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This is surprisingly good. I say "surprisingly" because Creed, for all its prestige, does not have such a great track record when it comes to floral fragrances. Let's face it: Vanisia, 2000 Fleurs, and Tubereuse Indiana aren't making anyone's Top 10 list.
The opening of Fleur de Thé Rose Bulgare is an explosion of old-fashioned soliflore rose, swimming in green tea. Also floating around in there are massive lumps of ambergris, Creed-style. Which, to me, makes this a little unusual; rose mixed with ambergris and tea is a weird combo when you think about it. Stranger still is that Creed took the name "Tea Rose" literally, infusing a deliberate tea note alongside a conventional rose, rather than letting the natural scent of the hybridized tea rose flower speak for itself. Unfortunately, there is a brief alcohol hit off the top, which does pass with lightning speed, but for a scent at this price point, I expect alcohol to be altogether absent from the mix.
Having experienced Fleur de Thé Rose Bulgare, I better understand where Hammam Bouquet by Penhaligon's is coming from. They both share a slightly powdery, dusty rose. Where Hamman's flower turns flat and synthetic, Creed's progresses into a ripe, pink fullness that is quite gratifying. Longevity is terrific, especially for this label - I got a solid 12 hours out of this (with only 5 spritzes from a tiny sample atomizer). It was never overbearing or cloying. I can't comment on packaging because mine was a sample. Complexity is fair, but not the strongest point for Fleur de Thé Rose Bulgare. While the combo of rose/tea/ambergris is a pleasant and uplifting ensemble, the whole thing is a little transparent. It's obvious to me that, instead of getting into ingredients that could provide a subtle spiciness and woodsy texture to the scent, Creed aimed for an olfactory illusion and copped out with their favorite whale-based constituent. It works, but I think something else would have worked better.
That said, this is a fine fragrance. It reminds me of Hammam Bouquet, to the point where I have no doubt a man could pull this off. But unlike the Bouquet, Fleur de Thé Rose Bulgare maintains a fresh, natural profile throughout its long life. This is recommended.
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This is surprisingly good. I say "surprisingly" because Creed, for all its prestige, does not have such a great track record when it comes to floral fragrances. Let's face it: Vanisia, 2000 Fleurs, and Tubereuse Indiana aren't making anyone's Top 10 list.
The opening of Fleur de Thé Rose Bulgare is an explosion of old-fashioned soliflore rose, swimming in green tea. Also floating around in there are massive lumps of ambergris, Creed-style. Which, to me, makes this a little unusual; rose mixed with ambergris and tea is a weird combo when you think about it. Stranger still is that Creed took the name "Tea Rose" literally, infusing a deliberate tea note alongside a conventional rose, rather than letting the natural scent of the hybridized tea rose flower speak for itself. Unfortunately, there is a brief alcohol hit off the top, which does pass with lightning speed, but for a scent at this price point, I expect alcohol to be altogether absent from the mix.
Having experienced Fleur de Thé Rose Bulgare, I better understand where Hammam Bouquet by Penhaligon's is coming from. They both share a slightly powdery, dusty rose. Where Hamman's flower turns flat and synthetic, Creed's progresses into a ripe, pink fullness that is quite gratifying. Longevity is terrific, especially for this label - I got a solid 12 hours out of this (with only 5 spritzes from a tiny sample atomizer). It was never overbearing or cloying. I can't comment on packaging because mine was a sample. Complexity is fair, but not the strongest point for Fleur de Thé Rose Bulgare. While the combo of rose/tea/ambergris is a pleasant and uplifting ensemble, the whole thing is a little transparent. It's obvious to me that, instead of getting into ingredients that could provide a subtle spiciness and woodsy texture to the scent, Creed aimed for an olfactory illusion and copped out with their favorite whale-based constituent. It works, but I think something else would have worked better.
That said, this is a fine fragrance. It reminds me of Hammam Bouquet, to the point where I have no doubt a man could pull this off. But unlike the Bouquet, Fleur de Thé Rose Bulgare maintains a fresh, natural profile throughout its long life. This is recommended.
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