What is Rose ?
Queen of Flowers
The Rose, also known as the Queen of Flowers, has olfactory notes that are instantly recognisable. Belonging to the “floral olfactory family”.
The Rose is the very symbol of femininity. Its character is heady, incandescent, even violent. And with over 450 different fragrant molecules, the rose is a raw material from which a multitude of facets can be extracted.
An impactful floral note, perfumers use only a few species of rose among the most scented: Rosa Centifolia, also known as cabbage rose (in France) and Rosa Damascena (in Turkey and Bulgaria). Rose is used in two extracts: the essential oil or the absolute, with the absolute being the deeper and sweeter variant.
Rose extract’s chemical make up consists of hundreds of compounds, which explains why its scent is so rich and multi-facetted. Rose is almost a perfume by itself. Rose extracts can have scents ranging from citrusy notes (lemongrass), green (minty), fruity (peach, plum, wine), spicy (clove), amber and sweet facets.
The Damascena Rose, or Damask Rose, is native to Bulgaria and Turkey. It is used in perfumery as an essential oil. This essence is extracted by using water vapour, so the captured components are relatively light and volatile. The Damask Rose notes are therefore fresh and fruity, slightly lemony, and they leave an airy scent. The Centifolia rose is also called the May rose, or the Grasse Rose because it is harvested in May and cultivated mainly in Grasse (and Morocco). The Centifolia variety does not lend itself to the extraction of essential oil, so we extract a concrete from it using solvents, then, from the concrete, we get the absolute by performing an extraction using alcohol. It is this absolute that is used in rose perfumes. With this method of extraction, heavier elements are preserved, so Centifolia Rose absolute produces rich, warm, waxy and slightly spicy notes.
Taif Rose
Grown in the hills surrounding the city of Taif in Saudi Arabia, the Taif Rose is a sub-cultivar of Damask rose: Rosa damscena tringtipetala (30 petals). The cultivation of Taif Roses involves a meticulous process. After being carefully gathered and sorted, these delicate blooms undergo steam distillation. Through this method, the rose oil transforms into vapor, and after a careful cooling process, it condenses into precious rose oil. This prized essential oil, separated from rose water, holds great value, often fetching prices upwards of $400 USD per tola (approximately 12ml). Bright, extremely powerful, and rich, Taif Rose otto or attar is absolutely stunning to smell.