Rose de Taif

Rose de Taif is Perris Monte Carlo's tribute to the Damask Trigintipetala grown on the terraced hillsides above Taif in western Saudi Arabia, an oil prized for its concentration and its peppery, honeyed lift. Luca Maffei's composition, released in 2013, keeps the interference to a minimum. Lemon and nutmeg open the fragrance with a brief citrus-spice flash, while geranium adds the green, faintly metallic bite that stops the rose reading as jam. The heart is the Taif essence itself, and it is unmistakable: rich, slightly winey, with the pepper facet that separates a genuine Taif rose from the softer rose absolutes used in mainstream perfumery. As it develops, Damask rose absolute and a soft musk take over, adding weight and a powdery calm without ever pushing the scent into gourmand territory. Longevity is good rather than exceptional, sitting close to the skin after the first couple of hours and lasting most of a day. Projection is restrained by design, which makes it wearable in company. This is a spring and autumn scent above all, comfortable at the office or over dinner, and it suits anyone of any gender who wants a serious rose rather than a floral bouquet. In lane terms it is a niche rose soliflore, sitting between the austere rose-ouds and the sweeter Western rose chypres, and it rewards people who want to smell the raw material rather than an interpretation of it.