My last Full-Bottle purchase was Parfumerie Generale’s no. 13, Brulure de Rose: “Day of the Rose.” I first tested this fragrance early last fall, and was smitten with it pretty quickly.

Pierre Guillaume is the nose behind the house, Parfumerie Genrale being a play on his own name. PG (the man), is dashingly handsome, young, and fits in nicely next to Kilian Hennesey as The Perfumer As Star. The former “fine” chemist launched his house in 2002, and it is at home with the older niche houses like L’Artisan and Annick Goutal. (You can take a peek at the fellow down below)

Brulure de Rose is meant to escort you through the life-cycle of the rose, from the cheerfully bright lemon opening, through the rich opulent bloom, to the dusky death. I think it’s a lovely idea, and I’m willing to accept that leap of imagination when I’m wearing BdR. But what it really is (to my nose) is a bright, sweet, velvety, edible, comfort rose. It’s almost cloying in it’s sweetness—better in winter than in the summer months, I’ve discovered—but it’s perfectly tuned to just dance on that line. When I was trying out a large batch of modern-ish roses, Miss Charming (by Juliette Has a Gun) was a close contender in a similar vein, but felt too girlish for me. BdR is ultra-feminine, very sweet, and yet mature enough for a thirty-something (and beyond) to wear without feeling silly. I still have a fondness for Miss Charming, but she lacks the touch of velvety sensuality that makes PG’s offering so great.

It took me a long time to shell out for this; at $110 for 50ml, it’s not a whimsical addition to my collection. It took me many months to take the plunge, but I’m glad I did. It’s damned good stuff.

You can Buy it Here.