It might just be my imagination, and a feeling of tentative hope that my city has come through the worst of the pandemic, but the roses in my neighbors' front yards and the local parks seem lusher than ever this year. I've also been wearing some new-ish and new-to-me rose fragrances to mark the May/June transition, so here are my thoughts on five of them.
Back in the early spring, I finally got myself over to the Saks Fifth Avenue flagship to sniff my way though Dries van Noten's year-old fragrance collection. I admired a few of them, but my personal favorite of the group was Raving Rose (shown below left), developed by perfumer Louise Turner. Turner describes this scent as "a rose that is not a rose, not taking itself too seriously, ultra-modern and spicy.” Black and pink pepper add zing to Raving Rose's floral heart, and cashmeran and musk give depth and longevity. It's not ground-breaking (it feels like a cousin to Byredo Rose of No Man's Land and other contemporary peppery roses) but it's well-crafted and clings nicely to my skin. I love the Rothko-like bottle, with its hazy color-blocking of pink and red, too. Available as 100 ml Eau de Parfum ($280).
As a rose-lover and longtime shopper at Aedes de Venustas, I'm perhaps predisposed to enjoy Amnesia Rose (shown above right), the latest addition to the boutique's own fragrance collection. Named for a species of rose with a faded lavender-mauve hue, and composed by perfumer Luca Maffei with notes of rose, bushman’s candle, saffron, cypriol, labdanum, pink pepper, white incense, patchouli, benzoin, clearwood and oud, this fragrance is intended as "a rose for everyone." I wouldn't quite agree with that assessment, but it certainly suits my own tastes. It's complex yet delicate, much like the interior of the Aedes boutique itself, with its antique wooden display cases, opulent floral displays, shadowy corners that hold stacks of incense boxes, and a taxidermied bird or two. I've been spraying my sample of Amnesia Rose lavishly, yet its dusky layers of rose, spice and resin are never overpowering. Available as 100 ml Eau de Parfum ($245).
I've been a fan of Santa Maria Novella for a very long time, and I cherish my memories of a visit to the original boutique in Florence and I'm very fond of my bottle of Rosa, a very old-fashioned fragrance with notes of soft violet petals and astringent greenery to complement its dusty-pink rose heart. Rosa Novella (shown just above) was launched in 2020, and it's a different species entirely. Its list of notes includes lemon, petitgrain, rose, jasmine, gardenia, patchouli, sandalwood, cedar and musk; my prevailing impression is that of a somewhat blunt patchouli-rose perfume that's trying a little too hard to be a "classic yet modern" rose chypre, with the emphasis on the "modern." On the other hand, I do really like the matching wax tablets, one of which is currently scenting my office. Available as 50 ml ($100) and 100 ml ($150) Eau de Cologne, plus matching body products and home fragrance.
I hesitate to recommend something that may not be available by the time I submit this post, but I recently fell for Phoenix Botanicals' Bed of Roses (not shown), an all-botanical fragrance that's produced seasonally by indie perfumer Irina Adam. Irina writes, "Precious rose essences from around the world awaken memories of countryside rose harvests, ancient flower markets, elaborate rose gardens." There's something subtly magical about Bed of Roses' blend of fruity champaca and neroli, a lightly spicy carnation note (from clove?), and earthy angelica, vetiver and oakmoss, all interwoven around a jewel-like heart of true rose. Available as 15 ml oil-based perfume ($45); samples are also offered.
Lastly, I've been savoring Dusita's newest fragrance: Rosarine (shown below), which Dusita founder and perfumer Pissara Umavijani calls a "love letter" to rose and says was inspired by a memory of her first visit to Paris. It's a satiny gourmand rose, with top notes of raspberry, lychee and bergamot, heart notes of rose de mai, orris, jasmine, amyris, incense, ambrette and coriander, and a base of patchouli, vetiver, sandalwood, vanilla, cocoa and benzoin. That list sounds almost too rich, yet this "queen of roses" wears her crown gracefully. Its fruity aspect is almost jammy and its rose note is dipped in high-quality semi-sweet chocolate, yet these more confectionery impressions are framed by incense and wood accords that make the whole thing feel grown-up and winsomely elegant. Available as 50 ($180) or 100 ml Eau de Parfum.
What about you? Have you been enjoying any rose fragrances or actual roses lately? Feel free to share in the comments!
Note: top image is Mauve Rose [cropped] by Sharon Mollerus at flickr; some rights reserved.
Thank you for all the insightful comments and reviews here. It’s amazing how different rose perfumes can be. Just as roses themselves have many different sorts of scents and associations. I believe that the Dusita one has my name on it already!
I agree! 😉 I never tire of the rose genre. So many possibilities, so many variations!
I love the Dusita for being a floral-gourmand (fleurmand?) that isn’t overly sweet! Pissara really does some lovely work.
I love your new phrase “fleurmand”! I mostly love floral and green fragrances, but I’ve been known to stray into floral gourmand territory. That’s the perfect word for such fragrances.
<3
I’m seeing the first roses in my neighborhood too, what a lovely list, I’m partial to the chypre Lyn Harris La Rose, a limited edition for M&S from ten years ago, Caron Parfum Sacré for an opulent rose and By Terry Rouge Nocturne is my favorite patchouli and rose, I think.
Ooh, I missed that limited edition from Lyn Harris! I’m very tuned in to her current work…a subject for next review. 😉
I remember when Parfum Sacré was fairly easy to find in NYC. I really hope the new owner of Caron will bring back more and more of the classics…that one was a beauty.
…or…wait…it IS back…?!
This review is beguiling! I went to Phoenix Botanicals and they do still have some Bed of Roses oil left, so I got a roller ball. I also noticed and order unstuffed a solid linden perfume. Bad bad beguiling review, Jessica! 🙂
I don’t think you’ll regret it! I actually have a mini of the linden solid and I like it a lot…earthy yet green and fresh. Enjoy!! Irina does lovely work. I swear by her rose facial serum!
Thanks for the nice rec! I just got notice this has been shipped, so now we will see if the Detroit Post Office can move it along at a reasonable rate, or if it falls into one of the “maybe later “bins…
Great to see the reviews! I’m kicking myself for not having tried Amnesia Rose when I was at Aedes in NYC, but I was focused on Pelargonium, and then he pulled out a ton of other things, mostly orange blossom and mint, all of which were lovely. (Also I didn’t have the duty or luggage allowance to buy one of the Aedes perfumes, since you have to buy the big bottle.)
But still…what the heck does “bushman’s candle” smell like?
There’s too much to try at Aedes on one visit, that’s for sure.
I’ve noticed bushman’s candle popping up more than once recently. Mandy’s site has a nice description…apparently, on its own it has an amber-y scent! https://www.aftelier.com/Bushman-s-Candle-p/bot-eo-bushmanscandle.htm
OMG, Rosarine has my my name all over it!
Thanks for the lovely recommendations. I keep saying I am not a floral person but my collection does not agree…
Pissara does beautiful work with Dusita!
I know…I always say I’m not a “fresh” person but then I have so many beach-air scents…
I tried Rosarine recently, and it sure is beautiful! I have so many rose fragrances already that I’m not sure I’ll add to the collection any time soon (okay, I probably will in September, when I’ll be in London, if I’m being honest with myself). My most recent rose fragrance is Miracle of Roses, by Miguel Matos. It is really different, and I think it qualifies for Jessica’s new term “fleurmand.” From the brand’s website:
Top notes: Bread, Milk, Cinnamon,
Heart notes: Rose, Iris, Heliotrope, Immortelle,
Base notes: Honey, Sandalwood, Incense, Woody Notes
I agree that this spring has been particularly good for growing roses. I grow several David Austin English roses, which were bred for fragrance as well as a more old-fashioned shape, and they’ve been blooming heavily for weeks. Now on their second round of blossoms!
I’m excited about making “fleurmand” happen. 😉
Thanks for sharing this rec, too. And enjoy your own “real life” roses!!
Rose is my favourite floral note. They can be innocent, dark, wine-y or anything in between. So versatile. Tomorrow I will be testing a rose and resins fragrance from the Gallipot project, a BigCartel store that makes products inspired by history. I already tried their Huile de Florida oil, which is inspired by Florida water, and it was great.
I agree…it has so many facets and possibilities! This project sounds intriguing. Keep us posted!