Flowers are a popular source for perfume and incense, and rose, with its rich, heady scent, is a very common choice. Gulab is the name in Persian and Hindi for rose. Rose scent, such as rose petals in water, and rose scented sweets, such as Turkish delight, have long been popular in countries associated with the Persian Empire. Most rose scents are based on the damask rose, which is the main rose distilled for attars and essential oils. An area of Bulgaria, known as the "Valley of Roses", produces rose oil known as "Bulgarian rose". Some incense houses have a "Belgian Rose" incense; this may refer to a song "My Belgian Rose", though it may also be a misheard reference to "Bulgarian rose". Synthetic rose scents combine several ingredients in order to replicate the complex natural fragrance of the damask rose.
Natural roses vary in their fragrance, though are generally sweet, heady, and floral, sometimes with musky undertones. The damask rose tends to exemplify the sweet, heady, and floral fragrance - sometimes with fresh, green, and spicy notes, and sometimes with the musky undertone, and sometimes with both.
Reviews
* = Review over 5 years old
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| Happy Hari Kings of Incense Queen of Roses (M) Feb 2022 - Score: 46 |
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Oct 2024 - Score: 41↑ |
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| Goloka Nature's Rose (M) April 2023 - Score: 39↑↓ |
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| Shroff Amber Rose (PM) July 2024 - Score: 33 |
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Feb 2022 - Score: 32↑ |
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| Nikhil's Nature's Blessings Rose (P) Mar 2024 - Score: 32 |
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| Koya's Eva For Ever! Rose Premium Incense (P) Dec 2024 - Score: 30↑=↓[Average 31] |
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| Hari Om Divine Incense Gulab July 2018 - Score: 31↑* |
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| Vinasons Kesar Gulab (PM) Nov 2022 - Score: 31 |
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July 2017 - Score: 30* |
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| Thurga's SunRayn Parrot Incense Sticks (P) March 2024 - Score: 30 |
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| SAC (Sandesh) Rose (P) June 2017 - Score: 30↑* |
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| Betco Rose (P) Aug 2014 - Score: 30* |
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| Temple of Incense Indian Rose (PM) Oct 2023 - Score: 29 |
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| Satya Nag Champa Fresh Rose Cones Dec 2020 - Score: 40↑↑ [Average: 29]* |
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| Gamta It Smells Like Saffron Rose (PM) May 2024 - Score: 28 |
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Oct 2023 - Score: 28 |
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Dec 2018 - Score: 28* |
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Nov 2018 - Score: 28*
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| Nandita Organic/Original Rose (PM) Jan 2025 - Score: 25 |
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| Aromatika Rose Incense Cones (P) Feb 2021 - Score: 24 |
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| Joie White Rose
(P) March 2015 - Score: 24* |
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| Stamford Red Rose Incense Cones Nov 2015 - Score: 23* |
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| GR International Rose
April 2013 - Score: 23* |
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| Heera 4 in 1 Rose Incense Cones (P) Feb 2023 - Score: 23 |
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| Mahendra Gulabi Collection Rose (P) July 2018 - Score: 23* |
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| Mahendra Gulabi (P) June 2018 - Score: 23↑* |
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| HEM Love (P) May 2024 - Score: 22 |
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| Darshan Love in Life Incense Sticks Rose (P) May 2015 - Score: 22* |
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| Hari Darshan Red Rose Incense Cones (P) April 2023 - Score: 22 |
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| Amrutha Shahi Gulab (P) Feb 2024 - Score: 22↓ |
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| Cottage Industries Heritage No. 15 Rose Jan 2025 - Score: 22 |
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Nov 2024 - Score: 22 |
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| Padmini Yellow Rose (P) Aug 2023 - Score: 21 |
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| SAC Arcangel Samuel/Chamuel (Rose & Honey - 7 Arcangels) (P) April 2021 - Score: 21 |
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| Oscar & Bromley Aromacolour Sensual Rose (P) March 2015 - Score: 21* |
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| Phool Luxury Incense Cones Indian Rose Sept 2023 - Score: 20 |
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| Jaycia Passion Rose (P) Sept 2023 - Score: 20 |
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| HEM Precious Rose Incense Cones (P) Feb 2019 - Score: 20* |
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Jan 2024 - Score: 20 |
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| Dawn of Time Of Persian Roses (P) June 2013 - Score: 20* |
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| Om Brand Trishala Gulab Incense Sticks (P) Feb 2024 - Score: 20 |
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| SAC (Sandesh) Rose incense cones March 2017 - Score: 19* |
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| GR Rose Incense Cones May 2018 - Score: 19* |
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| Balaji Passon Natural Incense Sticks Rose (P) Oct 2021 - Score: 19 |
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March 2022 - Score: 17 |
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Aravinda's Rose (P) March 2024 - Score: 17↓ |
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| Pal-Ji Rose (P) Nov 2021 - Score: 15↑ |
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| Elements Black Rose Twilight Blush (P) Dec 2024 - Score: 12 |
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Feb 2017 - Score: 12* |
Scents tried: 57 (+ 3 discontinued)
Top score: 46
Bottom score: 12
Average: 27
Conclusion: I'm not a fan of single scents, nor of floral scents, and while I like the scent of a fresh, natural rose, it's not my favourite scent. I like it in moderation - catching the fragrance in passing, but after a while I find it too cloying. For me there is a lack of depth and contrast in a rose accord - there is a lack of interesting things to discover. And if the scent is not fresh and natural, and caught outdoors, then it has too many poor associations for me. It's a scent I very much associate with older women - grannies mostly. And it comes with a scent association of granny pee. I find it an old fashioned scent. And too often, a smothering scent, rather than a lively, uplifting experience, which some florals can have. My favourite rose incense is Queen of Roses, first known to me via the Happy Hari brand, and continued via Absolute Bliss Queen Of Roses - which I liked though felt it a little softer and less interesting than Paul's (Happy Hari) version, and then Padma Store Happy Hari Queen of Roses, which didn't work for us, though that may be due to a poor sample. Queen of Roses is notable to me as not being very rose like. It is more varied and interesting. The New Moon Black Rose, which I have reviewed recently, I thoroughly enjoyed as, while having some rose notes, is actually quite complex with lots of wood. It is uncertain who makes New Moon incense, with Haria, Nandita, and Fair Trade, all being suggested and possible. Goloka Nature's Rose is another one I liked, and - as with the others - contains more woody and herbal scent notes than rose.
Discontinued
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| Absolute Bliss Queen Of Roses (M) Sept 2023 - Score: 38 |
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Oct 2018 Score: 37* |
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| Aargee Rose (tube series) (P) July 2018 Score: 28↑↓* |
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