Rose Ispahan Yves Rocher 1997 Parfum

Upon opening the bottle, I was greeted by a deep aroma, reminiscent of rose ice cream, if such a thing exists—creamy, with a spicy, sweet rose note. Spraying the perfume on my hand, I smelled a vibrant floral-pink scent of rosewood with a woody undertone that reveals the depth of the fragrance, and a tart, berry-like rosehip note with a hint of tartness. The heart reveals sweet, caramelized Bacarat rose with a hint of cherry, fruity, floral osmanthus with apricot undertones, juicy raspberry, but with a hint of tartness. Deeper, you can find honeyed, spicy Bulgarian rose. The base reveals a nutty praline note with a chocolate trail, creamy, smoky sandalwood, and creamy, sweet vanilla.

I first encountered Rose Ispahan Eau de Toilette in the summer of 1998, after receiving a letter from the Frenchman once again. In the Yves Rocher catalog, there was a scratch-and-sniff area where this fragrance was depicted. I rubbed it with my fingers, and what I smelled was the finest sweet Bourbon vanilla with spices.

I was so blown away that shortly after, I took the bus to buy this fragrance at an Yves Rocher store. It was a long ride, stuffy, with not very pleasant odors from some people on the bus, yet I accepted that.

When I arrived at the store, I sprayed it on first and couldn't have been happier. The scent was even more beautiful than on the scratch-and-sniff card. I bought the entire Rose Ispahan line and planned to get the Extrait as well.

I treated myself to the Extrait in the winter of the same year. Just the packaging, with its oriental motifs and ornaments, made the fragrance feel exotic and festive.

On a red pedestal stood the fragrance when I unwrapped it, and I looked at the bottle with wide eyes.

Removing the golden cap, I was enveloped by warm, buttery soft Bourbon vanilla. When I dabbed it on, I felt a sense of security and sensuality.

Back then (from my memory), I smelled almost exclusively the Bourbon vanilla, with spicy, slightly fruity nuances. The fruits in this fragrance were not juicy but rather sun-dried, as one would say. Were they peaches or perhaps berries that were supposed to be in there? After all, Osmanthus (the autumn bloomer) smells like peach. But I can also detect a slight note of dried raspberries, albeit extremely discreetly.

I only smell a red rose when I really concentrate, but it remains a vanilla dream from 1001 and one nights.

Compared to the classic Ispahan, Rose Ispahan has virtually no similarity or connection. Perhaps a tiny note, but that comes from many older Yves Rocher fragrances of that time. One might think it’s a Yves Rocherade. The common thread.

The inspiration for this fragrance was probably the Persian city of Esfahan (also called Isfahan). The classic Ispahan could also stem from this inspiration.

I remember the fragrance as very potent and strong. In the cold, merciless winter of 1998, this scent enveloped me like a cashmere scarf. The vanilla, I will never forget here, even more exquisite, lavishly indulgent than in the beautiful Eau de Toilette.

Like a nectar, this fragrance's Extrait smells, to die for. Flowers where the bees have been before, dusted with the elixir of femininity.

No wonder this fragrance is still so sought after today, with miniatures not available for less than €20. The pure perfume sometimes goes for under €80 to €90. I just won it today, fitting for this report, at a good price. I will be curious to see how it affects me after all these years.

In any case, I would be happy if Yves Rocher would bring this fragrance back into their lineup, as this special vanilla was not present in either the Eau de Parfum Rose Absolue or its Extrait, even though I like both fragrances very much.

However, Rose Ispahan Eau de Toilette and Parfum are historical tales, traveling with the nose to distant lands, feeling and enjoying the spices, sensing the pulse of these cities, because this Rose Ispahan vanilla, the most beautiful Bourbon, is full of colors, aggression, from brown, gold to yellow tones.

When the sun sets, the Rose Ispahan vanilla takes on slightly woody warm elements that ground the fragrance; before that, this vanilla is sweet, delicious, nectarous, hypnotizing. Later, this "sweet vanilla" is accompanied by a wood note that could come from sandalwood or patchouli.

However, not a "gothic patchouli" but a warm note of it that wonderfully complements this endless delicious nectarous dance.

Leconte de Lisle's romantic poem "Les roses d'Ispahan" may have served as inspiration for this lush, sweet rose fragrance.
Unlike its predecessor "Ispahan," which was released in 1977 and which I have always viewed in line with "Opium," "Rose Ispahan" (1997) is not a spicy oriental, but rather a slightly fruity bouquet of roses underscored by subtle gourmand notes, featuring a confection-like sweetness that usually does not align with my perfume preferences, yet here it has been cleverly integrated so that it does not come off as too kitschy.
It would indeed be kitschy now if I revealed why I recently auctioned for the fragrance on Ebay and what I plan to do with it.
I apologize for this relatively short comment and promise to show you a striking photo of this beautiful perfume in a few weeks. Sometimes a picture does say more than a thousand words.
In this sense,
au revoir et à bientôt !
Update:
I took my photos at original locations in Esfahan and left the perfume in the city.
It is now with my cousin, who has never seen it before, let alone smelled it. She has been buying her perfumes since her youth from Mr. Partoo in his small but extremely well-stocked perfumery in Esfahan. Yves Rocher has always had its own distribution channels and did not sell in regular perfumeries, which is why Mr. Partoo does not carry YR.
The strong, sweet rose scent probably would not have become a bestseller in Iran either, as the rose is known as a perfume component there, but not popular as a soliflore.
"When I want to smell like a rose, I can also buy Persian rose oil or rub myself with rose water," all my friends and relatives tell me. For them, a rose perfume is not fascinating at all and is always associated with religious practices.
Wearing rose, after all, adorns one with Mohammed's favorite flower.

Nevertheless, Rose Ispahan is now very well placed with my cousin.
A small sign of the connection between Europe and the progressive forces of a country that is very thirsty for freedom.