Rosa Ataraxis III: Black Rose

Rosa Ataraxis is a trilogy that seeks to unravel the many colours of the rose, each chapter a meditation on how the world’s most storied flower can be reimagined. The third instalment turns to the darkest and most mysterious of them all: the black rose.

At the heart of this creation lies a rare vintage Indian rose, distilled from petals so deep in colour they appear almost black. Unlike the bright, airy character of common rose oils, this one reveals an opulent, jammy intensity, with a weight and richness that feels closer to velvet wine than to blossom. To frame this rarity, we built a composition that both deepens and destabilises it, taking the wearer by surprise at every turn.

The opening strikes with spice: saffron’s golden dryness, cardamom’s green brightness, and the heat of cinnamon bark. These set the stage for the rose to unfurl in shadow, joined by the luminous lift of Taifi and Centifolia roses, and the honeyed softness of white rose. Just as the senses adjust to this floral richness, the fragrance shifts downward, Mysore sandalwood brings gravity, black musk unfurls its animalic warmth, and ambergris (both golden and black) adds a mineral saltiness, pulling the rose into unexpected depths.

This is not the rose of gardens or poetry, but the rose of twilight courts and hidden chambers. A rose of secrecy, elegance, and command. It evolves continuously on the skin, moving between sweetness and shadow, between brilliance and depth.

Rosa Ataraxis III: Black Rose is an exploration of contrasts, a perfume that startles, surprises, and ultimately seduces, leaving the wearer with the feeling that they have encountered the rose in its most enigmatic form.