New Perfume Review: Maison Francis Kurkdian Grand Soir (Francis Kurkdjian) 2016 + An Evening in Paris Draw

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Francis Kurkjian Master Perfumer  via instagram

On October 9, 2009, Master Perfumer Francis Kurkdjian, perhaps one of the most famous and revered perfumers in contemporary fragrance debuted his eponymous line Maison Francis Kurkdjian at Bergdorf Goodman N Y. I was the first blogger to interview M. Kurkjdian about his brand and asked this: “How much have the internet and bloggers and aficionados contributed to your fame?“.  He wrote, “I do not know. I do not look after any fame or recognition. I always try to give my best and you can guess it is always a great joy to have a positive echo from perfumistos”. One of his many fans is Contributor Sebastian Jara of the YouTube Channel Looking Feeling Smelling Great, and founder of a popular Facebook Group,

an-evening-in-paris-painting  

Paris Painting Isaac Maimon

Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s Grand Soir  is the embodiment of a gala evening in Paris; it is a transportive perfume and one of Sebastian’s top three fragrances to date. A positive echo indeed. –Michelyn Camen, Editor in Chief

Maison Francis Kurkdjian GRAND SOIR Review + Full Bottle USA Giveaway

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Maison Francis Kurkdian Grand Soir photo by Sebastian

Thanks to the generosity of Europerfumes the US distributor of Maison Francis Kurkdjian we have a 70 ml bottle of Grand Soir for a registered CafleureBon reader and Looking Feeling Smelling Great subscriber in the USA (if you are not sure if you are registered click here (you must register on our site or your entry will be invalid. To be eligible please leave a comment ON THIS SITE with what you enjoyed about Sebastian’s YouTube review, if you have a favorite MFK fragrance and why would you like to win.  Draw closes 10/14/ 2016. You can follow us @cafleurebon @lookfeelsmellgreat on Instagram. 

 We announce the winners on our site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume

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111 comments

  • Bryan Plouffe says:

    Thanks for the great review, Sebastian! This was by far my favorite of the line when I got to smell them in Neimans a couple weeks ago. AUF would be number two but Grand Soir is amazing!

  • I am a huge fan of the MFK line… Love my AUF, Baccarat rouge and Masculine pluriel… Havent tried this one yet… THe notes seem right up my alley.. would love to win a bottle of this..

  • I’d love to try this one because of the vanilla and amber combo. Sounds wonderful!
    I haven’t had the pleasure of smelling this line.

    Thanks for the great review and draw! U.S.

  • The notes were very simple and it wasn’t such a complex scent which really caught my eye? Sebastian seemed so genuine about his first impression when he said it was love at first sniff and that made me feel over the moon about this fragrance. I really want to get my hands on this bad boy

  • I love the work of FK. And the nearly the entire line of MFK. I quite like Gaultier 2 and am excited to try what Mr. Kurkdian has done with similar notes and eleven years of experience. US

  • I know exactly how Sebastian feels. First smell, and I was swooning. What an elegant, perfectly balanced amber scent. In fact, it’s up there with Absolue Pour le Soir as my favorites from MFK.

  • This house loke a dream for me, I always want to try anything from.
    Good job Sebastian,
    This wil be a nice frag to have,
    Houston, Texas.

  • Patrick Echevarria says:

    I don’t still own a full MFK bottle but have samples of BR 540 Pettit Matin which I adore. According to Sebastian’s review,this one is amber-tonka-vanilla,among others, which tells me is veering towards sweet and heavy kind of cold weather frag. Knowing the MFK quality DNA,this should not be hard for me to like. Crossing fingers on this giveaway.

  • Sebastian always bringing different scents to the table that others might ignore. I liked that me mentioned the ambery aspect of the scent and how it’s in his top 2 or 3 releases of the year, which speaks volumes about the scent. I don’t own any MFK scents and that’s one of the reasons I’d like to own this one. Out of my modest collection I have yet to get my hands on an MFK. However one that I’ve researched a bit is Apom PH. Hopefully u can’t start my collection here.

  • Lovely video! I’m so excited to try this because I love oriental scents and the bottle is beautiful.
    I’ve never tried any MFK perfumes before. Thank you so much for the chance!

  • Sebastian and I have similar tastes so I trust his nose. I’ve wanted to experience Satin and this one (Gran Soir). I wish they sold by 30/40 ml so the average perfume lover could afford a bit of MFK luxury. I mean, you can rent a Ferrari a a day…I would love to win!

  • Eric meyers says:

    Sebastian made the amber and vanilla sound very intriguing. Never tried these fragrances before and woukd love to see what all the hype is about.

  • I’ve never tried this, but Sebastian’s review makes it sound amazing. I’m always impressed when people start a perfume business in this market, and MFK seems to be on top of his game. Thanks for the chance to try Grand Soir!

  • I loved hearing Sebastian describe the “sheen” of this fragrance. I don’t have a favorite MFK but would love to try Grand Soir, if only that it is described as such an elegant amber. Thank you for the draw. I am in the US.

  • I have a couple from MFK and enjoy them all, and am really excited to try Grand Soir…it sounds right up my alley, indeed!

  • I was blessed with a tiny sample of Grand Soir and instantly fell deeply in love with this beautiful and elegant perfume. It is exquisite.

  • Sebastian describes fragrances perfectly. I have yet to try a MFK fragrance. Grand Soir sounds so beautiful. Would love to win. From Texas and a registered member. Thank you!

  • Enjoyed the review. This has been on my watchlist for a while. I like the idea of it being light with great performance. Most ambers I’ve come across have been very in your face so Grand Soir is something I’d like to dip my nose into.

  • I’d really like to try this one. Kurkdjian is one of my favorite noses, if not my favorite. I like many of his offerings in his house or with Hermes n the rest. Sebastian gave a brief good review of Grand Soir n made it very interesting n appealing to me.
    Hopefully to win the bottle.
    My address is in Florida.

  • Great to see another review of yours on here Sebastian:) I love amber fragrances and Im all for a refined amber Would love to try this:) Excited to try an unoverbearing vanilla, amber fragrance. Relating it to memories of Paris evokes images for me as well. Ive only sampled one MFK fragrance before but have been interested in trying many of them. Im in the USA

  • As a fellow amber fragrance lover, this one sounds like a beauty. Favorite MFK so far is Pluriel Masculine. Thanks Sebastian for the review and CB for the opportunity to win a bottle!

  • Lillyholloway says:

    I am a tonka addict and this one has been on my list of fragrances to definitely try. I enjoyed the review and hopefully this one will transport me to Paris too! I live in the US

  • Archangel584 says:

    I can always count on Sebastian to review and talk about the best of the best. MFK is definite the best of the best in my opinion. My favorite so far is Baccarat Rouge 540. Grand Soir sounds so amazing and I can’t wait until I’ve saved enough to add it my MFK collection. Or who knows maybe I’ll win a bottle.

  • archangel584 says:

    Thank you Sebastian for the amazing opportunity to win a work of art by the one and only Francis Kirkdjian. I have been enjoying Baccarat Rouge 540 and I am so ready to own Grand Soir. I hope luck is on my side to own this masterpiece.

  • Deborah Lane McGuire says:

    I have a decant of this, into my third wearing and it’s really addictive. It’s sheer yet lasts for 16 hours. I would love to win a bottle since I know my decant won’t last and my budget says no to new purchases. Thanks for the give-away.

  • I always enjoy Sebastian’s reviews pretty much. I have been eyeing this fragrance for some time now and would love to win this bottle as I love Amber fragrances. I have a bunch of MFK fragrances and my favorite is Amryis Pour Homme. Thank you for the generosity.

  • I do very much enjoy the MFK line and would love a full bottle of Grand Soir before my small sample runs out. Chicago, IL USA

  • johnsports 32 says:

    Great review by Sebastian! Definitely has me intrigued. I own Amyris homme by MFK and love it. MI. USA

  • What a fantastic house. There are several I like from MFK.
    The one that I’ve gravitated to the most is the MFK Silk Mood and Cashmere Mood.
    Thank You for entering me in the drawing.
    Charles M

  • A friend gave me a sample of Grand Soir. Love the MFK line. Would enjoy a bottle in my collection!!! Good luck too all!!!! Great review like always.

  • I love the MFK line, my favorites are Oud Satin Mood and Amyris. Sebastian always reviews fragrances I am interested in trying and this is no different. Thanks for entering me in the contest.

  • I definitely agree with Sebastian that Grand Soir is a great performer. On my skin, it is a super heavy duty labdanum, and I was initially turned off by it; I didn’t get much of that sheer quality he talks about. But once I eased up with the sprays (like, half a spray on each wrist) I began to see the magic! I’m in the US.

  • I’m a long-time subscriber to Sebastian’s YouTube channel and no one can romance a fragrance like him. I’ve made several blind purchases on his recommendation and have never been disappointed. I live in a small town in FL and will add the MFK scent to my list for my next NYC trip. Thank you for the contest

  • fazalcheema says:

    One of top three favorites, that is quite an endorsement from Sebastian. Sebastian also notes it was love at first sniff. He mentions it is an oriental amber and oriental vanilla but it is not heavy like many other in the same category end up being. Thus, it is quite wearable. Quite excited about this draw. I have many from Kurkdjian, both among his creations for other brands as well as from his own line including all five in the oud and mood series. My favorite from his designer creations is Le Male and from his own brand, I love Velvet Mood the most. I am in the US.

  • Bmorestance says:

    Thank you for the opportunity to win a free bottle of Grand Soir!
    I love Sebastians reviews and he is detailed enough to make me smell it through my mobile device! Would love to be entered in the drawing. Ive heard many good thngs about this fragrance so im sure it wont dissappoint. I am now a subscriber and will check the page out! Thanks!

  • Sebastian real knows how to explain the feeling he gets from a perfume. His reviews are fantastic! I love MFK Ciel de Gum, which I hope to get a full bottle of soon. I would love to win this bottle because just today my sample arrived and Grand Soir is on top of my wishlist as of today! I’m in the US.

  • Edward Gurango says:

    You had me at amber! I have the amber based Akkad from the house of Lubin and would like to explore this note in other brands.

  • Great review!! I currently own MFK OUD and Amyris. I need a nice cool weather scent and this sounds like it would hit a homerun!! I live in Arkansas,,,, Go Hogs!

  • Currently do not have any mfk’s. This sounds right up my alley, would like the opportunity to explore grand soir

  • Great review….I’d definitely love to try this one. I have a bottle of Cashmere Mood and several decants of Satin Mood…also have a bottle of Pluriel. I’m definitely a fan.

  • So glad that Sebastian got the chance to review this! His excitement really comes through when he really likes a scent like Grand Soir. It really shows in his videos! I’ve not had great luck with MFK perfumes from his own MFK house, yet LOVE some of the ones he’s authored for other houses. I think my favorite up to this point would be either APOM or Ciel De G.U.M. In the USA, and many thanks!

  • PS…… oh, and I would love to get this one because I’ve torn thru my decants already, and would love to have a full bottle! Thanks. Again!

  • I love everything from the house and have not tried Grand Soir. I currently have Lumiere Niore as my favorite along with Satin Mood. I recently got my wife Amyris that she loves. Great perfumer!!!

  • pianomanmiller says:

    This sounds incredible! I’ve never tried this house so this sounds like a great one to start with. Thanks to Sabastin for the fantastic review.

  • romanygerges1 says:

    Sebastian is one of my favorite perfume Nose, we have a very similar taste in fragrances. and Francis Kurkdjian is a genius perfumer, I Love all of his stuff Especially my all time favourit Dior Eau Noir. I would love to try Grand Soir. I live in Boston Ma

  • handsomefatkid says:

    Big fan of Sebastian & his reviews. I have tried several fragrances he’s reviewed & have enjoyed each on of them. Looking forward to trying MFK Grand Soir.

  • Like Amber and vanilla but this sounds fantastic especially that you think it’s the best this year
    Please count me in Sebastian
    I like oud by Kurkdjian
    USA

  • I own several bottles from MFK. My favorites are AV and 540. Grand Soir is an easy to wear amber that should work beautifully on anyone. Thanks to Sebastian, now more people get to know this house.

  • nooneyouknow says:

    I recently came across this house at Neiman Marcus. I would love to win this, because a semi transparent Amber would work perfectly with my collection. Sebastian did a great job again!

  • I have not had the pleasure of smelling this fragrance yet. After Sébastiens enthusiastic review I had to enter this generous giveaway! If it’s in his personal top scents of the year it’s a “must sniff!” 🙂

  • Richard Potter says:

    I agree with you. I smelled it yesterday and I loved it. I also loved Petit Matin. My fave is APLS.

  • I love Sebastian’s review because he seems very passionate and very excited to talk about this perfume and it’s also in his top fragrances of the year 2016. My favorite MFK is APOM; I absolutely adore this perfume. Makes me feel sexy and confident. I would like to win because I have tested it and it’s AMAZING. I would really love to win it.
    I live in Seattle, WA, USA. Thanks for the opportunity

  • Hikmat Sher Afridi says:

    Sebastian’s review speaks itself as to why I would love to have this fragrance and also this is one of his top three fragrances. Never try any of the fragrances from MFK. Nevertheless I really enjoy wearing Francis Kurkdjian creations like JPG Le Male, JPG Fragile EDT, Dior Eau Noire,Narciso Rodriguez for Him and Elie Saab Le Parfum.
    Thanks to the generosity of Europerfumes and Cafleurebon for the opportunity to participate in the draw by giving my relative address in NY, US. I would really love to win it.

  • Nicolas Klotzman says:

    Sounds amazing. Havent tried it sounds like an amber heaven would love to win the full bottle giveaway!

    Stay amazing!

  • Devicemanager says:

    Hello cafleurebon world and i must say that Sebastian is one of the top reviewers on youtube and what is most of all he tells it like it is and is very honest unlike some other reviewers that work for certain houses but aside from that i would love to win Maison Francis Kurkdjian GRAND SOIR anything with Tonka Vanilla and Amber makes a great composition to my nose i would make it my scent of the night any night thanks for the chance to smell and feel great 🙂

  • I love Sebastian’s reviws and i’m especially impressed with his ability to pronounce everything correctly, ha ha, something I can never get right! I agree with his instant love for this. I’ve tried it and i want it. It is definitely my favorite from the line! USA

  • Fantastic review of a fragrance I am eager to get my nose on. I already love Oud Satin Mood & Aqua Vitae Forte by the house of MFK. Amber is one of my favorite notes. I would love to get this bottle for the coming fall and winter and just flaunt in it. I live in Los Angeles.

  • Excellent review Seb! I do like the fact that you said it wasn’t overly sweet. The notes seem like it would be. I really want to try this one. Great giveaway 🙂

  • concertslover says:

    I believe a very clean, refined amber vanilla based fragrance sounds amazing. I like the fact that it isn’t overpowering, yet maintains that ability to wow. For him to say love at first scent is very impressive with the amounts of fragrances he must smell. Looking forward to possibly winning. Thanks for the draw.
    From USA

  • Freddiefragz says:

    MFK is one of my favorite perfume houses and I have owned a handfull of his creations. A few of my favorites being aqua vitae forte, OUD, Amyris homme. I was able to sniff this one day I was out shopping with the wife (not a perfume head). GRAND SOIR is not only in my top fragrance categories, but the mrs. even said she would wear it… reason enough to want a bottle..

  • Love the MFK line. He really pushes the envelope and gives perfume lovers a reason to justify perfumery as art. I only own one of his line, Oud Satin Mood, but this one is defintely sounded promising. I hope I win!! Thanks Sebastian!

  • Vanilla & Amber combo sounds wonderful to me. I love several of the MFK fragrances…my favorite so far is Cologne pour le Soir. I wanted to love the Baccarat Rouge but could not smell/detect it on myself, even though everybody that smelled it on me said it was fantastic. So I was really bummed out. This sounds like it would be wonderful for the cooler weather, especially here in Wisconsin. Thank you so much.

  • If it’s love at first sniff for Sebastian, well enough said! I want to be transported to Paris! Happy to know it has longevity, that is always a plus. My favorite MFK is Out Satinmood. This will be perfect for autumn. Thanks for the draw. I live in the U.S. Thanks Sebastian for the review.

  • This i is one of the most popular draws I’ve ever seen here. A testament to the work of MFK. As a vanilla fan I’d love experience MFK’s take on the note. I like so many from his line I’m not going to try and pick a favorite. Thank you for the chance to win a full bottle. 🙂 usa

  • Rodney Q. Wallace says:

    I love MFK! Excellent house. Sebastian’s love for this fragrance just engulfs you. The way he described the amber and vanilla in this fragrance sealed the deal for me. I have a pretty decent collection, but I do not own a bottle from MFK (which is criminal, I know). I would just love to have this in my collection. So far Amyris Homme is my favorite from MFK, but Grand Soir sounds like a real stunner. Thanks!

  • Phyllis Iervello says:

    I love most MFK fragrances but this one just might be the very best…right up there with Ceil de Gum. A full bottle of Grand Soir is a fantastic and most generous give-away. I am also a big fan of Sebastian Jara and watch all his You Tube perfume reviews. Thanks for this terrific offer!

  • My favorite MFK is Ciel de Gum. I’d like to win because everything I’ve tried from MFK is spectacular. Sebastian always does a tremendous job on reviewing fragrances and has really sparked my interest in this fragrance. I definitely trust his taste, so this something I really like about his review. This is a must have for me. Thank you so much for this draw and I live in the U.S..

  • This sounds lovely, would love to try because of the amber and vanilla combo. Mr. Kurkdjian has done so many wonderful scents, my two favorites are: Ciel de Gum and Oud Satin Mood.
    Thank you for the review and draw! US.

  • oh wow what an amazing giveaway and down to earth review. BR 540 is an absolute love for me and just grabbed me at first spray. I’ve had the pleasure of smelling and testing Grand Soir and it’s just beautiful. Owning a bottle would be such a treat!

  • Beautiful review, Sebastian. The notes sound very intriguing!
    I haven’t tried any perfumes from this line. Thank you for the chance!

  • Sebastian has a great channel. One of the best YouTube reviewers. As far for Mr. Kurkdijan , he is my favourite perfumier. He creates great desiner scents ex Ultra Male , and my favourite of his line APOM. So natural , so unisex , great amber / cedar combo. Would love to try Grand Soir ! 🙂
    Thank You Sebastian for the heads up , and for letting us know you oppinion !
    Have a great day , I’m US based.

  • I just love reading about this guy- so in tune, so creative I’d love to be at a dinner party with him Aren’t we lucky to be the recipients of such talent ! Thanks so much for this

  • What a delightful review, thanks Sebastian. This one sounds interesting, I think I should buy a sample. I haven’t tried MFK perfumes before. USA

  • Kirkdijan is by far my absolute favorite fragrance line and designer. His talent is AMAZING. Sebastian had me at how refined this fragrance is. I love how the amber is not one of those in your face ambers and is more masterfully used to achieve this perfection. I really love these type of fragrances as what I currently own consists of the sophisticated heavier types. My favorite is Oud, but all reality I have yet to run across one I didn’t thoroughly enjoy in one aspect or another. I am so happy to see this come out. On cloud nine to try. Thanks for such a great opprotunity to win such luxury. In the USA.

  • I know exactly how Sebastian feels when it love at 1st sniff. It would be wonderful to experience that with Grand Soir. I live in the U.S.

  • I loved the characterization of Grand Soir as a vanillic oriental Amber, but refined, and not too dense. It sounds perfect! My favorite MFK perfume so far is APOM Elixir, and I am in the US.

  • John Troyer says:

    I’ve never smelled an MFK scent and this seems an excellent place to start. I really hope I win this bottle. Thanks for the opportunity

  • Grand Soir appears to be a very incredible perfume. It would be awesome to be the winner of this. I appreciate it, thank you.

  • Serapio_Silva says:

    I’m glad Sebastian got a chance to review this new MFK fragrance. I have smelled a few of them in the past, but I haven’t seen this one at my department stores.

  • Rudesindo_Caldeiro says:

    I remember meeting Francis Kurkdjian at the Neiman Marcus store in Plano Texas last time he was there. He signed my bottle of Aqua Universalis. It was a great experience. I’ve been anxiously waiting to sample Grand Soir, I am in the USA!

  • Miguel_Angel_Herrera says:

    That was a fantastic review by Looking, Feeling, Smelling Great. I appreciate the opportunity to participate in the draw. I’m located in the USA.

  • Castor_Obispo says:

    Amber and Vanilla are some of my favorite notes. It looks like MFK created a very clean and crisp blend of these notes. I seriously cannot wait to try this. Francis is one of the best perfumers in the industry. I trust that he created another masterpiece.

    USA here.

  • My favorite MFK fragrance is Aqua Vitae Forte. Please give me a chance at winning this giveaway! Thanks Cafleurebon! USA.

  • Reading about Francis Kurkdjian is so interesting, the man is a legend in perfumery. I own some of his greatest creations from the designer realm. I wish to try Grand Soir, certainly! Thanks.

    I’m in the United States

  • Thank you Sebastian and Cafleurebon for hosting this awesome giveway! I’d love an opportunity to win this! I live in the US.

  • doveskylark says:

    I like the way Sebastian called this a sheen fragrance. I do sometimes think ambers are a bit heavy for me, but I like how this one sounds. I am definitely a night life guy, so I’d like to wear this around town. I love Francis Kurkdjian’s creations, especially Absolue pour le soir.
    I live in the USA.

  • Another great review by Looking Feeling Smelling Great! My favorite MFK is Masculin Plural. Would love to give this one a try, sounds like a great night-time fall scent. Thank you,

  • Wow, Sebastian sold me on this fragrance! I have a hard time with amber fragrances being too loud, but this one sounds warm and quiet and perfect. I love quite a few FK fragrances, and my favorite is probably his sadly discontinued MDCI Enlevement au Serail. I’m in the US. Thanks for the drawing.

  • Diana Devlin says:

    Love vanilla and amber notes. And I always love Sebastian’s reviews. He just has a way of describing fragrances that make me want to run out and buy them.
    I’ve never tried anything from MFK so I’d love to win this giveaway.
    I live in the U.S.

  • Can’t wait to try this one! Love the pour le soir candles and wear Absolue pour le soir year round.

  • Another great review by Sebastian! Since it’s fall, I am always searching for heavier fragrances. I love the fact that Grand Soir has amber, tonka bean, and benzoin as Sebastian stated in his video. The fact that these notes usually are quite bold and knowing that Grand Soir as Sebastian stated is clean, is a great and wearable option. I live in the US and thanks for the draw! 🙂

  • Trenton Lenz says:

    Vanilla Scents have always been a go-to for me. I own a myriad of Vanilla fragrances and would love to own another! Amazing Work, and thank you in advance!

  • I haven’t been able to test Grand Soir yet but a lot of fellow perfumista’s have and they fell in love with it @ first sniff. And i’m afraid (for my wallet) that i will dig it too!!
    So it would be awesome to win this full bottle!
    Thank you for the amazing draw and i would like to enter by giving the address of my best friend in the US!

    Bye 🙂

  • I am really intrigued by the vanilla/amber combo. I like how he describes it as “translucent” – but lasting. I would love to try it! Thanks for the giveaway!

  • I’ve read a few other reviews of Grand Soir but Sebastian’s description clicked for me and I’m more intrigued by this “refined oriental” than before. I’ve never tried a fragrance by MFK bit the presentation of the bottles is lustworthy. I’m in the US, thanks for the draw!

  • Trenten Mease says:

    Hello, my name is Trenten Mease, and i am not the richest man and I have never had a fragrance that was more then $20, but don’t get me wrong, it’s not like i’m the poorest man ever, but I have never had enough money for something like this, it would be awesome and so kind of you to choose me, thank you.