The Rising Phoenix Group (JK DeLapp): Musk Rose and City Oud Reviews + Hina Attar & Mukhallet Perfume Draw

jk delapp

JK DeLapp

JK DeLapp of Rising Phoenix Group is dedicatedly protecting the production as well as changing the conception of the oud. Two of his latest offerings show the remarkable versatility of oud and merge Middle Eastern perfume aesthetic with Western distinctions..

Vicente Romero Redondo rose musk sunshine

Vicente Romero Redondo

Musk Rose is deceptively simple in formulation; simple if you have access to some of the richest, aromatically unique distillations in the world. Russian rose centifolia is the center piece- light, bright and with the uncanny ability to 'clean' an oud of anything unkempt or even nearing a barnyard. It gives the impression of wild roses along roadsides and trail ways.  An Indian distilled champa, again clean and fresh, adds apple blossom notes, which relieve the Indian staple of its unfair head-shop duties. The result is a silken face-in-flower rose, the same air-diluted aroma of the living plant. Musk is provided by yet another rare Indian distilled Hina attar* and everything is fixed into a traditional menstrum of sandalwood. This provides immense longevity and surprising sillage.  In fact, much of Musk Rose is a surprise- the cleanliness of the musk, the sweet, bright nature of the rose accord… 'musk' is definitely there, but in such a demure way I would call it “muskette” for this is not a heavy nor animalic rose.  JK has managed to turn musk and oud into sunshine and sublime summer. Notes: Russian centifolia rose, Indian champa, Hina musk attar, sandalwood

IRFAN ONURMEN

painting by Turkist Artist irfan önürmen

In contrast, City Oud is the comfort of your cashmere pashmina, the soft warmth of angora sweaters and a sophistication one would expect from a bustling neighborhood in any metropolitan city in the world. Yet, it is formulated within the traditional parameters of Arabic mukhallat compounding. This means there will be no top notes and only containing a minimal rose heart, which serves merely to bind and blend the other ingredients. Tonka beans are macerated into sandalwood, to which proprietary blend of ouds are added and as is the norm- everything is carried by sandalwood instead of a fatty oil or alcohol carrier. Again giving outstanding longevity (overnight in this case), and a projection which again belies the dense formulation. City Oud gives credence to idea of using ouds as replacements for synthetic pre-made bases such as Ebanol and Cashmeran.

1Rose india painting

The Joy of Being Together III, by Syed Thajudeen

All these beloved synthetic bases are present, clarified and simply more beautiful in the experienced oud crafting of  The Rising Phoenix.  City Oud proves natural perfumes can perform and produce at levels a commercial perfume can- and beyond.  Musk Rose and City Oud are easily two of the most accessible creations to come from Rising Phoenix. Notes: A lack of top notes, Rose, Tonka bean, Sandalwood, proprietary Oud blend

Disclosure: Samples were sent to me by The Rising Phoenix Group; opinions my own

Einsof, Natural Perfume Editor

*Hina attar can vary although some raw materials include: lichens and moss, choya, bakul, mehndi, ambrette, turmeric, spikenard, valerian, juniper berry, clove, saffron, ambergris and rose water. The entire process can take between two and four months.

Art Direction-Michelyn

 

Editor's Note:Interested in learning more about creating natural perfumes? Join Aromatic Artist and Chinese Medicine Practitioner JK DeLapp in this free DIY Video Series

rising phoenix oud bottles

Thanks to JK Delapp of The Rising Phoenix Group we have a worldwide draw for a registered ÇaFleureBon reader for their choice of 1 gram ($85USD) of EITHER Musk Rose or City Oud. To be eligible please leave a comment with what you enjoyed about Einsof’s review, where you live and your choice of fragrance. Draw closes 7/13/2015

We announce the winners on our site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume

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31 comments

  • madeleine gallay says:

    Oh Musk Rose please … hoping, wanting.

    A silken wild rose, along roadsides and trail-ways. Love the story, the painting by Vicente Romero Redondo, the innocence in summer. Musk and our into sunshine. In the US.

    Magic, dreaming.

  • I live in the US and I would love to try City Oud! The pure sandalwood base sounds really luscious and intriguing. I love that these are natural perfumes. Great paintings featured in this article, too!

  • fazalcheema says:

    According to Einsof, City Oud seems to be quite loyal to traditional Arabic Attars so I am intrigued where JK DeLapp deviated to give it a western touch. my choice will be City Oud of course..thanks a lot for the draw and best of wishes on your perfumery journey. I am in the US

  • I read and re-read the review. These both sound so luscious! I am hard pressed to choice between these two fragrances, but this rose lover would have to pick Musk Rose. In the US. Cheers.

  • I’m in the US and I would love to win City Oud. Oud is one of my favorite notes, and I’m intrigued by the formulation. And the fact that it lasts through the night is amazing!

  • I just love the idea that someone is doing this! These fragrances sound like spiritual medicine. I would like the Musk Rose. Oud and I don’t get on well.

  • leathermountain says:

    Really one of the hardest choices, out of a lot of hard choices, I’ll go with City Oud if I win. But I especially appreciated learning a bit about Hina attar. I’m registered, in the US, and very grateful you’ve put this on my radar. Thank you!

  • As a rose lover, I appreciated Einsof’s specific and thorough description of the type of rose. “The result is a silken face-in-flower rose, the same air-diluted aroma of the living plant.” Lovely, sounds like my favorite kind of rose scent. I live in the US and would love to try Musk Rose.

  • Oud is a note I often have trouble with but I am intrigued by “Russian rose centifolia is the center piece- light, bright and with the uncanny ability to ‘clean’ an oud of anything unkempt “. I would love to try Musk Rose and experience this for myself. I’m in the USA.

  • Thank you Einsof for alerting me to this line. I like both the reviews so much I think I’d struggle to choose between them, but would pick City Oud if I won.

    Thanks for the draw. I’m in the UK.

  • Wonderful review. It was very good to read, I enjoyed to read this all. It was very interesting. I suppose both are fabulous, but I think my choice would be Musk Rose. I live in Europe.

  • Greennote says:

    Einsof’s description of Musk Rose was beautiful and lyrical, however I know that I’d much prefer to try the sandalwood and oud of City Oud. I’m in Australia.

  • Hard to believe anyone wouldn’t be charmed by this description of rose… it’s the experience I think many of us who love rose notes look for. And I love that I had to look up this word: menstrum. I live in the US and would enjoy trying Musk Rose.

  • bunchofpants says:

    Einsof has sold me completely on City Oud: “the comfort of your cashmere pashmina, the soft warmth of angora sweaters and a sophistication one would expect from a bustling neighborhood in any metropolitan city in the world.” So of course, my choice would be City Oud! I’m in USA,

  • luvmarley says:

    What a hard decision! I like the review of the City Oud for the quote used above ^^ – what a lovely way to describe a scent. But alas, I am more of a rose lover, and the rose/musk combo is just perfect for my preferences. I am in the US, thanks for the chance.

  • The description of the musk rose.

    I am in Canada and would like to try Musk Rose.

    Thanks for the chance.

  • thegoddessrena says:

    Musk Rose sounds lovely and I never knew about hina attar which sounds intriguing in its own right plus a good champa note……

  • Rose Musk would suit my penchant for Rose! Descriptions like ‘silken face’ and ‘sunshine and sublime summer’ are what I loved about this review. I have to say generally the descriptions of the perfumes on this site would have me slipping my purse out in no time would i be in a store with someone explaining the perfumes to me. I am a US registered reader. Thank you for this draw

  • I would love to try the Rose Musk (either really). The musk formula sounds lovely. I love roses and the image of the roadside train track rose bush is enchanting. Thanks for the draw – I’m in the US.

  • Valentine Girl says:

    While both sound lovely, I immediately knew I would select City Oud! Intrigued by the complete lack of top notes, and tonka beans macerated in sandalwood + really, really g”oud” oud! Thanks for the link to the DIY video series, as well as the opportunity to sample the perfume. USA resident.

  • Lovely review as always! Both sounds like incredible creations, and I love the story you put to the both of them. I’m a big fan of florals, so Rose Musk immediately got my attention. That would be my choice!

    I’m in Canada and thank you so much for the draw!

  • Dubaiscents says:

    Living in a place where Oud scents abound, I always love to see what someone like Mr. DeLapp can do to create something unique. I think City Oud sounds very interesting with the mix of tonka, oud and sandalwood. I would love to give it try, thanks for the draw!

  • Thank you for the reviews and draw. The description of Musk Rose was lovely and made me think of how I enjoy actual roses more than many rose scents–there is something about the fragrant aura of a living plant. I liked learning about Indian Hina attar too!

    Ultimately though City Oud would be my choice, because the warm fuzzy cashmere description had me longing for sweater weather!
    USA

  • Great review! I’m been on the hunt for the perfect rose fragrance for a really long time now. I’ve tried countless, and a few have been incredible, but this sounds like it might be one of the best! Musk Rose sounds so pure and elegant and one of the fragrances that would make you feel a million times more confident by just wearing it. Musk Rose would be my choice and I’m in Canada!

  • I enjoyed Einsof’s review and, while I would not normally have been drawn to Musk Rose, his opinion that “JK has managed to turn musk and oud into sunshine and sublime summer,” sold me. I live in the U.S and my choice of fragrance would be Musk Rose.

  • Greg Mayne says:

    Another fantastic review by Einsof. Both sound brilliant. I’m not much of an oud fan, but City Oud sounds very wearable and appealing. However, I have to pick Musk Rose! Words cannot express how I feel about that fragrance. It definitely sounds like a masterpiece.

    Canada

  • It was fascinating to read about perfumes that have great longevity and projection, without the synthetics usually deemed necessary. I’m in the U.S., and I’d choose City Oud–I haven’t worn an angora sweater since high school, but the comparison is compelling.

  • “In fact, much of Musk Rose is a surprise- the cleanliness of the musk, the sweet, bright nature of the rose is definitely there, but in such a demure way I would call it muskette for this is not a heavy nor animalic rose…..JK has managed to turn musk and oud into sunshine and sublime summer”….. this is what I found very interesting in Einsofs review plus the notes: Russian centifolia rose, Indian champa, Hina musk attar, sandalwood so my choice would be Musk Rose.
    I live in EU and I thank you for this lovely review and draw.

  • It takes skill to open up a rose’s bouquet, and on top of this, the ingredients are natural and the base an oil. How to make a scent for today, in the traditional manner, using sandalwood or oud as a base? JK may well have the answer. I’ll know it when I smell it– hopefully I shall win the sample. of Musk Rose. Thanks Einsof for the review!

  • I enjoyed this review, especially einsof’s description of the differences between musk rose and city oud. City oud would be my choice, as it sounds like it has the softness I crave. Thanks for the draw, I’m in the US.

  • I have never tried a traditional attar. these both sound spectacular. I am in the EU and would like to try City Oud.