Dolce & Gabbana has just launched Dolce Rosa Excelsa, a new floral fragrance for women. Dolce Rosa Excelsa is the second flanker to 2014's Dolce by Dolce & Gabbana, following 2015's Dolce Floral Drops. This time around, the bottle is blush pink with a deep red cap. The rose-inspired fragrance includes top notes of neroli leaves, papaya flower, white water lily and white daffodil; heart notes of Turkish rose and African Dog rose; and base notes of musk, cashmeran and sandalwood.
This happens again and again, and I never learn. Some upscale fashion brand releases a new rose fragrance, and I get my hopes up, despite the accumulated experience of the past decade, and then I try it and I'm disappointed. I like Dolce Rosa Excelsa's concept and name and packaging, and I love the promotional "movie" starring the divine Sophia Loren. The fragrance, unfortunately, doesn't live up to its visuals: it's an overpriced pink fruity-floral.
Dolce Rosa Excelsa begins with citrusy-sweet fruit, including something that reminds me of papaya (not "papaya flowers") before moving on to its floral theme. I'm smelling lily of the valley, even though it's not listed as one of the notes, plus a very sheer rose that feels pink, if you know what I mean, rather than red (despite the bottle-cap and the video). It's all very spring-y and girlish, but it's also shrill, and there's an Elmer's Glue-like note throughout that makes me wrinkle my nose. The base is a transparent yet very persistent synthetic musk. Basically, Dolce Rosa Excelsa is to rose as the original Dolce was to white florals: thin and generic and long-lasting.
Come to think of it, Rosa Excelsa is not only similar to other "prestige" rose flankers, but it's uncannily similar to Dolce & Gabbana's own Rose The One from 2009. I laughed when I re-read my own review of Rose The One, which described it as having "a very familiar-seeming accord of lily of the valley, peony, and unripe mulberries" and being "unapologetically synthetic and somehow high-pitched, sweet with a sour edge, and although it lasts a while on skin, it never deepens into anything more reflective or seductive." If D&G can rework their fragrances, I suppose I can recycle parts of my own reviews.
As always, I'm in favor of a new rose fragrance. But if you're looking for a very pretty, fresh rose scent and you want to set your sights higher, there are better alternatives: Annick Goutal Rose Splendide, Divine Spirituelle, YOSH Sottile, Byredo Rose of No Man's Land — I could go on. Feel free to share your own favorites in the comments.
Dolce & Gabbana Dolce Rosa Excelsa is available as 30 ($74), 50 ($93) and 75 ($117) ml Eau de Parfum.
This one seems like it would be such a pretty rose scent. I would love to try it.
Then again, I do like fresh scents……decisions, decisions
I want to try it too. I also like fresh scents. Pretty bottle.
Well…I do think there are other pretty fresh rose scents out there that offer better quality for less money…I’m surprised at the prices for this one. Tokyo Milk Waltz is $30. Something from Rosine would be $110. D&G just doesn’t put the effort into its fragrances than it puts into its marketing, imo.
It smels like laundry detergent to me.
It does have a “functional” feel. I thought of shampoo.
Does anyone have a D&G scent that they really like? I like the original The One, and I wear it from time to time, but I have found nothing else in their fragrance catalog that pleased me – I agree with Angela’s evaluation of Rose the One as “Screetchy”. But, I do admire the brand’s out there colorful motifs, and would like to find another of their scents that I could enjoy….
D&G Sicily. It is discontinued, but I loved it. I remember it being a dark, powdery floral. I used the whole bottle. One of my lost loves.
I don’t mind Light Blue. It has its place.
Sicily is not discontinued. It’s on their website. You can still get it all over Europe.
http://www.dolcegabbana.com/beauty/m/perfumes/women/
I really need to try Rose Splendide. As a matter of fact, I think the only AG rose I’ve tested is Ce Soir ou Jamais (well, and Petite Cherie has a prominent rose note to my nose. And Heure Exquise, though it’s about other things as well). So I need to try the Rose Absolue too.
Teo Cabanel Early Roses is gorgeous, and if I remember rightly, it’s about the same price points for 50 and 100ml.
What, Jessica, would you say is the difference between Rose Splendide and Rose Absolue?
Oops, meant to reply to this earlier! To me, Rose Splendide is a bit fresher and brighter, with hints of fruit and champagne, while Rose Splendide is a deeper rose soliflore. Victoria of Bois de Jasmin contrasted them beautifully in this review a while back:
http://boisdejasmin.com/2012/04/annick-goutal-rose-absolue-and-rose-splendide-perfume-reviews.html
:/ what?
That is: Rose Splendide is a bit fresher and brighter, with hints of fruit and champagne, while Rose Absolue is a deeper rose soliflore.
I am anxiois to smell the new rose Dior Privée scent, La Colle Noire. Hoping the quality will be good.
Oh, I wonder! I hope it’s good. I’m anxiously awaiting Grace Coddington’s new signature fragrance and Maria Candida Gentile’s Rrose Selavy.
Have you tried Liquides Imaginaires Dom Rosa? It’s a lovely champagne rose.
Yes! I went to a Liquides Imaginaire once and I did enjoy it. I need to get my hands on some samples from this line so that I can try them again.
Jessica, I am not a huge fan of rose scents, but I tested this for my friend who is. I told her the same thing you said, that she could do better. It really isn’t very rosy. Thanks for the review.
I’m always excited when people are curious about rose fragrances — but there really are better options out there!!