Aqua Universalis Maison Francis Kurkdjian 2009 Eau de Toilette

This begins with a mouth watering juicy zest of fresh squeezed lemon on vodka over ice. There is no trace of sugary sweetener, but I detect a fizzy note and a brief zest of orange- almost sparkling. Within about 5 minutes a very green Lily note- but so natural, I feel I have just clipped the stem of a lily from the garden and inhaled deeply. This lily note melts into the bergamot so smoothly, effortless and gently comes to rest on a very soft cashmeran bit of woods. After drydown, I find the citrus has become feather soft leaving the lily to dominant with the bergamot and woods in the background. This has a low sillage (approximately .25 meter), meaning I can't smell it unless I move or wave my arm, but when I do pick up a whiff it is so pleasant and sunny, I am charmed again. I think this is clean without a soapy note and very fresh in the base the woody note eventually becomes a little spicy, powdery on my skin- a little sultry up close and provides an extra 2 hours or so of longevity- for a total of about 6 hours very comfortable finish. I would call this a perfect summer unisex daytime business or casual scent, well-tailored and full of dynamic positive energy. I would reach for this daily in the warm Summer months.

I knew I'd have to review this one eventually. This is the one that will take me down memory lane so I'll try to capture every detail that I can to paint this canvas. There are so many gems from MFK and I guarantee the answers will vary across the board. In my opinion, Aqua Universalis is top 5 for me easily. Better yet, I think it may be top 3 due to sentimental value. I still remember my first time sampling this scent. The minute I sprayed it on, I thought of one person - my grandmother. Before the jokes start coming out from the peanut gallery, no this fragrance doesn't smell "mature" or "dated." The reason I hung onto that sample for so long is because I did not have a bottle of it yet. Whenever I would want to be reminded of her, I'd smell the sample and would be transported back to the 90's when I was super young. I'm honestly surprised I remember this detail so vividly but I can remember going with my grandmother for her haircut appointment and her hairdresser always had fresh flowers around. This fragrance reminds me of that because whenever I would go with my grandmother, several times it was just the two of us. Unfortunately, much like life does, she passed away shortly after I graduated high school. She was like my rock since she helped raise me as a kid. This sounds like a sob story instead of a fragrance review so I'll switch gears. Here's the review:

The Scent: On that first spray, I'm reminded of that hairdresser's shop with the floral elements. The white florals in here really do come alive right off the rip! The citrus you get in here are more for uplifting those white florals, specifically, the lily of the valley. The citrus in here are playing the part of the supporter in this one. The scent stays fairly linear until it approaches the base and it becomes a musky scent while the florals cling to life. Like I said in that (fairly lengthy) opener, the scent alone is sentimental to me. It reminds me of a simpler time with way less responsibilities and I get to spend time with her again even if it is a brief time. I will let that bias show here in the score because when you come across a scent that really pulls at the heartstrings and can make you think back to a moment in time, I highly advise you hold onto it. I did have several people ask me if this was a women's perfume and I'm like, "Either side can wear it. Just depends on your taste in fragrance honestly." When males see white florals as a note, many that I've seen will walk away from it without giving it a chance. Just give it a chance. You may surprise yourself.
Rating: 10/10

Projection: The projection is slightly above moderate. I don't believe it's meant to really scream like that. If you want that, they do have the Forte version which you might need to look into. I get roughly 3-5 hours of decent projection before it dwindles down into a small scent bubble for the remainder of its stay on my skin. If we go by the metrics that I consistently use to score performance, that would land this fragrance at a 5 or below. I was biased in the prior section, I won't be in this one.
Rating: 5/10

Longevity: Almost every MFK I have sampled/owned, I get at least 6 hours of longevity. Most people will see 6 hours and immediately be ready to give it a bad score, especially when they see the price point section. Be a little open minded here. This scent is not meant to be your typical projection monsters that people want dropped constantly or they bash it. It's an elegant scent and I'm lucky enough, on my skin, for it to last 8 hours. 8 hours is respectable, regardless if it's designer/niche. Most people's work day is 8 hours and I can't think of many special functions that last that long either. 8 hours is plenty.
Rating: 8/10

Price: Here's where things get a little dodgy. For those MFK fans out there, you know where this is headed. You already have the script! $170 USD for 35 mL ($4.86 per mL), $265 for 70 mL ($3.79 per mL), $515 for 200 mL ($2.58 per mL). Not the highest on the price spectrum that we've seen so not terrible. If I put it into perspective that what I'm spending is going to get me quality then I'm not disappointed. Taking that into consideration, not too bad.
Rating: 6/10

Versatility: The when/where/how section! For me, I typically wear this for special occasions, during the warmer months. Based off of what I had to test, I would typically go 3-4 sprays which was plenty. Some may disagree and that's fine. The few times I did get to wear it I wore it to a doctor's appointment (recommend against this), running day-to-day errands (worked well), a date (worked well), and my last wearing is right now as I type this at home, wearing it casually. I believe you can wear it regardless of the weather outside but I believe you'll get the best performance in spring/summer/fall. Just like the florals in the fragrance, it wants to see the sun.
Rating: 7/10

Final rating: 7.2/10 by the numbers. Subjectively, this is a 10 for me. Personally, this is in MY top 10 of all time due to sentimental reasons but also, it smells great. I do believe this fragrance alone is what won me over to wearing white floral scents. A lot of people will be put off by the scent due to the florals, arguing that it leans more feminine than masculine. If it's not your taste and you don't feel like you could pull it off, then fair enough. As for me, I'll continue wearing it. Hope this review helped and reading this beast of a review until the end.

„It doesn’t suit you at all! It reminds me of a men’s fragrance that some show-off types wear after sports and then want to impress in the office with their fragrant athleticism.” So were the disparaging words of my husband regarding Kurkdjian's Aqua Universalis last night. I’ve been circling around this delicate, Cologne-like scent for a while and quickly packed the sample when we went on vacation. The first skin tests were okay, but the spark just didn’t ignite. Well, then my husband sprayed it on paper yesterday and hit me with the above statement.

This morning I came back from running and caught a delightful floral scent in our bathroom. Aaah, the card from last night, I remembered and pressed my nose against it. Pah, I thought. I’ll show you! It’s really nice. The lily of the valley had developed beautifully, and I also caught a fine hint of musk, even though it’s not listed among the notes. But we know that noses don’t always want to reveal everything they brew up in their little chambers.

So I went ahead and sprayed the citrus water for everyone. After wearing it for a few hours now, however, the great enthusiasm is lacking. Yes, it’s a nice scent. It’s delicate, we have some citrus and musk, and the lily of the valley is peeking through. Gandix’s description of freshly washed bed linens comes to mind. But the big “Wow” just doesn’t happen with this fragrance. Because beneath all the floral notes and fluff, there’s a note that reminds me of laundry that has been sitting in the cupboard a bit too long. You know what I mean? A subtle hint of mustiness. Certainly not terrible, but no, my nose only partially appreciates it. It could be some Ambroxan causing this. Unfortunately, I always detect Ambroxan in fragrances, just like I do glutamate in food, which I also dislike and that evokes the association of a chlorinated taste for me.

I don’t smell the sporty success type, but the scent doesn’t make me truly happy either. So I’m going down from a rating of 9 to 8. It’s absolutely okay, no question about it. And I can understand why someone would love it, just like the highly esteemed Bastian does. But I don’t need it. And yes darling, you were right again! Even if I don’t like to admit it, hehe!

Aqua Universalis has been in my collection in the form of a decant for a while now. I tend to prefer green and floral chypre fragrances, and I like a good sillage, so it sometimes takes me a while to reach for Aqua Universalis. But when I do wear this scent, it brings me joy. And today, at the start of spring, this Aqua is the perfect companion.

Aqua Universalis opens with bergamot and lemon. Not too sour, rather sweet and friendly, with a light sweetness. The lily of the valley quickly joins in, chiming softly but audibly. I really like lily of the valley, but only when it behaves well and doesn’t bang on the door like Obelix. This blend of citrus notes and lily of the valley is soon supported by woody notes and musk, the latter not listed, but I’m sure it’s there. This is how spring smells, bright, neat, sunny, light, and carefree.

The scent lasts about 4 hours on me, the sillage is moderate, and this water is a wonderful companion in spring and summer. And although it is listed as unisex, whenever I sniff Aqua Universalis, I always picture a young bride in white in a flower meadow, for some reason… But guys, wear it too; I wear Devin or Black Masculin as well.

Addendum: Yesterday, 3 sprays in the morning, still noticeable after 6 hours, that was quite decent.

Today is my dear husband's birthday, which is unfortunately overshadowed by a headache.
He gratefully accepted my practical gifts - a fitting pair of jeans and special sports socks.
Boring? For a pragmatist like him, not at all; besides, he is relieved not to have to hop around in a cramped fitting room.
He prefers to trust my judgment.

Despite his headache, he hasn't forgotten our wedding anniversary tomorrow, and bravely drives with me to the perfume store.
The scent chaos there is a bit overwhelming for him, but he stoically endures it beside me.
Love indeed tolerates everything.
So lovely!

When I spray Aqua Universalis, he turns to me affectionately despite his throbbing head.
The friendly lightness of the fragrance is incredibly appealing.

The bergamot exudes a subtle freshness, over which a gentle wood note settles.
The orange is citrusy but not sour, just like the bright lemon.
And the white lily of the valley is utterly lovely!
The perfect scent for our anniversary.

I can still see myself in my simple white wedding dress, holding a charming bouquet of roses and lily of the valley.
My husband effortlessly carries me over the threshold of the house and assures me that I weigh no more than a cat.

We both remember that moment and can't help but smile.

Exactly this carefree spirit and kindness is what Aqua Universalis embodies, which we both find fitting for the occasion and gladly take with us.

Tomorrow I get to be a bride again - and I would say yes to my husband all over again.