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retterne – :
This reminds me incredibly of Carthusia Ligea (that’s also a cheaper alternative). This is a sophisticated take on spice, amber and flowers. It’s deep and interesting but still fresh and crisp. Although I bought it for myself, I’ll be passing it on to my husband as it doesn’t quite hit the note for me. I need, if only a slight, more feminine nuance. On him? Divine.
figo82 – :
I’m new to perfuming but when I got this sample, it smelled immediately like when I open up my old piano bench. It feels woody to me, but maybe its because I’m not that familiar with the scent of amber yet.
Oh wait… that’s where we kept the resin for cello and violin bows… maybe something along that line?
I was at the GUM twice when I was a child so this is hitting me right in the nostalgia, which I’m sure is the intent. I like it. I will definitely keep using my tester although I’m sure I can’t afford a full bottle.
There is a darkness to it which I think will go well on hot or cool evenings.
michael_14 – :
Just bought this one one after sampling for a few days. Full review to come later- Right off the bat though, I do see the similarities with Grand Soir- but the differences still set them apart. My go to Amber based scents in my collection now are: Tom Ford Amber Absolute [Vintage Edition], Dior Amber Nuit and Serge Lutens Amber Sultan. Let’s see how this holds up while the cooler-cold weather still persists. Stay tuned fellow fragsters……
aleksey-737 – :
A warming and sensual amber scent. I love this one, however I find MFK’s Grand Soir to be a superior amber fragrance to this one. In any case, Ciel is a phenomenal perfume with the quality you can expect from MFK.
coJIuct – :
Get Dior’s Ambre Nuit instead
It is:
Cheaper
More ambery than Ciel de Gum
Longer lasting and deeper
Floral note is more prominent
Pink pepper note is better
xiron – :
I was keen to try this because of the amber and pink pepper notes. And after reading the below reviews, I won’t be saying anything unexpected: this fragrance underwhelms.
I don’t get a rich amber but a fruity floral. And honestly, if I blind sampled this I would peg it as an outlet store fruity floral.
Something in this mix needs to go. Or maybe it truly is marketed for the younger audience (think under 21). it’s just too unsophisticated and cloying for my taste.
ShIfssharika – :
Scent – amber, pink pepper & jasmine musk.
Season/Time of Day – I prefer to use this one in the warmer months, day or night.
Projection – I didn’t get noticed, I didn’t get a compliment.
Longevity – I get 6hrs consistently.
as15 – :
Maison Francis Kurkdjian Ciel de Gum is one of the more hyped releases from the house, perhaps as much for the scent itself as for its exclusivity (only available at Osswald NYC and on the MFK boutique site itself) and peculiar name, which doesn’t refer to gum agar or bubblegum but rather a Russian department store.
Amber, florals, vanilla, cinnamon, and sandalwood. Not a full-fledged amber-dominant experience that leans toward gourmand, but amber nonetheless the remains the dominant note in the experience.
Performance is a little disappointing in light of the usual standard of MFK as well as the price tag ($300 for 70ml). Longevity seems fine but the projection leaves a bit much to be desired. Still, it might be a powerhouse in warmer weather but in colder weather, for which its constitution seems to be more appropriate, it’s soft.
Still, a provocative and interesting try that is understandably unique and deserving of at least some of the buzz that surrounds it.
8 out of 10
herecomesthesun – :
Opened nice. 10 minutes on the plasticky-rubbery smell of the old soviet time shops emerges. No way I can wear this. The enigma is, how on earth does Mr Kurkdjian know about that smell? He must have visited the USSR.
denisfedoroff23 – :
this is one of our favorites….what a beauty, perfect for the dark, cold of winter but light enough to wear when the sun is out….perfection.
Liutykas – :
I live in a suburban neighborhood where there are a lot of trees and a lot of grass growing in front of our lawn.
Unfortunately for me, the top notes of this remind me of the fertilizer that you put down to make your grass greener.
Perhaps it is the phosphorus that is in both of them. It kinda ruins it for me.
Once it dries down, you do you get a beautiful Amber-vanilla scent which I love very much and always will.
Unfortunately I can’t get past the top note scent for $300.
I did order it through the mail and wonder if perhaps the heat may have changed the composition. I’m going to try again this evening to see if it’s not the same.
I really hope it isn’t because I had high hopes for this and fought hard to get my hands on it. if this does change I would consider this to be a high 9 out of 10
Vladimirg – :
A very nice woody fragrance. I love cinnamon but its not dominant here. It shares the limelight with amber and some jasmine. After a while you become more aware of the vanilla and the pepper. This fragrance doesnt have a big sillage but it does last many hours. It gives you a fragrant glow that only those up close and personal can also enjoy. The overall impression is of resin and amber. I have FM Musc Rav and dont see much similarity. Musc Rav is much sweeter like Dior Add. Addict is more floral with the cereus being very distinctive. This is a truly unisex fragrance unlike Dior Addict. CdeGum is very pleasant but not addictive like FM Musc Rav or Dior Addict.
senya20-86 – :
Certain fragrances, however reserved or mellow, glow. They possess a radiance which pushes their clouds outward while remaining unobtrusive in affect. Ciel de Gum is such a fragrance. It’s refined and smooth, and despite its composition of florals, sweet spices, and Amber, there’s also something golden about it; a sort of regal shimmer floating around its edges and elevating everything to a greater whole. The notes are attuned and portioned expertly. The cinnamon and pink pepper impart warmth, but their bite has been muted in favor of depth. They lend color and dimension to the vanillic amber without distracting or taking away from its purpose–to create a round, encompassing base that is soft and inviting, comforting. Then there’s the jasmine, beautiful, rich and fragrant and mildly sweet, the highest register of the structure and the perfect complement to the dark rose with which it’s paired. The rose is almost jammy or fruity, red and dark with not much more than a hint of powder. It’s not the garden-fresh green and pink variety but something more exotic and rare. In some ways it reminds me of the treatment of rose in Dior’s Ambre Nuit, though this feels more recessed and darker as a result. Perhaps what impresses me most about Ciel de Gum is how well these different aspects work together to create what comes across as a very unified, singular scent. Fragrances that incorporate significant portions of rose have always been difficult for me, appearing too strong or too powdery or feminine and flowery. Somehow this one works without even the slightest doubt or hesitation. Men can easily pull it off.
I probably wouldn’t wear Ciel de Gum casually or to work. While it’s not fancy or ostentatious at all, it has a kind of elegant sophistication which relegates it to special occasions and quiet nights alone where I can fully appreciate it. Something of a little masterpiece to me, that feels like maybe it could be a really cool, limited edition flanker of Dior Homme, this release by Francis Kurkdjian has soft, radiant projection and good longevity. Thumbs up!
Djaska – :
I ordered this direct from the Paris boutique without testing and I certainly do NOT regret it! It’s a beautiful Amber spiced with cinnamon and pepper that dries down to a comfy vanilla not gourmand but dry, slightly reminiscent of Dior Addict but darker. Huge love, quite addictive I’m finding!
BoguMir – :
Ciel de Gum is a bold oriental done with precision and using great materials. A sophisticated, compact, french interpretation of a middle eastern kind of ambered rose. The main spice here is a warm cinnamon,there is amber mixed with vanilla and something that must be benzoin or opoponax and sandalwood that create a sweet resiny depth. I’ve smelled part of this idea in Dahn al Oudh Anteeque by ASAQ where the rose and oud blend so well that it’s hard to know where rose stops and wood begins, all over a resinous middle eastern amber.
Ciel de Gum is like a timepiece in both the precision and compact execution of its design. Yet it still evokes the ideas of the East, incense and church, autumn and winter holidays, and maintains a modern european aesthetic. Ciel de Gum creates the feeling of space–like a large room with a giant cathedral ceiling. I get compliments on the dry down. It’s sexy and classy. Definitely great for cooler weather, might also be one of those spicy orientals that glows in summer.
Fragrances that come to mind when I wear this–but are nothing like this in their affect and construction–are Caron Parfum Sacre, Miller Harris La Fumee Ottoman, Yves Rocher Voile D’Ambre, Scherrer Nuits Indienes. Maybe a memory of vintage Obsession. They are also rosy ambers with spice, but they are languid or more classical. If you like them you may really like this.
siny22 – :
I saw this for sale at a boutique in NYC about a week ago. I’d say it’s arrived.
sesilov – :
A heavenly floriental , smooth, warm, gourmand, spicy but not too spicy, soft and everything nice!
tensharp – :
It starts off spicy and dark but it dries down to a unique soft, comforting smell. The drydown reminded me of the smell of new goods, like entering an expensive fourniture store.
For those who want to try it, it’s not available only in Russia, you can find it at the MFK boutique in Paris as well.
3020072007 – :
Mysterious, dark, and exotic are a few of the adjectives which come to mind when smelling the limited release Maison Francis Kurkjidan fragrance “Ciel de Gum”. Created to celebrate and commemorate the 120th anniversary of the opening of the Gum department store in Moscow. The initial beginning is rather pungent to me, and was a little off putting at first. With repeated trials though, the scent did start to become more pleasurable. There is a strong pink peppercorn and warm amber in the opening which eventually mellows out and allows the more subtle floral notes to shine through. Indolic jasmine blends nicely with a very faint rose note. The included vanilla helps to exaggerate the sweet facets of the jasmine. Cinnamon utilized here is not your typical spice cabinet cinnamon. It is softer, more subtle, and organic in tone. Overall a strong offering from Kurkjidan. Seems more fitted for cooler weather. (120)
Ererrydox – :
This stuff is amazing. It’s heavy on the cinnamon and pink pepper with loads of vanilla and amber. Can’t stop wearing it. One of the best scents I have smelled in a long time. Very unisex. Cinnamon lovers do check this one out for sure as you’ll love it! Find my review of this on youtube! 🙂