Aqua Vitae Cologne Forte

I love this fragrance as an everyday spring - summer scent. I'm not a fan of the opening which I find too rich, but it quickly settles into a fresh warm citrus, woody musky scent that I love. I wish they made this exact formula as a perfume, as the cologne does not last long enough in my opinion. I get 3-4 hours, after that it has almost disappeared unless someone sticks their nose into my neck. I haven't tried the other versions of this (Aqua vitae and Aqua vitae forte), but from the notes they seem different, but maybe some one here can help me compare them? I have a sample, and am considering buying a small bottle for this summer, it's simply the lasting power that keeps me back for taking the final decision. My husband feels like it's leaning a bit masculine, but I find it unisex leaning slightly feminine. But we do not share taste in womens perfumes (anymore), as my taste has moved a bit into less sweet/fruity and floral, but more warm and rounded fragrances, but not heavy. This perfume does it for me, though I don't find i sexy or intruding, which is why I can wear it to work etc. I have bought the sample set for women, and these samples are my first experiences with MFK, as they are not sold in my country, not even online. So far, that are not all for me, a couple of them are definitely too masculine for my taste, but I'm impressed with the formulas though, and I think many perfumes are different versions of the same, there are more unique in my opinion. I can see lots of you disagree, but maybe you know more fragrances than I do - I enjoy the good handwork behind these fragrances ;-)

A fragrance that will be a happy companion for hot summers, those of the evening, those where the end of the day, when the skin has been attacked by sun, creams, salt, and sun, will be delicately perfumed with a subtle mandarin and delicate floral, and a light wood supporting everything: without being sweet, while remaining in the citrus register (the playful sparkle of mandarin) but tender with warmth, bordering on sunscreen but without the chemical aspect. I don't know of any other perfumes like this one, with this feeling of being in Sicily and being able to wear a perfume that harmonizes with a vague idea of the very special delight of a "summer evening," which doesn't assault like stepping out of the shower and even possesses a slightly creamy tenderness. It is very balanced, for a refined nose, less so for a loud, showy scent. It's MFK, a general spectrum where everything seems weighed with care and delicacy, without ostentation.

Honestly, if you had to listen to the comments here, no one would ever buy this fragrance. But for me, this is one of the best perfumes for running errands, going to the grocery store, hitting a Pilates class, or even the gym. It lasts super long and projects beautifully on both my skin and clothes. I can really smell the citrus notes and the solar note, which feels bright and uplifting. The musk isn’t very strong to my nose, but it does have a sweet and very feminine touch, though I truly believe a man could pull it off too. I absolutely adore this fragrance. I only have samples for now, but I’m already saving up to buy the 70ml bottle. Pure love!

My favorite from all the Colognes by MFK. It makes me feel happy, puts a smile on my face. Like, everything is going to be alright, you know? It is very... abstract. Modern for sure. Not citrus-y at all, not to my nose. On me it is semi-sweet powdery lilly (NOT lilly of the valley!). Gets sweeter with time if applied to skin. There're some other abstract flowers and creamy woods in the background/drydown but 90% it's the lilly. I only wore it in summer and the performance was OK but not great. It lasted on skin maybe 2-3 hours (much longer on clothes but looses its sweetness), and it was creating a small bubble for the first hour or so.

This is my second review. After three years, I finally got my hands on a partial bottle from the first batch — and I couldn't be happier. I’ve always loved Aqua Vitae Forte, and this one feels like its fresher, brighter sibling. It’s sparkling, uplifting, and absolutely perfect for summer or that carefree vacation vibe. I especially enjoy the blend of citrus, cardamom, and ylang-ylang — it's both invigorating and elegant. For me, this is a true love. I honestly don't understand why it has such a low rating here — it deserves much more appreciation.

I received a sample of the from MFK. I didn't think much of it when I sniffed the sample vial. But then I sprayed it on my skin - a wonderful, happy fragrance emerged. This is a perfect spring/summer fragrance, or something for a "pick me up" on a dreary day. It's like sunshine in a bottle. MFK knew what they were doing to send the sample because I want the full-sized bottle in the worse way now. **UPDATE** I finally got the full-sized bottle. Reasons: my sample ran out / there was a sale / I have no impulse control ;-)

This is such a beautiful expensive warm and sensual perfume it is marketed as a "summer school scent" the bottle and the marketing is geared towards that and yet I believe a all season perfume. This is where you get what you pay for. The floral noted and musk seem to be the most dominant, but just so inviting. The perfume is so beautiful the scent is warm and inviting and fresh at the same tone. Very feminine but such a lovely smell it fits into all seasons making it a beautiful perfume!!

Aqua Vitae is sunny, stylish, and breezy in every aspect. Francis Kurkdjian's fragrances are very good and beautifully designed and Aqua Vitae is one of the most fabulous citrus fragrances I've ever tried because the citrus notes are reminiscent of one of my favorite fragrances — Aerin's Limone di Sicilia. It's so refreshing and it smells feminine, clean, and relaxing. I am really happy by that fragrance. Going to buy that more!

I got my samples in 3 days ago , I tried them all and this one stood out the most to me it smells like a beautiful summer vacation, it's musky and sensual it doesn't project that far ,but it leaves a nice scent bubble around you ,it's perfectly unisex.. I wore it today and I was feeling like the man with this stuff on I'm definitely gonna buy the full bottle of this.

This was the scent of my 2021 vacation in Greece. I received a complimentary 5 ml sample from the MFK shop with my order. For me, this is the most beautiful citrus composition — a perfect match for the summer sun. I felt so energized after a shower, wearing Aqua Vitae Cologne Forte. The only thing stopping me from purchasing a full bottle is the price tag.

It’s a nice and clean crisp and citrusy fragrance. Great for summer and daytime wear. Very soothing after a nice cool shower. I highly recommend this fragrance. The woody notes are slight and brings down the otherwise floral undertones. Pricey, though. But well worth it. It is my BEST MFK fragrance so far. Rating: 9/10

A bit sharp and stringent on the card, but so much better on skin! Lovely citrus/light floral scent. Smells expensive. I’m not getting the solar notes, tried next to Tom Ford Soleil Blanc and very different (that’s my solar benchmark!). Not really getting musk and certainly not sandalwood... but still lovely!

Don’t forget to try this one on your skin. There’s a big difference between how it smells on a paper strip and on your skin. On paper, I got a weird, prominent synthetic musky smell, but on my skin, it’s a very soft, beautifully smooth floral vanilla. Such a pretty and uplifting scent.

This is a beautiful floral musk. The solar notes give it a summertime beachy vibe that I adore. It’s a sophisticated yet easy to wear fragrance that imo is on a level of its own due to being so unique. I love MFK. Like Dior Homme, very few come close to this level of elegance.

This is s pleasant fragrance. Much better than the silver one IMO. Smell is high end and I love the blend. The solar note is fantastic. Overall sweet but not too sweet. Good sandalwood. Pulls too feminine for my personal taste but this would be great on a woman.

This is something fantastic!! One day I wore it to a festival. The temperature was at least 45 degrees celsius and I smelled really nice. He lasted all night. You could smell it on my hair days later. Citrusy, floral, fabulous!!

This is really nice, i liked this the most out of the Cologne Forte line. Super smooth, creamy and sunny. Really strong scent for a freshie. Completely unisex, perfect for spring/summer.

Creamy citrus. A bit similar to DG LB Sun but fresher.

Smell like a orange and cream popsicle, love it

I've been testing the cologne forte line and I must say, I'm perplexed by the criticisms about them. Everything Francis Kurkdjian does in perfumery is done so with confidence and an air of deliberateness. Where they are light, or transparent in feel, they are intentionally so; but always in harmony and in a deliberate manner. Against other niche fragrances, I do feel they stack up (for example Tom Ford's lighter line). You would purchase these for a lighter, more solar experience. Maybe for a holiday, or everyday wear - or just because you like your scents to hang like a gentle cloud around you, or like the soft breath of clean linen falling across a bed. I like all three of those I've tried, and this one is my second favourite, behind Celestia (because I love the berries in that one). On me, Aqua Vitae Cologne Forte is a sweet solar scent with some powder and I smell a large dose of vanilla and casa blanca lily. Lily often has a chocolatey facet on me, and here it does too. A creamy, clean vanilla remains in the dry-down.

I purchased MFK's discovery for him. I actually quite like this one. I didn't expect to because I practically never see anyone online talking about any of the Aqua Vitae fragrances. I think I see why. The Cologne Forte, at least, is pretty understated, it's subtle, it's so much quieter than Celestia and Universalis CF. But out of the three Cologne Fortes, I like this one the best. This is not a citrus heavy scent. It has a musky floral scent to it that slightly verges into sunscreen. It also has a subtly sweet vanilla creaminess, and up close it smells powdery. The citrus is very soft and smooth, like adding lemon juice to frosting, it's just enough to detect it. Largely the same from beginning to end. I'm excited to try the other Vitaes from the brand.

I have a sample of this and I’ve been waiting all summer to try this perfume. The beginning of summer is playing emo as it has been cool cloudy and rainy. Growing restless I figured I try out solar scents to keep me warm and cozy on this rainy cool summer day. It was love at first sniff. I enjoyed the fizzy fresh citrus opening. Then it enfolds into warm creamy radiant aura. To me I am learning that these fragrances have a dna that might be linked to their musk and sandalwood combination. It is giving Gentle Fluidity Gold but bolder. It does remind me of my childhood. Especially hugging my mom but it doesnt smell like an old lady. It is nice. Still not sure if I want a full bottle. But it is still nice

For a non complex perfume, here goes my non complex review: This opens up to a sweet orange scent which is reminiscent to those orange popsicles i had as a kid. Transitions to a more vanillic orange scent combined with a subtle lily like scent. Dries down to a creamy orangey sandalwood scent. Out of the three cologne forte , this is the one i like most although i might be a bit biased since the wife uses this more than the other two. Pros: A sweet non offending scent which can be worn in places where strong perfumes are frowned upon (eg. a hospital, Japan) Above average longevity despite being a “freshie” Cons: Overpriced This scent profile wont let you stand out that much 7/10

Like mentioned by others before, the first thing that came to my mind was an Orange orchard. Blossoms and fruit at the same time. If you've ever been to one you are likely transported back to that memory. As the fragrance settles, those fresh fruity notes become creamier, when the sandalwood and musk start to shine through. Light and female, I'll be most likely wearing this in spring and summer and am stoked to see how it develops in warm and humid weather.

My experience of a sample vial from MFK direct: Citrus, but rendered differently than I’ve encountered. It’s like an orange flavored Flintstones’ chewable children’s vitamin kind of way, dissolved in a shot glass of water. (This is not a bad thing.) Not too sweet. A light, fresh musk. It smells how skin (tastes), but better. Perfectly unisex. Great performance for this ”genre” of fragrance. A solid like for me! Not sure it’s if FBW but it’s growing on me.

Orange and solar notes, perfect for summer. Fresh and clean! More fem than masculin to my opinion. In this brand, for fall and winter, I prefer Gentle Fluidity (9/10) = Oud Satin (9/10) > Baccarat Rouge 540 Ext (7/10) = Baccarat Rouge 540 (7/10) > Oud Silk (5/10) In this brand, for summer: I prefer L'eau à la rose (8/10) > Aqua Vitae forte (7/10) > Aqua Celestia forte (6/10) > A la rose (6/10) > Aqua Universalis forte (4/10)

This smells like if one of the Kardashians was a hot and sexy Orange, let us call her O-rang Kardashian, and her b-hole was freshly bleached, and her body was prepped for her first date with a Business Tycoon, an Alpha Male, of whom, she will later leave her mark on. In all seriousness, I sampled this and layered it with Dior Sauvage Parfum. Quite mind blowing.

I have been given a 5 ml travel spray with a purchase. The opening, I find it a bit weird, not really unpleasant, but not even pleasant, floral / solar in a strange, artificial way. Then it becomes muskyier and soft, much nicer than the opening. Overall, it is not bad, but I find it definitely overpriced for what it is.

A very pleasant and even smell for when you want to smell generally nice without any specific objective in mind. Not a radiant stunner by any means but when you just want to be prepared stepping out the door and make sure you're a positive agent in the world. Smells sunny but smooth.

Smells like an expensive creamsicle. Doesn't work for me or my life but for someone in their teens or 20s that wants to smell like sunshine, sugar, and a suntan will do very well with this. I would not say this is not masculine or for anyone over 30.

Really beautiful warm and sunny citrus-musk. The mandarin note is sweet and natural and long lasting. The musk is fluffy and cotton-like. Perfect if you are looking for a warm and sunny hot weather scent instead of the usual fresh citrus/aquatic.

Smells like sweet girlfriend. This is cute floral freshy perfect for outdoor activity. Nothing much here in the performance department, but if you want something fit to Bali beach, this is the one

This perfume is fragrant, delicious and sweet . Floral and Bergamot notes are dominant . It's like walking in a fruit and flower garden . Be sure to try it .

Citrusy fragrance void of any sweetness which makes it very clean in a way. So citrus with non sweet florals is the vibe I get from this. For me this is more a clean scent than a solar scent if I am honest. Or perhaps a solar scent for a guy who would find sweetness from citruses to be too girly in a clean scent. The musk in here is also so clean it is sometimes even a bit hard to detect. The dry down is better than the initial experience. On me it was so sour in the beginning it almost made me think of pee... But when it dries down that disappears, at least on me and instead the cleanliness or the soapy ness takes over. But sadly it is still not something I love to wear or feel drawn to. It is just a little bit too tart or clean. Those who describe this as reminding of detergents for cleaning like bathrooms are not completely off the chart. It can definitely be reminiscent of that in a way. But I can also think that on the right guy on a hot day this can really come to life when mixed with the real musks from the body. But on me this is a pass. The longevity is good however for a freshie as the citrus hangs in there. But it really lacks just a touch of something sweet or a bit more round to make this something for me. So personally I don’t agree with all who find this to be very feminine. To me this is definitely unisex even leaning quite masculine.

I was meant to get the original Aqua Vitae Forte but the lady at the counter insisted that this cologne version was indeed the same (and she’s paid to know the brand). So I’ve got the wrong one, so I’m assuming this is the weaker version. I like that it smells like sunshine and Lemon Pledge as it’s so sheer, luminous, minimalist, linear and ethereal - it’s what I imagine a halo to feel like above your head. I liberally spray this on to fake that saintly happiness. The downsides are the thinness of this, which does equate to poor longevity and it does remind me of lemon cleaning products, but I like this aroma. So it doesn’t smell special enough/expensive/luxurious, so isn’t worth the price in my opinion. If you want the ultimate quality version of this then try Acqua Viva and if you want exactly the same but at a much cheaper price then just get 9am by Afnan. But it’s the perfect effortless office friendly, summertime, gym fragrance, but 9am is my preference over the 2 given that it’s a fraction of the price.

4/07/22 20:49 Very nice orange rose mix. It has a familiar yet hard to place smell that reminds me of maybe a nice smelling grandpa? My grandmother went to France each year, so it smells like something she might have brought back to the states to have my grandfather wear, especially on special occasions, like grandson's birthdays. At the same time, it leans feminine. The lingering musk scent is nice but isn't masculine enough for me. I prefer others wear this (like the type that get giddy over wearing sun dresses and heels to their Sunday brunch). Testing this again a year later (not sure where my original review went) I find it more solar and less floral. As before didn't last as long as others from this house and while nice and kind of a solar aromatic, to me just lacks character.

Smells like a more watery version of Aqua Vitae Forte. Where original AV smells similar to a light lemon meringue with citrus and white floral accents, and AVF smells like a fuller, intensely aromatic version of that, AVCF is a weird tweener. It smells like AVF with a strange marine-like "heavy water" undertone, perhaps an overdose of calone, an attempt to combine the scent profile of the Forte with the freshness of the original. But this misses the mark for me. Soft projection for ~2hr, longevity 5-7hr.

When testing AVcf for the first time, D&G's The One immediately came to my mind. It is interesting as I haven't smelled that one for decades - I have never been a fan of it and sadly I won't be a fan of AVcf either. AVcf is the sweetest and the least citrusy from among the cologne forte line. Rich vanilla and yellow/ tropical flowers are the dominating notes on me. Although bergamot gives it some tanginess, I just don't like how its heavy soapy sweetness sticks to the inside of my nose.

This scent is extremely basic for what MFK would usually be creating. Although it's a softer citrus scent backed by ther floral notes included, I cannot help shake the feeling that it's nothing more than a glorified air freshner that isn't worth the asking price. Numerically this is a 5.5/10, nothing inspiring or innovative for what should be produced at niche prices, but maybe it is just made for others and not myself.

The opening is very much orange lime soda smoothie. It's sparkly, fresh and sunny summery scent. At first it pulls more masculine on me, then near the dry down it turned into smooth floral musky, though I can only detect it if I put my nose on my skin. To me this scent is suitable for holiday near beach. It's not a bad scent, but for me it's just such a thematic scent that wont fit my day to day life.

It’s warm, citrusy, a little sunscreeny at the base. Not my favorite of the aquas, and I know there are better citruses from MFK. It gets the job done, and would be pretty good if it was any other brand. MFK has just built up my expectations so high that any scent that I’m not head over heels in love with disappoints a tad. But I suppose that that’s a good problem to have.

Among the Cologne forte series, I think Aqua Celestia Cologne forte is the better one. However, all these three are boring and not worth the price. I have tried all of them on paper and on my skin. I have to say I'm really not impressed at all. Longevity is great though. The original EDT version or the forte version is way better than the cologne forte version. That's it.

Probably the weakest (silage) MFK perfume I own. Practically have to sniff it off my skin, and even then still can’t get all the notes listed. Just got a musky orange scent. Of the MFKs I own, my favorites are Grand Soir, Baccarat Rouge Extrait, and Oud Satin Mood, in that order.

I can’t pick up off any of the notes but it smells good and simple... It smells clean, and kind of reminds me of one of those chamomile shampoos for babies. It smells nice but it’s so subtle and simple that I just don’t see how they can justify it’s price.

From the three new releases, this one projects the most of warmth. It has a complex mixture of ingredients that reminds me of dry sunny day, jusxtaposed with sweet milky florals like ylang ylang and tuberose - more for ladies IMHO.

Fresh, floral and generic. It smells like every other citrus floral to me. Almost like soap. Watery opening and powdery drydown.

I can understand people enjoying this fragrance as being crisp, citrusy and floral but in no way can I understand why it's described as 'clean'. This fragrance in no way resembles anything clean or ozonic, it resembles the choky, annoying, anti-mosquito spray smell at any given outdoor bistro during the summer.

weird smell. when the scent hits deep into my nostrils my body's knee-jerk reaction is to stop inhaling. would never go with this over a designer or even cheap clones. smells like old people

Musk and flowers. I was excited about the citrus, but it dissipated within a couple of minutes. This is the second MFK fragrance that I dislike.

A sharp opening with a feminine dry down on my skin, so I handed the sample to my wife to finish it.