06 Incense Rose Tauer Perfumes for women

As my former words don't really do justice to this exceptional beauty I shall try to put it in better words and a new review...

Incense rosé is more than an fragrance – it’s an experience. It opens with orange and bergamot, which lead to soft, sweet rose warmed by a spicy note of cardamom. At the heart, a hint of castor gives it an earthy, animalic feel, while orris root sets the stage for frankincense at the base – and frankincense really is what it’s all about.

Supported by cedar, vetiver, and myrrh it keeps the rose from being too sweet while the rose balances the incense so the fragrance doesn’t become dark and heavy. This EDP is a harmony of opposites, floral/woody, heavy/light male/female, in perfect balance in which nothing dominates. This is quite a feat.

Andy Tauer has made something complex, but which seems simple, and that is really what true artistry is. At first it seems quite straight forward, but as you wear it, as it blooms on your skin, it smells like nothing else – mysterious, rich and gorgeous - then you realize the talent and genius that went into making it... nuff said :-)

When I stepped into heaven, ahem, I mean The Scent Bar, this was the first scent I requested for sampling. I had been coveting a bottle of this cozy juice since reading Udaria’s review. I adore a good, heady, rich and complex rose fragrance; my days of dousing myself in the drugstore classic Tea Rose are behind me. (I do not mean to demean Tea Rose or anyone who loves it—it’s a classic for a very good reason.) By the reviews and the notes listed, not to mention Andy Tauer’s reputation as a perfuming ingénue, Incense Rose sounded like the perfume I would have created if I had a mind to create my own fragrances.

What I was expecting and what I got were two different things. However, in both scenarios—the scent as I imagined it in my mind and what actually unfurled on my skin—were very satisfying. In my mind I expected EL’s Cinnabar and Stella to create a laboratory love child and call it Incense Rose. I expected a bombastic incense (yep, I took the name too literally) and a fragrance equivalent to the 1980s opulence of the “Dynasty” soap opera’s wardrobe. What I experienced instead was a spicy cup of unsweetened orange pekoe tea that later morphed into a subtle yet spicy rose, which sat prettily atop a potpourri of fragrant woods. I was startled at first by the orange pekoe opening but I’m actually excited by the discovery of a fragrance that captures one of my favorite scents: tea as it steeps in a steaming cup of freshly-poured hot water. The drydown does come across a bit like a masculine bar of soap; lucky for me I love the scent of soap—I blame my astrological sign, Virgo, for my love of soapy/clean scents. It is probably inappropriate to compare this to a celebrity scent but the drydown reminds me of JLo’s Glow After Dark if it had been executed properly. From beginning to end, it’s love.

I found this sat very close to my skin and there wasn’t much in the way of sillage. This discovery was probably the biggest surprise to me. Every movement of my wrist provided a pleasant whiff of fragrance that has yet to settle down, though; I am pleased by its very tenacious staying power. It’s a soft mercurial scent that kept my nose buried in my wrist. I will definitely be making the investment once I get my finances in order.

Art in a bottle that will haunt you days later with it's warm comforting sillage.

This is not a close to the skin scent. When I put my nose to the arm, the scent would be too harsh. However, the way it projects, PERFECT. Here you get the freshness of a young rose, mixed with dignified (for lack of a better description) incense. I am not good at describing notes, although I have read the summary that came with the sample, but I feel comfortable wearing it. This may be a scent that elicits the "what are you wearing" comments, because it projects so nicely. A ladylike scent, somewhat bold and demanding ... I mean you would not wear this with a T-shirt and blue jeans, rather with more formal outfit. To a job interview ? No, too classy. In a "no perfume" zone ? No, too bold. All in all it pays hommage to roses. I have smelled roses bundled with aoud and could not bear the combination, now here, the dance between the incense and the rose is intriguing, a fortunate outcome of a test whether this combination can be done.

Such a complex scent!
It opens with a blend of incense, rose, amber, and a hint of bergamot. The combination of rose and bergamot makes it a green rose scent, very beautiful!
However, when it drys down, it transforms into citrusy amber-patchouli, a little sharp and kind of soapy; this I don't like.
I mean, the incense and amber are still there but very weak on the background while citrus notes star. I just hope my skin projected more resins and incense.
It's a nice experience nevertheless.

Couple of reviewers below referred to this magnificent scent as alive, deep, and soulful. I so agree with these comments. I have many fragrances that I love wearing but there are some that I connect with on a deep emotional level. Incense Rose is one of those scents. Undoubtedly it is a beautiful creation, perfectly blended and masterfully executed but as in true work of art, there is so much more to this perfume than just a perfect composition. The scent is vibrant and alive. It sings its dark story in mesmerizing and deep voice created by the sensual rose and divine essence of incense and myrrh. When I wear it I want to be completely alone with this beautiful scent, so I can close my eyes, light the candles and listen to a haunting melody played on kanun. The world with its never-ending worries can drift away while I am with this divine scent.

I love every stage of this scent. The opening is spicy, fresh and incense-y at the same time. The cardamom is absolutely lovely here. The scent is smooth despite its strong spicy notes. Overtime it develops into a beautiful and gentle rose layered on incense. The rich base notes still carry echoes of the rose and gorgeous layers of myrrh, labdanum and resins with light hints of patchouli and cedar. The base notes last and last for hours. In its final stage the scent transforms into light but gorgeous myrrh. The sillage is medium (perfect in this case in my opinion) and the longevity is impressive (over 10 hours).

Overall score 10/10. The scent is smooth, beautiful and much easier to wear than other oriental scents. I definitely recommend this scent for incense, myrrh and rose scent lovers. I got a full bottle after testing.

aaaaaaah, what a beauty! luscious and dark, smoky and gorgeously warm at the same time, incense rose is the best smoky rose i've ever stumbled upon. andy tauer is a real genius with his extravagant and ever so elegant rose compositions, i adore them!
incense rose is not for everyone but the daring and seductive will love this...

It’s funny that in sitting down to write this I thought how much Incense Rosé is like Cacharel’s Loulou. They’re both fireworks aldehydic florientals---expansive, bubbly, heady and very easy to enjoy. I turn to both when I’m happy and want to be reminded that I am. Incense Rosé isn’t hard to like, but its ease is not a fault. It’s a sparkly to the point of raspy blend of aldehyde, rose, cardamom, frankincense, cedar and amber. I found Incense Rosé after I got to know Andy Tauer’s Lonestar Memories and L’Air du Désert Marocain. Lonestar is so stolid and Désert Marocain is contemplative. I was surprised when this came flying out of the bottle. I bought it, started wearing it, never questioned it and I love it.

I am a big fan of Andy Tauer creations and I love spicy perfumes but this one has something that does not grab me. It is constructed with great art and passion but on me the rose is totally hidden and what I get is only a strong punch of patchouly and incense and most of all tobacco. I will give it a second chance but for once with Andy Tauer is not love at first sight.

This is such a beautiful combo! I do, however, get a lot of the cedar (almost hamster cage) note. I don't mind it but does anyone else pull that note?

Third stop on my quest to find the perfect smokey rose.

Well, first of all, the rose is not the representation what i was looking for. It is not a red rose, more like a deep purple one.

Incense reminds me of Nag Champa here... with a hint of dark woody upbeat though (most probably myrrh and resins).

There is something sour within this fragrance... could be the citrus, could be cardamom, or both.

I would re-categorize it to oriental-woody.

p.s. now, 1.5 hours after application it has finally lost the sourish note

p.s.2: 2.5 hours later the fragrance seem to have melt to a better blended stage, getting tolerable. Myrrh still standing out.

ooh my this is good! i tried it today and this MIGHT beat my galliano from my list, this is better,more incense stays on for long indeed

This is the first Tauer I'm testing and I have to say that I'm loving it so far. The rose is subtle and sweet, and the incense is bright, fiery and dry. I've been looking for rose incense scent that isn't too floral or powdery, and I think I've found the one.

This its a truly gorgeous fragrance. I'm testing several other Tauer's next week, but for now this one goes on the short FB list.

like it but on some days find it too sweet on drydown. Sweet in anoing, boring way... But some days it seems perfect - don't know what's wrong with me:)

This is a truly beautiful perfume, a work of art. I've sought an incense based perfume that captured a resonant and resinous intensity while playing with sweetness and floral freshness for years and this is the perfect example.

I imagine the ancient Kings and Queens of the near east wore things which smelt like this and I imagine their temples and palaces were redolent of these seductive and powerful smells.

The rose is subtle and green, rather than powdery and old ladyish, more like something one comes across in the Souks of Damascus than the boutiques of Paris. The incense is that same formula I imagine was once used in Haghia Sophia when the Byzantine Emperor's lead the faithful in their orations.

Sublime, transporting, and unique, this is a must have for me and for anyone who enjoys incense.

Tauer INCENSE ROSE, like the other creations I've tried from this house, is a perfume. Thick, rich, viscous and potent beyond belief! INCENSE ROSE also conveys the "wild" quality that I have come to associate with Andy's work. I imagine him working away all alone with no regard for opinion polls and marketing surveys, in a quest for the perfect perfume. The final products are always totally original--unique--and command respect, whether or not they end up on my "must have" list.

INCENSE ROSE is a beautiful blend of dark roses and resinous incense, along with many other judiciously measured components. Rich and deep like fertile soil but at the same time offering a gorgeous mélange of perfumey notes. So often incense and myrrh come off as tarlike or rubbery. So often cardamom is applied with too heavy a hand. Not here, I'm happy to say. The notes of INCENSE ROSE meld together seamlessly to produce a perfectly balanced blend, but the final product really has soul and depth, unlike so many "safe and tame" mass-market frags.

The longevity is superb--it is, after all, a perfume, notwithstanding the edp claim!--and the sillage is big enough to keep the wearer ever aware of what it is that she or he has donned. Yes, I regard INCENSE ROSE as suitable for women and olfactorily astute men alike and highly commend this composition to lovers of incense.

it's between rive gauche and coco, a more modern version of an old style scent..sharp at first but in the dry down it softens even has a powdery element..a mature woman should wear this on a special event, not an everyday scent. longevity is good but applying too much can offend people around..it is pretty much all about the name, rose and incense, but feels richer and deeper..classy and sophisticated.

Perfection for an incense /rose lover.I get the rose lightly through the incense . As if I am burning my Omani incense whilst cutting roses ,my best damask ones..

I don't like this when first applied. It starts out too sour on my skin. But, it gets much nicer as it dries down. It's not my favorite smokey scent, but I would wear it. It's a slightly bitter incense, not as cold as I prefer.

Incense Rose is an absolute treat. It's a rather rich, smokey take on the scent of incense and rose, with a touch of strong, resinous cedar and amber.

I'll start by saying that Incense Rose can be unisex. The intense woodsy notes makes this perfect for men due to its somewhat masculine qualities.

This fragrance does tend to be cloying, however I like my scents strong and powerful. From the very opening, Incense Rose hits you with its massive sillage.

The top notes are mostly a mixture of intense earthiness, fruity clementine and tart-like rose. As it settles, the earthiness takes on a rather green-like approach, almost mossy in a sense, and the incense appears.

The incense is of the burning kind. Smokey, exotic and smooth. When placed alongside the rose note, the incense blends well, creating an atmosphere that does remind me of a bohemian trinket shop.

I'm a rather creative type of person, very much influenced by art, theatre and music. Therefore I feel as if Incense Rose captures this side of me perfectly. Richly exotic and heady scents describe my career industry well, especially the wild side of it.

Both this fragrance and Heeley's Cardinal have some similarities, however I much prefer Incense Rose for its feminine nature.

For those that love incense, you will most likely enjoy this, however for those that are rose lovers, this may or may not appeal to you. Regardless of your tastes, this fragrance should be tried.

Yes, this is incense..and some rose...but mostly incense.

And I agree with Catbiscuit that it is of the Indian store or even "head" shop variety.

Not something I want to smell like.

What a strange, strange scent. At first I smell tree here; resinous sap, a bit of wet canopy and freshly crushed leaves. If I didn't know better I would think it was a variety of Eucalypt it is so strong and pungent (later, it becomes more camphorous so it is ultimately nothing like Eucalyptus).

I am not entirely sure where the rose comes into it exactly although there is an edgy sweetness lurking beneath the cedar but that just as easily be the cardamon.

I think the incense here is of a variety that could be found wafting out of an Indian grocery store. It lures you in with its exotic charms but is so strange you are not quite sure what to do with it. I have no doubt the cardamon is peeking its musty head out through the woods and incense here too to create this impression.

Since I like my incense to be more 'Catholic' in nature, I doubt I could wear this Tauer although I very well think this might be magic on a man's skin. Maybe his smokiness would bring the best out of Incense Rose?

Definitely get the citrus, incense and balsam at first application. The orris and woods are even present shortly after applying. Unfortunately, I am less a fan of resin notes than many others so this one doesn't appeal to me as much as I had hoped. I do find the drydown less tart and more warm and spicy which I do enjoy much more than the opening. I never do find the rose all that noticeable which is disapointing considering it's supposed to be a main note.

Mmmm definitely delicious. Rose and incense? The best notes in the world. Very nicely combined, not cloying, lasts forever, never gets sickening.

cbstarker, fine review! I did not know as smells Incense Rose, however, after your description in which You cites poem by Yeats, I know .
" o sages standing in God's holy fire
As in the gold mosaic in the wall" ,
"once out of nature I shall never take
My bodily form from any natural thing.
But such a form as Grecian goldsmith make
Of hammer gold and gold enamelling" :)

In order to describe Incense Rose by Andy Tauer, I find it easiest to compare it other incense-rose fragrances, particularly Eau d’Italie’s Paestum Rose, because Tauer’s version is nothing like them. For example, Paestum Rose is a striking combination of Turkish rose, clean incense, and exotic woods that is reminiscent of the Roman Empire. It is regal, pure, clean and beautiful. While Tauer’s version is equally stunning, it is messier, dirtier, sultry and sexy that recalls the Byzantines. His Bulgarian rose is matched with incense more like Nag Champa. Both use citrus and spice in the opening but Tauer grounds his version with a little orris in the heart and uses his signature resinous amber base to soften the edges.

This is an incense-rose like no other and I am immediately reminded of Yeats’ poem Sailing to Byzantium: “That is no country for old men. The young/In one another's arms, birds in the trees…” There are other references to Emperors, goldsmiths, and holy fires that also resonate with this fragrance. Let me explain…

In Yeats’ poem, the speaker has left his country for Byzantium. On the journey, he realizes that to overcome the inevitable fate of death by age, the soul must rise above the body’s physical constraints (you’re only as old as you feel). Once in Byzantium, the speaker prays to the sages to help him learn to “sing” and once he learns he vows to never return, neither to his homeland nor to his former way of thinking. Through a similar process, Tauer’s fragrances offer a different perspective on fragrances and about us. They don’t necessarily appeal to everyone, but at least they are genuine, soulful, and articulate.

Brings you out of drowsiness. More like aromatherapy, a powerfull scent. Put it on if you need to stay up late working or something. The trick is to apply VERY little - then it will be possible to feel all the notes. Apply too much and it's a horrendously loud cedar/incense. And it is so long lasting - almost day and a half and it's still possible to feel the fraigrance.

Not for me, this is very cloying on my skin. Strong Cardamon, too much for me. Don't care for this as others do. Please sample before you buy... Very Powerful stuff..

Wearing this luminous incense rose combo is like benting over a reflective pool of copper coloured liquid. Cardamon really dominates at first but then everything starts to glow with a sweet nutty snell that it could be attributed on coconut although i can't be sure. But the drydown is just so great , multifaceted and alive, warm vanillic ,woody with a solid piercing patchouli dances side by side with vetiver extraordinaire. Not for everybody, but a real treat.

Goes on lovely, layered, incense-y rose. Just gorgeous and exotic. Dry down, however,brings out the cardamom to such a degree that it takes over everything and that's all I get. My sister keeps the incense layering and it's lovely on her, but all I get is spice-cabinet cardamom. Try this one before committing to the full bottle, but do try it.