Voleur de Roses (1993)
by L'Artisan Parfumeur

I agree with many reviewers below. It's essentially two notes: rose and patchouli. But it's amazing rose (bright and wet) and amazing patchouli (earthy and bright). I don't agree with others who say it is dark; montale black auod and czeche & speake no. 88 are dark. VdR feels like bright over ripe red rose. I also don't agree with others that it smells dirty; it smells fresh in a natural way. Those who say it is dirty must mean the patchouli because it is earthy but the wet and fresh smelling rose balances it so i don't understand. Black aoud is the dirty one to me. Rose is one of my favorite notes and i've smelled many. To speak in generalities, in my experience most rose scents not exclusively for women are either dark (to make "appropriate" for men) or are fresh and too effeminate for anyone to use but women and effeminate guys. VdR is the best TRUE rose scent (not a rose cyphre etc) that falls in between: not noir but not effeminate. I think it's perfect for a confident and romantically aspiring man. You will receive compliments on a regular basis wearing this. And i think it has sufficient longevity too. After an hour or two of bold projection it settles down and lingers somewhat closer to the skin...but it persists. people close to you will still smell it hours after the drydown and I myself still smell a whiff here and there much later in the day after application too. It would say it has sufficient longevity; it's definitely not Creed bad in this respect.

25th December, 2011. (Last Edited: 7th January, 2012.)

L'Artisan Parfumeur VOLEUR DE ROSES is one among a cluster of recent rose patchouli perfumes. This one lacks the sweetness found in, above all, ANGEL LA ROSE. The patchouli note is also rather dry and dirty here, rather than sugar-coated and caramelized, as in the ANGEL flanker.

I have no objection to the earthy presentation of the patchouli, although it is true that it swiftly overwhelms the delicate and already understated rose. (Don't permit thiefs reeking of patchouli anywhere near your rose garden!) My only real complaint is that VOLEUR DE ROSES exhibits the defect common to many offerings of this house: lousy longevity.

1st September, 2011. (Last Edited: 2nd September, 2011.)

The only other rose based fragrance I have tried is Amouage Lyric Man. Compared to that one, I found the rose in this to be quite a bit brighter. And it's full on rose. I like this one better than Lyric, but unfortunately I only got a couple of hours out of it before it faded into oblivion. This is not a bad fragrance, but I would rather smell this on a woman.

6th August, 2011.

Absolutely fascinating and beautiful rose fragrance this one.

This smells like a dirty rose, one that's not the kind of virginal rose that a beautiful young woman would wear. The patchouli gives it that kind of dark, knowing smile of one that knows just a little too much of the ways of the world.

It has a kind of enchanting boozy quality to it at as well.

Easily carried off by a man this one, it is a dark, utterly captivating fragrance and was the first of the L'Artisan line I ever bought.

I love it. Highly recommended.

29th July, 2011.

Pretty much a dark deep rose and patchouli mix. Exceptionally well done, but does not wear well on me.. although this would be amazing on a classy mature woman.

25th May, 2011.

This is the lovechild of Aramis and Coco Mademoiselle. The overall effect is a dirtier, muskier, and less refined version of the two, with a healthy and persistent citrus note—I think bergamot. [3 out of 5 stars]

14th May, 2011. (Last Edited: 17th May, 2011.)