Fragrance news: Curio Noir unveils Pūrotu Rose

Midway through last year, luxurious home and beauty brand Curio Noir unveiled a range of exquisite handmade perfumes, while simultaneously celebrating the opening of their flagship store on Ponsonby Road. For those unfamiliar with the brand, Curio Noir was founded in 2011 by Jeans and has grown into one of Australasia’s most luxurious perfumery and candle ranges. Tiffany crafted a series of hand-cast skull candles individually wrapped in tulle for each guest at her wedding, and it was from this labour of love that the idea for Curio Noir grew.

Darkly alluring and reminiscent of a Parisian atelier, Curio Noir's flagship store is in the space formerly occupied by Wunderkammer at 76a Ponsonby Road, and is a veritable feast for the senses. Within its walls you’ll find the sought after line of Curio Noir glass candles, CN Absolute Parfum, Curio Noir hard soaps and leather coasters, exclusive Zora Bell Boyd jewellery and a range of Comme Des Garcons fragrance.

The Absolute Parfum perfumery line has to be played with to be believed, and is currently made up of several unisex fragrances crafted by Curio Noir creator Tiffany Jeans and mixed by perfumers in Grasse, France. Called Opia, Diaphanous, Tobacco Night and Dark Bouquet, they are now joined by the dirty, sensual and heady Pūrotu Rose, which I for one, have not been able to put down.

Pūrotu Rose means “Handsome Rose” in Māori, and was inspired by the scents that swirled around Jeans at a tangi (or funeral), where soil, smoke and rose filled the air. With notes of Rose Otto Absolute, Rose de Mai, Bitter Orange, Cumin, Pink Pepper, Haiti Vetyver and Cistus, balanced out with Teak Wood and Javanese Vetyver, it is not a scent for the faint of heart and proudly unisex in appeal.

Tiffany says of the new release, “Pūrotu Rose is a spicy, woody, dirty rose fragrance and a meaningful fragrance for me. It was inspired by a childhood memory I have of my Great Grandfather’s tangi. The day was incredibly hot, and three very distinct scents filled the air – a  rich, earthy scent from the soil; smoke from the hangi cooking for lunch and the sweet scent of roses that adorned the tables”. The resulting Parfum is somewhat of a paradox – it is a rosy scent that is deeply spicy with wooden undertones, and is an extract de parfum for men and women.

Pūrotu Rose is available in either a 5ml petite French perfume bottle (RRP $40), or 50ml bottle (RRP $240.00). From the flagship store only, customers can select their own hand-blown, bespoke glass bottle made in collaboration with Monmouth Glass Studio and have it filled with up to 100mls of fragrance, from RRP$380.  

Pūrotu Rose and other Curionoir objects of desire are available now from exclusive boutiques in New Zealand, London, Prague, New York, the Curionoir flagship store and curionoir.com