Voleur de Roses

Ugh this is absolute perfection. It reminds me of noir de noir on my skin (tom ford) which is my signature fragrance. I feel like this is Noir de Noir's younger, softer sister that still has intensity about her but it's yet to fully develop. The rose and patchouli here is blended masterfully. It's neither cold nor overly "warm" (HIPPY) but rather realistic, seductive and enticing. The plum works extraordinarily well in adding in a softness that balances out this majestic concoction- some say plum doesn't have a scent and therefore cannot be detected. Have any of you ever smelled overripe, nearly rotting plum? It has a sweet, pungent odor - the one captured in this frag. On some this smells like moldy rotting earth and fruit. Skin chemistry plays a huge role in this scent. On me this frag unfolds and develops in a beautiful manner. It starts off with a similar blast that noir de noir does - pure oily rose followed by a heady yet fresh patchouli note that is not overpowering. It settles into a wet rose (like it just rained during a hot, humid day and all the flowers are unfolding giving off aroma) with crushed patchouli leaves, perhaps a slight tobacco note as well - very ashy but NOT unpleasant. This would be a perfect night-time scent and I can see it rising like steam off someone in the middle of winter, as this is more of a fall/winter frag. It is intense, sillage is quite huge for an EDT and longevity fairly long for me. All patchoulis tend to stick around for a long period of time. Eventually everything gets saturated with that signature patchouli scent (or stench depending on your preference). A love song... a dark romance.... a bleeding rose, tears dripping from the petals onto the fresh soil underneath. If you hate patchouli steer clear of this one even though it is VERY sample worthy just to catch a whiff of the beautiful, realistic rose. Price online (ebay) is incredible for a niche frag of this quality. Get it under $100!

It is all about luxurious sex. Voleur de Roses by L’Artisan Parfumeur is a perfume of the body and the smells of being a bad boy all of which is sure to shock some in its honest sensuality. It is the lingering scent of a lover’s body when you crawl back into bed just after they have gone. It is daring, bold and utterly divine! Created by the nose, Michel Almairac who has a great collection of creations to his name among which you will find seven in the Bond 9 house, six in Burberry, and such classics as Gucci Pour Homme and Minotaur by Poloma Picasso. Voleur de Roses is a woody oriental for men that a woman could wear with confidence. A brazen blending of three notes it is linear and lovely from start to finish. The brilliant mixing of patchouli rose and plum is deceptive in its simplicity. The opening is lush as the fragrance envelopes you like the arms of a lover. It holds you close for a good six to eight hours and like the sent of a lover is close to the skin after about two hours. Before it retreats to the flesh it projects about three feet. Voleur de Roses is not only sexy and warm but at its heart it is chic, urbanely rich and refined. If you are a sensual person by nature, a person who luxuriates in your body and lives a life of grand passion then Voleur de Roses is a must for your collection. But be warned. If you dare to wear Voleur de Roses you may begin to write a blazing new page in your own life story. To have a reputation is ordinary to be come a legend is extraordinary. FIVE PLATINUM STARS ***** (For the entire story and review check out my blog Scents Memory)

I am surprised of how accurate some of the reviews for Voleur de Roses are. The opening definitely reminds me of thunderstorm in a lush garden; I immediately had this image of very dark clouds thundering above a rose garden in spring or summer. Incredible! The scent conveys as well the feeling one experiences when facing the ominous incoming storm, that very fresh ozone charged by a gust of wind: menacing, yet you can't look away. Then I get this strong wet tobacco smell, pungent and aggressive, followed by the scent of slightly rotting fruits; plums or mirabelles indeed, that had fallen from trees and started to decay, their fragrance released in a petrychor blast. When it starts to settle, wet rose bush fuming. These pink roses are silently crying, and you can smell the tears from their broken stems and leaves. However, the patchouli gets stronger as it dries down, with the roses still in the picture, softening the whole ensemble. On clothes, the result wasn't as interesting: smoky patchouli that gets dirtier and dirtier,almost "tea like" in a terribly linear fashion. Overall, Voleur de Roses is a very natural green floral, uncompromising and with lots of character. A bold and unique fragrance with good enough sillage to get its point accross. I like scents that behave with complexity, but manage to convey emotions in a very direct way. A fragrance that is visual, and who has a soul. Voleur de Roses is like that for me. "Liking it" or not is not even the point, I enjoy personnality, and that is enough to seduce me. Tantalizing.

A very nice patchouli and rose combination, the initail blast is of rose and the support is patchouli. very natural smelling and smells better as the rose note dies down a bit. very romantic style scent think dark red rose. The overall scent is very dark,sweet and earthy. The scent reminds me of being a bit greasy. like having a shower and istead of the usual body lotion, i'v put on some middle eastern or asain floral body oil on. This is the kind of scent you want on when going to a fancy restraunt with your wife. Or even for going out with a group of freinds. I do see this as a true unisex scent and not just for men. Also i got hints of Joop homme and realised its the patchouli so i checked the notes for joop and found that, not only does joop homme have patchouli it's also made by michel Almairac the same creater of this great L'artisan scent. Do not expect a niche version of joop here it's only the patchouli and maybe some of the floral notes that are more hidden in this scent otherwise they are completly different. I find the scent sillage good and lasts between 6-8 hours and than very close to the skin. I find a scent in this style is better off being a little closer to the skin than projecting too much imo. To me this is a 25 and up scent but can see a younger man of classy style pulling this off. If you enjoy paco Rabbane Black XS or Joop Homme you may enjoy this scent. For me It's a very well made scent that usses top quality ingredients. Scent 8.5/10

Here's not a surprise, I smell patchouli, plums, woods, perhaps some incense (not unlike the dry incense of Cabaret), cold wet stones, and of course dark lush red roses. There is a dash of something deliciously edible too, a warm bread like note as it dries down. I am reminded of Mon Parfum Cheri par Camille (recalled that dusty wine coloured velvet and patch) which led me to Bottega Veneta eau de velours too, a sweeter plum velvet and patch. Voleur, Velours! There is camphor in that patch and a "red wine on suede" like nuance, but both add to this rich and earthy concoction. Breaking down the notes, means this beauty perhaps sounds a bit rank, but this is gorgeous. VdR is both damp, stemmy and dusty dry. It is both old and as fresh as a dew dropped red rose just burst into bloom. I'm only sorry it took me so long to try this, as Voleur de Rose's overall aura is luscious. An earthy plum wine rose. Certainly wearable, dark and beautiful. Is this not the epitome of the rose patchouli perfumes, that inspired all the others that followed? And yes, this is a compliment getter. My friend wears this (to the school pick up!) and she has reported of plenty of people randomly asking her what's the lovely perfume she's wearing while she is out and about. VdR has stolen my heart. (Ah-ha! a "Love" no wonder - just noticed Michel Almairac. who possibly took elements of VdR to both Cabaret de Gres and Bottega Veneta eau de Velours? love them all.)

Rose. Patchouli. There's not a lot to add to that when talking about ingredients, but I gotta say that both main notes are fabulously mannered. What I got in the beginning is a highly fragrant full-bloom rosebush. Naturally, the flowers themselves are the strongest, but it seems like you can feel the leaves, thorns, even the earth beneath. With the scent evolution, I have the feeling like that same roses are withering in front of my eyes, still staying strong in the heart, but now with added patchouli, and losing their strength with time, giving the reign to an earthy patchouli drydown. That's it for me, no plum or fruit whatsoever. All that being said, I think I can see why some reviewers use words like gothic and medieval to describe this scent - it really has some darkness within. Voleur de Roses has a solid presence, with decent projection and fine, almost double-digit longevity. I'll agree with some reviews, and the L'Artisan site itself, about this being fairly unisex. I could mostly see myself wearing this in cold time of year, with a coat and a scarf, or autumn with a blazer and shirt. I don't think this scent fits with too casual style and is a bit heavy for warmer parts of the year. If you're not familiar with patch-rose combo, this may be a good place to start. If you are and you like it, you would really have to try this. This is certainly my favorite of the genre. 9/10

Masterpiece. Specially if you consider that this beauty was made in 1993, years before Noir de Noir, White Patchouli, Javanese Patchouli, etc. I feel the plum note quite present. It's not the usual plum that we're used to like in Poison or Femme de Rochas. Instead, it's close to the Japanese salty plum: Umeboshi. I was used to ate one umeboshi a day, the first thing that I ate in the morning, in order to heal my constant migraine. Natural medicine hint came from a friend. After one year or so doing it, I have never ever had an headache... Anyway, back to Voleur. This umeboshi note is there, as this beauty is a little salty. Also, patch and roses, of course. Some might think that patchouli overcomes the roses but not; the red roses are playing their bass notes, while patch hits higher earthy and camphor-like notes. Sometimes, not always, I get a hint of myrrh and, at intervals, some cumin. But maybe it's my imagination. Yes, it is gothic in the means of reminding a little religious: old church, earth graves, roses, black, red, incense... Not for everyone, but at the same time, quite eclectic. Could easily e worn by a gothic teenager, as well as by a Hermès-like woman, by a dandy male (or female) writer and, by any well-manered mam. Therefore, quite unisex, as any beauty. Also, paradoxal: ethereal and earth-based.

This is the first L'Artisan fragrance I have ever smelled, and I must say - I'm in love. I can't wait to try the rest of this house. Voleur De Roses is beautiful. It's sexy, it's rosy (but this is not your Grandmother's rose) and it's alcoholic/heady - I'm guessing I get that from the plum? It's demure, divine, and a little standoffish. It's also very unisex (on my skin, anyway). I first got a sample of this among other rose scents (another favourite was Jo Malone's Velvet Rose & Oud) and to be honest, I didn't like this at first. It was too strong, not sweet enough, a little strange. But I gave it another chance, and soon became addicted. I peeled back the layers of this initially stand-offish scent and saw this fragrance for what it is. It's romance, passion and sensuality in a bottle. There's also a heavy sprinkling of some gloom and jealousy in there. Someone below me described this as 'heart-breaking' and I 100% agree. It's a perfect storm of emotions. It's beautiful and bitter at the same time. It's fantastic. I really, really can't wait til I can get my hands on a full bottle of this.

This sneaky little thief has stolen my heart as well as the roses. Where do I even start? First, it's not really a rose scent, it's a patchouli scent highlighted with roses. Some find it morbid since it reminds them of soil, mold, dust, all the things that come with abandonment, decay and death. I have a brighter picture in mind though. For me it's a bunch of beautiful floribundas growing in an old garden. It's nighttime, the rain has just stopped, and there's a little creature crawling out from the dark with the intention of picking the roses. There is a smell of petrichor in the air. We can't blame the little thief, the roses are too beautiful! So yeah, my fantasy is also gothic, but funny too. I love wearing this fragrance on rainy days, especially in the evening. I'll put it on and go out for a walk in the forest near my house, inhaling the mix of petrichor and Voleur de Roses, and I couldn't be happier. It really gives me the feeling of inner peace. I treasure the remains of the liquid of my bottle because I can't seem to find it in the shops anymore.

I got this as a blind buy but I got a bit scared after reading people's problems with longevity/sillage. No regrets here! It's by no means a room filler, but on my skin it lasts around 4-7 hours, and longer if I'm not moving about as much. I do have the older bottle (and formulation, I'm assuming) with the red label, not the bottle pictured above. It opens with a big blast of patchouli and sweet rose with a cool plum rounding it out. It's a pretty linear scent, maintaining a pretty equal play of that patchouli and rose. The patchouli can get a bit dank but that's what I like about it--it's not a bright and feminine rose, nor is it the dark and tempting rose/oud (though it has a similar woody/earthy + floral quality). Someone said this reminded them of roses in a garden after the rain--I'd say that's true, only maybe it's been a few hours after the shower, and these roses have been sitting on a forest floor. It's definitely unisex. Out of all the rose fragrances in the world, this one's definitely on the more masculine side, but it's perfectly unisex.

I blind bought this after researching my latest obsession, a dark, mysterious, gothic-Victorian scent, and VdR cropped up more than a few times. I’ve read many great reviews about this perfume house and have been eager to try, so I took the plunge. Upon first spray I was overjoyed, exactly what I was looking for; the damp rose garden after the rain on a dark grey day and the rain is threatening again. Ok, I got carried away with the marketing, I’m officially a sucker. The opening does not last nearly long enough before it turns on its heels and leaves you quicker than apple can churn out a new iPhone leaving a faint whisper of earthy patchouli that’s awkwardly not quite sure if it should stay or follow its damp rosey friend. I don’t entirely regret my purchase but I I’ve come to understand that a relationship with VdR is a game of cat and mouse involving constant pursuit, near captures, and repeated escapes. UPDATE: But it's worth it. This scent is so divine. I want to roll around in wet red roses and be generally amazing. It's pure escapism ❤️

For years and years I found Artisan to be a good brand, but not for me. Quite a few of their scents had this 'dusty' characteristic I was not really fond of. Except for one, the scents did not attract me except for the most lovely names. By chance, I got to try Voleur de Roses. I must say I do love roses. And this is one of the most amazing roses scents I have tried except for Calypso by Robert Piguet. Knowing it came out way before quite a few others rose-patchouli combos, I do see it quite groud-breaking. The rose in Voleur is very pure and soft and quite sweet thanks to the plum (that on my skin really comes out nice, juicy and fresh). Plum is one of my favourite fruits ever, and this smells just like the plums my grandparents used to pick up in their allotment. Not like the genetically-modified, water-pumped stuff you get in supermarkets, but the tiny, mature plums straight from the tree we made jams from in late summer/early autumn. For me, this is love and I will gladly wear it all times of year.

Mi è arrivata una bottiglia dell'edizione vecchia,trasparente col tappo dorato,ed è meravigliosa. Un profumo intricato inizialmente,evoca subito un'immagine di campagna, case vecchie in pietra, atmosfera gotica,medievale,scura. Vedo un cesto di mele gialle appoggiato per terra,da qualche parte c'è un caminetto acceso,nella vecchia casa di campagna non c'è nessuno. Profumo morbido e fluido,percepisco molta umidità zuccherina,appunto le mele gialle,odore ricreato dalla prugna,il gioco delle rose sottointende un piccolo cuore che sembra speziato,succoso. E' un profumo splendido per giornate invernali di pioggia,si fonde con l'atmosfera un po malinconica e autunnale,ma non porta tristezza,è solo nostalgico. In certi momenti sento una nota pungente,quasi balsamica e mi piace,porta quel tocco di legno vecchio, di antica cassapanca o armadi delle case stregate e dei vecchi castelli che lo rende veramente affascinante.

Pink Patchouli. Voleur de Roses (VdR) has a strong opening that smells like nail polish. Luckily that opening lasts few seconds and fades to reveal the inner beauty of VdR. Green patchouli, tender & soft roses, and a touch of leathery spiciness. Smells like a mixture between the simple patchouli that is D&G's Velvet Patchouli & the gorgeous YSL Elle. Fresh yet intimate. The smell of a middle-aged poet, at his warmly-lit desk, between stacks of paper. There is probably more than just 3 notes. Tell me there are some citruses here to freshen the scent & I'd believe you. Tell me there is a dash of cinnamon & I'd believe you. Such a scent is VdR. Can be causal or formal. It fits any scenario you put it in, bright or melancholic. In here, beauty lies in simplicity. A cool weather, more mature scent of any sex. "Love"

benchè sia stato commercializzato come un profumo da uomo, trovo questa fragranza non solo femminile, ma anche estremamente sensuale. sono poche le note impiegate -rosa, patchouli, prugna- pensate più di vent'anni fa dal talentuoso Michel Almairac (che per l'artisan ha realizzato esclusivamente questa gemma) molto tempo prima del diffondersi di tutta quella miriade di bouquet basati su piramidi simili, in gran voga al momento, grazie anche alle influenze della profumeria orientale. il profumo è asciutto, secco, profondissimo, meravigliosamente bilanciato, con sentori iniziali di rosa, quasi secca, e prugna. poco alla volta compare il patchouli che conferisce un'impressione deliziosamente gotica all'insieme. uno dei miei preferiti profumi de l'artisan; il mio favorito tra gli accordi alla rosa. notevolissimo.

This perfume certainly surprised me most from among the L’Artisan perfumes I’ve tried, in a very pleasant way. On spraying, an amalgam of soft patchouli and sweetened plum greeted me. A bouquet of fresh roses followed, the scent strong and then slowly diminishing. While the roses receded, the entire scent morphed into Noir de Noir but rosier than Noir de Noir. Eventually the dry down is like Noir de Noir and then slowly died down to nothingness. Might be totally different from everyone else’s reviews but each note I sensed were strong enough to warrant that it was not a figment of my imagination. If I don’t already own Noir de Noir, this would be on my wishlist. A Noir de Noir that’s rosier and with a truffle note that is not listed. Rather interesting.

I bought a sample of this about a year ago, and fell hard for its moody, melancholy beauty. I would forget I was wearing it only to feel it whispering up hours later. I used up the sample immediately. Fast forward 6 months and I got a great deal on a full bottle, but after only a couple of wearings decided to sell it on, as it’s simply too ethereal. Not sure if I’m remembering wrong, but it seems to disappear almost instantly. Or maybe I just have less patience for subtle scents these days. Regardless, those looking for a quiet perfume with lots of brooding atmosphere should love this. As others have said, I find VdR to be far more about patchouli than rose or plum. Very unisex, suitable in most weather, especially dark and stormy nights.

Alluring...earthy, and eminently unisex. In fact, this is not the sort of scent I personally like my man to wear--it suits me perfectly on a rainy, Northwest evening, cuddling at home on the sofa in front of the fireplace. At times, the plummy rose is larger, at others, the patchouli. Depends on the body chemistry du jour. However it is always mysterious, bewitching, and evocative. Voleur de Roses completely debunked the idea that I don't like rose scents, probably because the sweet virginal rose is nowhere to be found. While I wouldn't place this is the masterpiece category, it is a timeless scent that withstands current scent fads to find a home on my full bottle perfume shelf.

Ho la versione degli anni 90 col tappo dorato e rotondo e quella successiva col tappo dorato ma esagonale. La versione di lancio era forse un po più fruttata e densa,ma non si differenzia molto dalla seconda. Quella ultima con le bottiglie tutte grige e tappi grigi non la ricordo. L'effetto è sempre quello di una casa antica,umida, un ambiente gotico,misterioso, cantine o sotterranei del castello del vampiro.. Sicuramente delude quelli che si aspettano i profumini di rose finte,ingenui e da principessa disney. Questo è un profumo per anime nostalgiche,magiche, misteriose, per circostanze non chiassose,non solari.

I never thought it was a perfume for men. It feels extremely feminine to me! A friend of mine send me a sample and I fell in love, and I want it so badly...The first impression is deceiving - you smell something moldy and damp.But in some time it begins to unveil like a magnificent embroidered shawl. It plays with the skin, taking this, adding that - an earthy smell of an autumn garden, the last roses that desperately bloom before their time comes.Several times I caught the unusual sweet scent and every time it was different - and it took me a while to realize it was the Stolen Rose, on my own skin.

Roses the flowers of saints; this is the most purest most natural organic rose fragrance it's not a powdery synthitic rose compound like in givenchy's very irresistable. made with the purest rose oil and patchouli makes it an earthy feel. conjoures up the feeling of a pilgrimage to guadelupe mexico to visit the shrine of the virgin mary or the day of the dead festival in mexico full of colorful flowers dancing skellinton puppets and dirt. it's bit a feminine to classify as a men scent a refined fragrance that is not gaudy loud or flashy perfect for sipping deep red wine.

This is the kind of rose that makes me imagine the Queen in Alice and Wonderland, and the playing cards getting yelled at for painting the roses red. This smells of a real rose bush--of dew, earthiness, and blood-red roses. Very mysterious feme-fatale rose--not a fresh or light rose. I am tempted to be a rose thief when I smell this. It has a slight naughtiness to it that reminds me of when I was a little girl and I stole my neighbors' roses. Sometimes, though, this weird and unpleasant wine-like note comes out and makes me change my mind about getting a bottle.

I envy those who can smell a story from this perfume - a rose garden during a thunderstorm with rotten falling leaves and soil. Or how the patchouli makes it a dirty rose. On me, it is a sheer, refine and aloof patchouli rose perfume with light touch of plum. It does has an ozone charge clean scent. Nevertheless, it is an instant love. Average longevity and moderate sillage. These polarized reviews show how vary our olfactory receptions or our body chemistries reacting to scents can be. This of course makes perfumery such an intriguing topic.

I get an arm's length of projection and that it lasts up to 8 hours on me. This perfume is not aggressive but very much present. I get complimented on it quite often. Earthy patchouli and dark scents work with my chemistry. The plum note brings the illusion that the roses have a very slight natural sweetness; it's as if they were at the end of their life in a garden at the beginning of autumn. It is beautifully melancholic. **This is a review of the earlier formulation, (glass bottle, burgundy label).

I was exited to test Voleur de roses, and really happy when someone with a huge collection sells me a decant. It is a beautiful rose with a lot of patchouli. It's really earthy, it's somewhere betwenn Portrait of a lady and Earth from Jil Sander. It's less powerful than Portrait (which is nice) and it has more rose than Earth, it's an elegant scent, really well done, easy to wear but with a vibe. I guess that's why it's still talk about that much.

Didn't know it was a homme fragrance until I stopped by here! I can't seem to have enough rose and patch; also have Rose Barbare and Lady Vengence. But this rose/patch - you can smell the clean sweet soil the roses grow in. There is a coolness and aloofness to this fragrance too; I've also heard it described as goth. But underneath the cool surface, passion lurks. See how Lanier, who posted below me, elaborates about this. A beautiful, sexy scent.

Voleur de Roses is a nice soft rose with patchouli. At first spray one might say that it comes on strong, since the rose is dominant here with a background of patchouli. Patchouli can sometimes be overpowering and cloying, not here. To my nose it is not a strong rose/patchouli like other fragrance I own. The dry down is very nice, warm and quite floral.

This is the best marriage of earthy patchouli and ephemeral tea rose that I've come across so far. To me this is a very sensuous, slightly erotic fragrance - it's Mellors meeting Lady Chatterly in the rose garden after it's just rained . . . It's yin and yang . . . It's dark and light and yes it's masculine and feminine and can easily be worn by both.

This perfume could surely not be associated with a man smell.Roses and patchouli Oh no... I am wearing this fragrance and am totally in love with it.It is so distinctive, so interesting I just adore it.The only disappointing point is that,like JeanMaurice said the smell only last for about 30 minutes... such of shame! I still love the smell though.

I'm a big fan of l'artisan and Voleur de Roses is just delicious! To me it is a very feminine, sensual, uplifting and comforting. It lasts for ours on my skin and I constantly get compliments about it. The combination of the roses and patchouli is so original and sublime!! It is absolutely a keeper for me!!

Always i am impressed by the formulas making rose softer , lighter with a touch of masculinity , when i see the notes i am not able to imagine such a pleasant potion , it is with three ingredient but creative enough and unique enough to tell you yes i am here , it is "savoureux", elegant and soft .

By far my favorite L'Artisan perfume, and I'm a lady! There is something about Voleur de Roses that reminds me of a damp rose garden after a heavy rainstorm...with a hint of plum and patchouli. I can't stop sniffing my own wrists when I wear this. Totally enchanting fragrance like no others.

interesting smell! a special rose, yes i can smell rose on my skin, although not ordinary rose, and i can really smell the whole background story of this one. The air after the rain when steam coming out from the garden ground of mud, the wilted rose, the ether this is wonderful

This is just Glorious. Astonishingly beautiful. When patchouli, rose and a splash of bright, sparkly bergamot are combined just right. I breath this in with every cell of my skin. A fragrance done just right.

I've been completely seduced by this red rose surrounded by rich soil. It feeds my soul. Perhaps because of the deep happiness I experienced as a child digging in garden soil near roses.

The first rose-patch of History. Metallic blood, fruity roses soaked in isopropyl alcohol, damp and earthy patchouli. I know it sounds weird, but it works. Dark masterpiece.

I like it - dark, wet, dangerous black red rose) Very sensual, intense and sexy. Similar to Lady dangerous and Fille de Berlin, but much more patchouli in it.

An incomparable, beautiful combination of Rose and Patchouli, Victorian, Gothic and Hauntingly Beautiful. Very difficult to find these days.

Sigh. The most beautiful ephemeral rose perfume I've had the pleasure of inhaling deeply. Magnificent concoction by a master perfumer. 10/10

Okay, here it is: my very first Fragrantica review -- my first foray into fragrance nerd-dom (!!!) I tried this for the first time alongside L'Artisan's Drôle de Rose, but Voleur stood out way more to me at first blush. Out of the three listed notes of rose, patchouli, and plum, in my opinion the latter two form the bulk of the fragrance. Voleur opens with a big, juicy, squishy burst of overripe stone fruits, slightly tempered by a full, rich rose. Picture a rose slightly past its prime, just barely crinkling around the edges, but not yet having lost its suppleness. Nothing about Voleur de Roses gives the impression or profile of a typical "fruitchouli"; it initially made an enormous impression on me, with its lush burst of dark rose and dark fruit. I would've liked to have smelled this as an EDP, but only EDT is available (that I know of), making the drydown fairly rapid, and leaving me with a rank patchouli lingering at my pulse points. The patchouli used here is not a sweet one. In my opinion, it's a fairly dense, deep, moldering sort of patchouli that adds to the fecundity of the fragrance as a whole. However, stripped of the top notes, I was somewhat unhappy having such a humus-like earthiness hover on me once the rose and plum had evaporated. I can definitely understand the other reviewers' references to a dark, unruly, fertile and fetid garden. Something about this fragrance alludes to death and putrefaction. By the time it had fully dried down, I understood the name "Voleur de Roses". In this case, I think the plum and patch are the "voleurs" -- they've stolen the spotlight from the rose, forcing it into a supporting role. Overall, I think I can say that I simultaneously agree with all the positive AND negative reviews of this fragrance. It is beautiful, attention-grabbing, and unique, but it does have its drawbacks. It has an intensity that demands something of the wearer -- a certain kind of sensuality. ★★★

I am talking about the red label bottle, so not the latest formula. I've been drawn to roses in relatively recent times. For a long period I had been despising and loathing rose scents. I've proved wrong: rose scents can be alluring and enchanting in every season. After dewy, smooth, velvety, deep, black, and other kinds of roses, I've met with Voleur de Roses which I would define as Assertive Rose. No compromises here, no shades, no hues, just strong brush strokes. It opens strong, almost bitter with patchouly taking the lead. You wonder: "Where are the roses?". No roses in the opening, just an earthy patchouly that makes you doubt about the name. The patchouly never subsides, but becomes softer, less earthy and more velvety - here's the one who stole the velvet from the roses! And the roses appear: dark, ripe, strong, sirupy, as assertive as the patchouly, beautiful, truly the Queen of Flowers. If you do expect a garden rose, this is not it. If you are longing for an ethereal Victorian rose, this is not it. If you think this may be a dawn rose, well, no, this is a night rose. It lasts day through the night and each minute you experience the strength subsiding a bit (but never disappearing) and the velvet becoming prominent. But remember: a tiger can never be tamed, no matter how soft its fur may be. MASTERPIECE

Voleur de Roses is simple, basically 50/50 rose and patchouli. It is not sweet at all, and it's rather dark. The patchouli is dry and dusty. For such a heavy fragrance, it quickly becomes a skin scent, which will be a positive thing for people who seek a "perfumy" scent yet are self-conscious about wearing something that will overpower everyone around them. Growing up, my mother would not allow me to wear black. She said that black was not a nice color for young girls. This perfume reminds me of the times she would say that to me, so while I don't that feel age matters when choosing perfume, I do think this is a perfume for a person with mature tastes (regardless of age). It reminds me of Tom Ford's White Patchouli, but replace the white flowers with rose. These perfumes could be sisters. As for comparisons to Portrait of a Lady, this is not nearly so complex and is much softer in projection. I prefer Portrait because it constantly evolves on my skin over many hours, and it projects more. But if a simple rose & patch combo is what you seek, this is lovely and of excellent quality.

I am trying to figure out why L'Artisan Parfumeur VOLEUR DE ROSES is classified as a perfume for men. Honestly, I have no idea why. This is a smooth rose bush patchouli with a slightly soil-tinged opening and a barely sweet floral patchouli drydown. Perhaps to some VOLEUR seems more masculine than typical rose perfumes because the rose elements featured are more of the stems and thorns than the petals themselves. The petals were indeed perhaps stolen, or else they were cut off using garden shears and given to the makers of PARIS, after which the stems were immersed in water in order to extract and preserve the fresh green aspects of rose. The patchouli presence is very important to this composition but without overwhelming the rose stems, which smell as natural to me here as they do in TEA ROSE, with the distinction, again, that the petals have all been tossed away into the wind. I like VOLEUR DE ROSES a lot--especially the drydown--and would be happy to have a bottle. (-:

Well-made, gorgeous, artistically creative representation of patchouli, plums, and uno rose in the mud, in this particular order for me. Totally justifies the name of the company "L'Artisan Parfumeur". Definitely unisex. Well...now... my bottle is slightly less than half full and I didn't touch it for more than few years. The thing is, I have overeaten patchouli with this one. To the point that I don't want smell patchouli ever again. Also, I am not a novice to unisex fragrances, but this one is way too masculine for my taste. It begins as masculine and it ends masculine, period, it never softens on my skin. Nevertheless, it's an interesting, kind of Medieval/Gothic Queen/King in the enchanted castle with stony walls and fern grows on it, dark side of life, earthy type of scent... I did like it. But it's like with an ice cream of particular flavour you have overindulged yourself in your childhood, so... you are avoiding it ever since.

I knew I needed this when I read a review clearly labeling VdR as Dracula's rose. I can see that; the earthiness of the patch goes up to 11 .... and then some. But I do think I disagree on the literary character this reminds me of most. Enter Miss Havisham . Abandoned at the alter on her wedding day how many tears did her bouquet absorb? The earth greeting wilted rose petals to stay in the dust for the next 75 years on to eternity. The ocean of tears moisten the webs that engulf this tragic bouquet for the rest of her days. To my nose, the geranium magnifies the patch so that we can almost see the the visage of the raven red rose petals fade to gray as they lay on the dirty floor for many decades. VdR belongs in your stash, to treasure the morbid sadness that this artistic potion invites you to experience. VdR was made for rainy days and Mondays.

I bought this fragrance a few years ago and when I would wear it to work, my Mom would say that it smelled like marijuana. I chalked it up to ignorance, but when someone from HR mentioned to me that it also smelled of marijuana, I took notice. I stopped wearing it, although it is a very nice scent. The rose/patchouli is very strong, but it is a rich scent. I did not know it was a men's scent, as I was told it was for women...shame on the sales person. Anyway, I would like to lighten up the fragrance, but I am not sure what to mix it with. Any ideas? I do agree that Malle's A Portrait of a Lady does indeed smell similar to this scent. Very good suggestion. I think is this more of an evening scent. It is SEXY! I do not know what to say about it smelling like marijuana.....It was enough for me to stop wearing it.

On a guy I give this a neutral, on a woman a thumbs up. The opening is quite masculine and Middle Eastern, am I the only one that gets the incense note? After the opening fades, I get some citrus and a fresh, calming pink rose. This rose reminds me of the one in Lumiere Noire, which is green tending to pink, so obviously I perceive Voleur as a more feminine rose scent. I would'nt call this a dirty rose like many of you do, it is slightly dusty because of the patchouli but that's as far as I will go in labelling it goth (Portrait of a Lady, C&S). I also find this a calming frag something like a tea rose, along the veins of Lumiere Noire. The rose nose disappears around 2hours later and what is left is a skin scent. A tad too feminine on me and I prefer LM over this one for this type of rose.

I get tart plum, a wisp of rose and then patchouli...perceived in that order. That little bit of tartness in it is really enjoyable. I get that impression of red wine that others have mentioned. Also one of smelling a tart, wet rose in a garden that's just been rained in. The patchouli gives the sense of wet ground underneath a rose bush wafting up to your nose. It's somewhere between a light and heavy feel. I wouldn't call it light, but it's not overbearing or musty the way some patchouli fragrances can be. It does have a bit of a brooding character. I think it's still versatile and easy to wear despite that aspect, but perhaps I'm biased because I really like it. I'm sure others will disagree about its versatility, but personally I feel like I could wear this any time.

Patchouli and rose, pure and simple with a little plum. The description on the L'Artisan website is perfect: "...captures the chaos of a rose garden shattered by a thunderstorm. Rain and the smell of lightening in the air, wet earth, broken stems, bruised petals giving up a spicy crushed scent into the air. Roses stolen, ripped back by nature, this is an unexpected rose scent, a collision of roses and patchouli. Regal and brutal, tender and long lasting." Indeed I see this very much as a rose garden in the dead of night ravished by a summer storm. It is very nice and perfectly unisex. Ideal for lovers of patchouli and for guys that want to find an easy way to wear rose.

The opening of this is unbelievably wonderful! It's like sitting in a damp bed of roses. I get the soil, stems, flowers, leaves and dew. It's all there and it's amazing. After the initial opening, the Patchouli, which is pretty dirty, becomes dominant and feels a bit to masculine on me. The rose flower is also pretty dominant with the patchouli but it's not a feminine, girly rose. It's masculine and thorny (on me at least). I never really got any of the plum. The sillage and longevity are Moderate. This is a Fantastic Rose scent for a man. It's one of my favorites in fact, and I often suggest it to the men looking for a good manly rose scent.