Year: 2012
Notes: Calabrian bergamot, aldehydes, white peach, clove, Egyptian geranium, Bulgarian rose, Turkish rose, heliotrope, Madagascan vanilla, patchouli, Atlas cedar, Virginian cedar, leather, amber, Siamese benzoin, Peru balsam
Comment: Rose – Etoile Hollande is part of Les Nombres d'Or Collection
Rose is the first posthumous fragrance from this house, after Mona di Orio unexpectedly passed away in 2011. Her business partner, Jeroen Oude Sogtoen, has since made the conscious decision to continue her legacy by releasing previously unpublished creations.
While that's great news for those who admire her work, based on Rose – Etoile Hollande, one has to wonder if such posthumous compositions will be nothing more than unfinished works-in-progress, being hastily bottled to maintain this house's market share. Call one sceptical but, after all, business is business.
Basically, it's a complete mess and has very little to do with rose, as it's more about the peach, aldehydes and heliotrope, with some spicy geranium. The only real highlight is the first few moments of the top notes, which is highly reminiscent of rhubarb and custard boiled sweets (those pink and yellow pear-shaped confections). But, once the peach and aldehydes hit their stride, it all ends up smelling cluttered and synthetic.
Whatever rose is there is overshadowed, the heliotrope is slightly bitter, the leather is crude and too intrusive at times, the woods are negligible, and the ambery-vanillic aspect is moderate yet lacks much clarity. Ultimately, it's a lacklustre affair, with a tepid balsamic drydown that vaguely recalls Caron's Parfum Sacré.
Such a disappointing performance compels one to muse on what might have been, had Mona's life not been so tragically cut short. Sillage is moderate with at least six hours staying power.
While that's great news for those who admire her work, based on Rose – Etoile Hollande, one has to wonder if such posthumous compositions will be nothing more than unfinished works-in-progress, being hastily bottled to maintain this house's market share. Call one sceptical but, after all, business is business.
Basically, it's a complete mess and has very little to do with rose, as it's more about the peach, aldehydes and heliotrope, with some spicy geranium. The only real highlight is the first few moments of the top notes, which is highly reminiscent of rhubarb and custard boiled sweets (those pink and yellow pear-shaped confections). But, once the peach and aldehydes hit their stride, it all ends up smelling cluttered and synthetic.
Whatever rose is there is overshadowed, the heliotrope is slightly bitter, the leather is crude and too intrusive at times, the woods are negligible, and the ambery-vanillic aspect is moderate yet lacks much clarity. Ultimately, it's a lacklustre affair, with a tepid balsamic drydown that vaguely recalls Caron's Parfum Sacré.
Such a disappointing performance compels one to muse on what might have been, had Mona's life not been so tragically cut short. Sillage is moderate with at least six hours staying power.
