Description
Phi is a luxurious scent, inspired by a natural extract of roses produced in Afghanistan’s rose region, Nangarhar. This rose oil is extremely rare and of highest quality. Inspired by these roses, growing in a dry and rough land, Phi is a rare gem, complementing contrasting lines, rich in natural raw materials that add depth and authenticity. Due to the limited amount of the rose oil, une rose de Kandahar is not guaranteed to be available all the time.
PHI Une Rose de Kandahar by Tauer Perfumes is a Floral fragrance for women and men. This is a new fragrance. PHI Une Rose de Kandahar was launched in 2013. The nose behind this fragrance is Andy Tauer. Top notes are apricot, cinnamon, almond and bergamot; middle notes are Bulgarian rose absolute and rose from Kandahar, Bourbon geranium and tobacco leaf; base notes are patchouli, vetiver, vanilla, tonka bean, musk and ambergris.
Leex css – :
This changes on my skin from roses smelling fine, to roses smelling as if they were diseased or insect ridden and dying. My skin yells scrub it, and its such a shame, so many great reviews and it does not meld with my skin, especially more so since I love rose based perfumes.
marader – :
Andy Tauer’s Une Rose de Kandahar is an olfactory split personality. It opens on my skin with a lush and sweet blast of peach, rose and spice that feels really happy. Soon after, the unfortunate alter ego of the perfume emerges and it brings me to an old attic full of dusty and moldy tobacco. Later on, the tobacco starts to feel sweetened and softer and it withdraws to a muted state. Nevertheless, Une Rose de Kandahar is still an ambivalent journey for me. I really like its bright side, but not much else.
Cisksolivowzeea – :
Came for the roses, stayed for the tobacco.
I sense no rose at all, maybe just the sweet end of the tobacco. But then again, I rarely feel more than one note. This is a good tobacco scent in my book, and it actually worked well in hot and humid weather. Did not feel damp at all, like how other tobacco scents tend to do for me.
6JIOHDuH – :
I got cinnamon, tobacco, and geranium. It’s beautiful, but too masculine and spicy for me. Very dry and dusty, too.
replicaw78756 – :
I’ve tested this from two different shops and gotten two different results. The first sample came from LuckyScent and I loved it. Fruity, juicy rose and yummy all over. I wore the sample for two weeks and was ready to order, but on a trip to Portland I stopped in at the Perfume House instead. The SA suggested sampling again to be sure before I handed over my money. I’m glad I did, because this time it was all dusty, powdery rose, not at all what I was hoping for.
Different batch, different results? I’m not sure, but it wouldn’t surprise me. They smelled completely different. Reading the reviews here, it seems people get one batch (fruity) or the other (powdery). Anyone else notice this?
Gudzon91 – :
Tauer’s rose fragrances just don’t seem to work with my skin chemistry. They all turn into musky, dusty, powdery rose scents on my skin with very little to distinguish them from each other. I can’t smell the tobacco or apricot here – just musk, rose, baby powder and maybe some almond. I wish I could smell what other reviewers are smelling!
Dark Sword – :
PHI smells like a BPAL fragrance. Smokey, soft, incensey, and ultimately not for me. I prefer fresh crisp roses, which simply isn’t what this fragrance is about.
For those who like soft roses, as opposed to crisp: Try this for sure. There’s not a ton of apricot in the opening, at least not that I can smell; it’s all soft, tobacco-y rose from start to finish. Lasts forever. Strong sillage.
I can see men pulling this off. There’s enough smoke and tobacco that it doesn’t smell like a classically feminine rose.
alexukr53 – :
PHI Une Rose de Kandahar is a beautiful floral fruity fragrance. For me, it opens up with loads of apricot, almond, cinnamon, and some pipe tobacco (also something that makes it powdery, not sure what contributes to this characteristic). Reminds me of some creamy cake and a bit of coca cola at the same time. Very interesting combination and it smells just so sophisticated. Leans to the feminine side, but certain men could pull it off as well. Projection and longevity are amazing, 10+ hours for sure. I have to say, definitely love this one. I don’t think I can pull it off though, would love to smell it on a woman. Big thumbs up!
Volka – :
To sum this one up smells like those pink candy musk sticks but with rose.
Матрешка – :
Absolutely beautiful! Sweet, warm, intelligent and very cosy:)
ftf901Negeltzex – :
This perfume certainly opens with rose, yet it is not a rose not I’m instantly familiar with. Maybe my mind is biased by the story behind this perfume, using a very rare rose variety, but still. If it leans towards any sort of rose, it might share a nod to the Turkish rose. Though, the rose is never completely on the forefront, its immediately accompanied by other notes. This scent turns spicy/cinnamony and somewhat powdery very quickly and stays there for about an hour. After that, it turns slowly again I like it the most. It then becomes a very beautiful amber. Its an amber with substance, yet it’s airy as well. It has a good balance of being a perfume on its own, adding something to the one who wears it, and something more like a personal scent, as it certainly has a (non-dirty) humanistic/animalic feel to it. It stays like that for the rest of the wear time, which is quite long (±8hrs). In addition, it has beautiful silleage: not too heavy but certainly present.
It reminds me vaguely of Ambre Nuit and Ambre Narguile (especially when it showcases its cinnamon). To me it is definitely unisex, maybe more masculin leaning. I would actually loooooove to smell this on a man! (Much more than Ambre Nuit). For me personally, I hoped it would have been more about the rose, because I’m a sucker for rose, and because the rose note in the start is very beautiful. All in all it is a seriously beautiful perfume though!
8.5/10
белый11111111 – :
I can sum this fragrance up in 3 words: fruity baby powder.
I’ve tested this fragrance a number of times over the years to really try and understand what everyone sees in this (most reviews being very positive, great rose, etc.). Each time, it starts off ok; the rose/ appricot is very jammy, and is overall a very creamy scent. This quickly disipates, however, as 5 minutes later this turns to be nothing more than a baby powder scent with a little bit of fruit in it (what I would attribute this to be the apricot note).
Every Tauer (and Tauerville) that I have smelt, have all had a very smooth, almost creamy DNA to them. When it comes to PH Une Rose de Kandahar, the combination between that smooth, neutral DNA, and the powdery rose makes this too smooth, creating the feeling of talcum powder.
If you are looking for a higher quality, more interesting baby powder scent, I would recommend this one, however, do not expect yourself to be wowed by a beautiful rose note and tobacco. For me, this one was dissapointing based on the notes listed on Fragrantica, but isn’t a terrible scent.
Cronanaltyrot – :
من سمپل اين عطر به دستم رسيد
ابتدا اينو بگم كه اين عطر بوي شيريني داره و در دسته عطر هاي شيرين دسته بندي ميشه از اون اقا پسر ها خندوني كه دوست داري باهاشون گپ بزني و يا خانوم هايي كه بوي خيلي خوبي ميدن و دوست داري زمانكند تر بگذره
ريويو را از بو عطر شروع ميكنم ساختار عطر خيلي با كيفيت هست به صورتي كه بوي عطر بوي گل رز ابتدا شروع ميشه كه البته بوي زردالو هم احساس ميشه اما بوي زردالو بعد چند دقيقه بسيار محو ميشه و بوي گل رز با كمي تلخي خودشون كاملا به نمايش ميزاره البته تلخي خيلي خيلي ملايم و كم رنگي اون را همراهي ميكنه
بعد از گذر دو ساعت بوي پودري تلخي و شيريني گل رز همچنان قابل توجه است اما ماندگاري خوبي نداره
و بعد ٣ الي ٤ ساعت بوي عطر به سمت نا پديد شدن ميل ميكند
البته بعد از اين مدت بوي عطر مشخص هست اما نه به اون پخش بوي دو ساعت اول
بالانس اين اثر خيلي خيلي خوبه و با اينكه شايد از جمله عطر هاي شيريني باشه كه در كشورمون زياد طرفدار نداشته باشه اما كيفيت و بوي خيلي لذت بخشي داره
اين عطر انتخاب شخصي من نيست اما هم براي مردان و براي خانم ها مناسب هست من ترجيه ميدم اين عطر توسط خانم ها استفاده بشه تا اقايون اما خوب اين عطر در نت ابتدايي خودشو بصورتي نشون ميده كه اقايون هم ميتونن استفاده كنند اما در نت پاياني شبيه به عطر هاي شيرين و كريمي و خانه اي عطر هاي زنونه ميمونه كه به خاطر گل رز هست
در مورد قيمت اكثر كارهاي اقاي تاور حدودا 135 دلار قيمت دارند
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Well i got have my sample for test after several testing it on my skin this is i think what you get:
To me its starting with apricot for just some minutes in openning and after that booomb the perfume show what truly it self massive rose but not that sweetness of the rose you think there is bitter and cream comes with it every second i think about the bitter smell it’s because of tobacco and almond is.
After one hour i got the smell of rose very much and get why it’s unisex too some sweet and also get some vibe of vetiver and cinnamon but very little and dry down to be soapy and sweet like rose to me its nice fragrance its not that much special like 02 or lonestar rider but its nice i love it and very nice balances geat job.
My point to this is :
Scent : 7/10
Projection: 8/10
Long lasting: 10/10
Value of money: 5.5/10
Balances : very very professional performance 11/10
Versatile: 7/10
Buy another bottle: maybe yess
FaraonRamses – :
I think rose is the most beloved flower, and perfume or the same, but in perfumery you have to be careful about how this ingredient is used.
I love roses. I have an impressive collection of classic roses, as well as the newer creations from David Austin or Meilland International. Egoiste and Ambre Nuit are two of my favorite fragrances that incorporate the smell of rose in masculine perfumes, so Une Rose of Kandahar, the creation of a perfumer that admiratively considers work as an art and not just a business, aroused to me a special interest.
And, yes, One Rose of Kandahar is a magnificent scent – just like the fragrances mentioned above, besides the gourmet notes of apricots and almonds, the tobacco used in the right dose, rose is the ingredient that makes you deeply and addictive inspire to satiety… It’s really fantastic.
Some of the reviewers are a bit more reserved, and I think I can see the reason – rose is an ingredient with thousands of shades, roses can smell very different from one to another, and Andy Tauer chose for this perfume a rarer rose, probably looking to stay away from common note of this ingredient. In fact, we are talking about a niche perfume … For them, this perfume evokes the green note, the indie perfumerie and flower-power culture.
Personally, I would have chosen for Une Rose De Kandahar a rose that suggests the “yellow” color which would perfectly integrate with the other notes. I think that the perfume would have a “mainstream” character with that rose, it would have been a lot more in the comfort zone, but I’m sure it would have had more followers …
Longevity is impressive (no surprise given that it is a perfume by Andy Tauer) and the projection is medium-high (a versatile fragrance) – what I really appreciate.
Thank you once again Mr.Tauer.
Fragrance 10/10
Projection Medium-High
Longevity 14 h
Vulcan – :
I am currently sampling 6 Andy Tauer fragrances, and this one might be my ultimate favorite. After four or five hours this becomes a skin scent which is good performance on my skin. I received a compliment about an hour after application. It’s complicated and beautiful at the same time and the apricot-almond opening is something to be experienced.
My husband loves this one on me, so therefore it will become a full bottle purchase just in time for Christmas. I’m a big fan of Tauer, I wish I owned all of his perfumes!
Spartalya – :
The most beautiful fragrance of them all! Immense love! Thank you, artist Andy.
StatusZero – :
Rose and creamy almond shrouded in a veil of sweet tobacco. A friendly soapy everyday scent, very inviting and in no way challenging. I usually prefer rose scent to be deep, red, explosive or powerful like Rania Jouaneh’s Rose Ishtar or Andy Tauer’s Incense Rose. The more soapy rose type I normally associate with wonderful, small and cheap English hotels. Nice, but I usually don’t want to smell like one.
Combining the soapy rose with almond and giving it a fruity touch really makes a difference though. Phi becomes very intimate and tender.
In the dry down the rose steps back and a creamy, coumarin tinted almond rests comfortably on a bed of musk-ambergris-vanilla softness. In this phase Phi gives me the main impression of amplifying and refining the personal skin scent.
To my nose Phi is different from most scents I have encountered, and I tend to enjoy it more for each time I try it on.
rolex72 – :
I don’t mean any disrespect to this fragrance but this reminds me of Burberry Brit for men in the mid and dry down. Of course with the Tauer name the performance is amazing compared to the Burberry option. Citrus rose over Tonka and musk. Definitely an amazing fragrance but I’m not quite sure if it’s worth the 300% increase over the designer option.
soifyUnioli – :
This seems to be a very chemistry dependent scent.
On me I get a lovely rose that is alone for a moment and then the scent of baby oil surrounds it. I’m pretty sure it’s the apricot note not getting along with my skin because there is a sweet jammy/fruitiness to it but it stays more baby than detectable apricot. Every so often I get an interesting breath of spice.
I will remember this if I ever want a baby oil fragrance, but it’s not typically my style so the next few hours would have to be amazing to make this one I’d want to explore further. It did drydown to a nice vanilla, but there are other vanillas just as good.
It’s a pity. A spicy rose and almond sounded wonderful.
vwp102Diobtetty – :
I had high hopes for this, and when it first went on, it was stunning – beautiful rose, sweet apricot, vanilla, almond and a touch of spice. Alas, it must be my skin chemistry, because after an hour that gorgeous rose morphed into a dusty, musty, mouldy old wood smell. Shame, because the first hour of this was absolutely wonderful, and it smells lovely in the little sample bottle ☹ I don’t know if it’s that particular combination of notes that doesn’t work on me, but I tried another scent a while ago with similar notes and got the same musty, dusty smell.
Vlada_KBB – :
Despite PHI’s subtitle, this excellent composition is really centred on a sweet tobacco and almond accord, with the eponymous Afghan rose oil providing a velvety backdrop. I get all of the listed top notes from the very beginning; bright bergamot, a peachy-apricot fruit note, and creamy almond accentuated by rich cinnamon. The rose here is sweet, natural and deep, with its bright facets bolstered by the bergamot, and its seductive nature accentuated by spicy carnation. The sweet, dry tobacco leaf has a hay-like quality, no doubt bolstered by the tonka bean, which also adds a vanillic sweetness that rounds out the almond-cinnamon accord. The overall effect is rich, enveloping and comforting, like a great big merino sweater. PHI is a wonderful fragrance, and is definitely within Tauer’s top five. Remarkable stuff.
domakostroma – :
I’ve an exploratory set of Andy Tauer’s samples from about a year ago that I intensively tested back then. I ended up with extreme Tauerade fatigue and never wrote a review for any. The set got relegated to the back of my perfume wardrobe and I never revisited until now when I finally feel sufficiently recovered to give them another go. PHI is probably the one I like the most (not counting LDDM which I sampled many years ago and which belongs in a special class of its own anyway). I get a powdery almond from the get-go. I don’t detect much rose, but that seems to be typical for me. Ambergris and vetiver becomes especially prominent as it progresses. And of course, the Tauerade is always there. Always preventing a FB for me. But I believe that even if one doesn’t like a perfume, it’s possible to objectively appraise it. In this case, I want to say PHI is an exquisitely beautiful offering from this house. I regret not being able to own it (almost blind bought it!) but my wallet thanks me. Peace out.
Pleataobtaili – :
Definite citrus in the top then a sweet blooming rose with a little sourness and the Tauer Koolaid that is creamy and incensey. There is geranium present and not an obvious musk or patch but they are there to take the rose deeper. This is ALL about the rose. It projects but does not last as long as some other Tauers like Lonestar Memories or LDDM.
SamEstatkeera – :
Beautiful exotic spicy rose! Andy Tauer is a perfume genius, and his scents are tantalizing in their ability to transform fragrance into a mesmerizing experience. This one whisks you to an oasis in the Hindu Kush, dangerous, mysterious. You can smell the heat, both from the land and from your skin, as you walk rough trails amid eccentric flora. Rose that is acclimated to rougher climes, a hint of rugged tobacco toughening it’s seasoning. Patchouli adding the smell of a mystic. It all blends into an accord that is romantic, and takes you to one of the far corners of the world.
SANEK250183 – :
On top of the Tauerade there’s this powdery rose-musk. Not getting as much tobacco or apricot as I had hoped. It’s still enjoyable tho, and with only slightly less performance than the Tauer powerhouses like LDDM or Lonestar Memories.
poringdoll – :
Clean roses and luminous rose geranium. Here the rose is of the finest quality, clear and clean. With patchouli and the herbal nuance of geranium, the rose becomes slightly mentholated.
Ambergris gives a slightly salty skin-like depth and cinnamon adds warmth. Apricot and almond add to a sweet, fleshy, woody feel.
Musky, rosy, woody, sweet. Soft dry vanilla and tonka are airy and warm. I don’t detect any tobacco. PHI Une Rose de culminates into the smell of an empty box of loukhoum with scant dustings of candied rose. Really cozy and satisfying.
Mekkg658elipseskism – :
This perfume starts wonderful, a magical rose-apricot-cinnamon combo, sweet but not cloying, so dense and juicy; as many of Tauer’s compositions, then arrives to a totally different kind of fregrance;an ambergris-tobacco- vetiver-tonka base, where there is no more rose, or sweetness, but something that reminds me of Ambre Muscadin by LM Parfums.
You should buy it if you are searching for an ambergris-tobacco perfume with a beautiful rose opening, instead of a rose-centered smell, because the base is what you get after half an hour ’till the end, many hours long.
That said, it’s a beautiful perfume, just a bit misleading in its name.
yzg108elipseskism – :
A rose-patch scent, was my first impression. A STRONG rose-patch, so potent it reminded me more of a BPAL fragrance than of, say, Portrait of a Lady. Then the boozy bitter-sweet tobacco and tonka unfolded beneath it, and it became more remarkable. It strikes me as rather Halloweenish for a rose; the dark spice and mystery and Gothic-BPAL associations probably are what make me think so. And I’ll admit, once I learned about the rarity of the rose oil used in this, I felt a little more impressed by it. I’m not immune to the charms of exclusivity, I guess. Later sampling: A very true and beautiful rose, with the smooth, dry, magical ambery-spicy base you can count on from a Tauer. Yet a later sampling: today, on a snowy winter day, it’s striking me more as warm rose-vanilla, reminding me even a little of Solstice Scents’ Lavender Vanilla in atmosphere, and I’m really liking it. A good one for these “I need florals” moods that may strike in midwinter. That said, I’m not sure I’d spring for a full bottle, and could easily see myself substituting Agent Provocateur or Solstice Scents Estate Rosewood for a cheaper and similar vibe.
Lorchi – :
It’s more of sweet dark tobacco than roses. It’s a velvety texture of sweet cinnamon and almonds with patchouli and ambergris. Quite dark and heavy, earthy sometime and presents a plain dunes in the dessert at night and to be honest I smell slightly spices and saffron.
If I sniffed this fragrance and didn’t know that it’s Tayar’s creation I wouldn’t have found that it belongs to him! I just can’t detect his stamp in this blend.
It’s quite interesting to be honest as it presents darkness with a smooth twist, sort of animalistic somehow but quite creamy.
Nekromag – :
Scent – light apricot & almonds.
Season/Time of Day – I prefer to use this one in the warmer months, during the day.
Projection – I did get noticed, it garners compliments.
Longevity – I get 12hrs consistently.
administrator – :
Stunningly beautiful rose perfume. Completely delightful. A joyous happy delight. Such a simple and radiant scent. Rich and beautiful. The rose is magnificent. About the best I’ve ever smelt. This is my first try of, and buy of, a Tauer perfume, and I’m truly impressed. Brilliant. A masterpiece. So delicious, deep and dark, the perfect rose. The one that’s SO red – blood red (dark blood), soft and velvety; the one you have to put your face in it’s so inviting. The one you want to wrap yourself up in, and stay cocooned in forever. The smell is superb, and you want to breathe and breathe it in forever. The most perfect rose.
Super85 – :
Such a delicious rose…first time I’ve smelled this I was like …Wow!! This is a very original, velvety rose with a sweet nectar feel.
As we reach the dry down, I discover a honey/vanilla-like dimension with a gourmand feel that blends beautifully with a very realistic tobacco note that fulfills the composition.
I smelled quite a few rose fragrances and I really think this is a masterpiece among them.
8/10
Katuar – :
Due to the limited availability of Bulgarian and Afghan rose oil, I think they skimped heavily on the rose in my mfr. sample of Une Rose de Kandahar. Oh, how I wanted to love this perfume! The Rose Oil! The Bourbon Geranium! The Patchouli and Ambergris! It sounded all so good, but thank heavens I got a sample first.
The very first seconds after application were positive, a dark, smoldering, kind of background spiced rose, and then the tobacco notes started showing up, okay, good, but all of a sudden I am wearing a “Cologne Guy” perfume, like cologne style patchouli, err, a rough patch here, moving on, suddenly all ready I’m at the base, an Ambroxan/”Ambergris” on top of tonka bean and almond blossom, a bit of a floral woody musk thing, but mostly it feels like my sinuses are being filled up paint thinner fumes, it’s just another crappy “wood” base overall.
There’s more rose in Miss Dior Eau de Toilette than in here, or even Paul Smith Rose, which for some reason cracks me up. I think I just don’t get along with this house, on paper it seems like I would, but Incense Rose is even worse on my skin, more like a cruel joke (Tang Powder + Pink Flowers) but I think I may be done with Tauer’s perfume for awhile.
Ozzz – :
This is a simple, happy scent: rose and amaretto, with some tonka in the base. Very gourmand, cozy, and edible – a case of Une Rose de Kandahar cookies, please.
As with most Tauers, longevity and projecton are outstanding.
ariff1986 – :
Absolutely wonderful! The scent is unforgettable, it puts me into a different state of mind, creating an aura of confidence and inner peace. I’m not in love with the top notes, find them a little bit too intense for my liking and the bergamot is especially prominent, at first it reminded me of an aromatherapy room. But in an hour the perfume changes, all the overpowering smell is gone and what’s left is this extraordinary mix of rose, tobacco and vanilla. What’s beautiful about this perfume is its dynamics: it keeps changing every hour, the scent is a bit different every time I smell my wrist. In one review I read that Phi is the Mona Lisa of perfumes and I couldn’t agree more.
chuppa – :
Wonderful Scent! Perfectly balanced Rose and Tobacco. So smooth on Skin and Nose.
Longevity: 6H
Sillage :moderate
Compliment Catcher
coppypync – :
Beautiful but ultimately “unmemorable”. Not forgettable just not a standout.
The rose is vibrant and realistic and soothing, not synthetic or bubblegum-esque.
It has a potpourri vibe that while nice, to my nose on my skin-lacks depth. I get NO tobacco from this and that note usually does very well on me.
Ultimately it is a beautiful rose scent with not much else going on and while I can clearly see the quality, the scent lacks depth or distinguishing character in my mind.
Scent: 6.5/10 if you want a beautiful, transparent rose, this is it. Don’t expect much else.
Projection: 6/10 for the first 15 minutes then I can barely detect it at rest somewhere around the 45 minute mark. After three hours I cant detrct it at all.
Sillage: 7/10 interestingly it has amazing sillage for the first 30 minutes or so but drops like a stone after an hour.
Longevity: 6/10 it does last nearly 6 hours on my skin and while it sticks close to the body for the forst three, after about hour 4, it’s just a skin scent.
Would I buy a full bottle: no. If I received one as a gift I would be glad to have it in my arsenal but I can’t see myself buying one.
makc77200 – :
Rose de Kandehar
Dear fragranticans have done a great job describing this masterpiece so I am not going to add a lot.
Just looking at its notes and olfactive piramid tells every thing.
Flowers,friutes,spices,woodsy,nuts,herbs,animalic,gourmands…every thing is here and from its best quality.not to forget that Andy Tauer has made the concoction.
All these great reviews and positive oppinions which I truely trust….they just got me to coclusion…I needed to try Rose de Kandehar.
A serious diva!!!
nickromangen – :
PHI instantly reminded me of L’Air du Desert Marocain. That resinous base in particular. Anyone else feels the same?
Royarneirrink – :
At the beginning I twisted my nose but is a sensational floral is among the best floral ever met. The fragrance is chic, exotic, it is not a simple flower, is quite eccentric and stylish up ’cause I’m not a fan rose much less romantic gift roses for someone, play the part .. the perfume has a DNA that differs from other floral scent very good even when breathes against his own skin exudes a wonderful scent that differs when inspires a distance, do not know how this is possible but I found amazing. Combines with almost all environments and occasions, lunch, dinner, parties, meetings, in short, it has now been approved in time.
scent 9.5
versatility 9
fixation 7
projection 7
vartoviy – :
This rose is breathtakingly beautiful and to my nose quite unique.
It’s neither a happy jammy rose like in most designer perfumes nowadays nor a lush dark red rose like in Lyric by Amoage or in Portrait of a lady by Frederic Malle. It’s somewhere in the middle, misterious and yet not too heavy or incense-y, sweet but not cloying. This rose has everythig: sweetness from almond and vanilla, spicyness from tobacco and cinnamon, there is even a dirty aspect from ambergris, which makes it even more sensual and animalic.
To me it smells classy and decadent and yet it wouldn’t make “Hey, look at me, I’m wearing a perfume” entrance. The scent of a person who wants to be in yourself and doesn’t like to show up.
On my skin it last 8+ hours. The sillage is rather soft to moderate, which I normally prefer.
At this moment, this is my favorite rose fragrance, I will be wearing it a lot during fall and winter.
lymnIncappy – :
“Voluptuous, velvety and sensual… a bed of roses covered in apricots and tobacco leaves.”
PHI Une Rose de Kandahar is a 2013 fragrance by Tauer Perfumes, an niche perfume house by independent Andy Tauer. Tauer has become a cult icon in the perfume industry because of his background: he is self-taught in the art of perfumery and one of his earliest creations, L`Air du Desert Marocain, is considered to be one of the most iconic creations in the perfume community for being able to capture the olfactory essence of a Moroccan desert. Rather than just a perfumer, he is more of a perfume artist whose fragrances are the result of his artistic talents.
Kandahar is yet another fragrance that is grabbing attention in the community. It contains a supposedly extremely rare rose extract produced only in the Afghanistan region of Nangarhar. Since the extract is very limited, the fragrance is a limited edition and may not be available at all times. Shortly put, Kandahar is a precious fragrance.
On my skin, it opens with a fruity blast of apricot with tinges of peaches, and other citrus notes. It’s tart, juicy and sweet, and is reminiscent of the opening of Miyako by Auphorie. At the same time, there are also notes of chilly, slightly spicy and “lemony” geranium, which gives my nose a slight tingly effect.
The beautiful fruity opening serves merely as hors d’oeuvre for what is to come. The apricot/peachy accords slowly subsides and draw the curtains for the main event: the rose. Lush and unbashed, the rose takes center stage and bask in the limelight, like a female VIP in a full-on blood-red wedding gown. Unlike a lot of other rose fragrances, the rose in Kandahar isn’t jammy-sweet. It’s more floral than anything else, and that appeals to me since sweet-jammy rose isn’t my cup of tea.
What’s interesting is that the rose isn’t alone; it’s coupled with tobacco leaves, rendering the conventionally feminine accord more unisex. Some people have claimed that Kandahar is a rose fragrance for non-rose fans, and I can see why: it’s the tobacco leaves akin to that in Parfums de Marly’s Herod that make it more approachable for general wearers. Perhaps the only minor letdown is that, unlike what others have said, I couldn’t detect the vanilla as much as I have hoped.
Then there is the closing act, which I would sum up to be a subtle performance by cinnamon, tonka bean and ambergris. It’s the ambergris that’s a welcoming surprise for me; I thought I would smell it earlier so to experience only in the drydown is a relief. If apricot and rose are the stars in the top and heart respectively, then ambergris is the star in the base. I’m not sure if I get vanilla in this stage because the butter-like note I get is more tonka bean than anything else.
In all, this is a wonderful fragrance. Tauer is a cult icon when it comes to niche fragrances and Kandahar is perhaps my favourite in the line. I haven’t tried some of his other fragrances yet, and I’m keen to try Une Rose Chypree next. I might even consider getting a full bottle soon; I just hope it’s still available when the time comes. To date, this is my favourite rose fragrance and, like what others have mentioned, I do urge non-rose fans to at least try it. It’s certainly one-of-a-kind fragrance that deserves more attention and, most definitely, praises.
uncehania – :
Like many of Andy’s compositions this one is no slouch in the performance and projection category. Such a wonderful aroma permeates off one’s skin. It is very complex like a lot of his offerings but this one I noticed that the Rose note is not all in your face like in incense rose which is one of my all-time favorite Rose scents but I do appreciate a more complex and mysterious Rose like this one. Incense Rose is pure,citrus, incense and Rose with tauer’s DNA, but this one has a lot going on. It’s a darker composition and it is well worth checking out for you niche heads.
Overall- 9/10 (if you like rose fragrances)
If I could add a little of this Tauer rose to Xerjoff Richwood- booomb ! This would be its creation. I knew this reminded me of something. Just ordered a full bottle
lexxx1973 – :
Oh wow, this one! I ordered a sample kit from Andy Tauer and this was one of the samples included. The smell of this morphs drastically from opening to mid to drydown. Its opening is a little off-putting. Strong, medicinal, a little bit of rose peeks through, but at this point I wasn’t very impressed. A few hours in, this beauty morphs into a warm, sensuous fragrance. Lots of sweet tonka bean and vanilla surrounded by a spicy, middle-eastern smelling cinnamon. I can’t pick out the rose at this point and I’ve never smelled the specific type of rose used in this fragrance, so I can’t speak to it.
This would be a lovely fragrance for the fall or winter. Perfectly unisex.
teaser – :
I’m a little late to the Rose de Kandahar party. I avoided it in a weird way because I got so tired of rose as a main note. I loved rose for many years, and after going through my phase of Middle-Eastern style oud/rose/vanilla (you know that combination! You are probably sick of it, too), starting with Noir de Noir, I just couldn’t stand rose anymore. That combo sort of ruined rose for me. Olfactory burnout. I am still tired of rose, but I figured it would not hurt to finally sample this one.
What developed on my skin was blissful. I kept picturing a big copper pot with chopped nuts simmering in sugar syrup and rosewater. It reminded me of a combo