Ta'If (2004)
by Ormonde Jayne

There are not that many Oriental rose fragrances out there - at least, not many bright, fresh Oriental rose scents. While there are quite a few dark rose perfumes with Oriental accents, many of them are, for me, just not that rose-y. I like to get the true rose scent of a freshly picked flower, and Ta'if achieves that. Close your eyes and you could be strolling through a field of flowers somewhere in the East, with appetizing drifts of saffron, dates and other sweetmeats wafting in on the warm air. And yes, there's a certain green tinge to this scent which stops it from cloying and keeps it smellling fresh even after 4 hours. You can probably guess that I love this scent! Athough OJ recommend it for wearing at night, I like it just as much on a gentle spring day, when it seems to hint at the warmth of the summer to come. And I'll probably wear it in the summer, too. Linda Pilkington has said she'll never reformulate her scents, for which I'm truly grateful. Definitely FB worthy! If you L'Heure Bleue, give Ta'if a try - it's not that they're all that alike, but both create that beautiful, soft flori-ental atmosphere that surrounds you with comfort and harmony.

13rd May, 2011.

A relatively sweet peachy floral oriental. I get a LOT of peach, plus lots of rose, some lily of the valley and other florals, with tonka and vanilla dominating the base with some amber in there, too. There's surely pink pepper in here, too, or something of that sort. This smells superb. It's calmer, less heady, greener than others of this genre. The end of the drydown (after 4 hours or so, once the florals are faded) is a nice but standard tonka-vanilla, which is a little disappointing, but good stuff overall.

16th January, 2011.

Ta’if is one of my favorite rose-saffron combinations. It is a full-bodied, spiced fragrance, featuring a purple, rather than pink or bright red rose at its heart. Some reviewers have commented on the peppery opening, but on me, the pepper dissipates quickly. It is also a fruity rose. The voice of the soft, ripe peach merges with the sweet murmur of the dates in a beautiful duet. I usually don’t like peach notes, but here, I find them tastefully balanced with the spices. In fact, everything—from the spicy saffron to the sweetness of the fruit—feels harmonious.

Ta’if is not for those who want to disappear in a crowd. There is something exotic in its dark-colored petals. It is not for those who are looking for a soliflore, either, as this is not rosewater, but a multi-faceted scent.

(To address another reviewer's question, I have tried and, in fact, really like Creed Fleur de Thé Rose Bulgare, but I think the two are very different. The latter, in its current version at least because I have not tried the vintage, is a gentle, pink, almost aquatic rose, lacking the spice and sweetness of Ta'if.)

Ta'if would be, however, a must-sniff for lovers of oriental rose-based fragrances. It lasts for approximately 6 hours on my skin.

3rd January, 2011.

Bright, sparkling and juicy. Sweet and dry at the same time.
Complex and exotic but refined nevertheless.
I simply cannot wear this on a daily basis, but it is my first choice for special occasions.
The combination of pepper, rose and amber has always worked well for me, but the addition of saffron, dates and freesia makes this a small wonder.
I think it defies gender and age classifications.
The staying power and sillage are excellent.

28th August, 2010.

I'd be curious to hear from others who have tried Creed's Fleur de the Rose (whatever it's called), becuase this too is a luscious, green rose.

And a green rose is one of my favorite genres, and when its done right, as it is here, it makes me feel like I was just transported to an island beach on a blistering hot day.

OJ is not one of my favorite houses, but I don't see vetiver in Ta'if which is probably why I like it. All the florals are crisp, light, and vibrant. Drydown is refined and short lived, unfortunately. But I did use a light hand when applying.

22nd August, 2010.

This drydown, this drydown... for three days I was constantly pondering about where and when I came across this drydown before - yesterday night during a Chopin piano recital I suddenly knew: Zino by Davidoff, my long forgotten love from the middle 80´s.
Fantastic!

27th February, 2010. (Last Edited: 19th March, 2010.)