05/20/2025

ClaireV
958 Reviews

ClaireV
3
Citrusy rose
At first sniff, this smells like a Taifi rose oil, so sharply peppered and lemony that it makes you gasp for a glass of water. But in fact, this is not a Taifi rose oil, but rather a very rare Alba rose otto – a CO2 extraction from the white petals of the lovely Alba varietal. The typical characteristics of a good Taifi are all here, though, including the very green, herbal aspects (smelling almost like geranium or angelica), the peppery dryness, and the citronellal, which at times smells perilously close to citronella or floor cleaner. In short, the opening is pungent, animalic, and piercingly green or lemony. Past the opening, there is a series of transitions that take the sharpness of the rose oil down into a milky, almost chalky base, with a cream soda-ish texture. The rose is still very much present, but it is deeper now, more winey than high-pitched. The significant amount of sandalwood in this oil is what creates this ‘creaming’ effect. The salty amber note (ambergris) and sandalwood combination is nicely round and just sweet enough to pare down the sharp edges on that citrusy rose. There is some of Ensar’s Oud Yunus in this blend, hence the name of the mukhallat. However, since it is used more as a fixative in the base, the oud does not have an overt presence or aroma profile here. Ensar Rose would be an excellent rose mukhallat to wear in summer as it is a very fresh-smelling, citrusy rose with a soft, long-lasting drydown that is neither too sweet or too heavy.
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