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Portia
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Hiya Fragrance Lovers,
Andy Tauer was my first niche perfume buy. He holds a special place in my heart because he was a pioneer. He let us see into his process of creating fragrance via his blog and opened a whole new world of ideas. What he was creating was revolutionary. That was the early days of niche and indie perfumes. We are so spoiled by a unbelievable onslaught of newness that I think it’s important to remind you all of some historically great perfumes that may become swamped and overlooked. Incense rose is one such, I’ve had this bottle ever since Andy first brought out the 3 x 15ml Explorer Set. Not sure why I never reviewed it. Remiss.
Incense Rose by Tauer Perfumes 2008
Incense Rose by Andy Tauer
Parfumo gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, Clementine, Cardamom, Wild rose
Heart: Castoreum, Orris root, Frankincense
Base: Myrrh, Patchouli, Vetiver, Texas cedar
Sweet roses and jams, a zingy, bright and slightly green opening. All the citrus cut through pretty quickly by incense and iris but that just serves two highlight the fizzy drink nature of the top notes and ground them. For something that smells so strong initially Incense rose is remarkably diffuse smelling too. It’s huge but not overpowering or ferocious, more like a big friendly but well behaved dog.
PDI
As the wood slides in under the rosy animalic incense, it seems to dry Incense Rose out. This is my favourite part of the fragrance. Still lightly sweet florals with a hint of urinous but now it’s contained in a box. I get mental images of wooden walled saunas.
Longevity is excellent and for the first hour or so the scent is quite large, then it dips back to a soft focus blur of scent. Still sweet rosy but now much attenuated and it’s incense with the upper hand and grassy woods.
Further reading: Olfactoria’s Travels and I Smell Therefore I Am
Men’s Biz has $209/50ml
Surrender To Chance has samples from $4/0.5ml
What is your Tauer of preference?
Portia xx
Australian Perfume Junkies 
I think my fave is my “first:” Lonestar Memories. But, I also wear Rose Flash a lot.
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Has the Lonestar Memories changed Gina
Portia xx
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I am a Tauer fan girl as well. I don’t actually own a full bottle because I still can’t decide which is my favorite, and the budget will inky allow one bottle. I have sampled everything he’s done… a few don’t work for me (Patch Flash is truly evil on my skin) but many loves. Incense Rose is great but my favorite rose is Une Rose Chypree.
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Maybe you should grab a Discovery Set. I like the 3 10mls set. About the same cost as a bottle.
Portia xx
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Thanks for mentioning a Tauer classic, in the flood of new releases it’s easy to forget great scents released a few years ago. It remains one of my top 5 Tauers, along with PHI Rose de Kandahar, LADDM, Incense Extreme, Noontide Petals and Lys du Desert.
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Hey TaraC
What a beautiful list of Tauers
It does worry me that so many amazing frags are becoming a bit left behind.
Portia xx
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Incense Rose was the first Tauer fragrance I purchased. And an early niche purchase as well. I don’t wear it very often since it is quite the commitment, but I like having it available to luxuriate in.
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Hi Nancysg
Quite a commitment is EXACTLY how I feel about Tauers in general
Portia xx
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Thus far I have tried Sotta la Luna Gardenia, PHI, Incense Rose, LDDM, Maroc Pour Elle and Rose Vermeille…the are all MASSIVE on me and it is a bumpy ride until the drydown….I still dont know what to make of them and yet I keep coming back and sampling them over and over again!
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HA! CM, you are definitely one off us. This exact behaviour is being replicated across the globe for perfumistas trying to understand a scent that they don’t get. From Mitsouko to Montale there are people trying and retrying
Enjoy the madness, don’t question it.
Portia xx
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Mine are not from the classic scents. I love Miriam from Tableau de Parfums, a softer Chanel No.5. Cologne du Maghreb, his all-natural scent. A classic citrus, herbal, woody delight.
Sampled Lonestar Memories. Nope!
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Interesting choices Lindaloo,
I love hearing people enjoying the Tableaus, they are very special.
Portia xx
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I have, love, and wear Le Maroc Pour Elle. It matures like wine and is just beautiful. It sums up in a smell, everything I ever was, Hippie, punk, Amsterdammer …… I have only recently begun to like incense, so really need to revisit some of Andy‘s earlier fragrances. xxx
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I can imagine you wafting this Val, I bet you wear it perfectly.
Portia xx
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I love L’Air du Desert Marocain and Noontide Petals but am very curious and will try Incense Rose and others when I’m in Sydney again.
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Yes you will, while we have a perfume morning tea at mine Ingrid.
Portia xx
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I so look forward to seeing you again, Portia!
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I agree that the Tauers are a commitment to wear. I have LDDM but find I don’t wear it very often. Likewise, I have samples of the ‘roses’ (Incense Rose, Une Rose Chypree, Une Rose Vermeille, PHI, Rose Flash) as well as Noontide Petals. I like them all and respect them as great perfumes, but have to be in the mood to ‘go for it’ with any one of them.
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A great way to wear Tauer is after your evening bath or shower AnneT. That way you enjoy it for the night, wear it to bed and wash it off next morning.
Portia xx
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