Frédéric Malle Une Rose

The problem with creating a rose soliflore in modern times is that everybody who is accustomed to smelling like pink frosting and iced vodka will disparage it as "perfume-y" - the worst insult such people can imagine. Indeed, some rose scents are perfume-y: strong and old-fashioned with an invasive hairspray note up top and a heavy, oily bottom down below. In order to avoid this trap, contemporary perfumers usually go one of three routes: a) they amp up the lemony citral content to brighten the top and heart notes and convince you to go brew some ice tea; or b) they sweeten and soften with a feminine dusting of powder; or c) they spice the start liberally, the usual suspects being eugenol (cloves) or, lately, saffron. Very few noses dare to turn up the geranium or green side of roses, because of the insistent, claustrophobic, sneezy power of noble geraniol. And yet that is precisely what Eduoard Fléicher does in Une Rose (Frédéric Malle). Creator of the legendarily strident Poison, Fléicher sends a message with this uncompromising beginning: if you are sweet and girlish, try Lipstick Rose.

Once only the fanatics are left, Une Rose quickly settles into a bright, slightly honeyed rose with an open air feel. It speaks to me of the garden party atmosphere of the Edwardian era in BBC mini-series, where everyone wears hats and linen suits and uses phrases like "I say, that's smashing!" Many white North Americans now deny this is a romantic scent - it is the smell of Western Imperialism! - while Indians, with the dignified good sense of many sinned against peoples, feel a proper nostalgia for those little shaped gift soaps from Marks & Spencer. When I wore Une Rose to the mall yesterday, two wonderful brown ladies asked what rich, soft scent I was projecting, which pleased me, even though it confirmed I had put on rather a lot.

And that is something to remember about Une Rose: if you spray on too much or you are not in the mood, you will be gradually smothered as the drydown gains in winey, ambered intensity. I have showered at the end of a long Une Rose day and stumbled out of the bathroom like a hangover victim, still reeking of velvety, tannic petals.

Une Rose contains Turkish rose absolute, geranium, blue camomile, wine dregs, truffle accord (patchouli, vetiver and animal notes), and amber. It is available from Barney's or the Editions de Parfums website. The matching Beurre Exquise is supposed to be painfully lovely.