Roses can just about be grown in any country and each type has an odor particular to the region where it is harvested. As a perfumer I have the most versions of rose absolute in my collection because of the many variants from all over the world and what they offer my creations. I can state for the record none of them smell like anyone's grandmother. Neither does lavender as the other I have collected in its many forms. It is also much maligned as a scent( but that's for another day)
My favorite rose is Croatian. Many expect me to say Bulgarian or Grasse but for my palette the Croatian Damask is glorious. The following accounts are based purely on my experience of each and how I find they work in my perfumery.
Bulgarian rose is the closest to the living flower scent with perfect balance between the sweet, honey, vanilla, green and powder. Smooth and soft but sensual too. Roses from Grasse are lighter and softer but have a similar scent structure. Both of these are beautiful on their own, overwhelming and quite swoony as a singular experience, but I find they can be shy and hidden when part of a complex formula. I still use them but not for a rose themed parfum. They work best as support of the heart and helping link the other notes and create harmony.
Moldovian rose is very new and it is comforting to see producers taking up the mantle as Grasse contemplate ploughing their crops due to lack of financial sustainability. This is the saddest news from the industry I have heard of late and the abandonment of these gorgeous ingredients is nothing short of criminal.
The Moldovian rose is a species Rosa Badouga and deeply sweet and honeyed. I am enthusiastic about its quality and look forward to seeing more come from this area. Rose de Mai from Egypt is delicious for its underlying spiciness in the form of pepper notes and complete lack of green. When working with this I picture a rich pink velvet bloom buried in the shade of rolls of spiky thorns on baking earth. These roses are tough but incredibly passionate. This would be my second favorite.
Turkish rose is wonderfully fresh and uplifting with a bit of zing like a hint of citrus.
Note I am not mentioning the species too much. I prefer working with Damask rose and find Centifolia too fussy and powdery on the whole. Having said this, I am always open to new types and am an avid collector and dont actually discount anything in my work. This list today are my preferred perfumery companions.
English rose I was lucky enough to obtain sometime back in sample form. I have not used it in any formulations to date. To my nose it is typically rose-like but has too much powder quality and tea notes that make it metallic and a bit gassy for my liking( and I do mean gassy not grassy). One of my perfumes will call for it I am sure but it has not happened yet.
My favorite, the Croatian Rose, is light green in color and watery in consistency with a good dose of wax. I dont like it when they are 'washed' too much as the wax lends to the richness. The smell is crisp, sweet and pure. There is a kind of lemony apple note inside it that makes me breathe in a bit deeper and it sparkles in any formula. The absolute I use works best with pepper, any of the woods and all of the citrus family. It lifts heady exotic florals and settles resins. There is no aldehydic powder note that screams over the top of the rest and while fresh in the top it isnt too green and grassy.
Rose is a pleasure to work with and you would be hard pressed to count many perfumes that dont have it as an ingredient in some quantity. I recommend all people reacquaint themselves with the scent of true rose and I wish someone in Australia would make the investment in producing a worthwhile crop for distillation.
The Fleurage Perfume that is true rose is Damascena if you are interested.
Cheers
The Baroness
PS this picture is of a 1920's hand sequined jacket- I adore art deco rose pattern
