Reviews of Une Rose (2003)
by Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle

A true rose, in bloom and on the stem, complete with thorns and leaves, earth and a touch of dew. Weird and wonderful. I love this one.

I guess this is a love-it-or-hate-it fragrance, probably based on differing skin chemistries. On my skin, it's a "love it." it starts out with a beautiful, dark red rose. (I get just the slightest hint of rubbery chemical, but it's gone in a minute or two, thank goodness.) As the rose note evolves, I also smell the rosebush's dirt and roots, and just a hint of skank. In the drydown, the rose note grows fainter, but then the wine dregs come out. Delicious and definitely FBW.

I thought I didn't like rose fragrances, although I love the smell of the flower, but this is the rose scent that converted me loving it. It smells, like the name says, of a fresh rose on the stem, not like rose oil, which is completely different, and which I'm not a fan of. This is stunning. I put it on the back of my hand so I can keep sniffing it subtly all day, which isn't as obvious as smelling my wrist constantly!

The opening is fresh, almost citrussy live rose, and as it develops it becomes earthier and deeper, like a rosebush in warm earth on a hot summer day.

My mother professes to "hate perfume" but when I wore this she said I smelled amazing. I think she just hates bad perfume!

Ten thumbs up!

The most sensual rose perfume I have ever tried. It's strong and after a while a little like soil coming through like it's rained in your rose garden. A work of genius.

Hmmm! Damask rose, add a squirt of acetone and voila! - the Emperors new clothes.

I think that Une Rose is probably one of greatest fragrance creations of the C21st. It is the current favourite in my collection.
As a guy I have no problem with it but because of its unbelievable strength and long lasting aromatic properties I do tend to put it on my lower torso so that the aroma 'seeps out' in a manageable way, on the face would perhaps be too much.
One does have to be careful though since if it gets directly onto clothing it is quite detectable even after more than eight weeks, this can be a little boring since the only way to get rid of it is by dry cleaning, washing does not quite do it.
Pookerella, a self confessed rose lover, says that it smells like rose and chemicals.
I am pretty certain that the rose used here must come from the Turkish town of Isparta which is located in Anatolia.
Isparta roses do not smell like your average garden rose, they have for centuries been grown for the perfume trade and having an unique fragrance, they are a surprise.
Congratulations then to Edouard Flechier who is an unboubted genius and condolences to Nukapai (above) who gets 'a hint of unwashed underwear'.

Unfortunately Une Rose hates me. On my skin, I get acetone, rose room freshener and a hint of unwashed underwear. It's not a pretty smell. My quest for the perfect rose perfume continues.

Rose scents are high on my list of lovely things. I don't much care how my roses come across, I appreciate and take them at face value. I'm also finding the house of Malle to offer a host of genius perfumes...modern, twisty, a tad dark, yet completely compelling. Mix Rose with Malle and what do you get? 'Une Rose'! Dark-ish, earthy but not musky, with a hint of chewy red wine, and at the same time controlled... lacking overt sweetness and effusiveness. No moist, sunny garden here, but a cool, dry, autumnal fare. Truly tantalizing in its presentation. I too love the idea of this scent as an impressionistic portrait of a vibrant deep red rose...the last of fall. 'Une Rose' has my heart, and Malle will have my wallet.

I am not in love with Une Rose. In fact, being a lover of sweet roses, I am really trying hard to find the rose smell in this concoction. They say it is in there and I'll believe them, but I don't smell it at all. Roses smell glorious...this smells...well, bitter. The smell after the spray is hard and stinging, and after a few minutes, it bordered on cloying. Then, as it is drying down, I am getting "spice" more than "flowers." Pretty close to Coriandre (Couturier) which I liked in my youth, but now gives me a headache. A really, really long time after, in its final dry down, I kind of like it. I'm sorry, but I like my roses to smell like roses...sweet, soft and warm. This smells like roses with a bunch of chemicals added to it for most of its "time."

The top note is pure, fresh, wonderful garden rose. The next phase evolves with a velvety note of the warmest, richest dried rose petals ever. The dry-down is still distinctly rose, but dusky, with a glass of good bordeaux and a roaring fire nearby.

This strikes me as a rose that manages not to be flowery or girly in the usual sense. I can imagine this dry quality might not appeal to everyone, but I find it wonderfully chic: deceptively simple on the surface, but really quite subtle and sophisticated.

I also find this scent very relaxing -- must be the wine ;-)

Une Rose is completely dazzling. The top notes take me to my garden where I'm pruning my Black Cherry rosebush and I smell the earth and the fallen leaves around it. Then this fragrance takes me to a winery and I smell oak barrels and musty air mingling with Cabernet. Une Rose is a mysterious fragrance that smells like it's alive. I have no idea what a truffle smells like, so I can't say if I smell it or not, but I do smell very, very strong, pure rose, woods, earth, and heavy, dark wine. Une Rose is a seductive fragrance, perfect for occasions when you want to be unforgettable.

I bought 3 Editions for my mother.. Musc Ravageur, Carnal Flower, Une Rose.. and loved them SO much I just ordered 3 in a row! Une Rose, Carnal Flower and Noir Epices in the mail... Of all these, Une Rose is possibly the most startling.. it's a cool, animale, disciplined rose that never appears to topple over or get flustered.. it just CONTINUES irresistably like a power of nature, blooming and glowing. It's a dark RED rose that somehow can be worn by both men and women. There's nothing like it. It's the first rose scent that has completely convinced me that I can wear rose... it is a masterpiece.

The last one of the Malles I tried and a peculiar one at that.
Being a person that believes a rose could NOT smell sweet by any other name ( how to put it delicately? I am not a fan..), I find rose fragrances as a whole a losing hand of poker. There is simply no way to play my cards right At the moment when I think I am on the verge of a floss , I realize the last card handed destroys the plan ..So the quest goes on and on , with a perverted pleasure in tormenting myself to endure yet another rose. So far the most accurate and lovely one I have found is Creed Fleurs de The Rose Bulgare. But it is a crystalline true rose with a clean aspect. This one is nothing like it.

It is more in the vein of Voleur des Roses (with the unexpected combo of rose with patchouli) or Agent provocateur (combining rose with saffron and moss) and very wearable for those who like those but can’t quite wear them. Dirty , strange , unusual , demanding a self-confident woman to wear it successfully , however.
There is truffle underneath which perfumers tell us is a new substitute for animalic ingredients that have become unattainable to them. Now , truffle is hunted down by pigs , the only creature who shares pheromones with humans. Meaning that pigs dig out truffles like maniacs because they remind them of sex and therefore truffles might trigger a similar pheromonic effect on humans as well. Or so the story goes.

To give credence to the argument or else to dispel it I have conducted a little experiment with Une Rose . It surely is perceivable a long distance away. (hub smelled a smidgeon of it on my hand several rooms away and commented on me putting on “quite a bit” and accurately pinpointed it as rose – now , you might say he has a sensitive nose and I have no disagreement on that point ). The same thing happened more than once. So , yes , it is perceivable in small quantitites. A little will do you.
As to the attraction issue , I have not witnessed any related increase in amourous disposition , but that is not indicative of the perfume’s inability to rouse such feelings. I would have to abstain from closeness for a while to test that properly and I haven’t. *wink* But it sure didn’t hurt. But only after it had dried down was it pleasurable for my man. It is a little too strong at first. The fact that there is only a truffle accord , not actual truffle may play a role in not affecting said disposition per se (figures..) Experimentation with pigs seems a little far-fetched for me , but kudos to the brave souls who would go on and do just that. Personally I’d wait with bated breath for that.

Notes: Geranium Essence, Blue Camomile Essence, Wine Dregs Essence, Turkish Rose Absolute DM (Mane) Truffle accord: Patchouli Accord, Vetiver, Castoreum Absolute

"Une Rose" was created by Edouard FLECHIER.
I like this perfume because it smells like a rose freshly cut from the earth where it has grown up...something really natural, mysterious, and also pretty chic!
Wonderfull