Fabio is back for a fourth round of the Monday Mail, which makes him our best customer ever (here are links to his first, second and third posts). This time, he's particularly interested in rose, and more specifically, masculine roses. In the 90s, Fabio was a big fan of Ungaro III, which he calls a "dark, male, rotten rose". He'd love to find something similar, or any rose you think might fit the bill, but, he has not found "oud-ish" roses to his taste. He'd like a rose for a British gentleman.
Fabio is in his early 40s. He loves reading, playing tennis and travelling. His style is usually sophisticated/ bespoken, but more preppy during the weekends.
His current fragrance rotation includes Acqua di Parma Colonia Intensa, Lalique Encre Noir, Guerlain L'Âme d'Un Héros, Guerlain Habit Rouge Dress Code (the only gourmand fragrance he likes), Christian Dior Aqua Fahrenheit, Terre d'Hermès and Gucci Pour Homme II.
Fabio tried L'Artisan Parfumeur Voleur de Roses, but it wasn't exactly what he was looking for, and he found the sillage too low. He can't remember what else he tried, but everything else was too oriental, or the rose was there but not the main/ prominent player, or it smelled too feminine.
What say you?
Note: top image is Bologna - no bill posting [cropped] by on1stsite. at flickr; some rights reserved.
Le Labo Rose 31
It’s been for year in my list, but it’s pretty hard to find in Italy
You’d think I’d champion one of the three Serge Lutens roses, but no. And I just can’t wear Voleur de Roses: never could. My go-to rose scent, where the rose has to be the star player, is Rossy de Palma Eau de Protection by Etat Libre d’Orange. Wonderfully dark and stormy and dangerous, entirely unisex. A genuine bargain at $85. Get a sample first, of course.
I’ll second the ELDO as it’s one of my personal favorites but also think it’d make a great masculine.
Thanks! I noticed all the perfume listed in this blog are marketed for women
you get my attention when you mentioned you can’t wear VdR!
Eau de Projection sounds great if it’s “dark and stormy and dangerous”
I’m a big fan of Une Rose/Frederic Malle.
Great suggestion, and I also personally think Malle’s Portrait of a Lady is worth a shot. Might be too close to an oriental, but to my nose, it’s unisex despite the name.
Une Rose jumped to my mind immediately too. It has some aspects of a clean crisp rose, but there is that truffly darkness to it too.
I’ve never considered Une Rose and Portrait of a Lady due to her names…. I’ll definteley give them a try
I love Chanel Egoiste on my husband and son. Also, Amouage Lyric and Epic (the “man” and “woman” versions of both seem unisex to me) may also be worth a try, if you aren’t already familiar with them.
Thanks for your suggestions.
The only concern with Amouage is sillage and projection, but I’ll try these ones
I think La Fille de Berlin would smell fantastic on a man
Rose Nacree du Desert is another one..
Good Luck Fabio!
Then, I’ll try La Fille de Berlin!
I am not a huge rose fan but I think Andy Tauer’s PHI Une Rose de Kandahar is not super fem and is so lovely that it can be happily worn by a man or a woman. I think Slumberhouse Sadanne might suit as well. It contains more damascenes then virtually any fragrance available and this imparts not only rich rose but hints of wine and other dark and lovely things. Good luck Fabio!
I love Rose de Kandahar on me: it’s totally a unisex rose.
“hints of wine and other dark and lovely things”
I’m in!!
Rose 31 and POAL were my first ideas too, and I love the Egoiste thought (the real thing, not the Platinum flanker) as well as Phi. I’d also throw Lumiere Noire Pour Homme into the mix (here’s a great Grain de Musc review of it along with its sister scent: http://graindemusc.blogspot.com/2009/09/lumiere-noire-pour-femme-and-lumiere.html ) And why not Lady Vengeance, too, if we can overlook gendered names for the sake of great juice?
Wow! I love Lumiere Noir review!
How about Rosae Mundi? I agree with Rose 31 as well.
Another vote for Rosae Mundi, as well as POAL, Une Rose and PHI.
PROFVMVM is very expensive, but a sniff is free of charge, so…
Very random guesses:
Une Rose Poivrée, The Different Company
L’Inspiratrice. Divine, ( it’s marketed to women, but I think it can be just as easily worn by men)
Histoires de Parfums 1876, a gorgeous spicy rose, that Luca calls a masculine rose.
And I agree with Eau de Protection!
Oh yes, Rose Poivree!
Thirding Rose Poivree!
WOW. OK for Rose Poivree (I like their Sel de Vetiver)
Never heard about Histoires de Parfums 1876, but if Luca writes it has a masculine rose, I’ll try it!
Maybe Noir de Noir?
Tom Ford?
I personal like his fragrances, so… thanks for the idea!
Eau d’Italie’s Paestum Rose could be worth a shot.
Yes, easy to find!
Seconding Paestum Rose, a beautiful fragrance!
Hermes Rose Ikebana, Theo Fennell Scent, and Miller Harris Geranium Bourbon. And of course you should try Guerlain Nahema, if you haven’t already. Happy hunting!
Nahema is going to be out of production soon, if I’m not wrong.
Geranium Bourbon sounds great!
I should think Ann Gerard’s Rose Cut might be worth a sniff for you.
Thanks, addedd!
Try Acqua di Parma Rosa Nobile. It’s not an oriental rose. Great sillage. The Candy Perfume Boy wore it on his honeymoon! See his review.
OK, thanks, if it’s not too feminine!
I also love Egoiste – but I don’t think the rose stands out. At least when I wear it, I smell more spices, woods, and a touch of citrus.
I recommend at least trying Tenere by Paco Rabanne. It is discontinued but I think can still be found online. I am sad it was discontinued!
I think Tenere is great, but I do not want to fall in love with a perfume out of production
thanks for your help
Nice to be your best customer, the reason is that I’ve always been served properly!
For your information,
– from my first Monday Mail I learnt that I like vetirer, and Sel de Vetiver is a Summer fragrance I like (actually, I should buy it again). I also liked GF Bergamotto, even if I bought Zegna’s one.
– from my second Monday Mail I discovered the house Nobile 1942, with its precious gem Fouger Nobile, and the amazing Eau du Sud.
– from my third Monday Mail, Chanel Sycomore (even if I didn’t buy it), and Encre Noir
I’m so looking to start my new sniff-list!
Absolutely you should try Histoires de Parfums 1876. Its combination of rose, immortelle, and other typical cologne notes really makes it effective. Bonus: if you’re a guy who likes a little skank or sweat in your drydown (and if you’re considering Rose 31, you are), you will find something to love in this tribute to Mata Hari…favorite of mine for 5 years.
A little bit late to the party, but am also a rose fan and I’ve been trying (and buying…) a few this year.
-Egoiste, that I’ve been wearing since it first came out, used to have more rose in it, but recent versions are not as rose heavy IMHO.
-Tom Ford Noir de Noir is my latest purchase and I love how the rose comes out. But note that on me, it dries down to a soft amber.
-Fille de Berlin starts with a blast of cinnamon and the rose is greener that I was expecting. As always with Lutens, the note suggested by the name is not always the star. On me, FDB becomes a soft suede/lipstick scent.
-I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE Rose Anonyme by Atelier Cologne. It is rose. Maybe not dark enough, but certainly elegant and would be at home with a bespoke suit. A must try. Did I mention that I love it?
Also late to post and seconding Rose Anonyme. It’s got a moreish quality… I find it seductive and would love to smell it on a man.