Organic Moldovan Pink Rose Musk Otto (Gallica)

Adam Michael has this to say” So on the 25th February 2013 and via a third party I obtained some Moldovan produced rose otto, of which I sold under the name of Pink Rose Musk Otto due to the standout powdery musk tonalities.

The third party was a chap in his early sixties, Europe based, worked in this industry all his working life, and he made a living by obtaining and selling all sorts of unusual and highly sought after aromatics. He was an interesting chap although rather snooty for my liking. He then sold his business a few years later and the new owners dropped the Moldovan supplier.

I went on to try and track this down myself, yet it would be Eleonora who would eventually find the producer several years later. Unfortunately, too late though, as they had sold their soul to a big corporate. And first act of business by the corporate – that so many wholeheartedly trust in – was to triple the price of the Moldovan Otto.

And now back to the present, as I type it’s the 16th October 2023, and to my genuine astonishment, a small-scale Moldovan producer reached out to me in the late summer and asked if I would consider the gallica rose otto they produce. Life eh!

Across that 10 year window I have traded rose ottos from many other countries, S.Africa, Japan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Bulgaria, Morocco, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Russia, France, Italy, China, India and possibly more that I have forgotten. Most through the site and a few off site with collectors. This experience leads me to think that back in 2013 I truly didn’t understand the magnitude of how beautiful gallica otto from Moldova really is. (For me its all-time joint top of my beauty charts with the Persian Rose Gold I had in 2022)

So many of us get all wax lyrical about Persian and Taif ottos – me included, (extreme Persian fan boy here) that Moldovan produced material gets overlooked. Yet a strong argument can be made that Moldova – at its very best – produces rose otto of aromatic standards comparable in beauty to the mighty Persian and Taif ottos. Yes, they are damascena roses, and this here is a gallica rose, even more special in my eyes as its a true old garden rose that according to the stories shared around our dinner table – proud Italians – was the rose of choice in Roman times some 2000 years ago. Also, for me personally I feel the Gallica rose provides us with a wider scent spectrum to explore in e.o form, compared with damascena roses regardless of origin.

From the bottle the aroma is lemon custard cupcake and heavily concentrated fresh roses, finished with joyous warm mulled fruit and powdered chocolate tonalities. On the strip this makes me think of standing inside an upmarket Tuscan pâtisserie, the smell of diffused rose water, lemon buttercream cupcakes, the scent of powdered cocoa in the air, toasted hazelnut and a medley of late summer Italian grown fruits, especially plums, peaches and figs.

Applied on my skin, I pick out lots of watery, dewy cold watery rose sensations, trace green musty character, musky tonalities, mulled fruits, powdered orris effects, more chocolate, and play doh plasticine in that Tahitian vanilla form. This aromatic is simply wow, super indulgent and if you love your roses then this is one for your collection. Also certified organic”.

Botanical Name: Rosa gallica

Origin: Moldova (2023 Season)

Alcohol Soluble: Yes

Oil Soluble: Yes

Certified Organic