The Merchant of Venice is one of the brands that I heard a lot about but never really got a chance to try. The Perfume Society came to the rescue again and organised yet another wonderful event at the House of Fraser to introduce us to the brand and celebrate the launch of the new perfume Rosa Moceniga.
Rosa Moceniga started as a project between The Merchant of Venice and author Andrea Di Robilant who wrote “Chasing the Rose” that tells the story of how this rose was imported from France by Lucia Mocenigo, through close friendship with Josephine Bonaparte, to the gardens of the Mocenigo family’s historic home in Alvisopoli where it still grows untamed, fragrant and silent among the shady branches of the estate. Initially a rose from China, rare and precious, it is one of the long-lost China varieties that nineteenth-century European growers had brought from China and mixed with local varieties, but which have since disappeared.
The rose itself is vibrant pink and delicate, grows in a shrub around the family’s estate and is highly perfumed. The perfume retains the same feel, a light and airy rose scent blended with precious flowers, vanilla and amber.
Top notes are rose, Sicilian bergamot and cassis; middle notes are rose, magnolia and pink lotus; base notes are rose, musk, white cedar extract, vanilla absolute and crystal amber.
It’s a very vibrant and luscious perfume. It opens with a hint of spice, the rose blended with fruits, peach and raspberry and emphasized with fresh spring magnolias and pink lotus. The sweet rose scent has great longevity on the skin and over time it turns into a warm skin scent where the rose floats into a musky cloud sweetened by the vanilla absolute. It is a lovely and unique rose scent indeed.
During the event we also had a chance to taste The Merchant of Venice champagne
and also take a look and sniff more perfumes of the collection. My favourites included Byzantium Saffron and Suave Petals.
What I found really interesting is The Perfumer Kit they have on sale. Each incudes two bases and six facets to mix so you can create your own custom blend. They have 4 sets on offer, the Chypre & Fruity, the Floral & Oriental, the Citrus & Musk and the Woody & Fougère, all great options if you like a little bit of experimentation; it makes a great gift for any perfume lover that wants to create something a little more custom.
Also the main Eau de Parfum line is accompanied by forty Eau De Toilette monothematic fragrances that represent the main European and Asian raw materials and olfactory families. They can be worn by themselves, in combination and with your own perfume to add something extra and unique. My favourite is Black Pepper, the perfect way to spice up any perfume!
If the road takes you to Oxford Street do try to pop into House of Fraser and give them a try. Or even better if your travels take you to Venice, a visit to their flagship store in the heart of the city or the Palazzo Mocenigo museum is a must!
