Our take
What does Rose Rouge smell like?
Van Cleef & Arpels added Rose Rouge to its Collection Extraordinaire in 2018. Julien Rasquinet composed it and says he approached the rose like a botanist. The opening stings with pink pepper and Burgundy blackcurrant absolute, giving the sourness of crushed dark fruit. Turkish rose essence follows, red and slightly jammy. Cocoa absolute is the clever move. It smells less of milk chocolate than of bitter powder, and it darkens the flower. The base stays chypre-like with patchouli, vetiver and a touch of musk. That earthy floor keeps the rose away from sugar. Next to Frédéric Malle's Portrait of a Lady, another famous rose and patchouli, Rose Rouge is fruitier and far less spicy. It is also tamer. It wears equally well on men and women. The 75 ml bottle is expensive for a rose in this style.
When to wear it
An evening rose for autumn and winter. Two sprays on skin and no more, since the patchouli clings for hours.
It belongs to the Floral, Chypre family. Rose Rouge is one of 20 creations by Van Cleef & Arpels in our encyclopedia.
