Aqua Universalis Forte

This is the guy that revolutionized the designer fragrance game when he introduced us to Le Male back in 1995! Acqua Universalis Forte is one of my very favourite frags in my collection. In fact, currently it ranks number 3 overall (Niche/Design)..... Here's an interesting tidbit: I've read that this was one of the concepts that Francis Kurkdjian had pitched to the creative directors at Giorgio Armani for Aqua Di Gio...... Thankfully for him and for myself, it lost out to what is NOW Aqua Di Gio; and thus, he released it later on under his private House (Acqua Universalis Forte)..... IMAGINE: Stretched out in your Cabana or lawn chair in your backyard on a cool late spring-mid summer afternoon..... There is a gentle cool breeze blowing and there are beautiful whites hanging on a clothesline very close to you, projecting the most amazing/refreshing high-end fabric softener so appealing to your nose......you like? Well, this is Acqua Universalis a Forte to the Nth degree!!! Right off the bat you get a powerful, yet not overwhelming blast of sweet, citrusy lemon. Right away, it is followed by a soft, uplifting Jasmine/Rose combination.... For me, this is pretty much what you'll get throughout the entire duration of the fragrance.... Sweet, crisp clean linen is what you get. Even when the fragrance has completely left your skin, you'll simply get a soft Woody, musky scent.... Sprays: I go 4-6 sprays... (2on the chest, 2 on the neck and one at the top of the head). This might sound a bit outrageous to some of you, but although this fragrance is somewhat heavy;ironically, it doesn't project all that well. What I found truly unique about this (few fragrances have in common is): while the projection is not that great, meaning it won't put anyone on blast or grab anyone's attention, it DOES HAVE excellent sillage... People will notice it, they will like it and they will know you've been there (kinda like "who was THAT"?) LONGEVITY: 6-8 Hrs. I don't even count the drydown because once it starts to dry down its basically left your skin and is reduced to just a very soft woody musk.... OCCASION: Smart casual, an afternoon or early evening date..... At a party, engagement bash.., etc!!! SEASON: Summer for me BIG TIME! Yes you can wear it during the spring and early fall, but trust me when I say this baby really sparkles brightly during those hot, humid summer days when you need that little something to perk you up. In this respect, A.U.F is very uplifting, very invigorating. It's like a bright light!!! CAVEAT: If your a guy that is truly confident in his own skin & sexuality, you will pull this off in a fabulous way. If you're the type that is skiddish about wearing florals, then I suggest you STAY CLEAR!!! Not to worry, all is not lost, because thankfully in his discerning tastes, Francis Kurkdjian has also created Aqua Universalis (drop the Forte), which is almost identical less that floral note that might be a bit awkward/unneasy for some... When you study the note breakdowns...., it's that Jasmine/Rose composition that may scare some of you men and perhaps leaving you feeling: "too feminine for me"! CONCLUSION: while it may not knock everyone's socks off I give this frag an overall A-A+ or 9.5/10. I LOVE this scent! It Very bright, very invigorating, and it is very unique in that as a CITRUS in that it remains SHINY during its ENTIRE duration.... Only one other citrus or Aqua type scent approaches that level of performance for me right now and it is Bergamote22 by Le Labo... This is EXACTLY WHY it's number 3 overall in my collection! Bravo Francis :)

I used a sample of the original Aqua Universalis and was wondering what the difference between AU and AUF truly is. I got a sample, wore it until it ran out, and bought a bottle 2 months later. Having owned this for a little over a year, I can say that I prefer this version better. The Smell: It smells like the original Aqua Universalis with the florals dialed up to 11. The citrus is still present and hangs around for quite a while. When I first tried this version, I was immediately struck by a memory of being a kid with my grandma at a beauty salon. When my grandmother was at her appointment, I distinctly remember smelling flowers and I think that's what AUF reminds me of in a way. It may be why I connect to this version better. The woods and musk make this thing last and hang around all day long. I couldn't quit smelling my wrist when I sampled it. The only knock again AUF is that it smells SLIGHTLY feminine but that's due to the florals in my opinion. This is unisex and anyone can pull this off if they wish. It's currently my scent of the day and I can't quit smelling it on my wrists. A year later and it's no different from first sniff. Smell: 10/10 Projection: AUF should project. Forte means LOUD. It does project for quite some time, but it does not project for longer than 4-6 hours. AUF is a lighter scent but with more projection. More projection doesn't mean that it has to melt your face off for 10+ hours. I think for what AUF does, it is great projection but I will deduct some from it since I wish it wouldn't become a skin scent almost immediately after that 4-6 hour window. Projection: 7/10 Price: $275 for 70 mL ($3.93 per mL). It's pricey but almost all of MFK's scents are around this range. I also know (owning 3 others by MFK) that I get what I pay for when I purchase one of his creations. It performs and smells great. I willl, however; look at the vast majority and, honestly, it's still high on that end. Price: 6/10 Versatility: Anywhere, Anytime. Possibly signature scent worthy but, due to the price, many will steer clear of making it a signature. I've worn it every season and it has performed. It's an inoffensive scent and can be worn in a variety of situations. Aqua Universalis Forte is one of the best from the house. It will be overshadowed due to the success of BR 540 but I still believe it's worth picking up a sample. If you own the original AU, I highly recommend giving this one a try. You may fall in love all over again.

To my untrained nose, quite a lot of MFK perfumes (namely Aqua Universalis Forte, Aqua Celetia Forte, Aqua Vitae etc.) have a gentle saltiness undertone. Some are stronger than the others. (Eg. Aqua Celetia Forte stronger than Aqua Universalis Forte), but not in a unpleasant way at all, nor does it appear to be genuine sea salt note. This faux note could be contributed by white floral and musk combined together, I cannot tell for certain. Maybe someone here can enlighten me. This citrus opening is prominent without being too sharp and detergent-like, adorned with white floral. Creamy and smooth. White florals here are very noticeable but aren’t screaming for attention. It’s given me a mental picture of a big dewy bouquet of white flowers sparkling in the first beam of sunlight in summer morning. About 30 mins after a spritz, lemon bergamot are taking a backseat, allowing the woody musky floral to take charge. Florals are more apparent at this stage, but only create a sketchy, shadowy impression: I can’t quite smell the rose nor jasmine sticking out, feeling that the roses are lending their gentle sweetness to the lemon citruses, giving more depth and making it more rounded, while this jasmine is mingling with musk and woodsy notes at the backstage. It’s soapy clean, but also reminds me of sweat. It’s almost like sweat but only better. Is this why people call this sexy? Contradicting isn’t it? It’s almost like saying “my body is clean, except my mind”? LOL. Alluring but not right in your face? Then not much development from that point on to the end, just fading gradually. It’s very clean, youthful, classy and versatile scent. Not the type I normally go for, but loving it.

"Fresh, Clean, and Crisp" I have always struggled with summer fragrances because they are typically boring or have lower longevity. Likes of Xerjoff 1861 Renaissance and Amouage Reflection have solved the problem, but they are not suitable for daily office use as much as I love them. They are too sophisticated, or still have ingredients that give them a little attitude. They are like driving a Ferrari to Walmart for grocery shopping, and just don't seem to work in the environment I work at. Aqua Universalis Forte has been a great solution, and it is a pleasant departure from the usual summery fragrances. It is extremely crisp, fresh, and clean, but not boring. It smells great, but not too complex. It has a decent sileage but not piercing. It gets attention, but doesn't suffocate. The opening gives a blast of florals and citrus, and it pretty much stays the same until the end. It has some soft musk and woods in it, but not noticeable until the dry down. The dry down stays close to the skin. It just feels so good to take a morning shower, spray Aqua Universalis Forte, and go to work. Two things to keep in mind: First, some men don't like floral scents because they think it is feminine. If you are one of those guys, stay a way from it. Second, the retail price of $275 USD is not justified for Aqua Universalis Forte in my opinion. It is really nice, but not $275 nice for a 2.4 oz. bottle. How lucky I was to find it for $145 USD.

There's not much I can add that hasn't been said already, other than my own experience of this fragrance. I absolutely love the original Aqua Universalis and it is this fragrance that introduced me to the MFK line of perfumes. Forte is indeed a stronger version of the original with excellent longevity, coupled with just the right level of projection, so no qualms from me on performance. However, the addition of the rose not only pushes this towards the feminine side, in my opinion, it also alters the composition so that the citruses are less noticeable and the beautiful lily-of-the-valley is diminished. To be honest, I'm not a lover of rose anyway. I find it 'old fashioned' in many fragrances; probably as a result of smelling rose scented toiletries at my Nan's when I was a kid! So perhaps my assessment is unfair but how I wish Mr Kurkdjian had chosen something other than rose to flesh out this composition. Interestingly, the rose note is listed as the least noticeable in the votes above, yet I detect it quite strongly throughout the life of the fragrance. As one reviewer has already noted, this does rather feel as though it's trying too hard especially as the original is just so fresh and lovely and gives me everything I need. However, these are only my personal preferences and there's no doubting that AUF is a fine fragrance with great performance.