This is a quick overview “sniff” of seven rose perfumes from seven different independent U.S. perfumeries. I purchased the samples as a “discovery set” type of offering from Tigerlily Perfumery in February, 2018.

Tigerlily Perfumery is a San Francisco brick-and-mortar fragrance boutique (and awesome online shop) dedicated entirely to artisan and niche perfumes. They stock many diverse U.S. indie perfume lines, and some of the best-loved indie perfumes from around the world.

I love San Francisco like no other city on earth. I like to stay at Hotel Bohème on Columbus Avenue in North Beach, and wake up early to the sounds and smells of the trucks unloading produce at all the Italian restaurants up and down the street. Every morning that I’m in San Francisco, I walk down from the hotel to Caffe Trieste to get the world’s best latte. Sometimes I sit inside to drink my coffee, the Baristas there are artisans and the smells are phenomenal. But most often stand at the corner of Columbus & Viejo, in front of the Church of St. Francis, and just watch the fog lift and the city come to life. Standing on that corner feels, smells, and sounds like “my neighborhood,” even though it’s over 2,000 miles from home.

The next time I go to San Francisco, which has to be soon, I am definitely planning a visit to Tigerlily on Valencia Street in the Mission District. I can hardly wait. It looks absolutely dreamy there, like another place I would feel right at home.

Until then, I love browsing their online store and ordering perfumes and perfume samples that I can’t get anywhere else. Last month, when I was ordering a bottle of my new crush, Selperniku, I saw that Tigerlily has put together a curated rose sample pack. I adore the smell of roses, so I couldn’t resist. And, amazingly, I had never tried any of the seven perfumes that are included.

I am looking forward to getting to know each of the fragrances in the rose sample pack in depth. But because it is such a unique set, and so thoughtfully chosen, I wanted to present them all together so that other rose lovers can pick up the set for themselves to try. Also, Mother’s Day will be here before you know it, and there are some great gift ideas in this set.

THORNFIELD by MIRUS FINE FRAGRANCE

When I first received the rose set in the mail from Tigerlily, I have to admit that I cheated a little bit, fished out Thornfield, and gave myself a sneak peek. I’ve loved some of Mirus’s other scents, especially The Elysian Fields and Wicked Stepmother. To my delight, I found Thornfield to be an absolutely phenomenal rose fragrance.

This is the whole rose garden, in all of its splendor. Not your mama’s rose garden either, but a fairytale-worthy garden, so expansive and well-groomed, with everything perfectly in bloom. The roses are lush, velvety, and moist, at the perfect half-open stage. The greens are thick, bright, and sturdy, the leaves glossy and aromatic. Other “photorealistic” rose garden scents often present with a musty soil smell, or roses that smell wide open to the point of beginning decay. This rose garden is enchanted, with everything frozen at the perfect moment in time. It reminds me of the iconic “everlasting rose” under the cloche in Beauty and the Beast. And then, in what I can only describe as sheer genius, there’s a little finishing touch of natural beeswax that is barely noticeable, and yet so pleasing. That tiny detail makes me feel strangely present, and cared for. Like in this perfect moment, as I’m inhaling the beauty all around me, I also get just a hint of the smell of my lip balm. I am immersed in, and part of, the scene. Thornfield is a great scent for people who want a rich, realistic rose garden scent.

DESERT ROSE by DAME PERFUMERY

Desert Rose is a soft rose, like rose water. Or maybe a creamy rose handsoap in a porcelain pump. There is something citrusy in the opening, like a little squeeze of lemon juice. Then it settles into a scent that is more geranium than rose to my nose. In this phase, it smells waxy, like a rose-scented candle. Then heliotrope comes in and it takes on the soapy effect. After that burns off, it is rosewater and a creamy sandalwood-like accord. The combination reminds me of a nice, plush face cream.

Overall, Desert Rose left me wanting more rose, and more depth. It might be nice for someone who wants a rose-inspired skin scent.

UNE ROSE CHYPRÉE by TAUER PERFUMES

Unfortunately, this vial arrived empty! I had saved this one for last, since this is the perfumer whose rose I’m most familiar with, through his other exceptional rose fragrances. I was looking forward to wearing this one. When I opened the vial, there was nothing inside, and not even a hint of a scent to let me imagine what the fragrance must smell like. Tigerlily has outstanding customer service, so I’m sure they will send out a sample to me. Ordinarily I would have waited for it before publishing this piece, but I’ve got all the rest of it done. So I will update later, and link to what will probably end up being a full review. (On the Tigerlily site as of today, Une Rose Chyprée has been replaced in the set by DSH Perfumes Rubis Rosé. If I can get ahold of both of them for the update, I will.)

Edit: Here’s the update, with reviews of Une Rose Chyprée and Rubis Rosé, as well as four other fabulous rose fragrances available at Tigerlily. This review has grown into a dozen roses!

TABOO by MIKMOI

Taboo is a rose and leather fragrance presented in vegan glycerine. It’s a spray formulation, alcohol free, for use on skin and hair. This interested me very much, as I love to scent my hair, and my current routine involves spraying Perfumer’s Workshop Tea Rose into a dry oil and applying it with my hands. I also love the combination of rose and leather. Unfortunately, the scent was very soft and fleeting. However, the glycerine carrier felt good on my skin, hydrating but non-greasy. The leather was soft, like supple suede, and very natural-smelling. The rose was classic white — delicate and silky, with a hint of orris and violets.

I like both the smell and the texture of Taboo, but I probably wouldn’t choose it for myself because it’s too reserved and close to the skin. But if somebody gave it to me, I wouldn’t be mad…. It would be a great choice for someone who prefers a very soft, personal scent, or for layering with other rose fragrances.

MONK by LUVANDUS

Monk is a showy rose, crisp and bright. The opening smells like a lipstick-pink rambling rose, with its full rosette blooms and slightly apple-tinged fragrance. This is a rose from a Victorian garden painting, the kind that blooms profusely and puts on a display of sheer jubilance in both color and scent. The ebullient rose is anchored in a base of amber and musk, but the rose is definitely the star of the show. The fragrance of the rose reminds me of long-ago flower shows and county fairs, when people would bring fresh cuttings of their finest specimens for judging. This rose would have been someone’s pride and joy, the Belle of the Ball.

In this age of hybridization and genetic engineering, it is rare to smell a rose like this now. But, although the rose itself has a smell that says “they don’t make ’em like that anymore,” this is not an antique-feeling perfume. And while the rose demands your attention, it is never heavy or cloying. Monk is for rose-lovers, a perfect specimen presented in high-definition.

EVAESTHETICA by HERBCRAFT

Evaesthetica is a non-traditional rose scent. It is centered around arucaria, which is the Norfolk Pine. Norfolk Pines are a tropical plant, but many people will see them primarily sold as houseplants around Christmas time. They’re the potted tree with the soft branches and short, lacy needles. And they’re not actually pine trees at all. The opening of Evaesthetica is sharp, pungent grapefruit, which settles into a strange blend of Norfolk Pine and cat. The cat smell is unmistakably black currant.

You have to look hard for the rose in this one, it seems to be more about the thorns than the flower. It’s kind of a witchy scent, and I imagine the rose to be black, with a woody stem and sharp barb-like thorns.

GOLDEN ROSE by FITZGERALD & GUISLAIN

Golden Rose is a unique perfume. It smells like it could be called “Rose Tobacco.” But it’s not exactly a tobacco smell — the suggestion of tobacco is coming from ambrette. The scent is a powdery pink rose, with the vegetal earthiness of ambrette, a little spice from saffron, and a whiff of green apple. It’s a simple but interesting scent that puts a different spin on rose.

The overall effect is natural, dry, and airy. This might work for people who aren’t ready to commit to a more heady and voluptuous rose.

FINAL THOUGHTS

This is a wonderful set, both in terms of presenting many different styles of rose perfumes, and in introducing people to a variety of indie perfumers. The scents are so diverse that I think there is something in here for almost everyone to enjoy, even those who aren’t hard-core rose lovers. My personal favorites were Thornfield, by Mirus Fine Fragrance, and Monk, by LuVandus. Both of these were resplendent, rose-forward scents. But they were also quite different from each other, enough so that I would definitely be happy to have both of them in my fragrance wardrobe.

The Rose Deluxe Sample Set from Tigerlily Perfumery contains seven 1mL fragrance samples, and is currently priced at just $20. It can be ordered from tigerlilyperfumery.com.