Style Edit: Henry Jacques' 3 new perfumes, based on its HJ Rose de Mai absolute

South China Morning Post

21-02-2025

Henry Jacques is known as a creator of some of the finest fragrances money can buy. That's because of the decades of expertise built up by the maison, based in the long-standing European perfume capital of Grasse, France, and the exquisite craftsmanship it brings to its scents. But it's also because of the superlative quality of the ingredients it insists on using – of which none has been more central to its journey than the rose. The rose is celebrated in Henry Jacques' new limited edition Collection de l'Atelier. Photo: Handout
It's the star ingredient in one of Henry Jacques' signature scents, the captivating Rose Snow de HJ. Here, notes of rose blend with iris in a perfume that boasts a surprising texture; with crystals that form thanks to the use of rose wax in the blend, it feels as if it melts into the skin like snow. Henry Jacques is known for its obsessive pursuit of olfactory perfection. Photo: Handout
With its new, limited edition Collection de l'Atelier, Henry Jacques has clutched the rose even closer to its heart. Not content with sourcing the finest roses, the house has based the three new scents in the collection on HJ Rose de Mai absolute, extracted from roses it has produced itself, on land adjoining its new atelier in France. The perfect rose-growing terroir there is complemented by certified organic production methods, including cultivation using horses, the use of natural fertilisers and harvesting by hand. Henry Jacques' Collection de l'Atelier: Rose Très Rose, Rose Soleil and Rose Azur. Photo: Handout
The Collection de l'Atelier is based exclusively on the 2023 harvest, and presents the purest essence of rose, with honey and herb notes evolving into something spicier.
One of the three perfumes, Rose Très Rose celebrates the absolute in all its glory, with an intense rose fragrance complemented by notes of jasmine, violet, oud, iris and patchouli. The other fragrances push the rose into sophisticated new directions: delicate, warm, spicy Rose Soleil introduces a complex palette of clove, sandalwood, patchouli and ylang-ylang; while Rose Azur wraps the bloom in dry, woody, zesty notes, offset by the likes of hyacinth, narcissus, coriander and carnation. Henry Jacques grows its own roses using sustainable methods. Photo: Handout
The three fragrances are presented as Les Essences, the purest version of Henry Jacques perfumes. Each comes in a 30ml flacon lined up together inside a handcrafted chest, in a collection limited to just 500 pieces. There are also 10 special Coffrets Sur-Mesure, bespoke presentations containing only Rose Très Rose. The three perfumes will only be made this year, but prepare yourself for an equally ravishing collection of rosy delights next year – as long as the harvest allows.