Czech & Speake is relaunching cult favorite Dark Rose:
A rich and intense perfume. The spicy note of saffron is combined with an elegant bouquet of Bulgarian Rose in the top note. Middle notes feature a mixture of exotic woods, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Oudh unveiling a dry down of liquid amber and white musk.
Dark Rose is a truly original fragrance that takes its influence and ingredients from the traditions of Indo-Arabian perfumery and heritage. An exciting blend of the most mesmerising essential oils, Dark Rose has a spicy top note of saffron which has been blended with aga wood, sandalwood, rose and white amber to create a rich, long lasting, balsamic heart to this indulgent fragrance.
Czech & Speake Dark Rose is available for pre-order at the Czech & Speake website for delivery in March; £75 for 100 ml Cologne Spray. (via czechandspeake, found via perfumeinprogress, thanks Laurie!)
Update: see a review of Czech & Speake Dark Rose.
Have you smelled this, anyone? How does it compare with, say, Saffron Troublant? (one of my favorites).
Thanks, Calypso
This was (haven't smelled the new version) a deep woody rose with oud, closer in spirit to one of the Montale rose/oudh combinations, but subtler & smoother. Really beautiful, but nothing like ST.
This is great news! Dark Rose is one of my all time favorites. I've been hoarding my last little bit and now can spritz with abandon. Hurray!
I remember it being said that Dark Rose was very similar to Andy Tauer's LE, Orris. Given that I'm too scared to use my Orris for fear of using it up, I have high hopes for Dark Rose.
Hope the new one will be as nice as the old! Very glad to see it back.
C, I'm very surprised…wouldn't have thought them anything alike at all! Will have to find time to try them together.
Uh oh! Danger!
This is the one EVERYONE seemed to be recommending when I was looking for a woody, masculine-ish rose. I've since collected Red Aoud and a decant of Black Aoud, but of course I'll need a decant of this now to compare, right? You just think this is smoother than the Montales, or can you elaborate further on the difference?
Montale has a rather brash style, which can be fun in its own way. This is (or should say, was) in a more “refined” style.
I've found the Montales a bit too brash for me, so I have high hopes for Dark Rose! Rose and saffron being one of my favourite accords.
I will DEF be trying this one out!
Joe DONT go to the PC for a decant just yet…I went and looked and they are asking for 14 bucks for a lil tiny 1ml decant…although they have the discontinued juice for sale. My recent light rose fav is LA V d Roses…but found it fleeting…and so it went sold! I like and have both of your Montales and they remain in the “SPECIAL OCCASION” wearing section…with Clive Christian's and such. As much as I love Montale's they are really STRONG and IN YOUR FACE. I am pining for a fragrance with the potency of M, with SILLAGE! The only one I currently own that fills that bill is LA Aedes de Venustas.
Me too
Hope you'll like this one. For similar notes, you can also try Washington Tremlett Black Tie & The People of the Labyrinths Amaze.
Rob send me your info so I can send you the TF's.
Thanks, C. I'll definitely wait until TPC starts decanting the new Dark Rose. LA VdRoses is one of my faves, but I honestly get hardly any rose from it … just a deliciously deep plummy patch, and not really fleeting at all the way some L'Artisans can be.
I don't wear the Montales all that often, and just TINY spritzes on each side of the neck suffice. I love them though, and I got a compliment on Black on the bus recently, which was nice. Actually, if I were feeling rich, I wouldn't mind getting decants of either of the Amouage Lyrics for great rose scents (I think I liked the women's better than the men's). I don't do very “pure” roses too often. The Montales are the right combination of rose with strong wood & other accords for me. My skin seems to eat up fragrance, so the fact that they're powerhouses isn't a bad thing.
I'm not sure what you mean when you say you're pining for a frag with the potency of M. Which M?
Yippee! Likweise: hurrah, yay, yee-hah! At last!!!!! And just in time for my birthday, too (tomorrow – but the news that it's coming is present enough, I'll be happy to wait till it comes to the shops).
I do hope they haven't messed around with the formula – the original was dark, lush, luxurious, perfect, without the overbearing Oudh of the Montales. Definitely NOT a light rose scent and fortunately a far cry from Safran troublant (which smells a bit like smoked sausages on me). Great staying power, too.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll go back to cheering happily and enthusiastically. 'Bout time.
Will definitely email you tonight!
Hey, happy birthday!! I am pretty darned sure they've messed with the formula, but hopefully the result will be happy.
The potency of M=Montales.
C: You know what has great potency and sillage? Do I have to say it again? Noir Epices! Haha. I know you weren't fond of it, but did you try it again before swapping away or selling your little bottle?
Unfortunately I did not retry…but I will I will…soon…I promise! No worries…you've got the NE bug in my head since Christmas kiddo!
mmmm, sounds good!
Thank you for the wishes!
Yep
Just got my C&S samples in the mail the other day, and am finding that most of them are far too masculine for me. (Like March says over on the Posse, I’ll smell like all kinds of weird stuff before I’ll smell like a GUY.) But Dark Rose was really nice and had great lasting power, even dabbed from a sample vial, for a cologne. It lasted about six hours on me. However, I’m just starting that Rose+Oud investigation, and I don’t think I’m shelling out approx. $100 for this yet.
Too bad! I like a few of them, and I rarely mind smelling like a guy. Just got my sample of the new Dark Rose, have to give it a spin.
My favorite from C&S is Frankincense & Myrrh.
That’s a nice one.