Ciel de Gum

I bought Ciel de Gum last year, not knowing that it was soon to be discontinued. Honestly I don't understand the latest business decisions of the MFK brand (or, rather, the corporation that bought this once great Maison) - I mean, they have discontinued all of their best and most original scents (APOM Pour Femme, Ciel de Gum, Absolue pour le Soir, Le Beau Parfum, Lumiere Noire Pour Femme) and only kept Baccarat Rouge, Petit Matin and Grand Soir, plus the most likeable Ouds and the very bland and uninspired Aqua, A la Rose and Gentle Fluidity lines. Perhaps these discontinued scents weren't selling so well as Baccarat or Grand Soir, but they were the ones that made this house stand out from the crowd (and the present day perfume market is definitely overcrowded). I feel that the Maison has lost all of its niche credibility, which is such a shame. Worse, it looks like monsieur Kurkdjian himself has lost interest in his own eponymous brand. As to Ciel de Gum, it is indescribably wonderful - slightly smokey/incensey in the beginning, before it reveals its floral heart; and then it turns into the most delicious amber-vanilla-cinnamon combo. It lasts all day and projects magnificently. It sits exactly in the middle between Grand Soir and Absolue Pour Le Soir and complements this soon-to-be-extinct ambery-oriental branch of MFK goldies. Several years ago, in my first review of Ciel de Gum, I also compared it to Shalimar EDP and Chanel Coromandel; I forgot to add Chanel Coco to the list of "inspirations", but it should definitely be there.

Got a set of samples from the MFK website to test out some of his most famous offerings. You get two free samples with every purchase so I just bunged in a couple of randoms I thought I might like. Basically chose this one because of the weird story about it being inspired by the smell of a shopping centre. After all the hype about fragrances such as Grand Soir, Oud Satin Mood, and Baccarat Rouge 540, take a wild guess as to which fragrance in my little haul I completely fell head over heels for? None of the others even came close to making me say "Oh my God!" like this one does. Ciel de Gum, as some others have mentioned, does start out with plastic, chemicals and petrol, but that's the absolute best thing about it! I can't explain why I love this part of the scent so much, but I'm obsessed. It definitely smells like melting plastic and rubber swimming caps, over sweet flowers and my godmother's house in the eighties. The general impression is that it smells expensive but unusual, a warm floral vanilla that's really lovely. I keep sniffing it when it's on my skin, burying my nose in my wrist to get another hit of those petrochemicals. To those of you who might be put off by my description don't worry, the chemicals only last for the first half an hour. You might be glad that those thirty minutes are up, but that's when I'll be re-spraying to enjoy the delicious rubbery opening once again.

Ciel de Gum is a bold oriental done with precision and using great materials. A sophisticated, compact, french interpretation of a middle eastern kind of ambered rose. The main spice here is a warm cinnamon,there is amber mixed with vanilla and something that must be benzoin or opoponax and sandalwood that create a sweet resiny depth. I've smelled part of this idea in Dahn al Oudh Anteeque by ASAQ where the rose and oud blend so well that it's hard to know where rose stops and wood begins, all over a resinous middle eastern amber. Ciel de Gum is like a timepiece in both the precision and compact execution of its design. Yet it still evokes the ideas of the East, incense and church, autumn and winter holidays, and maintains a modern european aesthetic. Ciel de Gum creates the feeling of space--like a large room with a giant cathedral ceiling. I get compliments on the dry down. It's sexy and classy. Definitely great for cooler weather, might also be one of those spicy orientals that glows in summer. Fragrances that come to mind when I wear this--but are nothing like this in their affect and construction--are Caron Parfum Sacre, Miller Harris La Fumee Ottoman, Yves Rocher Voile D'Ambre, Scherrer Nuits Indienes. Maybe a memory of vintage Obsession. They are also rosy ambers with spice, but they are languid or more classical. If you like them you may really like this.

So beautiful and evocative! This might be my favorite out of the 10 MFK fragrances I tried. I have no idea why it isn't more popular, but maybe I just love it more than usual because it stirs up memories and feelings in me, some of my childhood and some of the better parts of later, more difficult times. It also smells really good though. The opening is woody and very peppery, the pepper in this is leaning more towards black than pink pepper to my nose. It makes me think of being in the woods or a sauna, but also of hot dry air close to the desert. I get resinous notes, almost like tree-sap but in a good way, and a cinnamon that doesn't lean towards holiday pastries. Underneath that all lies the main note, a creamy and warm vanilla that has some similarities with the one used in perfumes like Addict or Manifesto L'Elixir, rounded with a hint of narcotic jasmine. This smells natural and elegant, and despite the strong spicy, woody and resinous notes it never turns scratchy or overwhelming, just comforting and dreamy. I hesitate to put this on my wishlist because it's expensive and I only see myself wearing it on very limited occasions, it makes me feel a little hazy... But I guess I'll give in soon because it's so lovely.

I think I've solved this one. Respectively, Ciel de Gum and Grand Soir are a Tale of Two Styraxes - Liquidambar (Levant "Styrax") and Benzoin (True Styrax). Ciel de Gum is representative of the oil of Liquidambar orientalis (variously known as Levant "Styrax" oil and Turkish Sweetgum oil). This sweetgum "styrax" oil is a different product from the benzoin resin produced from tropical trees in the genus Styrax. The hydrocarbon styrene is named for Levant "styrax" (Liquidambar/Sweetgum), from which it was first isolated, and not for the true genus Styrax (Benzoin) itself; industrially produced styrene is now used to produce polystyrene plastics, including Styrofoam. To me, this would explain why Ciel de Gum reads so similarly to Grand Soir, via its ambery cinnamon vanilla heart, except Ciel de Gum features the hydrocarbon glaze of petrol, pleather and styrene.

Such a beautiful, snuggly, soft fragrance! It opens rather oddly, but after 15 minutes or so, it mellows into an amazing fluffy vanilla. The cinnamon is strongly present in the opening, but it's not sharp or overpowering at any point. To me, it doesn't smell like anything you grabbed it out of the spice cabinet - instead it makes me think of eating a honeyed cinnamon pastry while wearing a cozy cashmere sweater. Would recommend highly, but I find it difficult to justify spending that kind of money on ANY fragrance, no matter how much I love it. If you have money to burn, you should definitely sample this! Edit: I ended up getting a full bottle of this - it's just too delicious to pass up. It is not nearly as popular as it deserves to be - please get your hands on it before they discontinue it!

I live in a suburban neighborhood where there are a lot of trees and a lot of grass growing in front of our lawn. Unfortunately for me, the top notes of this remind me of the fertilizer that you put down to make your grass greener. Perhaps it is the phosphorus that is in both of them. It kinda ruins it for me. Once it dries down, you do you get a beautiful Amber-vanilla scent which I love very much and always will. Unfortunately I can't get past the top note scent for $300. I did order it through the mail and wonder if perhaps the heat may have changed the composition. I'm going to try again this evening to see if it's not the same. I really hope it isn't because I had high hopes for this and fought hard to get my hands on it. if this does change I would consider this to be a high 9 out of 10

Here's yet another proof that official lists of notes are rubbish. As soon as it touches my skin, MFK Ciel De Gum turns into Chanel Coromandel's doppelgänger. It's vanillic, chocolatey, balsamic, spicy and a little smokey. Another possible inspiration for Ciel De Gum is, of course, Shalimar - the fragrance that inspired Coromandel itself. In comparison to Shalimar EDP, Ciel De Gum lacks leather and lemon; everything else is pretty much the same. Interestingly, given the prominence of cinnamon, I sort of expected to be reminded of Chanel Coco, but nope. Anyway, I really like Ciel De Gum very much, but since I already own both Shalimar and Coromandel (and Coco), this one would've been totally redundant in my collection.

Pm me of you have a partial bottle to sell at a reasonable price. people asking over $500 for this are insane and will just be sitting on it permanently. I recently received an official sample from an collector. Incredible blending. No one note jumps out on my skin. Wearing it side by side with Reflects d’ambre- CdG feels like an Extrait and RdA feels like the EDP of the same fragrance. CdG feels like a sweet dense spiced amber where RdA feels more spiced floral with an Ambery dry down. Be layered “to Russia with love” as a very close dupe but it’s not nearly as well blended but wears like an EDP with an obvious profession, a solid choice for those who want to know what CdG is like.

Ohhh what a surprise i had with this perfumes!. It remember me a lot to Jean Paul gaultier 2, one of my favourite perfumes of all times but now dissapeared. It is a bit softer and more flowery but also lovely. The opening is very very close to JPG2 but during the dry down the Jasmine gets a more importante Rolle. The longevity is quité good while the sillage only moderste-soft. Perfect for summer nights ir daytime use un winter. Unisex although probably more liked by women Scent: 9.5 Longevity: 8 Sillage: 6 Quality/price: 8 Versatility: 8 Originality:6 Global: 9

This reminds me incredibly of Carthusia Ligea (that's also a cheaper alternative). This is a sophisticated take on spice, amber and flowers. It's deep and interesting but still fresh and crisp. Although I bought it for myself, I'll be passing it on to my husband as it doesn't quite hit the note for me. I need, if only a slight, more feminine nuance. On him? Divine.

This is what Mugler's Alien smells like when she gets settled, buys an expensive mansion on planet Earth, works as a CEO or creative director of something and plays golf on weekends. Tamed and sophisticated jasmine, warm, balsamic and cozy.

I have a full bottle that I’m selling samples from. I had another bottle that I sold samples out of. Only one bottle left. If interested, message me . I’m on Mercari and eBay if you want to check my references .

Oh my gosh... I'm going crazy... This is amazing ❤️ very interesting vanilla, little bit of cinnamon, amber. Warm and light, cosy, not strong. Beautiful!!

A heavenly floriental , smooth, warm, gourmand, spicy but not too spicy, soft and everything nice!

I saw this for sale at a boutique in NYC about a week ago. I'd say it's arrived.

this is like ambre nuit dusted with cinnamon. so good, so good!

Grand Soir with a leathery petrochemical sheen.

one of the best (if not the best) from mfk

It's amazing. A fragrance like no other.

Maison Francis Kurkdjian Ciel de Gum is one of the more hyped releases from the house, perhaps as much for the scent itself as for its exclusivity (only available at Osswald NYC and on the MFK boutique site itself) and peculiar name, which doesn't refer to gum agar or bubblegum but rather a Russian department store. Amber, florals, vanilla, cinnamon, and sandalwood. Not a full-fledged amber-dominant experience that leans toward gourmand, but amber nonetheless the remains the dominant note in the experience. Performance is a little disappointing in light of the usual standard of MFK as well as the price tag ($300 for 70ml). Longevity seems fine but the projection leaves a bit much to be desired. Still, it might be a powerhouse in warmer weather but in colder weather, for which its constitution seems to be more appropriate, it's soft. Still, a provocative and interesting try that is understandably unique and deserving of at least some of the buzz that surrounds it. 8 out of 10

Mysterious, dark, and exotic are a few of the adjectives which come to mind when smelling the limited release Maison Francis Kurkjidan fragrance "Ciel de Gum". Created to celebrate and commemorate the 120th anniversary of the opening of the Gum department store in Moscow. The initial beginning is rather pungent to me, and was a little off putting at first. With repeated trials though, the scent did start to become more pleasurable. There is a strong pink peppercorn and warm amber in the opening which eventually mellows out and allows the more subtle floral notes to shine through. Indolic jasmine blends nicely with a very faint rose note. The included vanilla helps to exaggerate the sweet facets of the jasmine. Cinnamon utilized here is not your typical spice cabinet cinnamon. It is softer, more subtle, and organic in tone. Overall a strong offering from Kurkjidan. Seems more fitted for cooler weather. (120)

A nice resinous wood fragrance. I love cinnamon but its not dominant here. It shares the limelight with amber and some jasmine. After a while you become more aware of the vanilla and the pepper. This fragrance doesnt have a big sillage but it does last many hours. It gives you a fragrant glow that only those up close and personal can enjoy. I have FM Musc Rav and dont see much similarity. Musc Rav is much sweeter like Dior Add. Addict is more floral with the cereus being very distinctive. This is a truly unisex fragrance unlike Dior Addict. CdeGum is very pleasant but not addictive like FM Musc Rav or Dior Addict. There is something about it that unfortunately reminds me too much of Pledge furniture polish.

I'm new to perfuming but when I got this sample, it smelled immediately like when I open up my old piano bench. It feels woody to me, but maybe its because I'm not that familiar with the scent of amber yet. Oh wait... that's where we kept the resin for cello and violin bows... maybe something along that line? I was at the GUM twice when I was a child so this is hitting me right in the nostalgia, which I'm sure is the intent. I like it. I will definitely keep using my tester although I'm sure I can't afford a full bottle. There is a darkness to it which I think will go well on hot or cool evenings.

It starts off spicy and dark but it dries down to a unique soft, comforting smell. The drydown reminded me of the smell of new goods, like entering an expensive fourniture store. For those who want to try it, it's not available only in Russia, you can find it at the MFK boutique in Paris as well.

I ordered this direct from the Paris boutique without testing and I certainly do NOT regret it! It's a beautiful Amber spiced with cinnamon and pepper that dries down to a comfy vanilla not gourmand but dry, slightly reminiscent of Dior Addict but darker. Huge love, quite addictive I'm finding!

If you like amber and jasmine this is a nice fragrance, warm, woody. Loved the analogy with Alien. I prefer animalic notes and The jasmin desturbs me a tad. Will use up my vail but not full bottle worthy. Really unoffencive if you Have passed the first 30min.

MFK Aqua DNA mixed with amber notes. Linear but opens with a strong jasmine. It's a feminine scent to me. It's good but lacks personality. And it's too expensive for what it is.

Wow! Potent initial blast! Great performer. Great winter scent. It reminds me of a vintage CK "Obsession"....but much more refined and niche quality.

What i wanted grand soir 2 smell like! This got Much going for it. Grand soir is soooo boring. Great longevity and oki projection.

Jasmine on fire. One of kurkdjians best creations that gets little talk

Wow, this was NOTHING like what I expect it to smell like--I get mostly jasmine throughout the life of this, with a slight hint of amber/vanilla, but no cinnamon or rose. The opening has a weird burning plastic smell to it (maybe from the pink pepper??!), although that fades. Contrary to most people, I think it leans "masculine". I am glad I tried this, but I definitely wouldn't buy a full bottle of it (DEFINITELY don't blind buy it, people!!), and I must admit that I kinda wish I had chosen something highly raved about, like OSM, instead.

I wore this and it smelled plasticky at first and then smells chemical. I think the cinnamon is so strong at the beginning and that's what creates that chemical smell. After about 30m the chemical smell went away and then it was like a strong talc powder you get in very old powdered makeup. I can't imagine a man smelling like this since it reminds me so strongly of my grandmother and her makeup smell. The powdery smell becomes more subtle and then the chemical smell returns every once and awhile. I wore it for about 3 hours and then I had to wash it off. This is the first perfume that I couldn't take for a full day. I loved that it reminded me of my Grandma. She was a sophisticated woman who always looked stylish. I'm not sure it would bother me on someone else but on me it was just too much. I've heard some people think of red hots but I didn't get that at all.

Sorry but not sorry, this one is not for me... I love cinnamon in my food and to smell it in my kitchen but sadly in fragrances it doesn’t agree with my skin 😢

This is no way “similar to Grand Soir” 😬 Also, this is no way “if you like Grand Soir, then you’ll love this one” type of a perfume 😐

this smells like a warm cinnamon vanilla jasmine accompanied by pencil lead & black pepper. this would be the perfect scent without the pencil led & black pepper smell. i know it sounds crazy but if u check the notes, u’ll see that what my nose smells is not that far off from whats listed.

I have am 95% full bottle to sell. DM me if you are seriously interested.

Certain fragrances, however reserved or mellow, glow. They possess a radiance which pushes their clouds outward while remaining unobtrusive in affect. Ciel de Gum is such a fragrance. It's refined and smooth, and despite its composition of florals, sweet spices, and Amber, there's also something golden about it; a sort of regal shimmer floating around its edges and elevating everything to a greater whole. The notes are attuned and portioned expertly. The cinnamon and pink pepper impart warmth, but their bite has been muted in favor of depth. They lend color and dimension to the vanillic amber without distracting or taking away from its purpose--to create a round, encompassing base that is soft and inviting, comforting. Then there's the jasmine, beautiful, rich and fragrant and mildly sweet, the highest register of the structure and the perfect complement to the dark rose with which it's paired. The rose is almost jammy or fruity, red and dark with not much more than a hint of powder. It's not the garden-fresh green and pink variety but something more exotic and rare. In some ways it reminds me of the treatment of rose in Dior's Ambre Nuit, though this feels more recessed and darker as a result. Perhaps what impresses me most about Ciel de Gum is how well these different aspects work together to create what comes across as a very unified, singular scent. Fragrances that incorporate significant portions of rose have always been difficult for me, appearing too strong or too powdery or feminine and flowery. Somehow this one works without even the slightest doubt or hesitation. Men can easily pull it off. I probably wouldn't wear Ciel de Gum casually or to work. While it's not fancy or ostentatious at all, it has a kind of elegant sophistication which relegates it to special occasions and quiet nights alone where I can fully appreciate it. Something of a little masterpiece to me, that feels like maybe it could be a really cool, limited edition flanker of Dior Homme, this release by Francis Kurkdjian has soft, radiant projection and good longevity. Thumbs up!

I just got 4 nice 2ml samples from the MFK on line shop. It was under $20 with shipping incl. Great deal! Ciel de Gum, Aqua universalis- to much musc. APOM- great, A La Rose- just a great smelling soap. Here Francis Kurkdijian creates in his classic style; maybe more so than any of his MFK fragrances. He became famous for Fleur de Male, and Narciso Rodriguez, some of his best more original creations. He knows how to mix florals with patchouli, and other more traditional masculine notes. Lumier Noir PH, is his masterpiece creation with MFK. Here he masterfully blends florals again with amber, pepper, and a touch of cinnamon. I knew it was a floral oriental, not knowing the notes. I have tried floral orientals over the years of sampling. It's hard to get right; Its like pickles and ice cream in a way. Ciel de Gum gets it right. Its indolic florals, but the spiciness of the pink pepper and cinnamon really balance the florals, making it warm and earthy. A crunchy greeness here also, comming from the pink pepper. I normally don't like cinnamon, but here its very nicely blended into an accord, with a slightly sweet vanilla. So this is quite unisex. The warm spices keep it from getting too girly. Woman will like it, who love indolic florals. Not quite bottle worthy for me, as I have a large collection that I rarely add to. But I will enjoy my sample. Its unique and well blended, good for any season, except hot Summer days. Rating: 8/10 God bless you. John 3:16

I grew to like this after only having a sample for some months. Like Xerjoff Pikovaya Dama, it has a very unique quality that I just couldn't forget. Obviously it doesn't really have any real similar note qualities to the Xerjoff but there is something haunting and quite magical about CDG. It has that old-world quality that I really like. Good projection and longevity. It's definitely one to try before you buy. I also enjoy it more than Grand Soir. You definitely should sample before you buy - particularly if you cannot visit either the GUM store in Moscow or the MFK store in Paris. The reason being that this is not easily available and shipping it to somewhere like the UK means a hefty import tariff (£45+) to add to the cost of over £180 for this 70ml bottle. What I'm trying to say is this is an expensive fragrance to simply buy on a whim. Do.Not.Blind.Buy

Gorgeous, amber heavy, vintage but in a good way winter warmer kind of scent. I'm usually scared off by a dominant jasmine as it tends to turn vintage or soapy but not here, this is mostly oriental amber, the florals do soften it up a little, but it's predominantly an amber frag which is why I guess people compare it to grand soir although I don't think they are in the same category. Grand soir is far more resin, and a little more masculine, this is more feminine oriental due to the strong ish jasmine note and rose. I can see why this is liked a lot however probably I would lean a bit more towards grand soir just because it's more of a resin amber frag than this one. Dries down a bit more dusty and powdery although my sample may be a decade old judging by the dark rich amber colour.

My take on ciel de gum : As you walk in the blistering icy winter night ; ciel de gum will create a thick, warm, cloud around you to push back the cold. Ciel de gum has been composed to commemorate the 120th annivesary of the opening of the GUM shopping arcade near the red square in Moscou. This is a very cozy, warm scent. This is in the same genre as Ambre nuit (very similar structure : spice + flower + amber). Just like Ambre nuit this can be seen as a romantic scent. sexe : I find this to be unisex leaning more feminine. age : any age, although I must say that it’s very mature scent. projection & longetivity : doesn’t project very far and the longevity is about average. verdict : it’s nice

I get a powerful raspberry, saffron, amber in the opening that’s stunningly beautiful. It’s one of those scents that make u close your eyes just to take it all in. The vanilla base is very mild, it plays a small supporting role to strengthen the amber’s structure. The best way to describe this scent is that powerful, over-achieving female figure that sits at the top of the food pyramid, while the hungry salivating guys at the bottom claw their way up just to catch a glimpse of her getting into the limo. But yet there is a certain softness to her, albeit reserved only for the people that truly matter to her. A fantastic scent that announces that you have arrived.

Love at first sniff. Sweet amber with cinnamon/a vanilla jasmine/ and wood. I tried Grand Soir first and did not like that, and sold it. This is the one for me. It kinda reminds me of Jasmin Noir by Bvlgari but higher quality, smoother, bolder, etc. I read reviews about burning rubber/plastic, which I can detect. And yet the aroma is so addictive, my S/O said "I actually like this one, you smell sophisticated." It is a gourmand, but no one note outshines another to my nose, not boring-- can't get enough. To those who love Grand Soir, this may underwhelm you.

A little more spicy and floral version of Grand Soir, in my opinion. If you ever smelled it, this one will seem familiar to you a bit. Definitely more daring and more interesting take on amber/vanila/benzoin fragrance. It's really hard to describe, you have to test it, especially if you are a fan of Grand Soir. As many fragrances of this type, great longevity and projection. Mostly fall and winter scent... Not as main stream and not as common as Grand Soir, if it makes a difference to you.

I was keen to try this because of the amber and pink pepper notes. And after reading the below reviews, I won't be saying anything unexpected: this fragrance underwhelms. I don't get a rich amber but a fruity floral. And honestly, if I blind sampled this I would peg it as an outlet store fruity floral. Something in this mix needs to go. Or maybe it truly is marketed for the younger audience (think under 21). it's just too unsophisticated and cloying for my taste.

Just bought this one one after sampling for a few days. Full review to come later- Right off the bat though, I do see the similarities with Grand Soir- but the differences still set them apart. My go to Amber based scents in my collection now are: Tom Ford Amber Absolute [Vintage Edition], Dior Amber Nuit and Serge Lutens Amber Sultan. Let’s see how this holds up while the cooler-cold weather still persists. Stay tuned fellow fragsters......

This is so balsamic on me! Like Lush 1000 kisses without the apricot. I swore I could smell some myrrh and tiny bit of smoke too. Soft, balmy and almost incense like is what I'm thinking. Quite like it and as usual, it seems like there's never really anything truly offensive with MFKs creations. They always smell so seamless and great quality and keep amazing me even if something isn't for my personal liking :)

Interesting and unique fragrance. Not something I’ve smelt before. It’s not an overly feminine jasmine. It is very well bended and I can see this being a signature scent for someone. It seems versatile as well. I’m a fan of MKF’s dna and his work generally, and this has grown on me. Dry down is very nice. I get the amber, vanilla, cinnamon, sandalwood and a touch of the florals. Edit: yes it’s great :)

This stuff is amazing. It's heavy on the cinnamon and pink pepper with loads of vanilla and amber. Can't stop wearing it. One of the best scents I have smelled in a long time. Very unisex. Cinnamon lovers do check this one out for sure as you'll love it! Find my review of this on youtube! :)