Ciel de Gum Maison Francis Kurkdjian 2013

Yes, yes, as soon as you read the word Gum, you either think of rubber or chewing gum (well, at least I do…). However, the word has nothing to do with these mentioned terms, but rather refers to the GUM department store in Russia, which is a prestigious shopping venue, and this fragrance was exclusively composed for this store.

I am not yet familiar with Maison Francis Kurkdjian (this name is incredibly difficult…) fragrances, so this is my first comment on a scent from this brand… but my impression is already quite good!

The fragrance:
The beginning is oriental sweet with strong amber and spicy pepper. Light, floral notes also seem to waft in the background, but I couldn’t identify them more precisely. The fragrance remains heavy, the amber radiates well, while the pepper pulls back a bit.
From the heart note, vanilla and cinnamon slowly emerge, with both initially seeming equally intense, but ultimately the vanilla prevails. The pepper seems to come back afterward and radiates just as strongly as all the other fragrance notes here.
Everything smells natural and well-balanced. Only the rose I could perceive less. The cinnamon fades into the background over time. By the way, the cinnamon does not make the fragrance feel Christmas-like.
All in all, the fragrance remains somewhat heavy-sweet, lightly spicy, and floral due to the amber. And all of this with a slightly powdery-soft radiance. Much later, the fragrance is almost simultaneously sweet and peppery.

The sillage and longevity:
The fragrance has above-average strength. It will definitely be noticed by others and could, if applied generously, even be quite room-filling. However, it does settle down quickly; I think if you don’t overapply, you won’t overwhelm anyone.
The longevity is quite good, lasting more than fourteen or sixteen hours (more or less depending on the dosage) on the skin. If sprayed generously, you can even smell it the next morning.

The bottle:
The fragrance is filled in a rectangular bottle, which tapers slightly pyramidally towards the neck at the top. A white label with a gilded frame is affixed to the front. Apart from the name and brand, there is hardly anything else on it, making the label appear extremely simple.
The cap has a cylindrical base and is rectangular on top.
A nicely made, but also somewhat simple bottle.

I find the fragrance successful, even though I don’t usually like scents with pepper that much. Here, all the fragrance notes smell very natural and, as mentioned above, are well-balanced. At first, the fragrance seems somewhat heavy; it won’t be a fresh scent, but it loosens up a bit over time, so it could be worn in spring as well as on cooler days, aside from summer.

It should be clear that the fragrance is not a party scent. Rather, it fits well for more elegant or quieter occasions, like a nice dinner or a cozy gathering. Additionally, it can be worn well by both genders at the same time, as it is neither too floral, too sweet, nor too spicy.

Ciel de Gum is a very successful evening fragrance that, while not extraordinary in itself, is still worth trying if you see it somewhere or come across a sample. It’s worth “sacrificing” an arm for that.

Oops,... I just realized that this is already my second MFK fragrance... but I still know far too little about this brand. But,... that will change. I will surely get to know more fragrances over time so I can keep bothering you with comments :D