So far I did not really click with any perfumes from Le Labo. Their Santal 33 Eau de Parfum was a fine piece of perfumery, but it had a few notes that kept bothering me. I had high hopes for their Lys 41 Eau de Parfum, but I found it severely lacking creativity, even though I am a sucker for white florals. Roses, on the other hand, do not do much for me. So I went into Rose 31 with little to no expectations. Turns out I could not be more wrong.
The rose in this composition is velvety soft and gentle. It is there from beginning to end without losing its smooth texture. What makes it really come to life is the well-dosed amount of cumin in there. I know cumin is good for spicing up florals, but it is the first time I see it work so well with a rose. I do not get any funk or sweaty associations this time. In the base I get woody notes mainly. Cedar, oud, iso-e? I can't really tell. It feels highly polished and fleeting and it works like a charm with that cumin-infused rose, that much is sure. On top of that, it has a long reach without being pushy or loud. Ideal for casual outdoor settings.
So I thought I was a white florals type. When it comes to Le Labo, however, I am on team Rose. Clearly it pays off to look outside of one's comfort zone. This goes straight onto my must-have list.
