Ward

Rose, O Rose! Dear and fragile rose! How you have delicately perfumed the courts of kings and sultans throughout history! How you have been esteemed by both the lavish and common folk as you steal hearts with a caress of velvet and your bewitching spell..

The 17th century Mughal Emperor Jahangir writes regarding Saleemah Sultan Begum, his mother in law, whom he credits for the invention of Rose Attar:

“This ‘itr is a discovery which was made during my reign by the mother of Nur Jahan Begum,” …. “When she was making rose water, a scum formed on the surface of the dishes into which the hot rose water was poured from the jugs. She collected this scum little by little; when much rose water was obtained a considerable quantity of the scum was collected. It is of such strength in perfume that if one drop be rubbed on the palm of the hand it scents a whole assembly and it seems as if many red rosebuds had bloomed at once. There is no other scent of equal excellence to it. It restores hearts that have gone and brings back withered souls. In reward for that invention, I presented a string of pearls to the inventor.”

Rose attars always held a unique place in the tradition of Middle Eastern perfumery. Right from the Ummayads, rose was utilised by both the men and women of the court in the form of a rose butter and this continued all the way to the Ottomans, The Ottomans however, took the application of rose to a whole new level. They advanced and developed the formulation of rose attars to perfume royal courts, Mosques and even the Holy Kabah in Mecca. The very formula used currently in scenting of the Holy Sanctuary originated with the Ottomans.

At first scent of Ward you begin to appreciate why royalty indulged in Rose Oil throughout the annals of History. Here is our salute to this wonderful timeless ingredient, the jewel of every garden – the humble rose.

Ward is the Arabic word for Rose and it is a celebration of a vibrant and rich legacy, Afghan rose-infused into Mysore Sandalwood with musk, oriental Amber resin, Shamaamah, Patchouli, saffron and spices then aged for 6 months to craft the most sensual and mesmerizing rose attar you will lay your nose on.

Ward opens up with a burst of green rose, a little of this attar goes a long way with a huge projection, followed closely by the citrus and crisp tops of the Afghani rose. The middle of this attar is musky, powdery with the feeling of a classical western fragrance, with the patchouli, saffron, and spices playing a sensual summer evening song. The base of Ward settles to a lovely spicy Mysore note that is not monotone but rather playful and lively.