PHI - une Rose de Kandahar – rich and sophisticated and refined

Photo: perfumeniche

I have a soft spot for rose fragrances, especially when made by talented perfumers like Andy Tauer. His PHI - Une Rose de Kandahar is a gorgeous rose scent that, but it’s more than that. It’s a fragrance with a conscience because one of the key roses used in PHI - une Rose de Kandahar comes from the Nangarhar province of Afghanistan. Let me explain.

Afghanistan is the world's largest producer of opium and exporter of heroin. Roughly eighty percent of the Afghani population earns its living from agriculture and from growing opium poppy. Growing opium poppy is so lucrative and it’s difficult to offer small farmers a sustainable and legal alternative.

Still, efforts are being made. In 2004, the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry and then Foreign Minister Solomon Passy and German NGO Welthungerhilfe introduced the cultivation of the Bulgarian rose in the Nangarhar province of Afghanistan.

Despite some growing pains, by 2010, Bulgarian roses were providing a living for about 5,000 Afghans. Production is still small-scale, affecting supply; that’s why PHI—Une Rose de Kandahar is not always available, and you should buy two bottles. And believe me, once you smell it, you will want to buy a bottle.

It opens with a note of rich, fruity apricot gently warmed by spicy cinnamon. Almond appears and adds a soft, bittersweet note that tempers the richness of the apricot, while bergamot gives the opening a gentle brightness. The opening is warm, fruity, full, and fatty, setting the stage perfectly for the roses. Kandahar rose, with its spicy and plummy nuances, carry the cinnamon and apricot from the opening to the heart where it is joined by a deep, hypnotic Bulgarian rose – it smells of warm opulent, voluptuous roses. This is where I surrender.  A note of geranium appears. Its strong rose-like odour threads through the roses and offers green glimmers of subtle mint. Then it starts to get animalic, leathery and woody from tobacco that leads to patchouli and vetiver at the base – strong notes for sure, but held in check by Tauer’s deft hand, they hum instead of sing. Vanilla and tonka bean add sweetness – a reminder to me that roses can be eaten and are used in desserts - without veering into dessert territory. Musk and ambergris round out the fragrance.

The drydown is rich, sophisticated and refined. What do I smell when I sniff PHI - une Rose de Kandahar? I smell a rich, rare, rose fragrance that has seeped into my skin and gone straight to my soul. Oh, I do enjoy a beautifully crafted rose fragrance.

Check out PHI - une Rose de Kandahar in our Shop.