FRAGRANCE | Aqua Vitae Forte EDP by Maison Francis Kurkdjian: A more sophisticated take on summer

halfwhiteboy - Aqua Vitae Forte EDP by Maison Francis Kurkdjian 01

Aquatics are probably my least liked fragrance type, so seeing "Aqua" on the label instantly made me skip this all those times I was perusing MFK fragrances in department stores. But then we got this bottle - almost still full - from a fellow fraghead as part of a bundled sale. When it arrived, I tried it and boy, was I missing something the entire time!

Simply put, Maison Francis Kurkdjian's Aqua Vitae Forte is beautiful. It's a very smooth blend that opens with a bright, lemony citrus, with an ylang-ylang note just bubbling under, patiently waiting for its time to shine. Much like how Kurkdjian tamed oud's pungency and made it more approachable in Oud Velvet Mood, the lemon here has been polished, its inherent sharpness sanded over, and while still bright, now has a comforting warmth to it. It's lovely.

The wonderful lemon doesn't let up easily. It goes out in the most gradual fashion, its strength fading in direct proportion to the ylang-ylang's rising prominence. It's such a beautiful transition and I am enjoying every minute of it.

halfwhiteboy - Aqua Vitae Forte EDP by Maison Francis Kurkdjian 03

Aqua Vitae Forte is unisex although some may find it a little too feminine-leaning because of the floral accord. I'm perfectly fine with it, however. While individually more noticeable, the ylang-ylang blends perfectly with a slew of other notes, resulting in a rich, creamy scent that's both warm and bright at the same time. This is a fragrance that lasts, with moderate projection for a solid three hours or four, and recurring wafts of it thereafter.

With Aqua Vitae Forte, MFK sure has changed the way I look at anything that says "aqua" on the label. I still don't know if I would call this an aquatic fragrance per se but what I'm sure of is that this is an amazing fragrance. It elevates summer fragrances to a whole new level with its velvety smooth sophistication, but is just as wearable in any setting nonetheless. This is something really worth trying.

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