NEW FRAGRANCE Neil Morris Fragrances The Rose Tattoo + Giveaway

 

Neil Morris is alive and well, and continues to create fragrances that add to our olfactive vocabulary.

 

Sometimes The Big Fella is impassioned by memory; often, it’s a person or place that moves him.

 

From time to time, he reworks a project he’s begun, and put aside for awhile- then strikes gold. Other times, he tweaks and tweaks a new perfume that he’s all fired up about.

 

When I caught up with him one recent afternoon, we were doing some mighty hefty sniffing.

 I saw a familiar name on a bottle, and when I got a whiff, I grinned at him:

 

“You’ve TWEAKED this one since the last time!

OOOOH!“

 

 

The Rose Tattoo

 

 

 

Neil had been inspired by a woman he’d met in a motorcycle shop.

One of those people whom it is easy to dismiss, perhaps-

Not as tough as she looked in her leathers, bearing a rose tattoo on her arm…

She was one of the kindest, gentlest souls he had ever met; he wanted to create a homage to her.

A testament to her very goodness.

 

I inquired:

Was he aware of the Tennessee Williams play, or the film, of the same name ?

Had that been an influence as well?

Ironically, he hadn’t.

And he’s an avid film fan.

 

Oh my.

The plot thickens.

 

 

 

So, what have these two in common ?

 

Both the scent and the film- are sweet, passionate, and a little bit rough on the surface.

 

The film stars knockout Anna Magnani as a young widow, who withdraws after the death of her husband, a miscarriage, and a nasty secret is revealed to her.

Glorious young Burt Lancaster plays the new love interest [a truck driver] that restores her to vitality.

The entire drama unfolds in steamy Louisiana, in a poverty-stricken Italian-American community.

 

 

 

This perfume begins with a green fruitiness that belies the darkness beneath.

Green ivy, cassis, and papaya combine to produce a freshness that feels innocent and juicy.

The rose that follows is the very lovely Givaudan rose, hand-in-glove with rosewood; this modulates the sweetness and is very balancing.

 

The base lists patchouli, Iso E Super, leather, and amber.

Neil is notoriously fond of patchouli; I’m not a huge fan of Iso E Super in large amounts.

Fortunately, there is a deft blending of base notes here, the leather feeling soft, not spiky.

 

Unlike Gotham, which possesses the naughtiness of narcissus and the labdanum which bring out the growl-

Rose Tattoo is all beautiful earthy sweetness with just a crack of the whip.

 

Not unlike the magnificent Magnani herself.

And that lovely, nameless girlchild in the bike shop.

 

Ida Meister, Senior Editor

Thanks to the generosity of Neil Morris Fragrances we have a bottle of The Rose Tattoo to giveaway. Just leave a comment by 11PM EST Sunday July 18th and you will be eligible for this draw.

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17 comments

  • I didn't use to like patchouli, but now it has grown on me, thanks to some light perfumes like the classique Eau de Rochas (can you get patchouli there?) or État libre d'Orange glorious Nombril Immense.
    Patchouli and roses made of Paestum Rose a lovely fragrance, so I'd love to try this The Rose Tattoo.
    Please, enter me in the draw! Thanks to you and to Neil Morris!

  • I'm not normally a fan of patchouli either (in fact, Paestum Rose didn't really work for me) but I recently really fell for two patch-heavy frags: I Love Carrottes and Cannabis Santal. And you can never go wrong with Neil Morris!  Please enter me in the contest!! 🙂

  • A new perfume from a creator like Neil Morris is very exciting. I adore his  Dark Season, Spectral Violet was a revelation. Please enter me in a draw. Thank you.

  • melody webb says:

    i love this website, i found it through mutual friends on facebook!  i love the beautiful art accents and parfumerie' expertise par excellence'!   i would love to win this scent, it sounds so enchanting! God's blessings, peace, love, joy, prosperity and happiness for you and all of your loved ones always!  from melody

  • Not a big fan of patchouli, but would love to smell combination of rose and leather. Please enter me in the contest.

  • David Ecker says:

    Patchouli is wonderful but it all depends on how its used. I loved Patchoul in Amouage Jubilation. I also like Patchouli in Oriens.  Patchouli Patch is outstanding as well. Count me in!

  • Chaya, as always, lyrical writing! You enrich my life with your expressive heart. I'm so happy you enjoy Rose Tattoo and wear it in Good Health. Thanks for taking the time to write this review. And thanks to all of you for your comments. Look forward to sending a bottle to one of you!

    Love, Neil

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    Ron…
     
    He was sweet, off-kilter, brilliant, a bit disturbed. He taught Nabokov in it’s original Russian. He sent perfect letters decorated with hand-drawn butterflies around the border. His cats drank the milk out of his cereal as he ate it. He was a two-fisted drinker who treated my headaches with bouquets of Tiger Lillies. I called him my vacation; he asked to be my real life. He wore Patchouli essential oil exclusively. It was on every shirt, whispers settled into the couch pillows and towels, along with tufts of cat hair. He would have loved, “The Original of Laura” Nabokov’s final and unfinished novel, which he might have read on a bench on a cool night in St. Mark’s Place, not to impress, simply to enjoy. His patchouli oil riding the breeze of a NYC night.

  • I'm sorry about the different fonts. How I get dressed and out of the house is sometimes a mystery to me; forget the computer.
    Hugs,
    Christine (chrisskins)
     
    PS: This doesn't count as a sly second entry.

  • Valentine says:

    This sounds very interesting–I loved reading this post and would like to be entered into the draw.

  • Although I don't know Neil personally, I've read so much about his beautiful creations.  This one sounds so gorgeous!! Please enter me in the draw – thanks!

  • chayaruchama says:

    Neil does not disappoint, and loves nothing more than to explore and create bespokes.
    You can see how warm he is, and unaffected.
    I'm thrilled to be able to bring earned attention to a new offering.
    Thanks, Big Guy 😉

  • Ida and Neil,
    You both have such a wonderful way, in words and scent, of capturing the beauty of surprise juxtapositions and revelations.  This composition sounds lovely and lively.
    Leah