hints of cinnamon and a sweet citrus aspect. Its very lovely, everything is very well balanced and smooth without becoming flat and boring. This is a fragrance that simply makes you feel well, everything is good in your sunshine filled Aqua Vitae Forte world.

Blind bought this, worst decision in my life. Spicy, aromatic and VERY floral heavy. Its just smells like a strong high-end hairspray. Haven't used it outside my house because im still trying to convince my self it smells nice. I dont even want to smell this on someone else. At least the projection and longevity is strong, which makes it worst in my case, 2/10.

Echo others with respect to the soft spices.

Speculoos biscuits with citrus curd and cream.

The ylang ylang is very chantilly cream like, so not cheap lotiony or overly tropical. Bouncy.

Longevity is magnificent, warming in cooler weather and bright n' soft on warm days.

This fragrance is so crisp and so clean open up with shape citrusy then transform to sweet orange blossom honey liked on my skin. It’s happy scent and I love it. Perfect for the summer 10/10 for me.

smells just like you're in a spice shop. not getting the sunshine people are talking about.

A warm fragrance. lemon is the first note to appear but the soul of this perfume is the spices. The cardamom and cinnamon are presented in a smooth, velvety way, wrapped with a soft ylang ylang and sandalwood.
For a moment it feels gourmand, like a spicy biscuit.
It’s a comforting fragrance, it evokes a mood. Takes a while to fully develop and come to form. Definitely a autumn fragrance.

What? This is so interesting! I don’t think I’ve smelled anything quite like this before. With that being said, this is a PURELY unisex perfume that starts out a bit more masculine and dries down a little more feminine. The spices in the top are pretty prominent… I know anise isn’t listed, yet somehow I smell it? I use it often plus cinnamon for when I make cranberry sauce and it reminds me of opening the pods up. This is an addictive smelling perfume, and smells very luxurious. This is definitely different… if you wear this, you WILL turn heads just off the basis of it being such a unique smell. I like this, and find it so captivating… I’m not sure if I would wear it myself, but I would be so hypnotized if I smelled this on someone else. I’ll give myself a little more time with it and see how I feel. What a unique and special creation! Also, I do NOT get any citrus here. Just spices, florals and woods. The opening is very spicy and herbaceous but the dry down of this is INCREDIBLE.

I saw people compare this to Elie Saab Le Parfum, but it's nothing similar except for being another warm sweet oriental citrusy perfume but wayyy less uplifting and captivating. It's also kinda mature smelling and very linear on my skin. Nothing horrible. Just too warm and orangy for my taste.

My NO 1 favorite fragrance to smell. Not on my skin, but on someone close.

I discovered this fragrance hunting for ylang-ylang note for my personal scent project. The first time I spray this on my wrist to test it, I was blown toward me wrist - not blown away. It's so alluring. I've turned into a psycho digging my own wrist for a solid 15 minutes. Somehow I didn't get nose-blind by it neither.

If I can explain it through the screen, this will be Bach: Cello Suite No. 1 (youtube it if you don't know the song) but floral. It's deep and resonating with such a unique vibration that the first note touches your nose and you can say that's MFK-AVF. It's delivered in classical form where each and every nuance tickle your senses in multiple direction at once. It's kinda similar to Universalist forte but imagine this one is played by a gorgeous woman in modest luxurious dress with amazing hair done on top of the music she's playing.

very unique very luxurious scent. its ideal for spring or summer. smells like 2000$ bottle perfume

This is a solid "ok". There's a strong high-end hairspray from the late nineties vibe. The orange flower is similar to the one I remember from his Le Parfum's but less sweet and with a more interesting spicy/aromatic base.

It's nice, I don't think I would ever have a strong desire to wear it again. I would buy it as a scented hand soap.

I really like the bright and citrusy touch of this fragrance and owned many bottles of it however, due to the price factor I shifted to a dupe of this by Dua fragrances known as the 'Acqua Del Mundo' and I must say I'm really impressed with the creation. It smells the same as the original that too at a much affordable rate. It is an ideal choice to wear especially in spring and summer seasons. The performance is good and I'd recommend each one of you to try out this masterpiece!!

Aqua Vitae Forte is the ideal summary scent. Orange flower, which I adore, is used in just the right amount, along with ylang-ylang, bergamot, lemon, and some sweetness. It speaks clearly and is clean, which I adore. But sadly I don't use it right now because I can't really invest in MFK perfume right now. I would appreciate it if you could let me know if you know of a decent duplicate for this fragrance.

It is interesting that people say this is very feminine. To me it smells quite masculine maybe because the sandalwood comes out strong and reminds me of several male colognes. From the bergamot fragrances the 724 smells much fresher and feminine than this.

To my nose most of the Aqua Vitae lines are the same formula with different dosages and twitches to swing from a fresh-floral and musky profile, to a more oriental sweet floral concoction.
At least Francis makes this practice public with projects such as Gentle fluidity where he achieved two different spectrums with the same ingredients.
My AVF bottle has lost citruses which is natural, and has been left mostly with an alluring, sexy ylang-ylang dominant scent with a warm and soft amber body.
If you like it, but struggle with the potency of this fragrance, possibly try the Universalis Forte -
which has a more lenitive top and heart notes for then going back to the exotic and heady ylang ylang and orange flower backbone in gentler way.

I sincerely like this fragrance.
I agree that you either need a cold weather or at the very least some wind to pull it off in warmer days.

Heavy sillage, long lasting 12+hours.
If you need a compliment getter, you will have to scroll down to another MFK creation (lumiere noire pour homme, baccarat rouge, fluidity silver etc...).

In the end a solid 7/10 ylang ylang orange blossom sensual fragrance suited for colder weather.

Aqua Vitae forte is a very unique perfume. It seems like it takes everything nice from Universalis and spices it all up. There is much of ylang-ylang, sweetness from it is well felt. The spices are strong! This definitely has a noticeable ambience, it is piquant, intriguing, lively and exciting. Also very forceful, not for the faint-hearted. If you are sensitive to smells - avoid, this is not the cleanliness/laundry/freshness for you, can be nauseating. I would classify it more of a warm weather perfume, but during a hot day it can become much. In comparison to Universalis forte, this is much more potent, lasting and projecting, probably because it has more support from longer lasting notes. It surprises you from the first smell, but having it on all day becomes irritating.

A beautiful fresh unisex fragrance that can be easily worn by both women and men(although from my point of view is a more masculine fragrance) in any occasion or season IMPO. It has a high longevity for a citrus perfume. I just love it!

I bought a sample set from MFK. I did not expect too much from this particular frag, because it sounded too masculine and fresh for me.

But what a pleasant surprise!! I love this one! It starts with a spicy, citrus blast. Definitively the bergamot. But I also smell a hint of cumin, though it's not in the list.

I also like the dry down a lot. Warm, fresh ànd interesting at the same time. Long lasting as well. I like this so much better than the other MFK fresh frags I have tried so far. No laundry vibes as in 724 and more feminine than Gentle Fluidity Silver.

I thought it had already faded, but at the end of the day, a frag loving friend stepped into my office and complimented me.

As a man the original Vitae is far superior and more masculine. This version is too citrus cinnamon and flowery.

for some reason, this smells like piss on my skin I have no idea why it is not pleasant to me

Omg I love this, this is such a happy scent! I totally agree with the comment below, this is also my fav fresh scent from MFK, aside to L'eau a la Rose. This just brings me back in time, two summers ago...That summer I was working so much and I just used this perfume to cheer me up while everyone was enjoying themselves outside and it made me so happy, it truly truly lifted up my mood. Most of the time I am not very into zesty perfumes, with sharp citrusy notes, but this is such a great scent - it is a bit sharp in the beginning for a couple of hours and later it turns a bit softer smoother. Perfect scent for summer, bright luminous, cheerful and uplifting!

Aqua Vitae is probably my favorite of the MFK freshie line. It does a good job at blending clean almost starchy floral notes with a creamy woody undertone. I don't love it, but probably would reach for it if I were given a free MFK pick. My one big gripe with it is that I already own other fragrances in the same genre that I personally prefer, Chanel Edition Blanche comes to mind.

So how does the forte version compare? It's essentially more of the same stuff, but to my nose not as fine or balanced. Much more of that starchy laundry detergent vibe in the core really sticking out like an irregular spiky geometric shape, with added cinnamon compounds that add even more edgy to it, hence it being called 'forte'. Personally I don't really like it, nor do I hate it. I would stick with the original if I had to, but once again there are many other superior and also cheaper creamy bright citrus fragrances that I would pick over either version.

I did buy a new sample 23/12/2022 from the House website. I am afraid that the perfume was reformulated.

I did try my old (prior to 2019) and the new sample side by side.
-The older had a clear cardamom and cumin / cinnamom vibe.
-The new formulation are much fresher and transparent. Ylang ylang and orange blossom seems ampt up.

The new formulation is really generic and soulless.
If you want freshness and easy going smelling clean fregrence. You would prefer the new formulation. I miss the old version. In my opiniom it was a cardamom master peice. It was a nuit de l homme done a la Francis Kurdjian.

Performance of the new formulation is very good.

Anyone feels, AVF is AUF+Vanilla&Benzoin?

MFK’s Aqua Vitae Fort has been sitting in my collection for a couple of years being neglected. I just tested it. WOW! It’s an absolute masterpiece. It appears that my taste and recognition of a fabulous fragrance has developed since first purchasing it. It’s definitely going to get worn….and frequently from now on. Francis Kurkdjian is a brilliant perfumer. I just love his work.

This is a silent killer.
Now that my taste is come so far to appreciate the soft fragrances more, I am totally in love with Aqua Vitae Forte AVF.

>Description:
-This is perfect for spring.
-This is a niche light musky, flowery, spicy, sweet, scent that can be rocked by any age. It can be dressed up or just for casual wear. It is like a musk scent or a light creamy sandalwood added spices. The main spice here is cardamom sweetened with cinnamon. You can smell the sweetness but you can't get the cinnamon unless you know what you are looking for it. I get some faint cumin scent in the background.

-Middle: As this scent progress, ylang flower gets more to the front while the spices keep the scent in the realm of masculinity.

-Dry down: it get a bit dark.. it start to smell like sweet licorice. I love this part even more.

>Performance:
This is light and semi-transparent and hence the name aqua. It diffuses nicely without hitting people in the face. It got some sharpness to it. it lasts a good 8 hours and longer if you spray on clothes.

>Compliments:
-It s pleasant and non-offending. HOWEVER it got a sharpness and sweetness that can get on the nerve of women if over-sprayed or in high heat.
-Less is more with this scent and not something for close encounters.
-You wear this to have something special. You want most compliments, stick to Sauvage or Bleu.

Carambola surrounded by citruses! Yet it sounds masculine to me, with some cologne vibes. But I found a perfect match for Girl by Rochas. I needed something citrusy to prolong the opening of Girl (black currant, grapes, and feijoa that was disappearing to quickly). These two are meant for each other on my skin. An hour later the mix sounds like a totally different creation, very feminine, going towards a sweet (vanillin like) dry down.

DinaFrance (perfume reviews on youtube)

My birthday gift for myself is splurging on this. I have received a sampler of this 2 years ago as part of a gift from Naiman Marcus. It was also my introduction to MFK and I must say I love it. It just up my alley. I have smell the famous MFK BR540, Oud Satin Mood and 2 other more that I can't remember the name. I am so happy. So far this is my favorite perfume in MFK collection. This reminds me of Guerlain Shalimar Cologne (with no iris) as well my favorite Tom Ford Neroli Portofino Aqua. I loved it.

The very first MFK fragrance that I had to scrub off because I couldn't stand it
And I usually love citrus scents!
Cant put my finger on what exactly I didn't like about this whether it smelt cheap, dated or too harsh...
Just not my cup of tea

Not a good blend. This is all Orange Blossom and Cinnamon. My opinion, cinnamon only blends well with lots of spices or woods as the dominate scents, not florals. I am not feeling this fragrance for that reason. The cinnamon in this is blended to a more floral scent. Does not work. It feels like its missing something. The original Aqua Universalis/forte and Aqua Vitae are the better blends.

Bright citrus, smooth, rounded and not sharp, hints of warmth and spices. Hints of 4711's neroli and transparency, but not as thin or sharp. Very nice, versatile, pleasant, high quality. Not especially unique but does have a higher level of quality and blend than the usual citrus. Like it...possibly a love, but not unique enough for the price premium as there are lot sof substitutes.

Wearing on one arm with MFK L'Homme a la Rose on the other. L'Homme is more unique with an unexpected refreshing rose on a bed of aromatic masculinity. I prefer the L'Homme for both it's uniqueness and the smooth rose.

Scent: 7.5 / Sillage: 7 / Longevity: 7

‘The gentle G’

It feels fem to me because of the ylang and orange blossom. As a man, you NEED to wear it proud and stand your ground or people will be confused. It will garner people’s attention in the first few hours of application. Projection is on point. After about 2 hours it will become more intimate. This will portray your as a classy, rich dude with appreciation for the finer things in life. This fragrance doesn’t need to shout though as the composition draws people in. You could say it smells like a 5 star hotel’s exceptional bath products. Clean and inviting. Citrus is definitely not the focus here. Did I say floral?! I use 3 sprays aside with 2 sprays of molecule 01 and since I don’t really have an odorless deodorant I use my Le male stick. It works really well together and on a confident G-day I enjoy this a lot. No doubt you will be the best smelling dude in the room!!!

I would not wear this in the summer time, citrus is weak here and fragrance is not fresh at all, it has milky vibe after drydown and its much more on women side, not good for males in my opinion...

the best from aqua collection. linear fresh, lemony, sweet, i love this. expensive smell

Really love this one. Ideal for all seasons and almost any occasions. Not masculine but a bit sweet, fresh, clean and musky. I pick up mostly citrus sweetness from the opening. No cinnamon at all. The sweetness becomes less faint as the fragrance dries down. The musky scent starts popping up, creating a bit cleanses. The sweetness continues stepping down, leaving some silky and warm.
I have worn it in tropical island weather and continental low humidity area. The sweetness of grapefruit is more obvious and stays longer in tropical weather.

This has a similar vibe to Eau des Merveilles, but less complex than that. Leans feminine.

This has the MFK white musk DNA with some soft freshness. The thing I don't like is it has a sugary milky cereal vibe to it.

I love this….so much

Long lasting and smells great in AC controlled environment (hovering around room temp 70-75 degrees F)

BUT this is majestic outdoors in the heat 75 degrees and above

This is summer in a bottle and an excellent piece of my summer rotation

Upon immediate spray is the smell of cardamom and some cinnamon, though the Ylang Ylang comes in quite strongly. Oddly enough, my first thought was of honey and bananas: it’s a very gourmand scent, and it sits thickly and sweetly upon the tongue just like honey. Aqua Vitae Forte is less of the warm/spicy or fresh scent that the notes describe and more of a pleasant kitchen smell, best suited for a brunch with friends or a stroll in the park.

Like a fuller, significantly more aromatic version of the original, which smells like a lemon meringue with citrus and white florals accents. Very fizzy top between all the citruses and spices, with an intense underpinning of tropical, almost banana-like ylang-ylang plus a touch of woods. Moderate projection starts to fade in 3-4hr, longevity 7-9hr. The only one of MFK's Aqua series, besides Universalis Cologne Forte, that has anything even approaching respectable performance for me, though it's also a heavier scent than its siblings.

When I first sprayed it I had to re-read the name "aqua vitae". I was expecting a freshy or citrus and right away I got gourmand. It doesn't smell like gingerbread but I don't bake things aside from those that I could compare this too. So a dark baking delight. It must be the cardamom and cinnamon. The lemon came in a few minutes later and then I got confused.
On the dry down it started to smell spoiled. Like wet wood or a faint burning smell.

Lothair smells similar.

This fragrance is everything I ever wanted from a monoi de tahiti inspired scent, I think it’s stunning. If you liked Replica Beach Walk or Tom Ford Soliel Blanc but found they went kind of screechy on your skin after the initial blast, try this. It’s suspends the creaminess of ylang-ylang and it perfectly balances the citrus, floral, and cream vibes. It’s bottled happiness and sunshine.

Similar in story to Petit Matin, both are sunshine vacation in a bottle, but PM is citrus-soapy with cleaner florals and this is citrus-creamy with sweeter florals. Go for this if you like that summer vacation a warmed skin scent.

Edit: after wearing this in a high-heat, tropical climate, I now recommend it only for the cooler months. Think of this as a tropical island escape from the winter; too sweet and heady for heat.

Aqua Vitae Forte is, in my opinion, a very classy, beautiful, creamy white lotion citrus-floral. The orange blossom and cinnamon gives it a soft, unique slant to what would probably otherwise have been a typical citrus-floral, but it's saving grace is that it's got that Kurkdjian magic that makes this entirely his, and he does what he does best which is to elevate the ordinary citrus to the extraordinary. With all that said, Aqua Vitae Forte is a scent that I would anticipate to find in the bathroom vanity of ultra posh luxury hotels of European coastlines. But they're not the cheap shampoo-conditioner-soap-perfumes set that the maid has in her cleaning cart by the dozens though. Oh no no no! This is exclusivity. This is the souvenir/evidence you bring back home to say You've Been There and good times were had. And this isn't to say anything disparaging about people bringing back hotel products, because hey, if you paid good money on luxury, why not bring the hotel's very own lotion, candle, perfume or two? I can totally imagine smelling this on someone who came back from a luxury resort during her vacay, and brought the posh experience with her; the sunshine and post-vacation glow is all over her and it smells like Aqua Vitae Forte, not Tom Ford (sorry Tommy). But oh, you weren't supposed to know that because she has too much class to brag about her recent escapade.

I think this is fragrance is the best on my skin compared to the other freshies (Aqua Universalis and Celestia). I feel it's because citrus here is complemented by woody and warm spice accords so it doesn't smell like detergent which used to be the case with Universalis and a bit less with Celestia. This could be an excellent choice for the summer months to get this fresh feel but not really a signature fragrance.

I got this as a tester and I strongly hated it at first. But something kept me coming back, and now I feel like I can appreciate it and have grown to really like it. The first hours with this consistently give me a headache and make me feel ill, but the dry-down smell and the creamy spiced smell it leaves on clothes is so amazing. Some days I wake up early and think to myself, wow I really am compelled to start up the wearing process on that again today, and I go through a roller coaster of feelings and regrets for the first couple hours until I really start to love the scent again and think it is so amazing and unique. I won’t buy a full bottle, but I am ready for fully experiencing this perfume in my 3ml tester.

Cannot get past this being a candle or home cleaning product I would not want to smell like this at all

This is beautiful and I loved the citrus spicy punch at first, but then I can strongly feel the cinnamon and unfortunately I don’t tolerate cinnamon fragrances on my skin.It makes me extremly nauseous. It has good lasting power. My search for the perfect MFK fragrance keeps on going.

This is very beautiful scent. I’m surprised that I still smell it on my shirt from yesterday morning. I was about to take it for laundry and boom the scent is still there and strong!

Call it whatever u want, If you have no idea how Ylang Ylang smells like - well Aqua Vitae Forte Its basically Bal D'Afrique by Byredo with a slight pinch of cinnamon.

It only gave me 2 hours of longevity and then sit close to skin for the remaining of it. The dry down was all musk and thats that.

Its not necessarily bad, just that... Im still learning or maybe forcing my way to love this House...Searching continue......

If you can't afford mfk prices! There is an alternative dupe for this. It has no cinnamon but it's 90% identical to this mfk. It's called 9 am by afnan! They don't have that one listed here on fragrantica. As I own both, It's definitely worth a buy if you want the aqua Vitae Forte smell with decent longevity and sillage! As always! Try it for yourself, everyone has different DNA!!!

Only one MFK I hate 🙁
It’s not blended well together and i’ve got headache and dizziness everytime i tried to wear this

Why in the world I thought this will be a feminine fragrance. If is written unisex, for sure is more a male scent. For a man this would be very nice, elegant and not overwhelming great for the summer but for me as a woman, no, thx! The longevity seemed great, I sprayed it only on my wrist but when I felt that masculine sent wasn't curious for more.

NO! Not that I hate this, I was just expecting ALOT and fell in love with the reviews, so much that I bought a really expensive decant from a country far far away. My bad! The citrus-warm-cinnamon-wood thing just sounded amazing, but it does not work for me. In the end the wood notes feels to masculine for me, even though I am a unisex woman. The day after application my clothes smells soooo good, but that is not enough because perfume does not work like next day soup.

After sampling 8 fragrances from the house of Francis Kurkdjian, AVF catched my attention the most. It's unique and so good, it might be leaning a little bit feminine but believe me it uniqueness makes people wonder what on earth they are smelling. Well, it's a spicy combo of Ylang-Ylang and Sandalwood with a burst of lemons at the opening smoothened to perfection by Mr Kurkdjian. Simply Amazing!

My favourite from MFK <3

Sadly not for me... I only smell a soapy bergamot with some ylang-ylang. Fortunately I only bought 6 ml that will sell :)
I prefer Petit Matin that is fresher on my skin :)

relatively delicate fresh sweet citrusy scent. its ok

I smell two notes not listed. Petit grain and litsea cubeba

This one is „OMG „ to me. A warm , powdery , fresh , sweet aromatic sunny woody heaven scent !! I could sit and bathe in this one. I wish it came in all the body / cream options.
Extremely well done as it‘s airy and sweet , fresh and spicy all in one. I get hints of freshly baked cinnamonRolls and gingerbread cookies, then I get stark powdery sheets blowing in the wind with the sun blasting on them , „over dried „ and soaked with solar woody vibes ready to be taken inside .
Musky , clean powdery ... it doesn’t get any better.
FK crested another master piece with this one. Another scent that doesn’t smell perfumy but rather puts a realistic beautiful airy scent cloud around you !!
Momentarily my favourite perfume even more so than baccarat 540 .. which says a lot. But they are also greet together !!
I wear my body products of BR and this perfume lately and it’s all I want to smell. The new cologne forte version I also spray with that. Heaven on earth !!!

Nope not for me. The lemon in this is really off putting, it goes into cheap car air freshener territory for me. I was in a taxi, and I thought to myself, the air freshener in here is really overpowering, acceptable but cheap smelling. I realised when i got off that it was me and Aqua Vitae Forte. I guess there's some sort of bright tropical flower feeling to it. It also has a spicy woody aspect to it, but the lemon really overpowers everything, it smells more like lemon grass than lemon to me, but a very chemical impression of lemons and lemon grass. The combination of it and the other notes is strange.

I'm so disappointed. The opening is bright and fresh, but after that all I really got was ylang ylang. I smelled like expensive soap. I never picked up on all the spices that others have experienced. I hung in there waiting for the supposedly amazing drydown, but it never materialized for me. Instead, this sadly seemed quite linear. I feel like I must be missing some of the notes because it sounds like I'm smelling a different fragrance than most of the rest of the folks here. My sample is straight from MFK in Paris.

The projection is moderate--within an arm's length--and the longevity is great. Good news for those of you who can enjoy this more than I did!

This is very spicy and cinnamon dominant on my skin, the dry down is easier on my nose and once again the sillage is nice (not smelling it directly off the skin), it lasts pretty long on my skin. Is this something id wear after a swim? I dont know, im going to give it a try, this was something i blind bought due to the covid 19 circumstances, cant really go and smell anything and we have no samples around so... i think i might get gentle fluidity silver next...
Overall this is a beautiful spicy and floral scent and i think will preform very different on others' skin, i know for a fact that my skin makes perfume more sweet and spicy
8/10

Oh, wow, just noticed this smells a lot, almost same as soleil neige from Tom Ford on the dry down...

So I blind bought it :) After bad opening kind of feminin after 1 hours it turns in a beautiful sandal woody masterpiece.

Imagine naked sunbathing on some balearic Island, smooth and sexy.

Unisex right in the middle.

Scent 9/10
Proj. 8/10
Long. 9/10
Price value 7/10

Its pleasure scent...not for formal situations.

A different take on orange blossom and ylang ylang. I loved the opening, very lemony with cardamom, super refreshing and refined. Drydown was the best, quite linear and slightly vintage-like . I think it's a fun way to think yalng ylang, which doesnt fall in the exotic fruity summery blablabla but paired with cinnamon and other spices is kind of a nice dryness. I wouldn't wear it, but its a great fragrance and boy if it lasts... 12+ h

It does smell like fennel and citrus, a little piercing. Drydown is nice

I am writing this review from my recollection of a decant that I had 2 years ago because the decant is long gone but the fond memories of it persist indefinitely. The opening is an extremely bright and dry lemony-ylang citrus, like something from a male's cologne. The citrus top notes are persistent but what defied expectations, to my complete delight, is the way in which it transmogrifies into an almost cloying, dizzying heady white floral and then is just fixed for several hours after that.

I (22M) just got a bottle of this beauty and upon sniffing it on my wrist, AVF immediately came to my mind as a dream of orange blossoms, fruity/florals and lemon. So beautiful. It also gave me fond memories of receptions and weddings when I was young.

I will be wearing this in the 35C humid hot weather in Singapore to report on the longevity after. (only wore it indoors/in air-conditioned spaces)

Report (05/03/21): I permeated the space around me with beautiful AVF. A pity we all have masks on. I would say the sillage is akin to a contained sphere of about an arm’s length. After about 5-6 hours, upon smelling, it mellows down to a lovely bouquet of soft orange blossoms for me. It would be so lovely to wear this to a small al fresco gathering.

Aqua vitae forte is a beautiful fragrance, it's a must have for me it's my favorite from the aqua line, this is unisex even tho it's marketed for women,
It's like a sunny ,sexy creamy cinnamon, floral lemon.

A bit weird and confusing to me. The notes by themselves are really good quality though. In the top theres a pink pepper bergamot combo with a little powdery vanilla underneath. In the middle a chocolatey cinnamon starts to come out and it blends really well.

Myissue with this one is that the bergamot remains quite a while and the scent gets quite confusing with the sharpnessfromthe bergamot and the cinnamon. Unique, but not for me. Love or eh for most people i'd assume.

I was looking for a summery scent. From MFK I got down to two options. Aqua Vitae Forte or A la Rose. Sampled both and on me I love the dry down of Aqua Vitae Forte more and it lasts also longer, it's probably the spices. I have to say it's my favorite from MFK. I also have Baccarat Rouge 540 both EDP and the extrait version, and Grand Soir. But I love Aqua Vitae Forte the most. It's so cheerful, sexy but elegant at the same time.

first time i tried this i sprayed it on a paper tissue... i brushed it off as something okay and put down the tissue on my bedside table. couple of days later i toucher the tissue and got a whiff of this amazing mix of citrus, sweetness & floral... i picked the sample and sprayed it on my wrist and uuh it's sooo beautiful.

unlike APOM this has the perfect amount of orange blossom which i love, combined with ylang-ylang, bergamot, lemon & some sweetness.. makes it the perfect summer scent.
the drydown is even more captivating when you add the creamy sandalwood to the mix.

100% bottle worthy. 9/10

Wow everyone on this frag page knows their quality stuff. I am very novice, and cheap. My questions are: Has anyone tried AFNAN 9AM for comparison to this scent? How does it fare?

Woah this is definitely how I love to smell citrus. It's spiced (cinnamon, cardamom) and warm while still remaining feminine and lovely. The ylang supports the orange blossom making it sweeter and gorgeously heady. -

Gorgeous, this is the warm citrus fragrance I was looking for. Immediately ordered a full bottle. Normally I prefer more lineair fragrances, however this is the first non-lineair where I enjoy all stages while wearing.

Very citrusy fresh, with a bit peely vibe, reminds of Italian summers. I am not a fan of citrus or fresh perfumes, but this is an exception. It smells unique, confident, speaks loud and clean.

Significantly more feminine than the EDT, the opening is pleasant but the heart is an absolute failure. I don't know why, but it immediately reminded me of some sort of tan lotion or sunscreen. Because of this I find it a rather pointless release and way overpriced. It's sweeter and obviously denser, but nothing more. I don't really try to wash or scrub scents off my skin, but this is definitely a scrubber. Unfortunately going against the grain here, but this one is not for me.

3/10

From the opening, full bodied citrus with a dry feel, quite a solid backbone behind it unlike most citrus. Quite pleasing, and it’s dryness is both woody, ambery and mildly soapy. The ylang is very noticable and heady, perhaps overdone to my taste, but it definitely gives it an edge which makes it stand out from other citrus, offering a bit of class in a genre which usually lacks that. The orange flower gives it a soft, powdery feel, as with a lot of white florals, it gives it that soapy feel also. This is just initial impressions but overall it feels like an expensive soap in a luxury boutique hotel, not really the kind of thing I’d spray on myself. Quite fem to me, and not a fit for my own personality. If you enjoy orange flower, ylang, and soapy fragrances this is a solid one to look into for you, thats pretty much a lot of what you get with this one. It's not the sparkling, glistening kind of citrus but rather a thick, creamy citrus floral musk which I can imagine works in most situations and most weather on the right person, high versatility, unisex to fem, soapy citrus white floral musk is my summary... kind of a high class shower gel is the overall feeling I get

This is way too feminine. Gave my sample to my mother. Why on earth would anyone consider this unisex?

I sort of get the celery-comparison. However, to me, it's more like a sparkling Gin & Tonic with lemon. I get kinda the same pine tree/jupiner smell that I get from gin (which is probably the same smell others associate with celery). But after a bit in the sun - at least on me - that smell fades away and I end up getting a slightly spiced sparkling lemonade.

I agree with @dtwaddle celery comparison,

My first thought was, that this smells like old yellowish grass, that someone peed on.

might be high quality and stuff, but it is hard pass for me.

This is an odd one for me. I’m trying it on skin for the first time from a decant (11ml travel spray direct from MFK) I was looking for a long lasting summer freshie. It’s definitely fresh plus it seems to project well and last long so that should be a plus. When I see the notes and read most of the other reviews it’s a straight up citrus but that’s not at all what my brain is interpreting. I get something very VERY green. Someone below said celery and dang if that isn’t what it smells like to me, celery. I’m not saying this is a bad scent but it’s certainly not the citrus scent I was expecting. I’ll need to wear it a few more times to see if this one is indeed for me. My initial thoughts are if I’m going to so green summer scent it would probably be XERJOFF-1861 Renaissance before this.

Aristocratic feminine summer frag - I see mature powerful women pulling this off with ease. Powdery-flowery top right out of the first minutes, drying down to a woody spiced base. This highly feminine top (yes it is), that rests diminished but alive over the base notes at dry down will make most men out there discard this immediately. It is high quality, but femininely overpowering. The drydown unveils an slightly aristocratic kind of brightness. Good performance but again, mainly feminine and, for women, a versatile fragrance to my nose.

Sometimes you sniff a perfume and you wanna have it for rest of your life, all you do is sniff sniff and sniff from this and to me Aqua Vitae forte is that scent.
What a rich and beautiful perfume, it will melt your heart with first sniff. Stunning composition citrus, floral and sweet spicy note in completely clean and refreshing base. It feels you are lying on Tropical Island under warm shinny sun, very comfort and relaxing.
This perfume opens up with blast of citrus and sweet spicy note, a nice blend of lemon, orange and cardamom. After that magic with adding floral notes will began. A creamy and sweet mix of orange blossom with ylang ylang give it a little tropical vibe and a touch of vanilla and other sweet spices make it warm and extremely sexy and cozy although vanilla is not listed in here but I am sure I can feel it in there.
Finally all of this is rested in base of creamy woody sandalwood. What a fantastic ending and what an addictive scent. Damn you Francis Kurkdjian.
I enjoy from every breath and every second of this perfume on my skin.
Also it has a strong performance!!!

بعضی وقتا یه عطر رو پیدا میکنی که دوس داری تا آخر عمرت این عطر رو برا خودت انتخاب کنی. این عطر از مزون لاکچری فرانسیس کورکجیان همون عطره.
یه ترکیب استثنایی از مرکبات و گل که هر کسی رو میتونه توی اولین نفس عاشق خودش کنه.
این عطر با یه شروع مرکباتی از لیمو شیرین و پرتغال به همراه هل و دارچین شروع میشه که یه شفافیت و شادابی بی نظیری داره. اما بعد از چند دقیقه است که قسمت دیوانه کننده این عطر شروع میشه. یه میکس فوق العاده از شکوفه پرتغال و گل یلانگ یلانگ که به این عطر یه حس خامه ای و استوایی مانند میدن و با اضافه شدن وانیل یه حس گرمای دلنشینی به عطر اضافه میشه. مثل این میمونه که توی یه روز خنک توی یه جزیره زیر آفتاب گرم و دلنشین لم دادین برا خودتون.
در انتهای هم تمامی این نت های زیبا توی یه بستر خامه ای و چوبی از صندل آروم میگیرعجب بوی اعتیاد آوری داره این عطر.
ماندگاری و پخش بوی عالی ای هم داره.
اما قیمتش یکم تنده اما کاملا ارزشش رو داره از نظر من.

I wanted to love this scent. I'm a huge fan of MFK, but this just doesn't work for me.

I get no lemon, citrus, spices, woods, nothing. On my skin, this smells like straight celery, and I can't wear it. I can't believe nobody else has the same experience with this.

I love every other scent I've tried from this house, but this one just doesn't work. It's linear, so the whole duration of the fragrance is just several hours of a strong celery smell.

Hard pass.

Layer with BR 540. You're welcome.

Nice generic freshie with decent performance. Not worth the price though. Leans more to feminine side.

After trying all of the other fragrances in the Aqua line this is probably my favourite. I like this version much more than the original Aqua Vitae. Unisex, but much more wearable for women than AV. I don't tend to gravitate toward citrus scents in general, preferring orientals and vanillas. There is something soft and creamy in the dry down of this though that appeals to me.

Aqua Vitae Forte is a fresh and clean scent with substance and oomph. The orange blossom comes through heavily in the opening and the dry down is surprisingly creamy and absolutely gorgeous.

AVF is reminiscent of CK One as there are similarities in the scent's vibe in the initial spray, however it is not nearly as soapy and comes off more thick and complex especially in its dry down. Projection and longevity is very good.

To me this is perfection in a bottle. First thought after the very first application - Unique came to mind. The opening with the cinnamon has blown my mind away. It is so beautiful, feminine and addictive. There is something very interesting with this fragrance - the middle notes and particularly the ylang-ylang are the last thing left on my skin, not the base notes. I did find something similar in the development of the notes with another FK fragrance, as well (Amirys extract, which I also love), somehow the composition does not follow the stereotype - first top notes, then middle notes, then the base, but the other way round. I so much desperately want a bottle of this...

Beautiful fragrance, bright citrus top and cinnamon, spice and everything nice base to warm it up. Projection beast, wow! Leans more feminine due to the strength of the floral notes.

Well, I signed up just to leave a review.
One month ago I got a sample from Paris. It wasn't the love at first smell, but eventually I fell in love with this scent, something was so unusual, unique. So I decided to buy a full bottle. You know what happened? I'm sooooo disappointed that I will sell it after two days of using. It's not the same scent I fell in love with. After one hour I don',t smell anything. Something is reformulated, although MFK office says it isn't. I truly wanted this to be my signature scent, I was happy when I bought it and now I can only cry.

I want to love this perfume. I should love this perfume. All the notes that I love are in there. I just don't love it.
It starts beautifully fresh but dries to something akin to shampoo I used as a child.
It has a true warmth but there is something of an old lady vibe about it.
It reminds me of when I used to sneak a spray of Tweed from my Mother's dressing table - that's perhaps the ylang-ylang as it dries down.
I won't be purchasing this one.

Came for the citrus, stayed for the spice!

An absolutely gorgeous fragrance that, similar to Baccarat Rouge 540, doesn’t shout “perfume!” but rather creates a scent cloud around you. People aren’t necessarily going to know where this amazing scent is coming from. They’re just going to wonder why the air around them smells so good.

Smells really high quality. Still impressed me to this day from 4 years back when first tried it at a sample. Mr. Kurkdjian really is a master perfumer, if you look at the notes he made it smell like really clean without adding white musk and made it exotic smelling and expensive without adding patchouli, oud, and other ingredients that are added just to make a perfume smell expensive. Most citruses on the market smell the same like all the lines of atelier cologne with a baby cologne like quality but this one is well done that decently project and lasts long. It's like simple Salt pepper and steak done by Gordon Ramsay. You can really tell that it is done well. Smells clean and fresh without the addition of clean smelling ingredients.

-Pick Renaissance 1861 from Xerjoff.

-Remove the zingy surprising fresh mint opening

- Exchange for 2% of the absolutely sweet opening of Woman of Now from Elie Saab.

-Remove the middle astringent elegant herbaceous masculine hints of it's short duration.

- Pick that Xerjoff's Renaissance drydown base of light musky creamy overly intimate note


-Replace with light sunny balmy woody sandalwood and beach yellow mellow flower vibes


-Mix the result spreading it all over your body, everything at the same time.


That's it.

It's "Forte" but projection is at maximum 10cm from skin.

It's a scent for a night out by yourself or together with anybody. It asks for some little sweat. Like a brisk walk sweat or Hmm..Is going to rain. It's been hot all day! vibe.

The perfume makes beer and booze to taste better. (! Not obviously drinking it, but you will find whatever you're drinking much better while using this perfume.)

It invites you to be in the hot air of a summer night or waking up with the sun on your face at the beach after sleeping in some puff at the sand with candles around and nice decorations and company.

It's too elegant to be an after/during sex scent, but there is a very nice sexiness on it. Maybe a kissing and touching sexiness. Sexy with elegance and maturity. Not desperation.

A toothpastey vibe appears in the middle around 2h after applying.

Same happened with Xerjoff Renaissance to me.

My skin at the wrist tends to make all more ozonic while sholder, chest, neck more dry and salty.

It's toothpastey in all places mentioned.

A toothpaste very expensive and used by a really wealthy elegant (not snob!) sexy mouth that might be in a hurry and will arrive a bit late for it's agenda of the day but it doesn't care. It will smile a big smile and say cheekly joking and apologizing later, that is chic to get a little bit late.

And everyone will agree mesmerized by it's aura.

I would buy a full bottle but you need to buy two of it if you want some projection.

Definitely a beautiful scent for anyone who wants some sparkling light elegance to it's hot days and nights.

My friend, a fellow fan of fragrances, described this as her preferred "brunch scent". I get that. Aqua Vitae Forte is strong but light, casual but elegant. I fell in love instantly. Upon first spray, I get a super creamy ylang-sandalwood combo. Normally this would be a bit cloying, but the lemon-orange blossom is key here: it opens up the sweet vanillic floralcy of the ylang-ylang and sandalwood and creates a sheer, luminous halo that is anything but heavy. The cinnamon and cardamom are there, but only as background tones, adding the slightest bit of spice to the joyful heart of this fragrance. Honestly, this could work in warm weather or cold, but blooms better under sunlight and sweat. Deliciously unisex with stellar performance. Thank you, Francis!

Edit: I was reading other reviews, and I realized that I forgot to talk about the boozy note. Other reviewers have mentioned a gin/vodka note. I also detect that, but for me it always fades pretty quickly. There is an effervescent gin note there, but the florals and woods subsume it pretty quickly. I certainly wouldn't describe AVF as a boozy scent! But I suppose this does help with the "brunch" qualification, haha.

Do not expect anything refreshing though this fragrance is named "aqua" and is said to be citrusy! It is all about warm spices (cardamon and cinnamon), heavy flowers and creamy sandalwood !
Go for it if you love those notes! Not my taste but I think it is a masterpiece! It screams ELEGANCE!

Smelled like lily-of-the-valley at first. It is complex, it smells of high quality. It reminds me of an expensive soap or expensive face cream. Feminine is my first thought, but as it dried down I thought I might like this on a man. A floral spiced with cardamom and some woody citrus. I don't like it on my skin, but if I smelled this on a passerby I'd be intrigued and attracted to the smell.

This fragrance is powerful. It starts with a very sharp citrus-vodka-gin bomb to me. Thick, aromatic, and weird. Then, the sweets and florals start to project as crazy! This was the strongest perfume I ever tried in my life. Although interesting, it is very offensive to my nose at the point I had to wash my wrist.

Crazy enough, it did not come out and lasted more 8h on my skin. Absolutely insane. I guess that I should try the non-forte version as this one was too harsh for me.

Longevity 12h+
Projection 4h+
Scent 3/10

First sniff: citrus and ylang-ylang- it's a strange one. Absolutely unisex. It has good longevity, moderate sillage. I can't compare anything else, good scent, unique like Baccarat rouge.

Aqua Vitae, the predecessor, has notoriously bad longevity and sillage issues. The scent, also, was unremarkable, to me, at first, and still is, in that it is simply a well done citrus with an inclusion of vanilla. There was no listed oud or woodsy note on its profile at the time. It fell into obscurity in my collection, but I am grateful for it being my first MFK sample, though it was hardly the best foot forward for what'd soon be my top 3 house.

Come Aqua Vitae Forte, bringing the same concept -- a citrus with woodsy elements, with better sillage and longevity. Conceptually, the fragrance is welcome. In the heat of summer, and amongst all the aquatics, there is a longing for something of more depth. Something different to the run of the mill citrus. Does AVF deliver, in that regard?

To be frank, I cannot quite answer that sufficiently, as I haven't worn it in the high heat. It is my second wearing, on the back of my hand, and the opening has dried down into a familiar MFK musk with floral and woodsy elements, maintaining that citrus... I seriously doubt it will last in high temperature. Already, there are concerns about sillage. Which is somewhat disappointing, but at least it's wearable compared to Aqua Vitae.

Scent wise, it's a step in the right direction. With all these matin releases, and the clean citrus line up, it admittedly does get a bit confusing as to what the rankings ought to be in terms of MFK Summer scents. Aqua Celestia Forte remains king, but AVF has its place too, alongside Petit Matin and all the rest of it.

Use case could be a sweltering summer night, even if it is decidedly bright, or maybe an exceptionally hot spring day. Certainly during a mild summer day, in a shaded, green environment, AVF would do well.

I'll take the opportunity to say that as unremarkable as I found AV, AVF's scent, again, certainly has a time and place. It's comforting, somewhat, to know that there's something different to the clean floral citruses that MFK tends to lead towards. Whether I wear it much remains yet to be seen. The scent is certainly noteworthy. Sillage, again, a concern.

This fragrance grew on me. When I sprayed this for the first time, it smelled like dried fish on my skin. Still, I kept on testing my sample just to be sure it is not for me. Every time I try again, I was slowly falling in love!!

Today, I sprayed it at around 10am. By 5pm, I went to my last meeting for the day with a client (this time I can only smell it as a skin scent). My client is 2 feet away and she said I smell wonderful and kept on asking what am I wearing. I was not even aware that the scent is still there.

How my day ended? I promised to give her my sample because she’s a really important client. Now, she will also be a Maison Francis Kurkdjian client.

I first smelt this by chance in a shopping mall in the Philippines! I was surprised to see MFK for sale there but... there you have it.

At first I loved the opening of this and thought it smelled less of citrus and more of sharp berries, like raspberry and gooseberry. On second try I couldn't detect that at all so not sure what happened there!

Anyway... the opening is very nice, very MFK - the middle is a bit soapy and white floral, kind of sickening (I always find that with white floral)

But the magic comes in the verrrrrry long dry-down. When you go to bed, you will wonder why you keep sniffing your own wrists and feeling very comforted - Aqua Vitae Forte is why.

Alas, this is a feminine scent. And the effect of the comforting nature of it at bedtime, made me realize I don't want to keep sniffing myself, I want to sniff this on a lady lying next to me!

That would be perfect - so a perfect gift, for the lady in your life but as a man, it's too floral, too gentle, too comforting and lacking enough grit and bite to make it masculine.

Picked up a sample a few weeks back. It is going to be a really hot day here in Melbourne so decided on MFK's AV Forte.

WOW - Loving it so far. The initial citrus blast is so refreshing... It's been an hour now and the scent has settled down into an intoxicating mixture of floral/citrus/spicy/green.

All of these olfactory textures seem to flickering in and out of each other. I can understand the 'feminine' aspect of this fragrance as well as some reviewers have mentioned, and I agree a little bit. There is a powdery/floral aspect that leans a little bit towards the feminine side. BUT - not overpowering. and IMHO - Totally acceptable on a hot summer day.

Will update in a few hours ..but one thing is for sure. Francis Kurkdjian is a genius.

UPDATE:
------------

It's been 14 hours since the first few sprays and I can still get the whiff. IT was a really hot day here in Melbourne and had no issues with the scent.

Yes - it leans a little bit towards the feminine side BUT I don't mind that because it works perfectly for a hotter temperatures.

I'll try out the standard Aqua Vitae in a few days and post up a comparison soon.

I always get the compliments from women. Its scent is smooth and clean, but sexy in the same time. Should test it, don't trust the reviews 100%. The most beautiful in the series.

This opens just like Aqua Universalis Forte with the vibe that ramainds me of Ck One and when AUF changes in to very floral scent and its more for women this remains like Ck One in drydown as well..Would I bought full bottle for £170..no..for that kind of money it needs to be unique and not just perform. Its a pass for me for the price.

I get strong blasts of ylang-ylang in the opening with hints of pepper and mandarin. The dry down is more sandalwood and vetiver, but the ylang-ylang is still noticeable throughout. This is a totally feminine fragrance, in my opinion, I wouldn't class it as unisex (maybe in the dry down only). The longevity is amazing, I put it on at midday, played football (soccer) at 9pm at night becoming covered in sweat and I could still smell it before getting in the shower. I gave my sample to my wife because it is too feminine for my liking, but still a great scent.

Amazingly beautiful, and perfectly unisex.
Lasting is 6-8 hours on skin, more on cloths.
Projection for 3-4 hours.
Its like the younger brother of Aqua Universalis Forte, which has more beast-like performance and projection. This one is more subtle, doesn't fill the whole room. But leaves a pleasant trail.
Sure complements

Highly sophisticated French aromatic floral constructed as a modern "chypre". The perfume begins with a fresh aromatic citrus burst encompassing lemon, bergamot, mandarin, cardamom, pepper and cinnamon. It proceeds to a floral heart comprised of ylang-ylang and orange flower, and finally dries to a powdery base of vetiver and sandalwood. Unisex (slight feminine leaning) with moderate to strong sillage and excellent longevity. A very safe work scent that is likely to offend no one. Enjoy!

Sharp, citrusy, floral, sweet sublimity.

Aqua Vitae Forte is a very unusual neroli + ylang ylang + citrus combination. The main notes seem simple but there’s an exceptional hidden blend of sweet vanilla, benzoin, and cinnamon in the background paired with hedione and some light woods which makes it incredible.

Even though it turns too sharp and almost astringent on my skin, I’ve smelled it on paper and on women and it’s absolutely lovely.
This fragrance made me appreciate ylang ylang and its tart, beautiful, tropical smell. And it is this note what really blurs the the line between the citrusy sourness and the spicy sweetness of this scent to the point where you can’t pick up any individual notes.

Also, its powdery drydown (a few hours in) somehow reminds me a bit of Eight & Bob's.

It’s clean, bright, sharp, pretty, and a bit feminine. A beautifully refined fragrance that will keep you smelling gorgeous and unique.

Longevity is great, I applied it about 20 hours ago on the back of my hand and I can still smell it. Projection is probably a bit above average.

A bit too feminine.

Really very special - as opulent and multi-layered as any of the other offerings from MFK (king of the ultra-rich sweet and woody barnstormer) - but with a sharp spank of citrus and flowers that blossoms into the essence of summer. Smells like a sunlit morning walk through the most beautiful seaside garden, which has a mini citrus orchard of its own; I don't mean that it's "aquatic" smelling, but that it has an amazing mix of outdoor freshness with luxuriant sweetness.

The ylang is *very* prominent on me, so steer clear if that note turns you off - try Aqua Universalis instead if you want something more purely citrus - yet it's cushioned in well enough not to get overpowering. This one also has hidden depths; the spice is very definitely in there too, somehow not warming the mix up, but giving a deeper, shadier crook of nuance to things as well (in some whiffs it gets so spicy I thought 'cumin' but relax - there is none - it must have been a vetiver aura.)

The sweetness and floral edge make it lean feminine but I think any male wearer who loved this enough could carry it off. Longevity is not quite up to the astonishing stamina of Aqua Universalis Forte, but it's still leagues ahead of most things in the summer-citrus category - easily still pumping away up to 6h after first application on me, which is amazing for a freshie.

What more can be said? It's just beautiful. Further proof this is a house that justifies the hype, and goes a long way towards justifying the (frankly scary) price as well.

MFK’s Aqua Vitae Forte is beautifully thought out and unreservedly sensual. Desire in a bottle.

Lemon peel with tart bergamot and sweet, almost honeyed Sicilian mandarin marry vibrant cardamom, cinnamon and pink pepper to form Aqua Vitae Forte’s thick, golden citrus-spice opening. Kurkdjian’s treatment of the citrus here is smolderingly warm rather than fresh – quite unique and very beautiful.

Slowly the citrus fades, revealing as it does the middle’s permeating floral bouquet of creamy, fleshy ylang-ylang and heady orange blossom wrapped in the spices’ still persistent golden warmth. The effect is intoxicating, mesmerizing even. The eventual dry down matures with vetiver radiating its nutty earthiness, and sandalwood adding to the composition’s overall creaminess with the spicy floral bouquet still evident right to the very end.

Sophisticated and enticingly warm with a beautiful velvety smoothness, there isn’t another citrus fragrance like it.

Entirely unisex. Longevity is good at 8-10 hours on skin, days on clothes. Sillage is moderate.

9/10

Fragrance -Aqua Vitae Forte Maison Francis Kurkdjian
Bottle from - 2016

This fragrance reminds me of a sparkling eternal waterfall of magical healing water in a hidden paradise,just like in the elven realm Rivendell,you're not allowed to visit.Aqua Vitae Forte opens with illuminated,bright,fresh and citrusy notes with dominant lemon mingled with warm spices,followed by charming ylang-ylang in the middle,that give way to a woody,earthy,creamy and sophisticated mix of sandalwood, vetiver and ylang-ylang with a wisper of magic in the drydown.It is a beautiful and amazing fragrance.

Longevity - 7/10(7+ hours)
Silage/Projection - 6,5/10(moderate projection and silage for the first 1-2 hours)
Weather - best in spring and summer
Age - 22+
Compliments - 9/10
Scent - 10/10

Main notes according to me -
ylang-ylang,lemon,cardamom,orange blossom,cinnamon,pepper.

The drydown is nice and creamy and i get some -
ylang-ylang,sandalwood and vetiver.

Emotions -eternal waterfall,magical healing water,bright,
hidden paradise,illuminated,sophisticated.

Occasion - For more or less any ocasion.

You'll get compliments and LOVE with this one.Nice for signature scent.

Believe it or not, there are hints of CdG Odeur 53/71 in this.... The last thing i expected this to remind me of

WOW! I went on an MFK sample spree this week and picked up a decent amount of MFK samples, so I am reviewing this one first.

So, to me, this is definitely unisex but feminine leaning. I would never choose to wear this scent for any occasion but I need to talk about how beautiful this fragrance is.

I sprayed a nice blast on my hand and the opening is a burst of bright lemon (quality lemon, not synthetic in the slightest) ylang ylang, and orange blossom. As it starts to dry down, the citrus fades and the blossoms start to take center stage (ylang ylang and orange blossom followed by sweet spices (cinnamon) a faint hint of cardamom, and creamy sandalwood, this is a sweeter milkier sandalwood as opposed to the dry sandalwood in some other fragrances.

There is a sweetness here too, it plays throughout the fragrance coming and going just enough to let the spices and florals come through. I'm assuming that the cinnamon and mandarin are contributing to that.

This is really, really well done. Francis Kurkdjian seems to be one hell of an artisan when it comes to creating fragrances, this is the 3rd one I've tried and despite me never wanting to wear this, I can't say anything bad about this fragrance. It's balanced, it smells amazing, it projects, but it's not offensive. It's really exquisite. Definitely summery/spring and daytime for sure....it's bright, I could see this fragrance cheering someone up too, that's how bright and uplifting it smells.

Truly wonderful.

Aqua Vitae Forte, the water of life. It certainly does have a water-y vibe to it, but even more so - woody. I get a lot of creamy sandalwood and a bit of citruses with cardamom (both of the later ingredients fade out quickly to me). This scent is very elegant and classy, smells like an aristocrat (the price fits one as well). Other than that I do not get much more going in it. The sillage is modest, though the longevity is great. This would definitely be in my spring/summer rotation, if I could afford it. Maybe some time in the future. All in all, a great fragrance by Mr. Kurkdjian.

Wow... This is absolutely gorgeous. Opens with a sour, but very smooth citrus, and transitions quickly into a creamy floral (with a touch of vanilla? I dont see that listed) sandalwood dry down. It's so so so ridiculously smooth.

I would not have guessed this is something I would enjoy if I looked at the note breakdown on here before trying it, but man does it just make me feel a certain way that is hard to describe. Warm. Comforting. Soothing.

Sillage is not huge, but it's there. Longevity is very good. 12 hours or so.

VERY feminine. Smells a lot like an expensive version of CK One. Powder. Floral. With a bitter citrus. MFK always does "playing it safe" particularly well. This would be a great gift for a woman who's rather bland and indescript.

The spices are what make Aqua Vitae Forte. That magical, golden trail of cinnamon, cardamom and pink pepper is simply heavenly and thankfully completely unisex. The scent is fleshed out with full fat creamy florals that pour like velvet over subtle sandalwood and vetiver. An utterly beautiful scent which is surely one of Mr Kurkdjian's best. It lasts a long time and sillage is perfect for a summer scent.

My husband makes a signature lemon meringue pie: gorgeously sweet thin-skinned meyer lemons with a hint of floral nectar, dark Mexican vanilla in dense egg whites and pure heavy cream, and a deliciously rustic, buttery crust.

Although not a gourmand perfume, this is what Aqua Vitae Forte reminds me of -- my sexy man, in the kitchen, baking a treat just for me. But I can't put a picture of him in his apron in the "reminds me of" box above, so I'll attempt to describe Aqua Vitae Forte as follows:

The fragrance itself opens with a beautiful floral lemon note, realistic, sweet, mouthwatering. Ylang ylang adds an irresistibly creamy heady floral essence with orange blossom enriching the citric budding beauty.

The sandalwood and cinnamon add richness and warmth in the base and a balmy, humid sun-kissed vibe. Pepper, cardamon and vetiver add some balance that keeps the mood dynamic while still being incredibly smooth. It really does feel like walking on a tropical beach with your partner at sunset.

I've tested a few MFKs and haven't been compelled to purchase a full bottle yet, but Aqua Vitae Forte may well change that as I spend some time with my sample.

Imagine smelling the highest quality sunscreen on a stunning sun-kissed woman lounging on a perfectly warm day on the coast.

عطر جميل وينفع حق دوام من اجمل العطور الرجالية لهذه
الدار منعش مع لمسة حلاوة اليلانق
wow the best perfume for men by kurkdjian
citrus ylang sweet
10/10

A simply stunning fragrance. Aqua Vitae Forte takes the lemon and mandarin opening of the original and pairs it with fruity, creamy, sunscreeny ylang ylang. Hints of spice, notably pepper and cinnamon, add warmth to the composition without dominating the top notes. The base eschews the guaiac wood that was so dominant in the original, with sandalwood and vetiver taking its place. The overall composition is incredibly well balanced, and much more unisex than the overtly masculine original - one could even say it leans feminine. The effect is sunny, creamy and utterly mesmerising. One of Francis Kurkdjian's best.

I like this one better than its predecessor, and thankfully got rid of the oud, but still too many notes duking it out at the top. Dizzying.

Captures the emotion of when you and your lover are lying next to each other on a beach or a resort and looking at the sunset.

You both just got out of shower, crispy clean and fresh. Your muscles are relaxed after a massage or a spa and you lie there, with the breeze blowing at both of you and the orange sun provide you with the warmth.

Then you, or you lover rests on his/her chest and watches the sundown. No complicated thoughts, no words said. Complete and content.

The freshness of taking a shower, relaxed after a massage or meditation, the warmth of glowing daylight, and the sensation of clean, yet slightly salty skin.

Aqua Vitae Forte - 10-12 hours of bliss

I have tried finding another masterpiece from this house after finding Lumiere Noir Homme.
This has been my last try of 7 or so disapointments.

Aqua Vitae Forte is a very nice woman's floral fragrance. The lang lang and the orange blosom make the florals heady, I heard it called. That hyper feminine white floral scent you get from woman's fragrances.

Lumiere Noire homme, and APOM homme, Petit Matin, Aqua Vitae, and Aqua Universalis are the only unisex florals by MFK that are truly genderless, or slightly leaning masculine.

My mother was one of the best florist's in America. I used to go in the woods and pick lilly of the valleys for her bridal bouquets. I would like to find a white floral fragrance with orange blosom and Lilly of the valleys that has some masculinity. The best I have found is Seville L'Aube by Duchaufour.
I also enjoy Aqua Universalis for the lilly of the valley.

Rating: 7/10

Merry Christmas. John 3:16

Scent - mandarin, lemon cinnamon, orange blossom & cardamom.

Season/Time of Day - I prefer to use this one in the warmer months, day or night.

Projection - I did get noticed, I didn't get a compliment.

Longevity - I get 24hrs consistently.

What a beautiful mixture of citrus,flowers and woodsy notes.
Opens up with a somewhat bitter soure and fresh spicy citrus.Within five minutes sweet bright ylang comes in and takes this blend to a whole new level.
Woodsy notes are dancing along with mildly sweetened citrus and freshly cut pepper grains.
Marvelous is the word suited well this perfume.
Great presentation.

MFK is not your typical clean citrus. The spices are dominant through out the fragrance , I can certainly say the fragrance is non linear and complex citrus scent with ecent longevity of 6-8 hours .

Typical French Perfumery not loud but skin scent with whiffs of fragrances as the body heats up.

More suitable for European Summers . Fantastic

Awesome fragrance that again shows the clear difference between mass oriented generic stuff (invictus, eros, 1 million, azzaro wanted, etc) and the NICHE parfumery. This house offers highly versatile and sophisticated fragrances...it is a few steps ahead of others like Diptyque, Mancera, Montale, Annick Goutal, Etro, Penhaligons, etc....
This is slightly different to the original...denser to be honest, perfectly suited for summer COLDER nights, spring, fall and even winter...This, the original and both versions of A. Universalis have the same undertone or MFK DNA...
Scent 8-9 out 10
Performance 9 out of 10 (a projection monster that last well over 10 hours)
Versatility 7 out of 10 (it is to high class to be worn while in the supermarket or the office...)
Overall a nice 9

There's something behind the citrus that gives this a masculine bite. Beautiful stuff.

Week 4 edit:

Ok - so unfortunately this wore me out. While I found a masculine quality at first, it quickly became quite feminine to me. There is a decisive floral note - possibly freesia, that messed it all up. Since this is very well blended, it's hard to pick out certain notes. I gave my travel atomizer to a female co-worked, who loves it. Not for me.

3/10

I've ordered a few samples from MFK and this is, by far, the one that got me. It's a bit masculine, but I would't consider this a masculine scent. It's more of a strong woman scent, empowering one. It's crisp, fresh yet sparkling, like a good champagne. The lime gives a bitter note to the whole composition and this balances the scent which is citrusy and spicy, but also a bit sweet underneath. It's a very warm scent, I love how orange blossom and ylang-ylang sit on the woody notes. Uplifting and rich. Has an artistic vibe, which I love in scents (the spirit of Aqua Universalis Forte reminds me of one of my favorite fragrances: Givenchy Extravagance d'Amarige, minus the green tone).

6/10

Under the family woodsy spicy, this scent of fresh citrus versatile nature with predisposition and very unisex power is hidden.

Admission is radiant and bright, very nice, with citrus and spices foreground seconding producing the effect of sunlight on the skin. a soft orange blossom embracing the pleasant scent of ylang here does not feel burdensome or overwhelming: floral once installed. After this a very sweet aroma body lotion is installed. As !! Kurkdjian adding his signature to all your fragrance (yes, somewhat strange and out of place), this effect disappears soon.
Drying is very durable, they feel the sandalwood well and also a nice vetiver anything heavy and very airy. To top off the trail a light and powdery skin musk very nice effect.

Overall I liked, I feel better than normal and Aqua Vitae Apom. The easy to use as meeting Eau de Toilette fresh for daily use (if you do not like intrusive fragrances) and also for warm seasons.

Good quality, with a very good length and smooth wake, added to a correct execution.

Rating: 6

I've never liked citrus fragrances...i mean not that much to purchase this kind for summer.Why?Cause fresh scents is all i sense when i meet people,when i pass by them on the sidewalk or when i go for a coffee.Same happenned with Aqua Universalis Forte,MFK's summer best hit.Nope!So when i got near Aqua Vitae,same thoughts crossed my mind.Why on Earth would i want to test another lemony potion?And the miracle happenned!Right in my face Aqua Vitae opened up in a most wonderful cool breeze scent that blew my mind and my nose!The Santal baby,the santal makes it all worth it!mixed with just a small amount of red pepper and all the exotic flowers together with the fruits themselves makes it worth the whole 70 ml.Techicalities are great also.Amazing projection,and really longlasting,i mean 20 h on my skin!Highly recommended!

It's a lovely light sweetish citrus fragrance. Lasts long on the skin !

A great and stunning one from MFK. Actually, this house is slowly becoming one of my favorites maisons. It's a floral/cardamom/citrusy/cinnamon combo, and these ingredients were so well crafted together,as it was mentioned above: a bright and solar composition. A solid and great fragrance from Kurkdjian!

It was a complete blind buy for me.....NO REGRETS AT ALL !!!
lemon, cardamom, a hint of cinnamon and this banana fruit scent, which i didnt know but read that it comes from ylang-ylang, plus a gorgeous creamy sandalwood drydown!!! Such a beautiful fragrance perfect for spring time

This is a must have, one of the best citrus scents out there. No, I don't know all of them, haven't tried many because somewhere between being a teenager and a grown-up I've grown out of them and moved to a more mature feminine perfumes.

And such is MFK Aqua Vitae Forte. It is not your ordinary fresh sharp citrus perfume, it's much more subtle, much more sophisticated. This is the best, the most gentle and comforting citrus perfume that I know of. A perfect blend of citruses as top notes with softer middle and base notes that make the perfume something special. It's not only for sunny spring and summer days, I'm wearing it today on a rainy fall day and it's lifting up my mood.

Try and fall in love.

Beautiful!! It really like the opening,immediately reveals fresh,lively,full of life and color! Lemon dominates the opening ... Perfectly balanced and unisex! this is fantastic. The sillage is moderate and longevity very good (12+ hours). This parfum go in my collection! . As time goes proves really beautiful, with a floral touch, thanks to orange blossom and ylang-ylang. Which blend with the other notes becoming something exceptional, almost intoxicating dream ..very beautiful enjoyable. Highly I recommend it!.

Sillage: 7.5/10
Longevity: 9/10
Scent: 10./10

Overall: 10./10

OK my review on this is much less sophisticated than the others here, but I received samples of this with some cosmetics purchases from Neiman Marcus and fell in love with it. The lemon opening note is a sophisticated citrus and although I don't see it in the list of notes, I detect a vanilla somewhere in the drydown. I believe the SA from Bergdorf told me there was vanilla. This is a lovely fragrance-I don't usually buy fragrances at this price and I had to have a bottle! I didn't even think twice about the price, it seemed that special. I do feel that it leans feminine but could go either way.

SPICEY FLORAL

Yes, this shares a similarity with the non-forte Aqua Vitae - but they are different enough that a name change would have been more than acceptable.

Aqua Vitae is the subtle, sophisticated, unisex sibling to AV Forte's flower and spice bomb.

No doubt, top notch ingredients are used, but with a heavier hand.

I am not adverse to wearing a fragrance with a dominant floral note. However, AV Forte leans too far female for my taste.

He's done it again. Like a rich golden island sunset.

The original 'Aqua Vitae' was inspired to create a scent which evoked a "celebration of life" as well as a "feeling of the first time" according to its creator, Francis Kurkdjian. If 'Aqua Vitae' is a playful day at the beach, 'Aqua Vitae forte' is a carnal romp in the sand at sunset. Kurkdjian has definitely turned up the heat and sex appeal with this second outing. The result is a sensual and more seductive fragrance, a so called "fragrance of desire". Calabrian citrus notes of bergamot and lemon join forces with sweet Sicilian mandarin to open the fragrance with a hesperidic accord. This lively citrus blending is matched by a trio of warm and piquant spices. Guatemalan cardamom, Ceylon cinnamon, and Szechuan pepper render a spicy dynamic which feels rushing to the senses and quickens the pulse. The opening is truly intoxicating and reminiscent of the invigorating effect of summer's warm sunlight hitting the skin. A permeating floral heart composed of Madagascar ylang-ylang and Tunisian orange blossom eventually bursts forth. It is a heady, narcotic, and sweetly floral arrangement, taking its wearer to distant exotic locales. The floral heart seems to last the longest in the evolution of the fragrance's dry down, providing with it an alluring and sultry charm. Slowly the warm woody nuances of Haitian vetiver and East Indian sandalwood are revealed in the base. Overall the effect is irresistible.

Read my complete and in-depth review at my personal blog: