Of Smoke & Roses

Dewy & maidenly, or mystically va-va voom & voluptuous? Guess which I prefer...

Dewy petals freshly plucked from a country garden by a rosey-cheeked maiden, or velvety va-va-voom voluptuousness?

These are the two main categories we tend to imagine rose fragrances fall into, but I would argue there’s a third, perhaps even larger category, which many people think of when asked if they like rose scents: castle gift shop pot pourri. 

Now I adore a castle gift shop, though must admit I’d rather buy my pot pourri (look, apparently it’s fashionable again, okay?) from Santa Maria Novella. 

Nonetheless, I know there’s a feeling (for some rose naysayers) that this oft-lauded ‘Queen of flowers’ in perfumery is more relic than regal. 

Indeed, James Craven - fragrance expert, one-time archivist for London’s first niche perfumery, Les Senteurs, and general font of all fragrant knowledge - once told me that many customers who came searching for a new scent would begin their consultation by pronouncing, definitively: ‘Nothing with rose in it’. 

Customers had a preconceived idea of how a rose scent would smell, he says. But undeterred, and indeed without telling the customer what they were sniffing, James would proceed to show them a fragrance with rose as a note. Hard not to, as roses are said to feature in at least 75% of modern feminine fragrances, and at least 10% of all men's perfumes. 

Rose is an incredibly complex scent, with over 400 constituent molecules making up the smell that beckons a nose in a garden, and the resulting oil extracted doesn’t actually smell like wafting past a rose bush or burying your face in a bouquet; so perfumers usually employ additional synthetic aroma molecules (and / or remove certain parts of the natural molecules) to create an ‘accord’ that smells something more akin to the freshness nature affords. 

I HIGHLY recommend you bury your noses in this book on the subject of rose imagery and inspirations through the ages. The Rose in Fashion: Ravishing, by Amy De La Haye

The scent – and symbolism – of rose is a HUGE topic, which can (and has) filled many books, but just know that rose can be fractionated / reproduced in endlessly beautiful - and utterly unique ways. In fact, sometimes rose (or one of its constituent parts) might be present in a finished fragrance formula, but might never be mentioned in the marketing / list of notes / often nonsensical ‘pyramids’ that appear all over the place. That’s the difference between an ingredient and a note. Those fragrance note aren’t the same as recipe lists in a cookbook - they serve as guides for what marketers would like you to imagine as you smell the scent. 

It’s a telling psychological insight into our souls (and cultural upbringing), I reckon, our response to rose. Not just with rose, of course: scent and memory and inextricably linked. Our emotional responses are stored in the same area of the brain as memories, nestled next to the part that lights whenever we sniff something. It’s partly the reason that smelling something can whoosh us through time and space in a split second - the closest thing to time travel we have. 

However, I do find it’s rose fragrances that many find most divisive. 

Let’s go back to the scenario of a customer coming into a shop and saying “nothing with rose in it!” And James reporting that often (very often, according to him) those were the very scents they went home clutching to their chests as new-found perfumed paramours. 

I was one of them. Those rose-haters. Or at least I thought I was. That was until I discovered the myriad ways in which it can be used, and specifically the category I want to revel in here: smoky roses. 

Smoking Rose, photo by David Ilzhoefer

Smoke has long been associated with spiritual cleansing, believed to purify spaces and elevate moods. When paired with rose, which is also seen as spiritually uplifting, the combination creates a fragrance that is both grounding and ethereal.

The use of rose in incense (and burned on bakhoor) has a rich history, deeply rooted in countless cultures and religions across the world. In ancient Egypt, for example, rose was among the aromatic plants burned to strengthen connections with the divine, symbolising love and beauty. The Romans also used rose incense during rituals dedicated to Venus, the goddess of love, highlighting its association with romance and passion. In the Arab world, meanwhile, rose is revered for its purity and is often used in religious ceremonies, symbolising paradise in some Islamic traditions.

The scent of rose blends harmoniously with smoky notes due to its complex fragrance profile, which includes woody undertones that complement the warmth of smoke, rather than being swamped by it. Smoke needs something resilient to scent it. No wallflowers here, please. When burned, rose releases its sweet yet earthy aroma that supposedly enhances meditation and relaxation. In perfumery, combining rose with smoky elements creates a glorious balance that can be tranquil while still feeling deliciously subversive, even ferociously feral.

While the season may be filled with spooky festivities, the smoky rose perfumes I suggest you seek out are (mostly) otherworldly rather than eerie, and marvellously evocative rather than full-on macabre. They offer a sophisticated blend of warmth and unashamedly sensual floral flirtatiousness.

No, actually, they’re not ‘flirty’. I associate that word with naive youthfulness, a sort of bashful gaucheness, somehow. The roses I’ve fallen for go far further. They’re fully grown, thank you. But it’s undeniable that unfortunate age-centric language haunts the rose. Think about ‘fresh buds of youthfulness’ and ‘overblown’ blooms. And consider this stanza, taken from Book II, Canto XII, verse 75 of Edmund Spenser’s Faerie Queen. 

So passeth, in the passing of the day,
Of mortal life the leafe, the bud, the flowre,
Ne more doth flourish after first decay,
That earst was sought to decke both bed and bowre,
Of many a Ladie, and many a Paramowre:
Gather therefore the Rose, whilest yet is prime,
For soone comes age, that will her pride deflower:
Gather the Rose of love, whilest yet is time,
Whilest loving thou mayest loved be with equal crime.

The fragrances I’m recommending here definitely - defiantly - lean away from dewy-cheeked innocence and the first flush of love, and firmly towards more mysterious, otherworldly olfactory encounters who’ve been around the block a bit; and therefore are much more interesting to spend time with, I reckon. There is a time and a place for quiet, unassuming, maidenly innocence in one’s fragrance choices, I’m sure (I’ve not really found such an occasion, personally, though am willing to believe they exist), but must admit I find the majority of worthily virtuous rose fragrances rather dull. 

It’s not them, it’s me. I’m the problem. 

Give me rose-scented alchemy and more than a whiff of witchiness, and suddenly I’m interested. Let us gather the overblown roses, too - sorry, but on their own those buds are bloody boring. Mix a fully unfurled rose with smoke and I’m hypnotised by its powers. Bring me bowers of velvety voluptuous, ripe roses riven with life experience,  borne aloft on tendrils of smoke. Place me in an autumnal garden swooning into the season, bonfires scattering dried petals across wet earth like confetti following a scandalous party, and I’m following that trail wherever it may lead. 

The heart wants what it wants. And I think you might want these…

Any sane writer would put a paywall in at this point, I guess. I’m not adding one on this occasion, even though this post is a whopper and was a labour of love written in my [LOL] free time (it’s nearly 3am, and I’m still writing it. This is my free time); because I just want people to read about these gorgeous rose fragrances and (I hope) become entranced enough to seek them out. Nothing thrills me more than introducing people to new fragrances or houses they may not have heard of previously, or have perhaps overlooked. It’s a RUSH!

I’d love you forever if you did feel like liking the post, sharing it, or consider becoming a paid subscriber in future, though. For those that don’t know (it’s not immediately obvious) you can become a free subscriber via the app, but for paid subscriptions you can only sign up for that via the website.

Okay then. Let’s get ready to smoulder, baby.

Sana Jardin Incense Water 

This is my favourite of their fragrances, because it immediately transports you to a serene, fairytale landscape where imagination and reality blend seamlessly. And we all require that olfactory escape route on occasion, non? Picture a lake made of rose water, its surface shimmering like liquid mercury threaded with milky opalescence. As the mist rises, it transforms into delicate drifts of rose incense smoke that dance on the breeze. This fragrance captures the essence of childhood reveries, reminiscent of the 'magic potions' we concocted from rose petals and rainwater. Unlike the sad brown sludge of reality, Incense Water delivers an enchanting aroma that feels like a protective, perfumed spell.

What makes Incense Water truly unique is its ability to conjure both the coolness of water and the dry wisps of rose incense. These elements can be separately admired but become one on the skin, creating a harmonious blend that is both soothing and mystical. The fragrance opens with the ethereal scent of Moroccan rose, which soothes emotions and invites a sense of calm. As it settles, smoky incense and grounding patchouli emerge, fostering growth and balance.

Wearing Incense Water feels like stepping into a realm of safety and possibilities, where dreams really do come true. It wraps you in soft rose and mystical incense, offering spiritual tranquility, balance, and the satisfying quiet hum of power which reverberates for hours, weathering smothering in an avalanche of strength all at once. 

From £32 for 10ml eau de parfum sanajardin.com

Vallense Source 

To me, Source feels like wearing a crown of roses, and taking part in some ancient ceremony. When describing this as part of hosting an event on Vallense founder William Borrell’s boat (where he - so brilliantly - distills some of the extraordinary ingredients he’s collected around the world), I managed to slightly appal my darling friend Nicola, and co-host of our On the Scent Podcast. 

I simply said, that while wearing Source, one could imagine happily joining a cult in which you were to be sacrificed to the scent gods (ancient religions believed burning fragrant ingredients carried their prayers skywards on the smoke, and thence to whichever gods they were praying to); and that if you were led to the fateful altar while wafting this, it wouldn’t be an entirely bad evening. That’s all…

Luckily William liked my description! 

Let’s try again, though, for those who don’t like my more macabre tendencies.

Source is decadently romantic, a candlelit procession (okay, okay, a candlelit boudoir!) with a flickering sparkle of mandarin and flecks of black pepper to start with. As it warms, the Bulgarian rose smokiness begins to billow, with a sizzle of frankincense, cypriol, praline accord (just a tiny lick of sweetness, I promise. This is no cupcake scent), and the soothingly grounding notes of karmawood emerges atop a warm glow of amber woodiness. The kind of fragrance one sprays in the morning and delights in all day (and night). Perfumer Pia Long has done a brilliant job of marrying the notes, creating an extraordinarily faceted fragrance in which you can sense all the notes individually, and yet still smell them as an harmonious whole. Modern alchemy, I’m telling you.

€220 for 100ml eau de parfum vallensefragrances.com

(Psst! Get the discovery set and try them all! )

BDK Tabac Rose 

A potent elixir that pays homage to the rose, and sounded to me as though it would be too gourmand, but (I promise you) is not, founder David Benedek instead explores the rose's atypical facets, crafting a fragrance that exudes oriental and mysterious sensuality, layered in hues of pink, purple, and plum. The opulent tobacco note is addictive, enhanced by luscious plum and a dry, powdery dusting of chocolate, which beautifully complement the majestic Turkish rose at its heart.

Perfumer Julien Rasquinet introduces a scintillating contrast with spicy notes of pink pepper and cinnamon, adding a lively twist to the composition. The fragrance's sweet voluptuousness is extended by the deep, fabulously naughty notes of patchouli and labdanum, creating inviting rivulets of resinous warmth perfect for these cooler months. The scent feels close to the skin yet projects magnificently, enveloping the wearer like a deep crimson velvet cloak that surrounds in comfort and voluptuousness. The chocolate note, I assure you, feels freeze-dried and Michelin-starred rather than tuck-shop, and it’s so delicately sprinkled on top rather sticky and sickly, adding a refined touch to the overall composition.

Tabac Rose is not just a fragrance; it's an experience that envelops you in its rich textures and layers. This fragrance is not about being spooky; it’s about celebrating the rose's timeless elegance with a modern twist, offering an exquisite scent journey that lingers long after application, with tendrils of smokiness that caress but never smother.

£205 for 100ml eau de parfum harrods.com 

Ruth Mastenbroek Firedance

When you’re ready to ramp it up: this sublimely searing leather smooches Damask rose and deepest, darkest oudh. Think billowing bonfire-smoke clinging to your hair and cold lips burned by passionate kisses. 

I love the opening of apple and lemon, providing a clarity that cuts through the richness of the rose and leather it becomes. As it develops, the scent reveals its full-bodied character, reminiscent of an Argentine Tango—sexy, tense, and electric with anticipation. For Ruth, this is “a fragrance that tells a story of celebration, capturing the essence of life's contented moments”. If you’re looking for a modern interpretation of the classic rose perfume, this is both scorching and sophisticated, with the raw, animalic note of leather unexpectedly tamed by that seductively smouldering Damask rose. 

The oudh and rose combination is a tried-and-true classic in perfumery, of course, but it is so gorgeously worked here in Ruth’s seemingly effortless style of timeless elegance. One of those fragrances strangers will ask you several times a day to write down the name of, or simply gaze after you in awe, wishing they’d dared.

£70 for 30ml eau de parfum ruthmastenbroek.com

Kayali Oudgasm Rose Oud | 16

This one really surprised me, bringing a unique twist with its lush and verdant composition, all sitting atop a genuinely hot-smelling smoky rose that reveals itself from the very first spritz. The inclusion of geranium adds a delightful furry-leafed and stem-like woodiness, which complements the bright opening notes of lemon and pear(though these quickly fade to make way for the Main Character energy. Opulent Bulgarian rose begins to glow and smoulder, beautifully evoking the traditional bakhoor experience and resonating with founder Mona Kattan’s heritage. Indeed, this scent is even available as a burnable bakhoor, enhancing its cultural significance. The base notes of oud, vanilla, and cashmere wood provide a smoky, dry swirl that lingers magnificently on the skin. The fragrance feels like a deep crimson velvet cloak, enveloping the wearer in comfort and voluptuousness while projecting with incredible longevity.

It’s refreshing to see an affordably priced fragrance house like Kayali pushing perfumed boundaries with such bravery. Oudgasm Rose is not only beautifully crafted but also daring in its composition, offering an exquisite scent journey that I think really defies expectations. It also smells WAY more expensive than it is. Win-win. 

£35 for 10ml eau de parfum intense sephora.co.uk

Moschino Toy Boy

This is so much naughtier - and nuanced - than you might have imagined. Created by the talented perfumer Yann Vasnier, this scent is a spicy-woody-ambery creation that totally defies conventional norms. The opening is a fiery bouquet of roses tossed on a bonfire, where dry clove crackles and peppercorns pop, creating an immediate sense of warmth and intrigue. This heat is sharply contrasted by a cool leather whip (golly), while cashmeran provides a soothing undertone to the smarting sting.

The composition features Italian bergamot, nutmeg, pink berries, and rose absolute, intertwined with flax flowers and magnolia. What really dominates and comes through on my skin, however, is the complex interplay of floral and spicy elements that fizz and crackle on the skin as they warm.

Toy Boy is beautifully smoky and incredibly long-lasting, making it perfect for cooler weather or evening wear. It's refreshing to see Moschino push perfumed boundaries with such audacity, offering a unique scent at an affordable price point, and for those who appreciate storied compositions that stand out from the crowd.

£46 for 30ml eau de parfum theperfumeshop.com

Amouage Guidance 46 

Oh boy this is something else, and I hesitated to include it because of the price. I know, I know, I know. But blimey. Here we are. Balancing light and shade, fragility and strength, Quentin Bisch (under the direction of Chief Creative Officer Renaud Salmon) reinterprets Amouage's signature triad of Frankincense and rose, introducing new elements like Pear, Hazelnut, and Sandalwood.

Amouage is renowned for its exceptional quality of frankincense, and they have been exemplary in creating a sustainable foundation for harvesting this integral ingredient. The heart notes reveal a rich tapestry of saffron, rose, sambac jasmine, and osmanthus, adding depth and intrigue. The base notes of cistus, sandalwood, Akigalawood, ambergris, vanilla, ambrette, Georgywood, and cypriol provide a long-lasting finish that lingers for days rather than hours. It feels like it might get too sweet, but it never does. It beguiles, oh god it really does. 

Guidance 46 is undeniably a hugely high-end purchase, but its longevity and complexity are quite remarkable. This extrait is poured at an unprecedented 46% concentration (hence the name), and becomes a scented study in contrasts —subtle yet ostentatious — a fragrance that reveals more mysteries each time you wear it. One to crowd-source among family and friends as a potential gift, or save up for, to mark a special occasion? Believe me, I know how lucky I am to have been gifted a bottle of this at the launch. Could I afford it otherwise? No. Would I want it? Oh, yes. 

£425 for 100ml extrait de parfum amouage.com 

Beaufort Acrasia 

When this was launched, last year, it shook me. I took ages to carefully craft my review, because I’d never smelled anything quite like it. Is it terribly cringe-y if I quote my own review, here? I’m sorry if you think so, but please know that it isn’t from some self-inflated importance, but rather that (much like finding the right answer in a cryptic crossword clue), sometimes as a writer you just happen to excavate the words you need and assemble them in the order you had imagined. And that happened when I first reviewed Acrasia. What I WILL add, is that this feels increasingly uncanny to wear. The cool metallic glint dulled with a slowly burning red slickness is unlike any other fragrance I own, and it becomes utterly bewitching as it warms on your skin. I dare you to try it. Get a sample and see how it makes you feel. Here’s how it strikes me:

All BeauFort fragrances are extraordinary and enticing journeys to wear: Acrasia, by perfumer Julie Dunkley with creative direction from Leo Crabtree, is no exception. It begins with a distinct note of wine, the kind that leaves lips stained, tongues blackened by morning. An intriguing metallic note gives the impression the wine has been served in a pewter goblet, sipped then thirstily gulped, with the coldest incense l've ever experienced merging fog and frost amidst a mythic forest tangled with uncanny roses. Are they real or part of this fragrant fever-dream?

Hours later, cinnamon sizzles, a flickering heat that pulses through amber. Lasting impressions: the juxtaposition of icy tendrils of incense smoke and glowing coals, smudged lips the colour of bruised petals, a flash of fur and undergrowth; the throaty purr of the hopelessly seduced reverberating through a thicket of thorns.

£125 for 50ml eau de parfum beaufortlondon.com 

Papillon Tobacco Rose

Rapturously revelling in the beauty of an overblown rose (hurrah!) this is a scent which captures its magnificent slow decay with a bold and artistic flair. Self-taught perfumer and Papillon founder Liz Moores has crafted a perfume that deliberately plays with the nature of the rose past its prime, celebrating its transition from bud to fallen petals, rather than shying away from it. The fragrance opens with a rich blend of Bulgarian Rose (thick, velvety, full-hipped and come-hither), and the more raspberry leafiness of Rose de Mai. With geranium set against a luxuriously smoky base of slowly smouldering French hay and earthy oakmoss, it’s like watching one of those continuous capture films of a rose, unbuttoning itself from the confines of a corset and spilling out, fleshily, to recline fully nude on a chaise lounge. 

Moores creates spectacular fragrances that embrace her artistic and spiritually resonant inspirations without restraint, and for that she must be applauded. Tobacco Rose is no exception, offering a stunningly different interpretation of the majestic rose. Oh my, those animalic touches of ambergris and sticky beeswax are suspended in a sumptuous blend of musks, creating an enigmatic and alluring perfume that defies conventional prettiness and opts for a muscular, striking presence that’s hard to forget, and yet feels as timeless as it is daring. 

£138 for 50ml eau de parfum papillonperfumery.co.uk 

Velvet Smoke Ltd Filthy Rose Candle 

I first smelled this on entering the hallway of dear friend (and editor of The Scented Letter magazine, which I’ve written for this past decade) Jo Fairley. Normally, when entering, it’s magazine planning or proofing day, I have a coffee and laptop in hand, and immediately scurry upstairs to Jo’s office, to begin work on whatever deadline happens to be pressing. The day I smelled this, it literally stopped me in my tracks. If it had been a cartoon, my eyes would have bulged out of my head, and my heart would have been pictured throbbing outside of my chest. 

Yeah. I needed to know what this was.

On nearing the flickering vessel, I saw the name. And I knew it had to be mine. 

A genuinely dirty rose scent, which filled an entire three-storey house from a single (standard-sized) candle burning in the hallway? 

GET. IN. MY. BAG.

In fact, it hadn’t actually been officially launched at that point. Jo has known Lisa Potter-Dixon (co-founder of Velvet Smoke) as a friend for some years, and had just attended a friends-only ‘soft launch’ (yet magnificently lavish) dinner party, held in Lisa’s now Insta-famous home. So. I had to cool my heels until it was finally available, and then you’d better believe I’ve never ordered a candle so fast. 

Why?

The majority of rose candles I’ve smelled are Perfectly Pleasant. Some are remarkably lifelike, others are really nice powdery perfumes. But to have a bawdy swagger of a rose scent - like those I actually wear - in candle form, well. It was previously unheard of. 

This candle is for you if you like your wine red and so full-bodied it feels like it could stand a spoon upright in the glass. We’re talking SEDIMENT and SEEDINESS, and a gleefully smoky backdrop that’s all Revlon Black Cherry lipstick prints on cigarette butts. I’m sorry if that image upsets you, but as an ex (mostly) smoker who sometimes still craves the sticky floored lascivious glamour of the 90s, I cannot pretend this is a polite rose. It will waft becomingly for hours after you’ve blown it out. It will haunt your dreams. It’s a flagrant affair captured in a fragrant candle and I bloody love it. Politeness be damned. 

(The smaller version is currently sold out, but candle lovers can indulge in the whopping 1kg size at £165 - velvetsmoke.com)

If you’ve made it this far, well done! And thank you. As a freelance writer it means a lot for you to take the time to finish reading one of my features, especially in this increasingly scroll-past, fast-content rich yet attention-span and time-poor world. I love that Substack so far feels like the best of both worlds.

You know what I’d love even more, seeing as it’s just you and me here, now?

*Waggles eyebrows minxishly*

Until next time, I’m off to stretch my fingers, and start the next lot of writing deadlines. Love Suzy x