English Rose Fragrance

To generalise, English Rose has a light floral fragrance that can be both refreshing and warm with velvety undertones. However, the spectrum of roses is incredibly broad, and under the English Rose category alone you will find variations in scent ranging from delicate and sweet to highly aromatic. Below are the key five types of English Roses, with a description of their scent.

A Tea Rose smells true to the scent of tea, more specifically China tea, which is spicy, sweet and earthy. The Tea Rose scent is powerful and complex; the smell of tea dominates, later revealing softer, sweeter notes of violets and fruit. This type of English Rose appears mostly in yellow or apricot coloured roses.

Fruity Roses are a common form of the English Rose, combining the subtle floral smell with a vast variety of fruits. Some fruity notes include raspberries, pears, citrussy lemons, elderflower and exotic lychee. Fruity Roses can be found across all colours.

Musk is a rich and warm fragrance that is both spicy and sweet. Within the rose it is produced in the stamens, as opposed to the petals, which means the scent easily shakes off and perfumes the air with its heady aroma. Musk Roses tend to be found in Ramblers.

Myrrh Roses were the very first variety  of the English Roses, and are almost exclusive to the English Rose family. Its aroma is spicy with the licorice warmth of anise, which famously divides opinion.

Old Rose is the classic rose fragrance, and the smell is associated with traditional rose perfumes, so naturally it is the most beautiful rose aroma. Old Roses smell classic, warm, heady and sweet. To suit its romantic perfume, this rose scent is found in only red and pink roses.

Rose Absolute and Rose Otto are both essential oils of rose that come from the flower material, but have different extraction methods. Rose Otto is the pure oil derived from the plant material using steam distillation, whereas Absolutes are extracted with solvents to obtain a much more concentrated version of the substance, with a stronger smell and higher price point.

Rose fragrance oil not only smells divine, it has an impressive range of potential benefits. Inhaling the scent of rose stimulates the brain to release endorphins, which can ease bodily pain and sooth the mind to decrease stress and anxiety. It even has benefits when applied directly to the skin, containing vitamins, antioxidants, minerals and natural antiseptic properties. Ways to use rose fragrance to rake in its benefits include adding drops of rose oil to your bath, lighting rose scented candles to transform your space to an English rose garden, and even simply wearing rose perfume can give you uplifting wafts throughout the day.

Rose fragrance has been a luxury to mankind for thousands of years. In the mediaeval period, rose was recognised for its healing properties and worn for hygiene purposes; used to mask bad odours, while Cleopatra of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt covered the floor of her boudoir a foot and a half deep with freshly picked roses. Iconically, the Romans were obsessed with the scent of rose, filling their fountains with rosewater, stuffing their pillows and mattresses with rose petals and famously at one roman festival (Bacchanale), Emperor Nero had silver pipes installed at the feast, so that guests were spritzed with rosewater between courses.

As perfumery methods developed through history, rose oil became and remains a staple to the industry. English Rose perfume specifically became popular with the emergence of perfumer Yardley’s, founded in 1770, making perfumes inspired by England’s diverse and varied flowers. To this day, rose essential oil appears in many perfumes on the market due to their incredibly varied and versatile properties.

Discover Czech & Speake’s interpretation of English Rose fragrance.

Rose by Czech & Speake captures the essential spirit of the English Rose. This classical fragrance is light, elegant and youthful, with a beautifully simple blend of notes that has surprising hidden sensual depth. Its top notes blend delicate bourbon rose with just an accent of fresh green geranium, its heart holds warm floral notes of mimosa and ylang-ylang, completed with velvety, earthy undertones of patchouli.

The inspiration for Rose comes from our founder Frank’s fond memories of his grandma’s garden in which the lush lemon-scented geraniums melded with the scent of roses, filling the air with a delicious delicate aroma. Frank wanted to create a fragrance reminiscent of this smell, which he considered to be the quintessential essence of English roses.

Discover our traditional Rose Collection.

The Rose Cologne Spray is a classic in our collection, and a popular soft floral fragrance for women, but also loved by men. The fragrance is a traditional blend of natural ingredients and essential oils, with deep and lasting undertones.

The Rose scented candle is a fairly new addition to the Rose collection, and an already popular choice. As the candle burns, it will delicately fragrance the room, bringing to life the aromas of an English Rose garden on a lovely warm summer’s afternoon.

Our Rose Bath Oil is a great choice to feel the benefits of rose to the skin and aromatherapy. A few drops in the bath will fill the air with the delicious and uplifting scent of rose, while soothing the skin as you soak.