Paestum Rose (2006)
by Eau d'Italie

Eau d'Italie Paestum Rose

Notes: Davana, cinnamon, pink and rose pepper, coriander, blackcurrant buds, osmanthus, peony, Turkish rose, tea, elemi, incense, myrrh, opoponax, cedarwood, papyrus, patchouli, wenge, vetiver, musk, benzoin (from luckyscent.com)

Paestum Rose is a beautifully refined fragrance, a light but mellow rose deepened with incense and gentle woods which give the impression of sandalwood. Accords with these three components are truly beloved to me, and without any expectations, I was immediately drawn into this incredibly enjoyable fragrance. Like a little black dress, the rose, sandalwood and incense combination seems to be mutable into almost any form without losing its basic underlying structure. In the case of PR, the wood and incense dominate but also fuse with the rose, resulting in a rose-centric scent that is not a rose soliflore. Overall, PR is rather transparent and diffuse despite the typically dense ingredients in the published notes. I find it difficult to use words to describe how I feel when I experience PR. Suffice it to say that it is a fragrance that can have a transcendent effect. For a fragrance to go beyond simple ingredients, as Paestum Rose does, makes it special indeed.

Eau d'Italie Paestum Rose

Paestum was a city in the Roman Empire which was renowned for the roses which only bloomed twice a year. Bertrand Duchaufour is a perfumer who is in the midst of creating his own empire of renowned scents. Eau d'Italie is a line created by M. Duchaufour for the Positano, Italy hotel La Sireneuse and Paestum Rose was the second scent he created for Eau d'Italie in 2006. One of the things I look most forward to in a Duchaufour creation is the twist he will add to something I think I know well. Rose is certainly a note most colognoisseurs know well and M. Duchaufour finds a way to make it seem new to my nose in Paestum Rose. The top contains none of the rose, as a mix of pepper, cinnamon and currant start things off with a spicy tang. From here the rose comes in and it comes in on cat's feet slowly and quietly. All of a sudden the spices seemed to evaporate, like a morning fog, and the rose is left there. There is a hint of osmanthus to help add a little depth to the very transparent rose but this just flows lightly and lushly over my skin. Into the base, incense comes out followed by the unique feel of wenge and a light amber. If I told you a base was composed of incense, wenge, and amber you would probably be expecting the nasal equivalent of a downpour. What is amazing about Paestum Rose is all of the components of the base plus the rose are given space to breathe together and combine, to instead create the nasal equivalent of a spring shower that refreshes instead of drenches. Bertrand Duchaufour is one of the best and most consistent perfumers working today and Paestum Rose is an example of his talent in full flower.

Paestum Rose is a stunning application of rose. In my collection it complements Aqua di Parma perfectly. Where Aqua di Parma is bright, summery, and almost ethereal Paestum Rose is dark, mysterious, and dangerous.
It starts off with woodsy incense, where the rose is present but not dominant. The floral heart is beautifully balanced with fruity accords. That's what I get for hours on application and it is just so eloguent.
An absolute gem of a scent, thumbs up for a 5 star fragrance.

This is a great fragrance . . . as long as you are not expecting a rose scent you will probably really like this one. Paestum Rose is more of an incense wood fragrance with rose and black current added in. Very juicy and quite wearable but mostly incense and spices along with a bit of rose. The cinnamon, pink pepper, coriander and tea notes are very prominent in the opening coupled with a bit of rose. There is a berry scent along with rose that gives sort of a plummy almost edible note that adds depth to of it. The drydown retains hints of rose but the patchouli and other light woods are more noticeable. I like this fragrance quite a bit, but it is definitely not comparable to any of my favorite rose fragrances (Black Tie, No. 88, Black Aoud). It is a wonderful incense fragrance with a very complex blend of nice smelling woods and spice that compliments the rose.

I recently read an interview with Lorenzo Villoresi in which he is quoted as saying that he doesn't believe that there is an "Italian Style" of perfumery, a claim which struck me as rather ironic, because I could swear that there definitely *is* an Italian style of perfumery. So I dragged out all of the fragrances I had on hand that could be called "Italian": Laura Biagotti's Roma, Lorenzo Villoresi's Tient de Neige, and Paestum Rose by Eau d'Italie. Not a truly representative sampling of perfumes from Italy, to be sure, the dang if they weren't all fundamentally variations upon a single theme.

That theme would be resinous myrrh and frankincense. All three are sweetly spicy, touched by herbally notes, and based in resinous woodiness. Where Roma is strong and sweet, Teint de Neige is softly powdered, and Paestum Rose sits elegantly between the other two.

On my skin, Paestum Rose lasts by far the longest, and is fascinatingly beautiful. Soft cool rose petals unfurl within a deliciously spicy composition. It is complex and uncommon, despite similarities to these other two fragrances. The rose accord acts like a gentle breeze within the scent, keeping is from becoming an oriental. It is an exquisitely beautiful scent which in my opinion, transcends categorization, being neither a mere rose fragrance nor an oriental, but rather something between the two. Given my love of myrrh, frankincense and roses, I cannot get enough.

As I type this there are 12 reviews for this one – all positive.
I’m happy to join this unanimous opinion.

Paestum Rose is another great scent from this house. Absolutely delicious rose fragrance equally suitable for men and women. Definitely one of the best rose perfumes ever; this is really amazing.

After fresh and bright start it soon turns into a very resinous and dark spicy rose with warm (almost hot) woods. Very unique and mysterious scent. Has a certain kind of exotic feel to it.

To me the aroma of PR is a dramatic one in itself, but the great balance with not overly strong sillage makes it both versatile and playful, if you like. With amount of sprays you can control the effect.

Must try – not just for those who are crazy about roses.

Simply gorgeous.