At Czech & Speake, we are extremely proud to be a part of Britain’s heritage in perfumery, with great devotion in seeking the finest and most unique ingredients from all over the world. In building our thirteen individual fragrances, we’ve had the pleasure of exploring an incredible array of essential oils – today we want to showcase the precious Rose of Taif with its heavenly aroma and remarkable cultural significance.
What is Rose of Taif?
The Rose of Taif is a precious red-pink rose of the Damask species, named after its native region of Taif in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The rose in bloom is full with 30 oil-rich petals, with an intense but soft, powdery rose scent with delicious hints of tea and honey.
Origins
The aromatic roses bloom each spring across farms on Mecca’s mountainous landscape, a region also inhabited by sweet figs, honey and pomegranates. It is unknown exactly how the rose came to bloom in this unusual location, but it’s close similarities to the Bulagrian Kazanlik Rose suggest that it could have been brought over by the Ottoman Turks, who conquered much of the Arabian peninsula in the 16th Century CE.
Why is the Rose of Taif so Special?
The flowers’ unique positioning in the mountains means that the rose is strikingly fresh due to the high altitude and cooler temperature. When it comes to the harvesting season, the delicate roses require to be hand picked early in the morning when the fragrance is at its purest. It takes between 10,000 and 15,000 flower heads to produce only a vial of essential oil. This labour intensive process to obtain the delicious rose nectar is why it is so precious and sacred to Taifs people and identity, and those wishing to acquire it.
With deep roots in Taifs culture, the city holds an annual celebration known as the Taif Rose Festival between March and April, at the time of bloom. Visitors have the opportunity to stroll through gorgeous rose gardens, watch performances of traditional folk dancing and purchase bouquets of the beautiful flower. All these festivities may be joyous, but to us it is the intense rose scent that fills the fresh spring air against the stunning mountainous backdrop, that makes it so magnificent.
Rose of Taif in Perfume
Rose of Taif perfume is one of the most popular fragrances in the Arab world with its deep cultural history, worn by both men and women. Other cultures were charmed by the exotic and mysterious version of the rose, and have been used by the likes of iconic fashion houses Givenchy and Guerlain, as well as more contemporary perfumers. At Czech & Speake, we incorporated the Rose of Taif into our scent ‘Dark Rose’, using authentic Indo Arabian traditions and techniques in perfumery.
We hope that now you love the Rose of Taif as much as us…
Click to discover our mysterious Dark Rose fragrance if you wish to experience the delicious Rose of Taif.
Cover Photo: kawa-news.com
Photo Credit 1 and 2: www.tourhq.com
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