Oud Silk Mood
Maison Francis Kurkdjian (2013)

I can't say that I am moved by this clamorous rose oud. It may have been more novel and exciting several years ago, but today it comes off as a passé luxury cliché like oversized statement sunglasses or upscale fro-yo shops. I am not one to ever generally say this as I am a huge vintage perfume fiend and can find timelessness and in almost any fragrance, but this somehow smells—dated, in 2024.

Dated as in I am over it, so over it. So over the combo of rose with a Givaudan/IFF/Symrise/fill-in-the-blank screechy, medicinal, sharp, burning electronics, cheese smudge oud. Over it. Kaput. The end. Finis.

I'll revisit it in ten years.

Maison Francis Kurkdjian Oud Silk Mood (2013) is the second released, and my favorite, of the "oud moods" series of fragrances, plus is one of three available in a slightly more-tame eau de parfum. All entries in this series would get extrait versions, and starting with Oud Velvet Mood (2013) most would be extrait only, although Oud Satin Mood (2015) would be the third and so far last of the "oud moods" delivered in an EdP version. Oud Silk Mood is as it sounds; we get a "silky" oud experience that as the brand describes brings the "orient" and the "occident" together thematically, displaying rose chypre formatting with oud as the anchoring base material rather than oakmoss and labdanum. Also as noted, Maison Francis Kurkdjian is using little to no noticeable oud in these fragrances besides maybe what trace amount may be required to legally call it an oud in some markets, so expect this to be the usual medicinal synthetic oud experience like in all the others. At least here, MFK tries to add more of an animalic quality to the oud, which translates as a sort of sour urinous leathery quality that Dior, Bogart, Le Labo, and a handful of others have achieved using the synthetic oud compound from Firmenich. If this isn't using that exact compound, it's pretty close, and I don't think the kind of person buying this is ordering samples of perfume molecules to blind test anyway.

Beyond this "pissy synth oud" which could very much almost be mistaken for civet at a passing glance, Oud Silk Mood is really all about its rose, which blends down with bergamot and chamomile in a novel well, supported by several aromachemicals to give it lift and transparency. The opening is going to be that bergamot and rose all chypre-like, pushed into place by that lumbering animalic synth-skank, that soon settles into more of a cypriol sour aromatic woodiness role. Hedione and salicylates lift and polish the rose, while a light deft touch of woody-ambers taking the guise of guaiac wood enter the heart alongside a touch of vanilla. The sweet chamomile comes next, being the X-factor which sets this apart from similar scents coming out of Tiziana Terenzi, By Kilian or Montale/Mancera. Appropriately "silky" at this point, the rose-dominated Oud Silk Moood only gently sways that slightly urinous and dry woody "oud" note back and forth, with sour leathery traces that also remind me of how isobutyl quinoline is used in leather chypres, even if ultimately Iso E Super is likely the culprit for the final woodiness of listed "papyrus". This is nice, lasts a long time, and projects well in most weather conditions, and really is more of a rose scent than an oud one, just like many Montale "aoud" scents tend to be. Most rose ouds can smell tiresome but this one pleasantly avoids feeling like it copied someone's homework.

The person who likes Oud Silk Mood is someone who wants the expense of a niche fragrance, the slightest touch of exoticism afforded from the subject of oud, but wants a fragrance that is still unerringly French and polite, sophisticated, plus mostly safe to use in most social spaces. In other words, more "occidental" than "oriental" but liking to pretend it's the other way around. I'm okay with this so long as it is done well and enjoyable, which it is here. MFK Oud Silk Mood doesn't smell cheap, doesn't particularly feel like a rip-off; a little bit of this stuff lasts forever and goes a long way so even at a steep $300 for 70ml, one bottle may be a lifetime supply, and you won't smell like you're wearing another ramshackle designer oud take a la poorly cassette-dubbed version of something Tom Fords did a decade beforehand but by another house. The original Maison Francis Kurkdjian Oud (2012) flirted with that level of cynicism, but the line as a whole seems to avoid that particular cliche. Still, if you're looking for a barnyard oud or something more chocolatey and dense like an Artisanal maker can provide at this price point, Oud Silk Mood won't be for you. On the other hand, if you're after a rose oud combo from a Western brand that doesn't feel like "another rose oud from a Western brand", this may have you covered if the price is right; we're still talking a lot of money for just 70ml after all. Thumbs up

This is my secret weapon. It's my #1 most complimented fragrance from any house. I think it is the unique combination of rose and oud that creates it, but honestly I can't fully describe how good it is.

That being said, with great power comes great responsibility. It has a learning curve to it, and you need to know exactly how much to apply. Too much and it will be incredibly overpowering and feels like you're bathing in it (hence some of the negative reviews). But too little and it won't impress you either. I have tried all of the MFK Oud line and this one is by far the best, and the best overall oud frag from any house in my opinion. I would take it over Creed's oud as well. It's my favorite of the MFK masculine fragrances. The only MFK frag I like more is Baccarat, but only when my wife wears it because I find baccarat too feminine on me.

Oud Silk Mood is very powerful and only 2-3 medium sprays is all I need and all I would recommend. It reacts with my body heat to create the magic. I think it works best in fall/winter months and it's not something I would wear on hot days, because it would become too rich and cloying in that climate.

As I said, this is my most compliment-getting frag. I work in an office environment and one time last winter I was in a medium sized conference room with the heat turned up too high. I started to exude this fragrance as I warmed up, to the point where I became very self conscious actually, because I was afraid it was too overpowering and wondering if it would bother people. Then almost immediately one of my coworkers across the table announced to the group, "Wow, someone smells R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S-L-Y good!" and then the entire room of 10 people continued talking about how good it smelled in the conference room, until it was determined it was coming from me. One time I applied 3 sprays of Silk Mood at 7am in the morning, and then received multiple compliments at the gym at 6pm that night. Gym compliments are the holy grail for me because if you apply a frag and then hit the gym, it can easily offend people and make them upset, and you can even receive insults from it.

The best part of this scent is that it's something I enjoy wearing as much as other people enjoy it on me. It's a rare combination of scent, performance, and universal appeal. I don't know if it is just my body chemistry but I would definitely suggest giving this one a try. I have almost reached the end of my bottle and will promptly order a second. It could easily be a signature scent, at least for part of the year.

An authentic masterpiece, the most seductive material in my collection. The rose, deep, black, grave, sinks into the strength of the oud with the silk vanilla of a sumptuous curtain, covering the secrets of a consummation of forbidden love. The particularity of this perfume, that for which it is distinguished from any other, is its "density": the skin is covered with a thick, almost palpable layer of scarlet fabrics and funereal exhalations of ripe rose.
Its simplicity, its imperturbable persistence (the aroma does not advance, does not recede, does not change in any way from its beginning) contribute to create an animal aurea of pure eroticism: baroque, exultant, romantic, without any evocation, without any refinement beyond those who reserve the wise charm of lust to the evocation of drunken sensuality (mature sensuality, but completely self-abnegated by the drunkenness of a bleeding perfume of criminal passion).
An incomparable piece of olfactory art that awakens impulses that she herself sleeps.

Lovely rose, oud, chamomile, and papyrus combination. Lovely but, not overly memorable.

I'm giving it thumbs up b/c I like this type of fragrance. Having said that, the rose is gorgeous, but the oud is of the infamous "Urinal Cake" variety. This gives a sharpness that other reviewers have called Citronella-like. It could be great if the sharp urinal cake oud was replaced with a more animalic oud.

UPDATE: Drydown is much better, rose and stone dust. Very dry