“Macarons – Om, nom, nom.”

Following Andy Tauer’s Rose Master Class at Les Senteurs on Thursday I have had roses on the brain. Well, to be precise I have had Andy Tauer’s rose fragrances on my brain, so this week, it makes sense for me to write about two Tauer fragrances that I have been meaning to review for quite some time – Une Rose Vermeille and Une Rose Chyprée. Seeing as I am renowned for having quite a sweet tooth and being a sucker for anything rose flavoured, I will start with Une Rose Vermeille.

Une Rose Vermeille was released in 2010 and is the second addition to Andy Tauer’s ‘Homages’ line, which also houses Une Rose Chyprée and Carillon Pour un Ange. It is described as a ‘Gourmand Rose’ and is, in my opinion, the most delicious fragrance I have ever tried – it is a rose good enough to eat.

The Notes

Top: Lemon, Bergamot, Lavender and Fresh Notes
Heart: Raspberry, Bulgarian Rose and Violet
Base: Vanilla, Tonka Bean, Sandalwood and Ambergris [1]

How Does it Smell?

Une Rose Vermeille’s opening is a stark contrast to what comes later, the fragrance opens with the familiar citrus notes of lemon and bergamot, and it is at this point that I usually employ my favourite adjectives for citrus which include; ‘sparkling’, ‘bright’, ‘fresh’, ‘mouthwatering’ and ‘zesty’ and it’s fair to say that all apply here. The citrus is joined by the sweet, herbal quality of lavender and whilst being somewhat short-lived, the lavender feels like a well thought out addition that counteracts the zesty nature of the citrus and adds a caramel-like sweetness.

Rose is at its best when it is used as a flavouring, I personally love most things that are rose flavoured, including; rose tea, rose turkish delight and rose macarons, the latter of which is perfectly represented in Une Rose Vermeille. This olfactory macaron is a heavenly blend of the brightest, and most edible red roses and sweet, sparkling violets. The addition of raspberry adds a tart, juicy nuance and just when you think things simply cannot get more delicious the whole composition is filled with vanilla and tonka which pushes Une Rose Vermeille into mouthwatering territory.

The vanilla is the creamiest, most gourmand vanilla, which thanks to the tonka, is delicious without being cloying or jarring. There is a touch of ambergris in the base but it is less prominent than in other Tauer fragrances, which in this case is probably for the best. There is also some sandalwood present and It is used cleverly, only the creamy side of the sandalwood is allowed to come through rather than the drier, woodier element.

In the final stages of its development, Une Rose Vermeille settles on a beautiful, full vanilla with touches of raspberry and rose. It is one of my favourite dry downs and like the beautiful confectionary that is represents, I simply cannot get enough. Une Rose Vermeille also has excellent longevity and silage, in fact it is best applied with a light touch, which may sound like strange advice coming from me (I do like my ‘fumes loud after all) but when over-applied, Une Rose Vermeille becomes a ‘Godzilla Gourmand’ and the delicate nature of the macaron is lost.

If you like roses, gourmands or both then I IMPLORE you to seek out a sample of Une Rose Vermeille, it is one of the best examples of a floral gourmand available and wipes the floor with others in the genre, which seem like impostors in comparison.

The Bottle

Une Rose Vermeille, and the other fragrances within the ‘Homages’ line are housed in Tauer’s signature pentagonal flacon, however rather than the usual cobalt blue, the glass is a rich, burned amber in colour. A cube lid made of wood adds a nice finishing touch.

The flacon is filled with glass beads, again in burned amber and they add a lovely, fluid effect and sound when the flacon is moved. The flacon is 50ml in size but due to the glass beads it holds 30ml of perfume.

Availability

Une Rose Vermeille is available in 30ml Eau de Parfum for £99.

Disclaimer

This review is based on a sample of Une Rose Vermeille from my own, personal collection.

[1] osmoz.com

Image 1 andaoana.com

Image 2 luckyscent.com