If you're new to rose and are familiar with oud, click here for an enjoyable read that highlights the contrast and harmony between the two!
Rose oil/otto is one of the most beautiful natural aromatics. The smell of rose is bright, uplifting, sweet and radiates positivity!
In KSA & the Gulf region in general, rose is called "Royalties' scent - عطر الملوك". Some people might swipe rose, however, the royalties do actually pour it in hand and dab it on clothes. The trail it leaves? MAJESTIC indeed.
Some of the royalties are very much infatuated with rose that they built their own distilleries in Taif. It's that important!...keep reading, as you're in for a surprise!
Taif has over 35 rose distilleries. More than 850 rose farms. All spread between Al-Hada and Al-Shafa within Taif itself. Different distilleries, different equipment, different farms, you get the idea!
Saying "Taif rose" is more of a generalization. it's like saying: Papuan oud... is it all the same?....
What counts in sourcing Taif rose is a number of factors. The most important is Trust. As a matter of a fact, the quality of ANY type of rose is first and foremost based on Trust. Trust,...then comes experience.
Why?...
Rose happens to be one of the easiest aromatics that can be synthesized. Moreover, you also have a number of other "similar" rose ottos which are distilled in other countries and happen to have lower costs of production, hence, cheaper price.
So what's the problem?
Mainly; Taifi rose is prone to be mixed with a number of other rose ottos to lower the cost and make it commercially available at a lower price point. This way it can still have the "Taifi" tag, but what one might get is a percentage of real Taifi, mixed with some other rose. For this reason, trust is the number one factor in sourcing Taifi.
Then comes the experience....and let me tell you, the learning curve of rose is far more challenging than oud!
The scent is an over dose of lush refreshing rose. Taifis are known to sting at first, but this one is more rounded, even a bit powdery. The full ROSE sitting on a green citrussy crystal clear throne.