FRAGRANCE | Vial trial: Oud Velvet Mood Extrait de parfum by Maison Francis Kurkdjian

I've held this sample for so long, sniffed it before, but only now have I decided to actually wear it. In extrait de parfum concentration, Oud Velvet Mood by Maison Francis Kurkdjian (MFK), which is part of his Oud Mood Collection, is an instant love for me.

I find it dry and woody, and as with probably anything Francis Kurkdjian, it's a flawlessly smooth blend. There always seems to be a certain finesse in his creations, for his namesake house in particular. The oud here is prominent but it's been tamed, stripped of all its pungency and polished into a scent that's classy and, I daresay, inoffensive. Not that oud is crass (and I love oud, by the way) but not everyone appreciates oud for what it is. What Kurkdjian did is make it a little "friendlier" and more acceptable to most people.

There's a tinge of sweetness here, but just enough to tone the oud down yet still allowing its earthy and woody qualities to shine through. The woodiness is therefore not sharp but instead of falling into another sweet drydown trap, Velvet Mood deftly steers away from it. This resinous sweetness, however, becomes a little more prominent several hours later, playing hide and seek with the woody oud. But by this time it's practically a skin scent already.

Projection is between moderate to heavy, depending on how much you sprayed, topping at about 4 or 5 hours before it starts to weaken. But this is a very long-lasting fragrance, and you can still catch occasional whiffs of it throughout the day.

Oud Velvet Mood is a beautiful, solid offering from MFK, potent but very pleasant. If there's any downside it will probably be the price, especially since it's in an extrait concentration. But I love it! Full bottle worthy!