Taif Rose

This deserves more hype! I have a lot of perfumes but I still thought this was worth purchasing. The rose is pleasantly full bodied, slightly similar to that of Gucci A Song for the Rose or Duchess Rose by Penhaligons but with an endearing oud reminiscent aroma of spice. The spice is from the coffee/amber notes and is intriguing and addictive but doesn't overshadow the femininity and delicateness of the rose. The longevity and projection is great (especially for a Jo Malone fragrance). It is certainly more impactful than mainstay Jo Malone fragrances in terms of strength and sillage (for example Wild Bluebell). It invokes the song Desert Rose by Sting for me which appears to be exactly the type of scent they were aiming to create, based on the description. Dior Rose n Roses fragrance, for comparison, is fresher, cleaner but a lot weaker in both longevity and projection. This is feminine leaning but I would imagine some men may be able to pull it off. I would wear this year-round but I think it suits slightly cooler days.

Tried this at Mecca George Street on skin. What a delight from Jo Malone! Beautiful ‘Turkish Delight’-esque Rose. Coffee note comes through nicely and provides a dark and rich undertone to the aforementioned rose. Just like the others in the Intense range, this is sensual and alluring, yet sophisticated and professional. This would not be out of place in both the bedroom and the office. This shines in the heat but I suspect this will be even more stunning in cooler weather. Beautiful bottle too, wish the brand would do more bottles like this. Sad this doesn’t come in the 100ml size but after spending a few hours with it on skin I returned to Mecca to purchase as it’s just that good. Not like TF Cafe Rose AT ALL, so don’t blind buy if that’s what you’re looking for. Much prefer this over Cafe Rose, IMO. This will be a staple going into Australian Autumn and Winter, and it’s nice to see the brand come out with something a little more distinct.

It’s a really syrupy fruity rose. I’ve heard that real taif rose is more of a citrusy fruity sort of rose. This leans more tart berry. I do like it on its own. I don’t find an obvious coffee note here but there is a duskiness that harkens to coffee to me before I read the notes. So I believe that checks!! To me, I love this the most on top of other harsher rose scents. Right now, I am loving this on top of FM’s rose and cuir. The sweetness contrasts the wine-like rose accord and the harsh leather, complimenting the subtle nuttiness in Rose and Cuir. Also, if you’re a PH fraghead, this smells so good with BATUK by Wren Atelier. The inkiness contrasts with Taif’s floral sweetness and compliments the pulpy, bitter citruses with its sweeter berries.

Picked this up at the Jo Malone shop in downtown DC. Went in just to try their scents, as I’d only ever smelled the pear/freesia one. Taif Rose has only come out in the last couple days. I prefer slightly different, interesting scents (not always crowd pleasers). This one would fit that category. Rose, with a subtle smoky note. This reminds me of By the Fireplace, without smelling like I’ve been sitting next to an actual campfire. It’s very sexy & cozy. Something in the background also reminds me of Givenchy’s Very Irresistible L’Intense - although I wasn’t a big fan of that fragrance. Taif Rose is lovely & will be my daily scent for a while.

I absolutely *love* this perfume. Jo Malone does Roses and florals so well. When I saw this coming out, I knew I needed to try it. It reminds me of a less Smokey Velvet Rose and Oud, and not as heavy. Long lasting too. It’s in line with some of their other intense perfumes. It does not smell like any Delinas (I have them all) but the Rose note is somewhat similar. Layers well with other JM scents too.