Aqua Vitae Forte Maison Francis Kurkdjian 2015

No, I haven't been transported to the 50s and 60s of the USA, even though I'm currently reading Ken Follett's book "Children of Freedom" about it; rather, it's the comparison between Kormann's "August" and the brand new Kurkdjian creation Aqua Vitae Forte. I specifically chose these two for comparison because I don't know too many mandarin fragrances. At least none where mandarin plays the leading role.
Anyone familiar with August will certainly understand that in Vitae Forte, the mandarin initially comes across as quite a bit sweeter. It is denser, richer, riper. In August, it is more transparent, fresher, lighter, and perhaps even a tad more natural. In August, Iso influences the mandarin note, while in Vitae Forte, it’s flowers that play a role, resulting in two different nuances and essentially two different fragrances. In Vitae, cardamom is delicately mixed in with a slightly peppery-spicy note, creating a rather rich scent tapestry. It is predominantly sweet, but it also has a slightly herb-fresh background, as if a light touch of Mister Marvelous has fallen into the mix. The gap between the two fragrances grows larger over time; Vitae Forte becomes creamier in the middle, one could say "typically Kurkdjian," I like to call it the Kurkdjian melt (probably the orange blossom)... like a light floral cream powder... by now, women's hearts should be racing because it consistently has a significant feminine touch, which it only slightly sheds in the base after 5-6 hours. Nevertheless, men can wear it very well. If a man enjoys and can wear Universalis Forte, he should definitely give this one a try. Fans of classic men's fragrances will likely steer clear of this one;-)! Even though Vitae Forte is said not to contain lily of the valley, it certainly has phases where it reminds one of Universalis Forte, but that was also the case with the "normal" Vitae! For me, they don't differentiate enough from each other, except for the top note, to really need both.
The longevity has been significantly improved, just like with Universalis Forte; the regular one is the upper airiness, while the Forte is how a perfume should inherently be, without the hefty price increase.
Both Fortes last 6-7 hours, but August, thanks to the Iso flicker effect, can hold its own quite well. I don't have to have it, but I said the same about Universalis Forte two years ago, and now in August, it has found its way into my collection.
Conclusion: Great, high-quality scent; for anyone who found Vitae too weak, they can confidently go for this one, and the Kurkdjian fan club will certainly appreciate it, of which I am also a member! For me, it's an 85, rounded up to 90 due to the Kurkdjian bonus;-)!