Actually, it’s the rose of Afghanistan but I’m calling it the Rose of Morocco in my mind as it smells of dry and thorny rose, on the familiar Tauer base which always makes me think of L’Air du Desert Marocain (not that they smell similar).
But the idea of dryness and dust is there, accompanied by light acridness and the feeling of thorns being hidden so you better beware when approaching it.
HEAD NOTES: natural apricot extract,cinnamon,hints of bitter almond, bergamot essential oil.
HEART NOTES: rare rose essential oil with its unique scent of spices, plums and flower petals, rose absolute from Bulgaria, Bourbon geranium,dark tobacco fond, absolute of dried tobacco leaves.
BODY NOTES: patchouli, vetiver, vanilla and tonka, musk and amber gris.
I would say smelling the notes is not what is important here. Sure, I can smell the bergamot, spices and almonds in the opening together with a beautiful rose note. And then the warmth of the vanilla and tonka, together with a pinch of tobacco. Finishing off with a warm, dry base resting on incredible patchouli.
What I find incredible is that it actually smells and feels like a warm, dry, rough region where the most succulent rose comes from. Not that I would know what dry, rough lands smell like, whether in Afghanistan or Morocco, but in my mind, this is how.
And once the night falls down, the rose closes its petals and you are left with the warmth of dry lands, reminiscing what bounty there was to smell when the petals were open.
This rose has so easily captured my heart and climbed the list of my favorite rose perfumes.
My sample was provided through http://www.tauerperfumes.com/ and the notes were taken from there as well.
Tagged: Afghanistan, Andy Tauer, Morocco, Perfume review, Phi Une Rose de Kardahar, Rose, Rose oil, rose perfume
All I am - a redhead 
Interesting that you call it a Rose of Morocco that reminds you of L’ADDM!
On me it’s very soft and voluptuous, funny
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Lucas, now you have me wondering what your skin does to perfumes! I would love to smell it on you, I mean the notes for soft and voluptuous are all there, it’s just they don’t work like that for me.
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Maybe if we meet one day we might spray it on me – you’ll know what I’m talking about
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Definitely! 🙂
Besides, we’re not that far away.
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It wasn’t an instant love for me but over time Phi is winning me over. I’m not sure yet if I’ll need more of it once I’m done with the sample but I might – it smells better and better every next time I wear it.
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It was the same with me. The first time I tried it, I wasn’t bowled over but it kept nagging on my mind and then a whole new vista just bloomed ahead. 🙂
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With this review you´ve got me… I HAD TO order a sample AT ONCE 😀
Thanks for the seduction 😀
I wish you the best possible start to the new year!
Ulli
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Hi, hi, hi, yaaaay! 😉
I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I do.
Wishing you all the best in the coming year! 🙂
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Being not-really-a-rose-lover (in perfume soliflore terms that is, I love the real thing) I didn’t really give this one much thought, but now I am very curious, you made it sound delish 🙂
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I’m a bit more of a rose lover than you (not a great one though) but this one might make you change your mind. Even though rose is prominent, it’s so much more than a rose perfume.
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My sample from Jeff Dame still remains in its package untouched. I’ve been busy testing so many things and haven’t had the time. I want to give this extra precious and rare Rose from Andy Tauer special attention next year. I love reading other peoples interpretation of Rose in fragrances. Great review Ines!
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I can understand that. Sometimes I get swamped by the samples around me and then I can’t properly focus on any of them.
Hopefully, I will slowly clear my very long list of perfumes I’d like to review this year.
Wishing you a wonderful 2014! 🙂
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I’m like Undina and Ines – this definitely was not a love for me the first time I tried it. I had some harsh smoke coming through that wasn’t that appealing to me. But I wore it on Xmas Eve and I smelt the lush rose and apricot – although it didn’t seem to last that long on me in comparison to his other scents. But it has me intrigued so I will test again and see what happens. I do find that with quite a few of his scents it is not love at first sniff but that they grow on me.
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Yes, that’s true, many Tauer perfumes are not a love at first smell for me either (except for L’Air).
Probably what I smell as acrid is what you smell as smoke. But I’m glad you got the lush rose, it’s truly lush. 🙂
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@Megan, do you think that the “harsh smoke” was the dry, sharp ISO E Super that is in a number of his fragrances, including this one?
@Ines, I’m not a rose-lover, but I thought PHI was wonderful. It seems to be much more lush and gourmand on me than on you, but I’m glad it bloomed for you by the end. 🙂
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Kafka, what you say sound more in line with how Lucas smelled it. I did smell a lush rose but in a very dry climate. 🙂
Basically like a juxtaposition of the two.
I see I am not alone in thinking this might be a rose for those rose non-lovers out there.
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@Kafkaesque – Thanks for the tip. It was a really strong smoke and not a pleasant one. I’ve read that this is one of those chemicals that doesn’t agree with you and I’ve been interested to know what it actually smells like but I’m yet to recognise it with my ‘learner’ nose capabilities but if this is the smell then I can look out for it now. So thanks.
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I do often get harsh, acrid, smoky notes in Tauer’s scents, but after a few recent successes (Noontide Petals and Miriam), I am more curious to try this one! I do love LADDM, after all.
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I neither tried Noontide Petals, nor Miriam but I keep hearing good things. I especially like the sound of the Noontide Petals – the name is just so nice. 🙂
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