Rose de Petra
Stéphane Humbert Lucas (2013)

Delightful depiction of rose using the real flower as well as composite accents via other notes.

Rose de Petra is another well-conceived, well-constructed niche offering from Stephane Humbert Lucas 777. It is a unisex scent that leans decidedly in the feminine direction.

The scent is meant to pay respect to roses that happen to be blooming in Petra, in the Ma'an Governorate area of Jordan. Rose de Petra has a rich, complex character to it that, IMHO, creates a picture of roses that is remarkably juicy, fresh and spicy. Mr. Lucas has put much thought into constructing what comes across as lush, sensual, layered, and of distinguished stock of high-quality ingredients.

Once again, I am mesmerized at the integrity and passion that SHL 777 has put into this gorgeous scent!

A superfluous and sub par rose offering - there is a dark, oriental aspect that is quickly lost. One can discern a hint of lychee, but it is not fully explored. Then comes forward a deep rose note that is supported by some spices, with cardamom being prominent. However, things soon come apart as the fragrance suddenly loses most of its body and presence to become a thin veil of a peppered rose.

The basic problem with these types of fragrances is a singular lack of complexity. There is not much abstraction, yet it isn't a soliflore. Lack of development is okay, but linearity has to be rewarded either by an accord that's either engaging or substantial - if not both. Else it becomes what it is here - front-loaded - a phenomenon all too commonplace and endemic in modern perfumery.

One positive aspect of Rose de Petra is that it avoids the tired oud and/or patchouli notes, but still briefly yields an oriental touch. However, this style of rose is much better experienced in many other rose fragrances, including Noir de Noir, Amouage Lyric, and Calligraphy Rose. Also, the ones marketed as 'oud's hardly have oud in most cases. Thus, there's no harm in exploring rose-ouds if one looks for a deep, dark rose while looking to avoid oud. If it has to be only about the rose - La Fille de Berlin and Eau de Protection are far more compelling alternatives.

Sillage is good initially before quickly dying down, and duration is around average.

2/5

A beautiful pink rose, softly fruited and spiced, a touch metallic, but rounded out by sweeter notes of vanilla. Someone compared the treatment of rose here as similar to the rose in Mohur, but without the sandalwood. It's soft but I don't find it sheer. And it smells like high quality materials (as is the case for all the perfumes I've sampled from this line).

A stunningly beautiful sheer, slightly spicy rose of great delicacy and beauty. Subtle and provocative, the fragrance hovers around the body like a veil. I need this in my life. The most beautiful rose I've smelled to date. Medium silage, excellent longevity, over 10 hours.

Dammit. Why do I have to love the ones that cost so much? My family always laughs at me because I will go into shops and unerringly laying my hand on the most expensive item in stock, despite not having any money to pay for it. Rose de Petra is no exception then. It is both exquisite and far beyond my wallet. Rose de Petra, I would have preferred not to have known you!

Rose de Petra is a nutty, spicy oriental rose that manages to be simultaneously rich and light. The opening reveals a dry, ancient wood note, like a carved box one might find at the back of a bric-a-brac store, slightly musty now with years of neglect but still releasing a warm, woody scent when rubbed. I am astounded to learn that there is no oud note in this blend, because to my nose, this aged, cracked wood scent reminds me of certain aged oud oils I have smelled – both expensive ones and the rather cheap Mukhallat Malaki attar by Swiss Arabian.

Inside the box, a pile of green cardamom pods, freshly cracked open with their hot-green peppery aroma bouncing up to sear the nostrils. The rose comes on shyly, smelling at first of a rose candy wrapped in plastic, but then opens up into a warm roseate mist, filling the air with the sweet, creamy odor of freshly cut roses, fruit, and spices. This rose is not bright, but dusky, and shaded in interesting places.

In texture and weight, it reminds me slightly of Betrand Duchaufour's work for The Different Company on Oud Shamash – it has that same sheer, diffuse feel to it, as if all the heaviest scent particles are suspended in a fine mist that hovers around your skin. It is a pleasure to put on a fragrance that you fear is going to be just another heavy, oriental rose jacked up with spices and then find it wearing like a fine silk shawl.

In summary, Rose de Petra is a mysterious, dusty rose with a backdrop of ancient woods, subtle fruit, and green spices that feels far more nuanced than the rather mundane notes list might suggest. I would put it on a par with Mohur for the effortless ease with which it rises above the tired oriental rose category in which it is placed and for its ability to surprise you with its subtlety and beauty.