Maison Francis Kurkjdian is one of my favourite fragrance houses due to their distinguished and varied collection. Francis Kurkjdian is a master of his craft, creating exquisite fragrant masterpieces from a simple seed of inspiration and transforming them into the exact embodiment of that idea.
His new creation is yet another impressive addition to the Maison’s ever-expanding fragrance wardrobe. l’Homme À la rose is an intriguing and new rendition of a rose scent for men. With the simple mention of its name, rose conjures up images of a delicate, floral and romantic nature that previously may not have appealed to every man. For years it has been presumed that rose notes were mostly desired by the female wearer, but today rose-heavy perfumes have been unshackled from their old fashioned past to create more modern interpretations that can be worn by anyone.
I have been wearing fragrances with the inclusion of rose for several years now, most of which are combined with the warmer notes of Oud which is already an established combination in the Middle East. I have however been awaiting a different interpretation and thanks to Francis Kurkjian and his forward-thinking, he has certainly broken the mould with this contemporary creation.
From the first spray, I was instantly charmed with l’Homme À la rose, as upon application its bright opening notes immediately lifted my spirit. The introduction of shimmering bitter citrus due to the incorporation of Grapefruit Accord is evident straight away. This energetic and powerful beginning soon takes a journey, weaving in between that subtle wave of rose with a duo of Damask Roses from Bulgaria and Centifolia Roses from Grasse.
It’s here that perhaps the fragrance could have gravitated towards the more feminine side, however, Francis Kurkjdian has worked his perfumery expertise. It’s almost as if it takes on a more green slant, imagine the crisp dewy essence of freshly snipped rose stems dispelling through the air. It avoids those heady notes of a traditional rose fragrance, instead blending that crisp aroma with the perfect amount of subtle floral bursts exactly when it needs to.
The rose accord soon takes a step back to reveal a more herbaceous and woody nature which help to balance out the overall sweetness. Throughout the whole fragrance journey of this scent, l’Homme À la rose always maintains a constant underlying freshness, it almost reminds me of one my other favourites in the range, Acqua Universalis but of course this time with a slight floral aspect.
Whilst wearing this fragrance I’m immediately transported back to when I visited El-keela M’Gouna, an area in Morocco awash with pink roses. Once a year a festival takes place where they cultivate the roses to convert them into rose water. The smell in the air is unbelievable and you can’t beat the cool feeling of the scented rose water splashing on your skin in heat of the day. l’Homme À la rose reminds me of this and exudes that same effervescent quality and immediate freshness you feel on application.
l’Homme À la rose pleasantly surprised me, although I should have known not to expect anything less from Maison Francis Kurkdjian. The notes that Francis Kurkdjian has used come together to create a well rounded and multi-faceted fragrance that truly impresses from start to finish. If you have never tried a fragrance with the addition of rose, then I encourage you to choose this one. It is a great stepping stone into the world of rose without it being overly obtrusive. This is a true contemporary take on a traditional floral that exudes the refinement and elegance that this house is renowned for.
Fragrance Notes:
Grapefruit accord
Essence of Damask rose from Bulgaria
Essence of sage from France
Amber woods
Absolute of Centifolia rose from Grasse
Essence of cistus from Spain
Presentation 4/5
Sillage 4/5
Projection 4/5
Longevity 4/5
Fragrance Concentration: Eau de Parfum
Price: £220 for 100ml
You can also check my previous review of other Francis Maison Kurkdjian fragrances here.
BLU BLAZER GUY 