FREDERIC MALLE
ROSE TONNERRE
2021
PERFUMER
Edouard Flechier
rose
vetiver
patchouli
castoreum
UNE ROSE (2003) was discontinued (the fragrance had to be changed due to IFRA regulations and Malle decided that the composition was altered enough to warrant a rebranding). It was replaced in 2021 ROSE TONNERRE.
‘Frederic Malle’s beloved classic, Rose Tonnerre is part of an exotic garden of exquisite rose scents at night: in the foreground, intoxicating, sparkling, sweet and fresh all at once, it reveals deep and warm facets. Dark and enigmatic, subtly gothic. Within the context of this personal work, Édouard Fléchier showed Frédéric Malle a new base, a kind of olfactive sketch, reproducing the smell of a “Perigord’s truffle”. This assemblage of dark notes, for the most part woody and animal, was destined to masculine perfumery, but the two friends had the idea – a priori paradoxical- to marry it to the feminine scent par excellence: the rose. In the hands of the master perfumer, the classic rose aroma becomes dark and sensual. A garden flower with hidden depths.’ – Frederic Malle
I purposely left my old Une Rose review unaltered for reference, for those interested in my thoughts on that about two years prior to the review below. I surprisingly like Rose Tonnerre better.
Rose Tonnerre is the post-2021 version of Une Rose. Some (including Fragrantica) say it hasn’t been reformulated, some say it has. When I first smelled Rose Tonnerre, I thought it was slightly different, but not enough to warrant a big discussion either way. I recall reading that it Une Rose had to be changed due to IFRA regulation, and around that time there were changed requirements regarding karanal & citronellol, but I can’t find the source for this anymore. Who knows… More importantly, what does Rose Tonnerre smell like?
This opens with a huge dose of jammy red/pink rose. Not surprising, as I believe Une Rose held the record for one of the the highest concentrations of rose centifolia. Very vibrant, very oily in texture. At the same time, pretty acidic. It’s quite deep and rich; this is not a light, airy, petal-like fresh rose, yet it has a fresh acidic side that puts me right in a garden on a Sunny day.
Green, citrussy wine or vinegar-esque brightness, giving a tangy and tart edge to that rose. It has a honeyed sweetness, but it’s not overly sweet at all, more vibrant, yet mature. It’s not nearly as sweet as it’s popular sibling Portrait Of A Lady.
It’s also not as patchouli heavy, although there’s a certain earthiness here as well. Neither this or the old Une Rose that I reviewed felt like it had the famed truffle note that this creation’s concept was based on; I personally just don’t smell it. If anything, the earthy tones are kept more toned down than in the vast majority of fragrances in this genre, with more focus on the rose throughout in Rose Tonnerre.
What I love the most now is the texture and performance. As mentioned, very oily. This denseness feels superb and is rivaled by only a handful rose scents that I know, most notably Jazeel Ghala, which has some overlap with Rose Tonnerre overall. It makes me appreciate it twice as much.
I’m not ready to say that this could overtake Portrait Of A Lady as my favorite Malle rose, nor that I prefer it over Ghala by any means, but I definitely love it a lot more than I remember liking Une Rose some years ago. I got it through a swap, so it was a bit random, but it has earned a permanent place in the collection.
