Rosa Alba Annette Neuffer 2015

The opening is neither Rosa nor Alba, but rather bitter-citrusy, like oily hesperidic peel. I would have guessed bergamot - bergamot is listed. The first delicate freshness of noble rose does play along, but more as a wafting companion. It takes about five minutes for a delicious, semi-dark citrus note to unfold, finely balanced between fruit and acidity.

After another five minutes, it finally takes center stage - the White Rose. I immediately believe "white," even though I don't know the specific variety highlighted here. I imagine that among the white rose varieties in my garden, I perceive a predominance of bright, herbaceous, and tart scents; in any case, they rarely offer dark, sweet, fruity aspects. I have no idea if that's coincidence, but it certainly makes it easier for me to willingly nod along to the notes. As it progresses, an aura of fragrant rose and aromatic citrus fruit unfolds, the scent impression wafts back and forth. A comparison with Elixir Solaire from the same house is inevitable.

Said and done - but from the very beginning, the differences clearly prevail. The Elixir opens with much fresher, juicier, sweeter fruit, and above all, a far sunnier disposition. In direct comparison, Rosa Alba comes across as restrained and distinctly ladylike.

When the Elixir gradually calms down within the first one or two hours, it might be noted that in the long run, the hesperidic note plays a more important role in projection, while the rose stays closer to the skin. With "Rosa Alba," however, it is the other way around; against the backdrop of the clearly quieter overall picture, the two factions are indeed much closer together. Ultimately, it seems rather forced or even trivial to speak of switched signs; the fragrances have practically no parallels outside of pure formalities. The title of this comment is therefore questionable - who comes up with such things?

Back to Rosa Alba: Once again, I am impressed by the good longevity of the citrus note. Almost herbaceous and metallic, it presents itself over time; I could imagine a contribution from lemon verbena. The third pillar of the fragrance is a decent portion of leaf green along with spicy underbrush. A likely source for this is the indicated petitgrain.

Only in the early afternoon does the base trio come forward. I believe I can detect all three mentioned components, including the mushroomy, liqueur-like ambrette nuance (this is again one of those offbeat ideas; I ask that such things not be weighed too finely…), which I always find particularly original. Above that, the scent - already kept subtle - has become very, very quiet.

The strict nature of the rose used, the tart citrus note, the quite pronounced use of green - all of this makes Rosa Alba (contrary to the declared intention of the perfumer) an experience of fragrance that feels rather serious and distant, despite the airy presentation.

For the sake of completeness (we have long since abandoned the idea of comparison), it should be added that I see a rich breadth of bitter orange in Elixir Solaire.