PHI Une Rose de Kandahar

"Voluptuous, velvety and sensual... a bed of roses covered in apricots and tobacco leaves." PHI Une Rose de Kandahar is a 2013 fragrance by Tauer Perfumes, an niche perfume house by independent Andy Tauer. Tauer has become a cult icon in the perfume industry because of his background: he is self-taught in the art of perfumery and one of his earliest creations, L`Air du Desert Marocain, is considered to be one of the most iconic creations in the perfume community for being able to capture the olfactory essence of a Moroccan desert. Rather than just a perfumer, he is more of a perfume artist whose fragrances are the result of his artistic talents. Kandahar is yet another fragrance that is grabbing attention in the community. It contains a supposedly extremely rare rose extract produced only in the Afghanistan region of Nangarhar. Since the extract is very limited, the fragrance is a limited edition and may not be available at all times. Shortly put, Kandahar is a precious fragrance. On my skin, it opens with a fruity blast of apricot with tinges of peaches, and other citrus notes. It's tart, juicy and sweet, and is reminiscent of the opening of Miyako by Auphorie. At the same time, there are also notes of chilly, slightly spicy and "lemony" geranium, which gives my nose a slight tingly effect. The beautiful fruity opening serves merely as hors d'oeuvre for what is to come. The apricot/peachy accords slowly subsides and draw the curtains for the main event: the rose. Lush and unbashed, the rose takes center stage and bask in the limelight, like a female VIP in a full-on blood-red wedding gown. Unlike a lot of other rose fragrances, the rose in Kandahar isn't jammy-sweet. It's more floral than anything else, and that appeals to me since sweet-jammy rose isn't my cup of tea. What's interesting is that the rose isn't alone; it's coupled with tobacco leaves, rendering the conventionally feminine accord more unisex. Some people have claimed that Kandahar is a rose fragrance for non-rose fans, and I can see why: it's the tobacco leaves akin to that in Parfums de Marly's Herod that make it more approachable for general wearers. Perhaps the only minor letdown is that, unlike what others have said, I couldn't detect the vanilla as much as I have hoped. Then there is the closing act, which I would sum up to be a subtle performance by cinnamon, tonka bean and ambergris. It's the ambergris that's a welcoming surprise for me; I thought I would smell it earlier so to experience only in the drydown is a relief. If apricot and rose are the stars in the top and heart respectively, then ambergris is the star in the base. I'm not sure if I get vanilla in this stage because the butter-like note I get is more tonka bean than anything else. In all, this is a wonderful fragrance. Tauer is a cult icon when it comes to niche fragrances and Kandahar is perhaps my favourite in the line. I haven't tried some of his other fragrances yet, and I'm keen to try Une Rose Chypree next. I might even consider getting a full bottle soon; I just hope it's still available when the time comes. To date, this is my favourite rose fragrance and, like what others have mentioned, I do urge non-rose fans to at least try it. It's certainly one-of-a-kind fragrance that deserves more attention and, most definitely, praises.

I had liked and enjoyed fragrance before this one. But Phi is my true first love. Head over heels it knocked me off my feet, love at first sight. Tauer is a master - my boyfriend is a big Coeur fan and I've adored smelling it on him, Pthalo is one of the most purely fascinating things I've ever tried, and Incense Rose is also a cherished personal favorite - so it comes as no surprise to me that one of his works would be an arrow to my heart. Here it is, shot from Kandahar, and thank God it found me. A jammy, juicy, dripping, nectar-and-dew rose. Luscious. What a mood to it! Tender, melancholy, victorious, nostalgic, singular. Again, dripping with springtime verdance, with freshness - but with a rainy depth to it, too. The almond, apricot, and tobacco specifically meld together for me, becoming part of the same sustained note - the stiff bite of the apricot's skin, the solid wetness of the tobacco, and the bitter-almond whisper twining both together like needle and thread. The musk and vetiver are so precisely placed, little pinpoint foundations of the scent deep, deep below this. "Sculpture" is simply the correct word, I feel like I can hold this scent in my hands, turn it over like a 3D shape, changing perspective like the facets of a gemstone. Truly a treasure - especially to a rose fanatic like myself. It's wonderful to see a rose at center stage without it being the only star, framed by a work much larger than itself but which never drowns it out. A photorealistic rose note among a boudoir of admirers; elevated, honored, and enhanced. A caveat: whatever gene or tendency that makes one interpret ambroxides as ammonia, I have it really bad. Certain otherwise wonderful scents are made intolerable to me because of this quirk. And I do notice it in Phi - but for whatever reason, it isn't offensive. It doesn't turn pungent or sour like ambergris usually does for me; it seems so well blended that even I can pick up on it accurately - and it forms this sparkling, crinkling undercurrent to the scent I adore, a little thorn-prick sharpness to it, without which the scent's triumphant sweetness would have fallen flat for me. I can only praise this dramatically, but I'm not exaggerating. This will be my signature scent until the last bottle on the planet is used up.

As a lover of rose-centered compositions, I am used to the rose and oud combo, Phi – Une Rose de Kandahar stands out as a welcome departure from the that. Here, the absence of oud is not a lack but an inspired choice that allows the rose to shine in a far more nuanced and graceful light. The result is a fragrance of striking individuality and refinement (as always with Tauer's creations, let me add). What captivates me most is the soft, powdery sweetness that envelops the central rose accord (but absolutely not into makeup-like territory), Phi has a delicate balance. Upon further reflection, I believe this effect stems from a masterful interplay between almond, tobacco, cinnamon and vanilly giving the fragrance an almost marzipan-like softness with a subtle dryness and warmth. This combination creates a comforting, gently sweet backdrop that elevates the rose without ever overshadowing it. Phi is restrained, elegant, and unmistakably imbued with Tauer’s signature touch. As with L'Air du Désert Marocain and L'Air des Alpes Suisses, I detect Andy’s olfactory fingerprint: and a sense of hand-crafted artistic integrity that permeates the entire composition. His perfumes consistently exude creative depth without ever becoming unwearable or overly avant-garde—Phi is no exception. It is striking and expressive, yet still utterly wearable and intimate. Within my collection of over a hundred perfumes, Phi has undoubtedly secured a place in my personal top five or six. Tauer’s packaging is always a pleasure to behold. Whether it’s the distinctive metal boxes or the newer cardboard designs, each presentation is thoughtful and aesthetically pleasing. A particularly charming touch is the inclusion of a hand-signed note from Andy himself in each box—a gesture that speaks to the artisanal and personal nature of his work. The bottle itself is among the most instantly recognizable in the niche world: pentagonal, sturdy, and elegant in its minimalism. The thick glass and precise angles give it a sense of permanence and quality. If I had to offer one minor critique, it would be the spray mechanism—it doesn’t deliver the most refined mist—but this is hardly a concern. The overall experience, from scent to packaging, remains deeply satisfying and memorable.

من سمپل اين عطر به دستم رسيد ابتدا اينو بگم كه اين عطر بوي شيريني داره و در دسته عطر هاي شيرين دسته بندي ميشه از اون اقا پسر ها خندوني كه دوست داري باهاشون گپ بزني و يا خانوم هايي كه بوي خيلي خوبي ميدن و دوست داري زمانكند تر بگذره ريويو را از بو عطر شروع ميكنم ساختار عطر خيلي با كيفيت هست به صورتي كه بوي عطر بوي گل رز ابتدا شروع ميشه كه البته بوي زردالو هم احساس ميشه اما بوي زردالو بعد چند دقيقه بسيار محو ميشه و بوي گل رز با كمي تلخي خودشون كاملا به نمايش ميزاره البته تلخي خيلي خيلي ملايم و كم رنگي اون را همراهي ميكنه بعد از گذر دو ساعت بوي پودري تلخي و شيريني گل رز همچنان قابل توجه است اما ماندگاري خوبي نداره و بعد ٣ الي ٤ ساعت بوي عطر به سمت نا پديد شدن ميل ميكند البته بعد از اين مدت بوي عطر مشخص هست اما نه به اون پخش بوي دو ساعت اول بالانس اين اثر خيلي خيلي خوبه و با اينكه شايد از جمله عطر هاي شيريني باشه كه در كشورمون زياد طرفدار نداشته باشه اما كيفيت و بوي خيلي لذت بخشي داره اين عطر انتخاب شخصي من نيست اما هم براي مردان و براي خانم ها مناسب هست من ترجيه ميدم اين عطر توسط خانم ها استفاده بشه تا اقايون اما خوب اين عطر در نت ابتدايي خودشو بصورتي نشون ميده كه اقايون هم ميتونن استفاده كنند اما در نت پاياني شبيه به عطر هاي شيرين و كريمي و خانه اي عطر هاي زنونه ميمونه كه به خاطر گل رز هست در مورد قيمت اكثر كارهاي اقاي تاور حدودا 135 دلار قيمت دارند ——————————- Well i got have my sample for test after several testing it on my skin this is i think what you get: To me its starting with apricot for just some minutes in openning and after that booomb the perfume show what truly it self massive rose but not that sweetness of the rose you think there is bitter and cream comes with it every second i think about the bitter smell it’s because of tobacco and almond is. After one hour i got the smell of rose very much and get why it’s unisex too some sweet and also get some vibe of vetiver and cinnamon but very little and dry down to be soapy and sweet like rose to me its nice fragrance its not that much special like 02 or lonestar rider but its nice i love it and very nice balances geat job. My point to this is : Scent : 7/10 Projection: 8/10 Long lasting: 10/10 Value of money: 5.5/10 Balances : very very professional performance 11/10 Versatile: 7/10 Buy another bottle: maybe yess

The rose comes out full force in the beginning. It reminds me more than just a little bit of MFK frags that heavily feature rose (A lot of the Oud Mood collection). Slightly medicinal, but not overly so, in a good way. The Almond is definitely present, as is the apricot. This fragrance is very weird for me. Because I get a lot of these notes in the very opening....and then they disappear for hours. I mean it. Hours. The mid of this frag smells *very* much like Encens Mythique D'Orient by Guerlain. To the point where for 5 or so hours the MAIN thing I smell is Ambergris. In all it's salty, ethereal glory. There are probably a good amount of people who've worn frags where the heart or base is predominantly ambergris.. the main two I can think of are the aforementioned Guerlain and maybe Colonia Ambra from AdP... so the vibe here is familiar to that but maybe slightly more pure. However unlike anything else I've tried the rest of the drydown does *not* stay in ambergris only realm. I won't say it is the same for everyone's skin, but on me, after a solid 6-7 hours I start to get the tonka bean and vanilla. It finishes much more slanted towards this than the mid.. with the vanilla and dare I say a light hint of tobacco settled in as a skin scent. Not a harsh or smoked tobacco mind you but almost an unscented aromatic that isn't sweet or cloying. This is one of the few fragrances I've found that has an incredibly distinct opening, middle, and finish that don't really smell alike at all. Which probably speaks to Mr. Tauer's ability to blend ingredients to a very particular and focused level. I have fragrances that last longer, but you can easily get 12 hours out of this, and the projection really hits through its ambergris mid before settling down. I imagine it will smell different on different people so would give this a sample before you go for a full bottle. Very enjoyable, and a very personal journey.

PHI - Une Rose de Kandahar is easily my favorite fragrance these days. Safe to say I'm addicted to it. I received a sample of it with another order from Tauer and PHI - Une Rose de Kandahar was love at first whiff. I ordered a bottle, and this morning I ordered a back-up bottle in case Andy runs out of stuff to make this wonderful elixir. I've been wearing it every day since I first experienced it. This is like the best thing I've ever smelled, maybe in... forever? @Sereen84, in her spot on review below, mentioned that it's like a rose version of L'Heure Bleue and she's exactly on the money with that description. L'Heure Bleue is one of my other fave things and Une Rose' is deftly crafted to sit in the same ballpark. It definitely has a vintage, I'm thinking "Classic" vibe to it. Like most of Andy's stuff it has an animalic thing to it as well; right at the start; and that's mixed with a wonderful rose that's like none other. As it dries down it gets sweeter and more powdery with kind of a gourmand cinnamon thing added to the roses. As that starts to happen I can't help but keep putting my wrist up by my nose. As I mentioned, for me it's so addicting and strange at the same time. I've never been like, "Hooked" on a fragrance before. Certainly way worse things to get hung up on! Longevity is excellent. This stuff lasts and lasts. Someone mentioned below that it may be a little too "Feminine" for a man to wear? It's a rose/floral at heart so yeah, it's leaning in that direction for sure but geez, do we have to divide ourselves up into camps? I really don't care if something's a "Masculine" or "Feminine" fragrance. If it smells great, and I like it... that's all that I care about. For me, this perfume hits all the notes; it's as close to perfection as I've experienced in a fragrance. I absolutely love it and it's definitely going to be living in the front of my fragrance closet from now on. 5/5 Stars!

Une Rose de Kandahar is the first Tauer I've ever tried, and it's made such a wonderful impression that I think I'll have to try them all in the near future. It's just so, so good, and nothing like anything else I've ever smelled. I actually hesitated a little before getting a decant of this one. On the one hand I was keen to try it because of the great reviews and the combination of rose/apricot/almonds, three of my favourite notes, but on the other hand I usually avoid the tobacco note because it tends to spoil a fragrance for me if it stands out too much. But I needn't have worried: this is one of the most well-blended perfumes I've ever smelled, and none of the notes really stick out. In fact this scent is velvety to the degree that it's almost startling at first sniff; immediately I was reminded of the texture of suede, more so than with perfumes where suede is actually featured in the note pyramid. When I look at the list of notes and compare it to what I'm smelling, I can believe there is apricot and roses and even tobacco involved, but they're all so well balanced that they form a coheshive whole, an entirely new smell that I never could have imagined but am so glad I got to know. It's hard to explain, hence the vague description, but anyone who gets the chance should really try this for themselves! Fall is fast approaching and I think that will be the perfect season for this beauty. It's best suited for evenings but it's definitely not too heavy for the office either, if you want to bring a hint of luxury and joy into your workday (and who wouldn't?). My little decant might just be followed by a real bottle before too long; it's expensive but really worth it, even more so because a little goes a long way and two sprays in the morning provide more than satisfactory sillage for most of the day.

Incroyable! Merveilleux! At first spray, there's a kind of boozy feel with a nostril-flaring sweet resinousness. The rose here, at first, is a background note. You can feel it pushing its way through. It's a dry rose, sweet and dry.* and the apricot, after about 15 minutes. Then after an hour, the tobacco notes show their stuff. The rose-and-resin blend continues with a slightly "woody" vibe. About an hour or two in, I can actually smell the ambergris! It's a sharp/sweet note like no other: rich, unobtrusively animalic, unique. At the end, after a good 15 hours, it's as if a soft white flower has passed through and left its trail. This fragrance is alive: it morphs and pulses by the minute. I've been sniffing my arm over the last 15 hours, and it's rarely the same. Extraordinary! If it's a living frag like this, that means: I can have a *relationship* with it, trust it to work with my moods and aha! me to work with it. A fragrance one can respect. One comment I'd like to make about Monsieur Tauer, and that is his generosity as a parfumier. These ingredients are the best out there (I'm convinced) - for instance, the use of real ambergris (?) and the single sourced Afghan rose. And he doesn't use them sparingly either. These are rich, complex, unique, and Andy Tauer is a true alchemist! Thank you once again, M. Tauer!! * I've noticed that some of the best material (absolutes) come from dry places: Afghani rose as here, Moroccan jasmine (the smoothest, creamiest), Egyptian neroli, alpine lavender, Spanish mimosa, fig. I just like, to my nose, what dry climates do to their plants.

I'm a little late to the Rose de Kandahar party. I avoided it in a weird way because I got so tired of rose as a main note. I loved rose for many years, and after going through my phase of Middle-Eastern style oud/rose/vanilla (you know that combination! You are probably sick of it, too), starting with Noir de Noir, I just couldn't stand rose anymore. That combo sort of ruined rose for me. Olfactory burnout. I am still tired of rose, but I figured it would not hurt to finally sample this one. What developed on my skin was blissful. I kept picturing a big copper pot with chopped nuts simmering in sugar syrup and rosewater. It reminded me of a combo of Turkish Delight and almond nougat with tiny pieces of candied apricot. I felt there was rose in the mix--there had to be--but it did not jump out and instead blended with the other notes to create a perfect harmony. PHI is sweet, definitely gourmand, but not a toothache, nor is it cloying. The creamy nuttiness is what stood out most on my skin; the feature I loved most and that I wanted to experience over and over again. I recall telling myself all sorts of things: It wasn't that good, I've smelled others like it, I will never wear it because it contains rose, I am not into gourmands these days.... It's crazy how many things I tried to tell myself to make me not love this perfume as much as I did. Might have to go and buy it before it's gone again! (Update Aug 2016: It was unforgettable. I own it now!)

الصراع في أفغانستان بين حركة طالبان، والقوات الأمريكية، 🇦🇫🇺🇲 لا يقل حدة بين آندي تاور و وردة ننغرهار، بحيث يحاول جاهدا في توفيرها، فيتكبد العناء رغم الأوضاع الكارثية التي يعيشها موطن المكون الأساسي للعطر، ألا و هو ورد قندهار. مما يجعل إصدار العطر محدودا جدا، فتارة تجده في متجر آندي، و تارة يفقد لإشعار آخر 🔖. إن إسم العطر مستوحى من مدينة قندهار الأكثر شهرة في أفغانستان. هناك توجد حقول بالقرب من الجبال حيث يزرع القنب الهندي. ⬅️ ألم تلاحظ أن تاور دائما ما يختار مواطن الحشيش 🇦🇫 😁 🇲🇦. فأفغانستان ليست صحراء بالكامل 🏜️، فهناك العديد من الجبال العالية المكسوة بالثلوج 🗻 والحقول الخضراء 🏞️، والأشجار المثمرة التي تغذيها مياه الجبال الجليدية من الأنهار والجداول. في مثل هذا المكان أيضًا تنمو الورود🌷، و التي استخدمها تاور في هذا العطر. فالعطر عبارة عن وردة 🌹 بخورية القوام، بودرية الملمس، كلاسيكية الطباع، توحي بالنضج. و هذا راجع لاستخذام العطار لقرفة گورماندية 🥞 معززة بلوز مر 🌰يعطي للعطر كاريزميته. مرصع بنوتة فاكهية من المشمش 🍑. التبغ و الڤانيليا🍥 يحجزان المكان المناسب في العطر، كما يغلف العنبر الرمادي 🐳 قوام العطر و يزيده عمقا و تناغما، لتلمس فيه لمسة عطار يعمل يدويا و بحرفية عالية 🔝 (ARTISANAL) . فقد تمكن تاور من إرضاء ذائقتي في عطر ورد أولا، و كلاسيكي محض ثانيا، لأن غالبا ما يميل هذا الإنسجام للجانب الأنثوي الذي يذكرنا بعطور 🧓🏻👩🏻🦳🧓🏻. — دمت قارئا، و دام العطر رفيقك 🌹. _____________________________________________ للمزيد من التقارير المرجو زيارة صفحتي عبر الأنستغرام Luxe_cologne_reviews مودتي ❤️ _____________________________________________

To me, Phi is more of a sweet almond scent than a rose one. It goes on with an almost “lemonade”-like sweetened citrus, and then settles into a creamy, lotion-like tonality with the almond, vanilla, and tonka, enriched and deepened with ambergris. It’s almost like rubbing yourself in pure almond oil. This silky, cuddly, almost-too-sweet vibe reminds me a lot of the texture of Heure Exquise’s vanilla-and-iris. Here it’s vanilla-and-almond-and-ambergris, but the effect is similar. It’s a bit like a creamy vanilla custard, with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top. The rose (and rose geranium) are much fainter, and quite green though also liqueur-like; a flicker of concentrated garden juice, only coming out once in a while. As time goes on, the tobacco comes out and blends with the rose (around the 3rd hour), making a soft dusky brown “wood-paneled study” note, with a little bit of liqueur. Very civilized and smooth. Phi is a beauty. It reads as quite feminine to me, and utterly luxurious. The textural contrast between creamy custard and shadowy green-brown patchouli-tobacco is fascinating – I wouldn’t have thought those two chords could work together but here they’re perfect. It makes me think of vacationing in an old Beaux-Arts grand hotel, all curlicues and Palladian windows, but gone to seed a little bit. Luxury blended with a bit of a wistful, memento mori note.

This is not really a typical rose perfume, in my opinion... On me this is very powdery. Very almondy on an apricot-cinnamon background. Makes me think about a fresh Turkish delight more than a rose to be honest. Rose is fresh and detectable at first spray but it is quickly muted by the other notes. Because of that powdery aspect I'd say it's quite feminine. Surprise by some reviews below stating is has a cologne aspect or is a masculine fragrance. To me it screams femininity. As I love almond and powdery perfumes I love this one. Something that amaze me with Tauer perfumes is how long they perform and how soft they are. In the sense that you get the lasting power without having to go through any "suffocating" phase at the beginning, when you just applied the fragrance. Not sure how he manages to do that but I'm not aware of any other line of fragrance that has this quality aspect. And his fragrances are not even overpriced (for niche...). Got a FB as soon as I finished my sample in a couple of days. I like to wear this one to go to bed, it calms me down :) I got myself a FB. This is definitely something I will wear a lot. I just tried it during the Summer heat and it was lovely. Not sickening at all, just soft and beautiful. Overall I think this is a masterpiece and I'm not saying that often.

Ok, so I blind bought this, lol, which I'll reiterate from other reviews about Tauer perfumes, is generally not something you want to do. Tauer is not for the typical perfume buyer. There is a reason his calls his work "immersive sculptures". At first sniff, I was very uncertain how I felt. It's kind of a strange blend. I feel like sometimes when I sniff this, everything feels off, and other times, it is the most amazing delicious perfection. The rose isn't as sweet as you might expect, so it's really the cinnamon, almond, tonka and vanilla that do the work to make the scent sweet and yummy. But there is an oddness to that, sometimes a sharp note that doesn't always blend in (I think it's the type of musk that is used), sometimes I get no rose, and sometimes I get ONLY rose. Giant ROSE. And sometimes I get only gourmand goodness. Overall I decided, it's truly unique and lovely and I can't stop smelling it, but it's going to stay in my collection as something I mainly spray only for myself, like to go to bed, or something I wear in my sweatshirt before going on a walk. I love it, but it isn't something I would wear loudly, honestly mostly because it takes time to appreciate. I think enjoying this perfume is an earned reward but well worth the experience.

The patchouli makes the opening of Une Rose de Kandahar very herbal and harsh. I was not impressed when I first sprayed this. But as it dries down, it becomes so beautiful. Dark jammy rose, heaps of cinnamon, lactonic apricot, patch, all blended to warm, spicy, balsamic beauty. Rose is the most prominent note for the first hours, and it's not in the least powdery or soapy, just warm and lush. Later the tobacco overtakes the fragrance, it reminds me of peach or apricot flavored pipe tobacco. Vanilla and almond are not dominant in this, but lend a subtle, grown-up sweetness to the scent. A hint of salty ambergris is detactable, too. The fragrance is intense and lasts all day. It's a cold weather warmer to me. This is such a multifacted, interesting scent, but with loveable, easy-to-wear notes. You just have to wait maybe 30 minutes through the opening to let its beauty unfold. I would call it a warm floriental with gourmand hints. It has a similar vibe to Tauerville Fruitchouli Flash in my opinion, so I won't put this on my wishlist and get the cheaper FF one day instead, but it's by no means the same. I just think people who like one of these will most likely also enjoy the other.

I bought this first as a sample from Luckyscent because I was concerned with the mention of an animalic note. Almost as if my preconceived notion made it true, that was all I smelled. Ambergris. It reminded me a bit of Stephane Humbert Lucas 777's Kohl De Bahrein, for some reason, I guess because of the ambergris. I put it aside for a few months and tried again for a multiple days in a row, wow . Everything just blended perfectly this time around. The rose, the fruit, the tobacco, the leathery ambergris, the smooth creaminess of the almond. Cinnamon! This was the secret for me, I love this note in perfumery and this one uses it to perfection. A reviewer said this was a grownup rose, that's the perfect description. I can't stop huffing my wrist. I'm really glad I learned to put a scent away and give it a few weeks or months to settle before I write it off as a loss. If you want a bit more to test than the small amount sold at Luckyscent, the Tauer website has it in a tiny 5ml bottle that looks exactly the same as the larger one for $35 and free shipping. It's great as a travel mini.

At some point, I very nearly sold this. I had been purchasing too many things to remember what I had and how beautiful each scent really was. This one is no exception. I'm currently in a no buy and it's resulting in enjoyment of what I already have. I'm not sure how to put words to what this scent evokes for me but I'll do what I can. It's thick and rich, (my favorites always are). It's got a bit of a jammy texture, yes, it's rose, but I wouldn't say it's rose in character. The tobacco is part of what deepens and thickens the texture, along with some fruit which to me feels like berry rather than apricot, but perhaps it's the blend of rose and apricot. In the end, I'd say this is a fine, sweet, after-dinner liquor being sipped in a burgundy velvet chair by a crackling fire in a room hung round with rich and rare tapestry. The conversation is intriguing and a bit mysterious. I'm wearing a dress of the softest satin that dips all the way to the floor. I feel refined, elegant and drop dead gorgeous. I'll take two! Oh, and this one goes on and on for hours on end, bonus!

This is very beautiful right from the first sniff. Very vibrant rose with powdered sugar and almonds. It's Turkish-delight-sweet, but still a lot of air in it. To me it's a pink rose, the kind of roses I saw in Muslim palaces in Spain, perfectly arranged, and then a sea breeze caresses you. Or maybe the flower is really a princess trapped in the palace walls, longing to be free? She's allowed to go outside, take in the view of the sea, but the palace gardens are as far as she can go. She will experience nature and beauty, but never the freeing wilderness. The drydown is sometimes very musky and very masculine leaning on me. Honestly, I don't like it very much, especially the musky scent that lingers after a shower. Despite the powdery opening this is a true unisex, not in a genderless way- it's bot masculine and feminine. There is something very mature about it too, maybe a little dated even, although not as much as some other Tauer perfumes. It feels very high quality and not synthetic at all, unlike a lot of popular "niche" perfume houses.

Tauer House represents the true meaning of niche perfumery in the fragrance world. I highly recommend this house if you're new to this hobby and want to explore and learn more about niche perfumes. Unlike what many people think, niche perfumes are not those with excessive price tags, luxurious bottles (and caps!), or those that simply follow market trends (either gourmand or oud or ...). Niche perfumery is not about creating rare and unusual fragrances that are unwearable or unpleasant. It's also not about releasing numerous flankers after a successful release nor increasing the concentration or strength of existing scents. In reality, niche perfumery aims to create new and unique accords, use rare or unconventional materials, and incorporate an artistic concept behind the scent, all while offering a pleasant scent with character and a reasonable price for the quality being provided. That's what you can find in this perfume. 10/10

I tried this from a sample bottle received from Perfumed Court after hearing about this fragrance. I applied it to my wrists and chest, and let it develop over the course of about 5-6 hours. 5-6 hours is the max for me as perfumes tend not to last long on my skin. Afterwards, I went online to check prices. Sadly it was not available anywhere except the Tauer website for a hefty $160. But then I learn that they can't ship full bottles to my country, but they could give me 3x15ml minis for $200. So what did I do? I placed the order for $200. There was no need to think about it. No need to use up the rest of the sample. No need to find alternatives. No need to try and find cheap decants. There was no need, because PHI Une Rose de Kandahar is SO GOOD that I can't imagine not owning it. One day of not owning it is one day of loss. What an elegant, high performance, high quality perfume!

I bought this perfume 7 months back and it is ok, but to overpowering and nauseating so I stopped giving much attention to it. For some reasons, I lean towards it once in a while, but nothing mind blowing. Today I thought of sniffing it from the lid as I liked the smell (btw I have around 100 bottles now). Since I licked it, I just had 6 sprays of it. Within 2 minutes I've completely shocked and finally understood what this perfume is. Now I'm in a rose bubble. I had dinner and went back to my bedroom, where I initially sprayed it, the whole room smelled divine and like an expensive hotel room. You may not initially like this, but it will certainly grow on you. The best part of the scent comes after 30 minutes, so even you over sprayed, just give it some time, though you are nose blinded, the people around you will garner compliments. I will suggest not more than 4 sprays.

This is the other Rose fragrance I've liked - one of only two, the other being MFKs l'Homme a la Rose for its glittering transparency. This goes the other way - not a jammy rose but fruity, almost astringent with hints of sweetness - strangely reminiscent of biting into a japanese quince complete with a powdery bloom of almond, but as a rose scent. The rosiness is very beautifully floral rather than in-your-face rich and sweet, approaching white-floral territory for me rather than the typical ruby/burgundy. The sweet coming from elsewhere makes this work balanced with the sourer basenotes settling into a warm marzipan-y floral fuzz that's just gorgeous and ensures this stays less formal, more cozy. Manages to be a fascinating properly niche fragrance with no straight lines and nothing off-putting or dull, kept me sniffing and smiling for hours.

In the wasteland bloom in exotic rose, with the smoke of burning breath swept the nasal cavity, or even choking. This unbearable bitter spicy, not my love, this time it silently in their hearts to PHI made a mark. But I underestimated it. Three hours later, the situation is completely reversed, combined Tonga bean, vanilla and musk occupy a major position, bring a very oriental feel sweet. The PHI performance as its name. Do you think tobacco lose power?but in reality only temporarily hidden beneath that sweet, just for a while, it even has cropped up toward your claws declaration of sovereignty. Brown dry vetiver, such as gravel sandwiched wind, scratched devastated earth ...... PHI collection violent tenderness in one, showing a strong contrast, makes me real insight into Tauer strength.impeccable, called the works of masters level.

Good gracious almighty....Not only is this full bottle worthy, it is get online right now and locate it and hit the purchase button quickly before it's gone worthy. This is beautiful and soft (unlike the other Tauers I have tried which are just a little too potent for me or lean toward masculine) .....it is a soft, creamy, musky, powdery, dreamy, heavenly almond-y apricot rose masterpiece. I absolutely fell in love with this at first sniff. It is so perfect I am surprised there is a single dislike....how could anyone dislike this? Were they under duress by another fragrance house or something? It is like saying you hate rainbows or something that offers nothing but spectacular beauty. PHI is an eyes rolling in the back of the head all day wrist sniffer. Yes, I will take the gallon party size please thank you.

Edit: I retried this one using more of the sample I'd obtained and I need to correct my previous impression given below. The rose comes out strong from the opening and has nice longevity through the heart. It is indeed a very beautiful rose. The entire perfume remains a bit sweet for my tastes but I cannot fault the fragrance which is most lovely. On this wear I'm getting a strong biscuit note from the Tonka and whatever Andy has used for almond note, perhaps heliotrope. In any case, this is one definitely worth trying. Initial impression: A beautiful gourmand. Fruity, vanillic, Tonka almond all wonderfully interwoven. It lasts a long time though is rather single note and the prized rare rose makes only a fleeting visit - barely recognizable.To advertise this as rose is misleading, the rest is really nice.

Like many of Andy's compositions this one is no slouch in the performance and projection category. Such a wonderful aroma permeates off one's skin. It is very complex like a lot of his offerings but this one I noticed that the Rose note is not all in your face like in incense rose which is one of my all-time favorite Rose scents but I do appreciate a more complex and mysterious Rose like this one. Incense Rose is pure,citrus, incense and Rose with tauer's DNA, but this one has a lot going on. It's a darker composition and it is well worth checking out for you niche heads. Overall- 9/10 (if you like rose fragrances) If I could add a little of this Tauer rose to Xerjoff Richwood- booomb ! This would be its creation. I knew this reminded me of something. Just ordered a full bottle

A light and airy opening with just a touch of bergamot and almond and the barest hint of some spice. Then you get the whiff of the rose and, oh my. I love roses. I thought I know roses. Turns out I know fuckall because that first whiff rewired my brain by making me realize there's more to roses than I had thought before. To me the rose here is airy and otherworldly and honestly impossible to put into words. Then it goes a bit more green (but also not the usual perfume green, oh god I legit can't describe it) and fresh but that might as well be the base notes coming in. This perfume is pure art and so, so much more than the sum of its parts. Performance-wise, it stayed pretty close to my skin and I got maybe 5 hours out of it but holy heck what an experience it was!

I’m very picky on rose fragrances as they are normally very feminine or mature but this one is very different, rich but not strong, unisex, and modern. Love this rose mix with almond, tobacco and vanilla. Plus the slight touch of the apricot. The whole composition makes it a smooth warm gourmandy scent. The rose smells so high quality. It becomes one of favorite rose fragrances besides Oud Satin Mood and Intense Cafe. These are the only 3 roses I like so far. The only downside is that the performance is considerably weak compared to other Andy Tauer creations although it’s still better than many fragrances out there. Lasts only 7-8 hours and projects only for 3 hours on my skin, then would turn to skin scent. I still love the scent tho.

Ever smelled a perfume and thought “this was made for me”? PHI Une Rose is just that, a perfume crafted as it was intended uniquely to my liking. There’s something exotic about this but also so familiar.. Tauers signature DNA is evoking distant regions of warm climates and dry spices but here in a more subtle way than in Au Coeur du Desert and some of his other creations. Here, Tauer combined his love for arabic character perfumery with a nostalgic like, slightly vintage feeling profile. A soft rose acommpanied by dry cinnamon, hints of apricot, almond, amber and vanilla and subtle tobacco. A powderey, spicy, slightly fruity, amber rose. Sensual and a little daring yet in the most elegant way. Flawless, a Masterpiece indeed. 10/10

You know you've found a perfume that's full bottle worthy when you get to the end of your sample/ decant and you're left wanting more. I don't believe that I've fully unwrapped the mystery of this scent, it's a powdery soft rose with strong edible facets and just a pinch of added salt and citrus. But there's more to it, I get all kinds of things poking through as it develops, there's something green about it at times (possibly geranium or patchouli?) and every now and then it becomes dry which I assume is the tobacco. Still, I think the best adjective for this little rose scent is "delicious" and I can see myself returning to it for a long time. I've wanted a rose scent in my collection for a while and this is a strong contender.

Absolutely wonderful! The scent is unforgettable, it puts me into a different state of mind, creating an aura of confidence and inner peace. I'm not in love with the top notes, find them a little bit too intense for my liking and the bergamot is especially prominent, at first it reminded me of an aromatherapy room. But in an hour the perfume changes, all the overpowering smell is gone and what's left is this extraordinary mix of rose, tobacco and vanilla. What's beautiful about this perfume is its dynamics: it keeps changing every hour, the scent is a bit different every time I smell my wrist. In one review I read that Phi is the Mona Lisa of perfumes and I couldn't agree more.

I smell a lot of perfume, and don't I know when a scent seems so beguiling, esoteric, yet clearly fine quality, causing you to pause and mutter, mostly to yourself . . . "masterpiece?" Old money roses. Expensive. Something funky--a hefty, noire rose, incense and spiced honeyed sweetness. Strangely beguiling but NOT an everyday scent. You're in a ballroom or something. Good grief. Intimidating--sort of scary. And look, I normally HATE geranium because one of my grandmothers used a geranium soap--but wow again. This is truly something. An aspirational fragrance. Like the kind of woman I want to be, but I'm not her yet. Truly unforgettable juice. Leans into patch in dry down.

At the beginning I twisted my nose but is a sensational floral is among the best floral ever met. The fragrance is chic, exotic, it is not a simple flower, is quite eccentric and stylish up 'cause I'm not a fan rose much less romantic gift roses for someone, play the part .. the perfume has a DNA that differs from other floral scent very good even when breathes against his own skin exudes a wonderful scent that differs when inspires a distance, do not know how this is possible but I found amazing. Combines with almost all environments and occasions, lunch, dinner, parties, meetings, in short, it has now been approved in time. scent 9.5 versatility 9 fixation 7 projection 7

Oh wow, this one! I ordered a sample kit from Andy Tauer and this was one of the samples included. The smell of this morphs drastically from opening to mid to drydown. Its opening is a little off-putting. Strong, medicinal, a little bit of rose peeks through, but at this point I wasn't very impressed. A few hours in, this beauty morphs into a warm, sensuous fragrance. Lots of sweet tonka bean and vanilla surrounded by a spicy, middle-eastern smelling cinnamon. I can't pick out the rose at this point and I've never smelled the specific type of rose used in this fragrance, so I can't speak to it. This would be a lovely fragrance for the fall or winter. Perfectly unisex.

How on earth to describe this wonderful perfume. Rose but not flowery/floral. Jammy but not (too) dense, sweet or sticky. Soft fruits but not tropical. Subtle amaretto. More joyful than Jubilation. Habit Rouge with apricot jam? More wearable than most rose perfumes which can be heavy, or overtly sexual, or just boring (enough oud thankyou). A luscious and indulgent experience, exhibiting excellent performance. One of the best in my collection, my favourite Tauer and worth every extravagant penny. 5/5 (easily) PS the fragrantica notes suggest this might be some sort of rose/fruit salad combo, far from it. Most of the reviews are bang on re the experience.

Totally unexpected. It does smell very authentic and Eastern. The rose is truly gorgeous, oriental and abundant. The tobacco emerges as a very prominent note, resinous, dark and spicy. This actually leans slightly masculine due to the heavy scent character and combination of tobacco and patchouli in the dry down. The texture is dry and rustic It’s fiery in spirit, strong willed and very unapologetic. There is an air of danger and the unknown. The almond, cinnamon and apricot add a gourmand quality and it’s reminiscent of sweet pastries and Afghan hospitality. Excellent quality and powerful sillage. Similar to LDDM in authenticity, another masterpiece.

PHI Une Rose de Kandahar is a beautiful floral fruity fragrance. For me, it opens up with loads of apricot, almond, cinnamon, and some pipe tobacco (also something that makes it powdery, not sure what contributes to this characteristic). Reminds me of some creamy cake and a bit of coca cola at the same time. Very interesting combination and it smells just so sophisticated. Leans to the feminine side, but certain men could pull it off as well. Projection and longevity are amazing, 10+ hours for sure. I have to say, definitely love this one. I don't think I can pull it off though, would love to smell it on a woman. Big thumbs up!

Stunningly beautiful rose perfume. Completely delightful. A joyous happy delight. Such a simple and radiant scent. Rich and beautiful. The rose is magnificent. About the best I've ever smelt. This is my first try of, and buy of, a Tauer perfume, and I'm truly impressed. Brilliant. A masterpiece. So delicious, deep and dark, the perfect rose. The one that's SO red - blood red (dark blood), soft and velvety; the one you have to put your face in it's so inviting. The one you want to wrap yourself up in, and stay cocooned in forever. The smell is superb, and you want to breathe and breathe it in forever. The most perfect rose.

This one makes me feel like I’ve painted gold leaf on my wrist. Opens with luxury spice and roses, and an almost gourmand roasted almonds and dried apricots. The cinnamon eases into cured pipe tobacco and the roses dry to sweet musky petal dust; they stay at arms length for hours, until ambergris and patchouli make it all wet and shiny again, for the rest of the day. At night, the roses come back, a soft glow on the skin with a breath of chocolate woods. In this chilly weather it’s ridiculously rich, and I’m always aware of it, like bracelets that jingle with movement. I can’t wait to see what it’s like in the summer.

I blind-bought this for my mother as a gift last year, and while she adores it, I just might love it even more than she does. It's just a shame that - to my nose at least - this is ever so slighty too feminine for a guy to use. Though, perhaps, if your overall appearance oozes masculinity, or if you're wearing a suit and tie, then a scent like this could counterbalance the classical manly appearance by making your presence more multi-faceted. But anyway, one of the best - if not *thee* best - creation from Andy Tauer thus far. And given his talent and other work, that says a lot!

First time I smelled this, it immediately put a huge grin on my face. Dark, almondy rose, almost cherry like. It’s sort of a fluffy rose cloud rather than a jammy rose. I get some cinnamon spiciness as well, and it has some of that chalkiness you’ll find in many of Tauer’s concoctions, but it’s significantly toned down, and overall it wears very smooth, in a way that isn’t typical to this house. It’s also darker and more gothic than I expected from Tauer. This is beautiful, one of the best rose scents I’ve ever tried. I would definitely get a full bottle if I could find one.

Clean roses and luminous rose geranium. Here the rose is of the finest quality, clear and clean. With patchouli and the herbal nuance of geranium, the rose becomes slightly mentholated. Ambergris gives a slightly salty skin-like depth and cinnamon adds warmth. Apricot and almond add to a sweet, fleshy, woody feel. Musky, rosy, woody, sweet. Soft dry vanilla and tonka are airy and warm. I don't detect any tobacco. PHI Une Rose de culminates into the smell of an empty box of loukhoum with scant dustings of candied rose. Really cozy and satisfying.

I am currently sampling 6 Andy Tauer fragrances, and this one might be my ultimate favorite. After four or five hours this becomes a skin scent which is good performance on my skin. I received a compliment about an hour after application. It's complicated and beautiful at the same time and the apricot-almond opening is something to be experienced. My husband loves this one on me, so therefore it will become a full bottle purchase just in time for Christmas. I'm a big fan of Tauer, I wish I owned all of his perfumes!

Rose de Kandehar Dear fragranticans have done a great job describing this masterpiece so I am not going to add a lot. Just looking at its notes and olfactive piramid tells every thing. Flowers,friutes,spices,woodsy,nuts,herbs,animalic,gourmands...every thing is here and from its best quality.not to forget that Andy Tauer has made the concoction. All these great reviews and positive oppinions which I truely trust....they just got me to coclusion...I needed to try Rose de Kandehar. A serious diva!!!

The notes listed sound really good and let me tell u something" it is wicked food!" I tested this on myself and thought "wow" explicit. Then tested it on mywife who despises rose fragrances and she was even blown away. Simply "Devine" she quoted. I like rose myself but what sets this apart is the supporting cast of cinnamon, tobacco, almond, tonkabean, patchouli, musk, bergamot and vanilla...I literally pick up all of these notes w/ that tauer spice aroma. Imo an all seasons scent. Overall 5/5

I feel like your rich auntie that sometimes makes backhanded compliments that weren't intended to be so, has no shame in renting a gigolo for the night cuz I don't need no fucking man, but I always come through with the best Christmas and birthday gifts cuz I got it like that. Unisex but leans feminine and a little bit on the mature side but I absolutely adore this. The only issue is I don't reach for it often but when I do I'm happy I have it.

This is the most melancholic and simply exquisite rose I’ve tried. It’s flawless. Left me without words from the first day I’ve tried it. I wore it days on end, couldn’t get enough. It’s like i just wanted to melt and become one with it. I envision Une Rose de Kandahar as a rose version of L'Heure Bleue. It has a slightly vintage and just a tad powdery vibe. Now this is a rose crafted to perfection! Hats off mr Tauer! 🎩

I tried a 5ml sample first in winter. It was a strong like but I just couldn't make myself buy a FB as the tobacco note was a tad too obvious on my skin. Fast forward..it's summer and I am in love with this one! Can't stop sniffing my arm, it has longevity of 5 - 6 hrs on my skin and I get a whiff of it every now and then when I wave my hands. Had to buy FB. It's a unique fragrance. Definitely try before you commit!

A nutty toasted marshmallow rose, warm and deceptively dimensional. Opens with a slight liquid sour note from the lime, but that sourness is subsumed within minutes by the candied sweetness of geranium, almond, and apricot. I love how PHI incorporates creamy fruit and warm, soft spice. It’s powdery yet pleasantly chewy, and almost angelically light—but with hints of tender shadow from the tobacco and tonka. Lovely.

It’s very tobacco-centric which is propped up with rose and cinnamon and underneath that there’s maybe apricot and almond but they aren’t stars here. It’s both dry and creamy. It opens with Rose but it’s very spicy. It doesn’t take long for the initial impression to open up the heart of this gorgeous beast. It has decent performance but it’s not a sillage monster. Still reminds me of a less dirty Must de Cartier

Definite citrus in the top then a sweet blooming rose with a little sourness and the Tauer Koolaid that is creamy and incensey. There is geranium present and not an obvious musk or patch but they are there to take the rose deeper. This has a camphorous quality in the summer. This is ALL about the rose. It projects but does not last as long as some other Tauers like Lonestar Memories or LDDM.