For centuries, the rose rightly held the flattering title – of the queen of flowers. Some consider it to be the most perfect of all flowers. Its slightly sweet, fruity floral note adds sensuality and harmony to floral compositions, particularly when combined with the distinctive and robust scent of white flowers like tuberose and jasmine.
According to legend, the Gardeners of Paradise sent roses to earth to strengthen the minds and spirits of earthly mortals. Archeological findings confirm that the rose is one of the world’s oldest flowers, with this flower decorating the world nearly 40 million years ago. It is also known that planned cultivation began in China 5,000 years ago, resulting in the creation of 13,000 different species. There are now over 30,000 of them.
For centuries, poets, artists, and perfumers have attempted to capture the irresistible air of mystery of this aromatic and velvety flower.
The old Persian gardens were overflowing with roses. According to legend, when Muhammad ascended to the Kingdom of Heaven, drops from his body fell to the ground and sprouted the first roses. The rose is revered as a deity in the Arab world, so much so that the most important mosques are washed with rose oil, and it is even added to coffee.
The first written record can be found in Homer’s Iliad, in the 23rd poem, where Homer describes the rose on Achilles’ shield. The poet also mentions the rose oil with which Hector’s body was embalmed in the famous epic.
Beautiful red roses have always been used to decorate the temple of the Greek goddess Aphrodite. When Aphrodite discovered that her love Adonis was mortally wounded, she rushed to him, according to legend. In her haste, she scratched herself, and her blood stained the mythical white flowers red. The red rose has since become a symbol of love.
Roses were a typical table decoration in ancient Roman homes, and guests were treated to bath water covered in rose petals because it was believed that this flower was a powerful aphrodisiac and an ideal cure for drunkenness. The Romans also set up the custom of planting a red rose on the grave of a deceased loved one and a white rose on the grave of a young girl as a symbol of purity.
The rose was also used for healing purposes. For example, Dioscorides, a Greek physician, created a special elixir (a liquor made of boiled roses in wine) that served as a medicine for headaches but also pain in the eyes, ears, and uterus.
Ancient women also used rose petals as a face mask, blush, eye shadow, and deodorant.
Rose is invaluable in the perfume industry. The intensity of its scent is determined by how much sun or rain it has received. The flower is picked early in the morning when its fragrance is most potent, and its oils are extracted using steam the same day. The best-smelling roses are thought to be darker in color and have thick, velvety petals.
Although rose notes were once thought to be old-fashioned and passe, top perfumers now know they yield a powerful and intoxicating fragrance.
Red and pink roses are the most fragrant, while white and yellow roses smell like violets, hyacinths, and lemons. Orange roses often smell like fruits, violets, and cloves.
Turkish rose Halfeti or black rose and Bulgarian Damask (Rosa damascena) are most commonly used in perfumery due to their distinct note and peppery solid undertone. Rosa Centifolia, also known as the “hundred-leaf rose,” is grown in Grasse, France. It is also known as the Rose de May because it blooms in May, but it is also known as the “Painter’s Rose” because it appears in many works by old masters. It has a honey-like fragrance with warm and mild peppery notes.
The Valley of Roses is a region in central Bulgaria known for centuries of rose cultivation located between Stara Planina and Sredna Gora. The name “Bulgarian rose” suggests a particular variety, the “Damascene” rose. This hybrid rose was created from Gallic and Muscat roses and originated in Damascus, Syria, where it was brought to Europe. Four tons of petals are required to produce one liter of rose oil. Every year, 600 liters of oil are extracted from Bulgarian fields, with perfume companies paying several thousand euros per liter.
Rosa damascena trigintipetala, also known as the Taif rose, grows in Taif, Saudi Arabia, a mountainous region rich in rose hips, figs, and honey. Some believe it was brought to Saudi Arabia by the Ottomans, who once ruled most of the Arabian Peninsula. Others claim it is from the Persian rose plantations near Shiraz, Kashan, or even India. The precious essence of the Taif rose has become intertwined with Islamic culture, particularly in the ceremonial washing of the Holy Kaaba twice a year in Mecca’s Great Mosque, where only the finest rose oil is used. Taif is a rare flower, and a small bottle of oil requires between 10,000 and 15,000 hand-picked petals, so it’s no surprise that the precious fragrance is sometimes given as a wedding gift. Although the price varies depending on the season, quality, and age, tolahs of Taif oil are commonly sold for more than $800 in major perfume houses in Dubai. The best oil, usually just a few bottles brought in from the most recent vintage, is the most expensive and is frequently hidden under the counter.
A fragrance lacking roses is akin to a love affair but without kisses. Roses are not only the most romantic but also the most important flower for most perfumers: powdery, woody, musky, and fruity but always and forever romantic. Roses can be found in at least 75% of modern women’s fragrances and 10% of all men’s perfumes worldwide.
Perfumes with a dominant rose note include:
- Lancome Idole
- Acqua di Parma Rosa Nobile
- Amouage Epic
- Amouage Lyric
- Annick Goutal Quel Amour!
- Balenciaga Florabotanica
- Byredo R. of No Man’s Land
- Chloe Eau de Parfum
- Davidoff Zino
- Dior Oud Ispahan
- Diptyque Eau R.
- Frederic Malle Lipstick R.
- Frederic Malle Portrait of a Lady
- Guerlain Black Perfecto
- Guerlain Habit Rouge
- Guerlain Nahema
- Hermes Kelly Caleche
- Initio Parfums Atomic R.
- Jean Patou Joy
- Jo Malone Red R.
- Juliette Has a Gun Lady Vengeance
- Lancome Tresor
- Le Labo R. 31
- LUSH Imogen R.
- Maison Francis Kurkdjian A la R.
- Montale Intense Café
- Moschino Toy Boy
- Papillon Tobacco R.
- Rochas Tocade
- Serge Lutens Fumerie Turque
- Serge Lutens Le Fille de Berlin
- Sisley Izia
- Stella McCartney Stella
- Tauer Incense R.
- The Different Company R. Poivree
- Tom Ford Noir de Noir
- Yves Saint Laurent Paris
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ROSE PERFUME? LEAVE IT IN THE COMMENTS BELLOW. THANK YOU, IGOR.
