Édition Rare - Rosam Histoires de Parfums 2011

Roses and oud and saffron, oh my! This is such a gorgeous powerhouse. Rose, in at least 2 iterations, bold and beautiful greets you, followed by the gentlemanly, yet Jack-the-Lad oud. Saffron exotic and lustful marries in for a tantalizing ménage à trois. There creates an effect reminiscent of gasoline, oh how luscious! Drying down, a smoky incense note arrives, the atonement of the previous passions. An amber and patchouli base keeps you warm and reinvigorates some earthy dirtiness.

I guess I have to give Rosam a thumbs up rating, but it barely deserves it, IMO. I wish I could do a better job of differentiating it from the competition, but to my nose it smells extremely similar to Black Aoud by Montale to the point of being almost laughable. As Black Aoud is less expensive, at least equally as good and came out first, I don't see any reason to buy Rosam in addition or instead of it, even if it is a good scent outright. Even better, I would buy Portrait of a Lady that is better than both of them IMO, and occupies the same space (albeit it smells completely different). Thumbs up for Rosam, but not recommended for purchase. 3 stars out of 5.

I like this one. It's a fresh, woody interpretation of the rose-oud combination that is refreshing and enjoyable. I get the rose, but the oud has a petrol-like aspect that remind me of Dior - Fahrenheit, so I would describe it as Fahrenheit with a prominent rose note. It's really nice. I also get the sandalwood, saffron, amber and incense. The rose note is really good in this, and the oud is not dark enough to be overbearing. They compliment each other really well. However, if money is an issue, then there are dozens of other rose-oud combinations out there.

Welcome to 'Find the Doppelgänger'!
And this is not the one million dollar question, it can't be, because that would be just too easy;
With Rosam, Montale's Black Oud has been excellently and surely successfully interpreted, albeit with some minor drawbacks, or rather enhancements.
Alongside the dominant rose, which, let's say, smells like rose (ok, rose oil, watch out in the skin chemistry blog), and agarwood, which generally and authentically smells like leather, there is a fine, gentle, soft, almost delicate sandalwood-saffron-vanilla note (but only in the dry down).
In other words, Rosam is a wonderfully, bitter leather rose, significantly lighter and thus more socially acceptable than Black Oud, wonderfully two-dimensional and an absolute basic in any quality perfume collection.
Gentlemen, you may now take your fingers off the order button, Madame Rosam is not unisex.
The rose belongs to the ladies, wise guys. ;)

HdP's Edition Rare revolves around the currently trending theme of Oud, and so the 'rare' in the name seems to be a reference to the fact that Oud is a particularly valuable and rare natural substance.

Contrary to what one might expect, Rosam starts off very strong and spicy: Oud, incense, and patchouli mercilessly attack the olfactory nerves and are sure to send some more timid souls fleeing. Until a few months ago, I would have been one of those and would have immediately scrubbed it off, but since I have been active here at Parfumo, I know: Patience!

And this patience truly pays off! For soon, gently yet assertively, the rose note breaks through; a dark rose, nothing sharp about it, it comes across as velvety and voluminous and unites with plenty of balsamic-sweet amber.

Incense and patchouli can hardly be perceived separately now. The main note is now the velvety rose and a slightly sweet, slightly ethereal smelling Oud. The sillage is in a very pleasant range. People who come closer will notice the scent, but it is in no way overpowering or unpleasant.

The fragrance is classified as unisex here, and I find that to be accurate. Among the three Edition Rare perfumes, however, I consider Rosam to be the most feminine.

In a certain way, Rosam reminds me of the Stella Rose Absolute, which I hold in high regard -- only this HdP scent is many times more complex and refined, less sweet, and definitely very seductive.

Of the three scents from the Edition Rare -- Pétroleum, Ambrarem, Rosam -- I actually like this one, Rosam, the best. It is probably the one that could be called the tamest scent in the line, which by no means implies that it is boring. Rosam is certainly not that at all.