Our recent talk about Mughal empresses, attars and roses reminded me of a perfume I’ve been meaning to review, but it somehow slipped my mind. I mentioned The Different Company’s Kâshân Rose for my FT article about the rose capital of Iran, The Roses of Kashan, but the perfume deserves more attention.
To be fair, it’s not the be-all and end-all of rose perfumes. Kâshân Rose is a bright, transparent composition that seems uncomplicated and linear. Leave the complex stories and intricate turns to the grand roses like Frédéric Malle Portrait of a Lady, Guerlain Nahema or Serge Lutens La Fille de Berlin. Kâshân Rose is about sunlight and pink petals.
The main thing that sets Kâshân Rose apart from the scores of other bright, pretty roses is the craftsmanship of the perfume. Every element has its precise role and the ingredients are selected to highlight each other. The opening has the lightness of organza–all sheer rose petals and lemon peel, but the composition warms up as it moves into the drydown. The citrusy notes fade and the creamy rose unfolds completely. Bright rose fragrances have a tendency to turn sour or high-pitched, but nothing of the kind happens with Kâshân Rose. It keeps the same melody going from top to bottom.
When creating Kâshân Rose, perfumer Emilie Coppermann was inspired by the rose essence from Kashan. The Different Company claims that some of that oil is in the formula, although I couldn’t learn more details. Kashani roses have a raspberry liquor-like facet that I find irresistible, but it doesn’t figure prominently in Kâshân Rose. On the other hand, wearing the perfume shortly after my return from Kashan, I noticed a touch of cardamom. Its spicy bite recalled the Iranian rosewater pudding charmingly named yakh dar behesht, or ice in paradise.
When I reach for Kâshân Rose, it’s to experience rose without too many ornaments. On a hot day, it’s refreshing and uplifting. One can easily find more intricate rose perfumes, but simple and polished ones are harder to find. A tendency with roses is to make them overly complicated. Sometimes it’s good to go back to the basics.
Photography by Bois de Jasmin (top image)
34 Comments
Sandra: Thanks for you review!
How is the sillage and projection of this one? Lasting power?
How does it compare to Stella? August 10, 2018 at 8:44am
Victoria: Very different. It smells more of a natural rose than Stella.
The lasting power is several hours, so it’s not too bad. It has a decent sillage, but if you want a rich, enveloping rose, this isn’t it. August 10, 2018 at 9:16am
Victoria: I wanted to update this, since I compared them over the weekend. This one is a straightforward rose, whereas Stella is more layered. Kashan Rose lasts for a few hours. The projection is very good, however, since it’s a radiant perfume. I like Stella, but this one holds its own next to it. August 14, 2018 at 10:56am
Sandra: Sounds perfect pairing for reading Nur Jahan? August 14, 2018 at 11:39am
Victoria: I don’t really pick perfumes to wear as I read books, but why not? It would work. August 16, 2018 at 2:25am
Anne: I like light, pretty roses. It sounds similar to Diptyque’s Eau de Rose. August 10, 2018 at 9:03am
Victoria: It’s in the same style, but less citrusy. August 10, 2018 at 9:16am
Matty: Thank you for your review it sounds really lovely August 10, 2018 at 9:10am
Victoria: It’s a very pretty rose. Not too complicated, but sometimes that’s exactly what one needs. August 10, 2018 at 9:16am
Allison C.: Sounds like something I would enjoy! I read somewhere that there’s ambrette seed in it? Did you detect any? August 10, 2018 at 9:20am
Victoria: Not as much as in Chanel No 18, for instance. There is a cool note that recalls ambrette, but I didn’t connect the two when I was wearing it. August 14, 2018 at 10:58am
Gabriela: Hi Victoria,
Is it similar to Tea Rose?
Thanks for the review! August 10, 2018 at 10:06am
Victoria: Very different! Tea Rose is sharper, more sour, more artificial in comparison. August 14, 2018 at 10:59am
Nancyleandros: This sounds like it’s so pretty. I love CdG Grace Coddington, but it is fleeting as well.
How is Kashan compared to Grace, if you please? August 10, 2018 at 10:08am
Victoria: Kashan is simpler, less involved, but this is what makes it unique. Just a well-rendered rose. August 14, 2018 at 10:59am
Filomena: Victoria, how ironic…I just recently purchased Kashan Rose and am actually wearing it today! I love it and it is reasonably price in today’s market. And Gabriela, to answer your question to Victoria, in my opinion it is not similar to Tea Rose (which is one rose fragrance I am not particularly crazy about). August 10, 2018 at 10:16am
Victoria: I completely agree with you. I’m also not crazy about Tea Rose, to be honest, especially the reformulations left it too scratchy and thin. August 14, 2018 at 11:00am
OperaFan: I happen to love “sunlight and pink petals” (!), which is why I own and love so many “basic” rose fragrances.
Glad Anne asked the question above since I finally acquired a bottle of Eau Rose a little over a year ago. I’ve reached for it often this summer to wear alone or complement other fragrances.
The cardamon note sounds interesting. Perhaps I will give this one a try. August 10, 2018 at 11:51am
Victoria: Yes, it’s a basic rose, and if you have several of these already, maybe it would be superfluous. It’s very good, though. August 14, 2018 at 11:01am
OperaFan: Well… nothing wrong with sampling…. 😉 August 14, 2018 at 3:18pm
Victoria: Exactly! August 16, 2018 at 2:25am
OnWingsofSaffron: Sounds a bit like Dior‘s „La Colle Noire“? Easy, pleasant, well crafted. A pity there‘s no more, let’s say, „souvenir de Kashan“ in the perfume, Kashan being such an evocative town with those splendid patrician town-houses and that wonderful garden… August 10, 2018 at 12:06pm
Victoria: Kashan was one of my favorite places to visit in Iran. Such a charming, laidback town. And the gardens were beautiful, even though I was there during autumn. August 14, 2018 at 11:01am
Erry: Simple and pretty rose is my kind of rose. How does it compare to Annick Goutal’s Rose Splendide, Rose Absolue and Quel Amour? August 10, 2018 at 1:37pm
Victoria: It’s more radiant than all of those, and it doesn’t have the sour note that almost all of Goutal’s roses have in the drydown. August 14, 2018 at 11:02am
Emilie: This sounds quite lovely. I really like Eau Rose and Rose Ikebana is growing on me but their citrus twang strikes a strange note on my skin (perhaps that sourness which you mentioned can happen?) I may have to try this one. Its simplicity may make it just perfect for an Australian summer. August 10, 2018 at 8:02pm
Victoria: I smelled it next to those two, and yes, there is less sharp citrus in Kashan Rose. I like Rose Ikebana very much, but the sourness can be be too much. August 14, 2018 at 11:03am
Silvermoon: Hi Emilie, I love fresh and light roses in the summer (actually I love roses of all types in perfumes). Rose ikebana is great on a hot day. Also similarly light are Jo Malone Red Roses or MFK á la rose. From Victoria ‘s review, I would guess Kashan Rose falls in this category of rose. I shall try find it to test out. August 14, 2018 at 12:46pm
Emilie: Hi Silvermoon! Ooh I’ve always wanted to try the MFK a la rose but I think I’ll have to order a sample online… limited spritzing options around my area I’m afraid. I may gift myself a ‘rose summer bundle’ of scent samples come January to start off the new year. August 15, 2018 at 10:22pm
behemot: I see I have no choice. I have to finally get Kashan Rose🤭 August 10, 2018 at 9:26pm
Victoria: If you’re a rose lover, you should at least try it. 🙂 August 14, 2018 at 11:03am
Old Herbaceous: It sounds right up my alley! I love rose scents, and sunlight on pink petals sounds very appealing right now, after recent visits to some beautiful gardens! August 12, 2018 at 5:44pm
Victoria: I was inspired by the roses we grow, and also by reading about the Mughal rose attars. August 14, 2018 at 11:05am
Ramin: Hi
Do you see a difference between Kashan rose and Garsse rose?
Or are they different at all? March 30, 2021 at 11:08am