Absolutely Magazine: May Issue: Resurgence of the Rose by Lawrence Roullier White

Rose de Mai is a hybrid rose that was first bred in the 17th century for use in the perfume industry; it is pertinent then that we chose May to consider the olfactory fashion for this flower. It is not surprising that the rose, the aphrodisiacal aroma of which has been prized for millennia, has become a somewhat contentious ingredient in modern perfumery. This is largely due to the common misperception of what the scent of the rose actually is. Over decades our world has been flooded with a simplified, synthetized versions of the fragrance and these have replaced the real thing in our minds. Far from powdery at best, and sickly sweet at worst, the true scent of rose is complex and multifaceted, pop out to the park and bury your head in a bloom. The chemical presence of rose oxide provides a clean, green, almost metallic layer that cuts through the floral notes. Citral adds a contrasting splash of bright citrus together with benzaldehyde – a natural aldehyde - that brings further freshness. As the use of old-fashioned faux-rose scented soaps and nasty air fresheners has decreased so interest in this most remarkable of flowers is on the up. We look at the rise of the rose. 

When asked why he had commissioned a rose scent, Frederic Malle replied ‘because everything is so Barbara Cartland.’ It would be impossible to talk about rose scents and not to mention Une Rose by Frederic Malle. This benchmark scent references the earthy roots of the rose with primal patchouli, a smear of red wine and truffle oil create a near edible, carnal background for the more subtle, almost skin like, notes of the flower itself. 

At Roullier White we are rather taken with new British fragrance brand St Raph and its clever and well-conceived triumvirate of inaugural perfumes. Everlasting Red is true to the trend of the ‘new roses’, a rich robust rose cut through with bright bergamot and sharp vetiver, with a soupçon of spicy vanilla. This is a fragrance that moves effortlessly and elegantly with you from day to evening. You should own this.

Another new launch is Nancy Meiland’s eponymous perfume house, also with three fragrances. Rosier also opens with bergamot, this time with tangerine and blackcurrant, dancing around a heart of white pear, jasmine, peony and violet on a bed of tobacco and hay. Meiland's Rosier is quite simply divine.

Bergamot once again appears at the opening of Spanish perfumer Jimmy Boyd’s quite lovely Rosas: Wild Roses. Jimmy cleverly plays to the natural fleshy ketone notes of the rose with the fruity and flirtatious addition of the pulp of forest berries. Brilliant.

 Also from Spain, Ramon Monegal’s very modern Eau de Rose recalls the freshness and redolence of roses after the rain. Sensational.

Things get a little darker with Eau d’Italie’s extraordinary Paestum Rose. This perfect perfume takes the velvet petals of the finest Turkish roses and whirls them in wafts of smoky dark incense with stunning and near mystic effect. Exotic woods and more incense in the base render this a rose scent like no other.

Turkish roses and incense also feature in Atelier Cologne’s charismatic Rose Anonyme, which starts with a sparkling burst of ginger from China and is carefully encased in a sumptuous cape of seductive oud.

Equally beguiling is Laboratorio Olfattivo’s Rosamunda where oud, amber and musk merge with alluring animal magnetism, cushioning a heart of Bulgarian and Turkish rose. The dualism of the natural chemistry of the rose scent – at once floral and green- is underlined here with rose leaf in the opening. 

Whilst on the subject of dualism, E Coudray’s new travel size eaux de toilette combines a spray and roll on at either end. Perfect for a pulse-point, on-flight refresh without covering other passengers or a more general pre-party spritz. E Coundray’s classic and bestselling Jacinthe and Rose was recently joined by Iris and Rose, the scent of summer in a bottle.

Absolutely Magazine: May Issue.