Rose Kashmirie (2007)
by Les Parfums de Rosine

I wasn't really expecting to like Les Parfums de Rosine ROSE KASHMIRIE, as its name reminded me of the spice-cabinet perfumes I've tried in the past and never really fallen for. As predicted, I find ROSE KASHMIRIE to be wearable but not compelling, a somewhat uninspired perfume with lots of spices and rose mixed together in a rather haphazard way, composed perhaps with the enthusiasm of an obligatory homework assignment. You win some, you lose some.

The notes of ROSE KASHMIRIE are of the indisputably high quality I've come to expect from the house of Rosine, but I just don't find this particular composition that great. It seems a bit flat, overall. This is definitely more oriental than floral, with a dark, dense component—almost styrax-like—dominating the perfume. Although saffron numbers among the notes, it is not clearly detectable to me in this composition—nothing like CSP Sultan Safran or the AP saffron perfume.

ROSE KASHMIRIE is perfectly respectable, but it doesn't really compete with the many superlative contenders in the congested category of floriental perfumes, many of which unfurl in delectable layers throughout their development. There are literally dozens of oriental perfumes that I'd reach for before this.

5th August, 2011.

Les Parfums de Rosine Rose Kashmirie

Marie-Helene Rogeon is the founder of Les Parfums de Rosine and their raison de etre seems to be to see how many different types of rose centered scents a House can make. With that kind of a mission that probably means there is a rose in there for every nose. I am a big fan of Les Parfums de Rosine Rose D'Homme. I also love the mix of rose and saffron I get from both Diptyque's Opone and Czech & Speake's Dark Rose. The 2007 creation, by longtime nose for Les Parfums de Rosine Francois Robert, Rose Kashmirie promised me rose and saffron in an oriental and I was looking forward to it. One of the things I like about Rose D'Homme is the arid dusty rose in that scent, Rose Kashmirie couldn't be more different as this starts with a full-throated roar of rose as lush and full-figured as rose gets on me. The rose is quickly joined by a touch of bergamot and then the saffron shows up and this is what Rose Kashmirie is all about as the smooth saffron takes the top to an enchanting olfactory space. As this develops the rose becomes deeper and slightly sweeter and then a hint of resin adds a slight bit of incense-like sweeteness to the scent. The base takes a turn towards vanilla and a light woody musk. The vanilla is the dominant note and that seems appropriate because the theme of Rose Kashmirie seems to be sweet rose and the vanilla allows that sweetness to develop all the way to the end. For all that this is an intense rose it does not carry a lot of sillage and is mostly close-wearing on me and I like an intense scent that only feels the need to fill up my nose and not the room. The longevity is excellent as have been all of Les Parfums de Rosine that I have tried to date. Once again I have taken a walk in Mme. Rogeon's garden of perfume roses and found a new one to add to my lapel.

3rd August, 2009.