This rose already smells like perfume.

Soft. Full. Honeyed. Green around the petals. Beautifully Centifolia.

Some roses are bright and transparent.
Some are darker and more structured.

Centifolia does something else entirely.

It feels fuller, softer and more enveloping — a rose with body. Honeyed petals, gentle fruitiness, fresh green facets and a subtle waxy richness all seem to sit together from the beginning.

This is Hundred-Petal Rose, our steam-distilled Rosa centifolia grown in a certified organic plantation in Bulgaria’s Rose Valley.

Fresh flowers are harvested and distilled on site, preserving the living floral character of one of perfumery’s most celebrated rose species.

At a glance

• What it is: Certified organic Rosa centifolia essential oil
• Also known as: Hundred-Petal Rose, May Rose, Cabbage Rose
• Character: Rich floral rose, honeyed sweetness, soft greenery and gentle fruitiness
• What makes it interesting: A steam-distilled Centifolia — a rose more commonly encountered in perfumery as an absolute
• Who it’s for: Perfumers, rose collectors and anyone wanting to understand rose beyond a simple fragrance note
• How to use: Fine fragrance, attars, natural perfumery, skincare formulation, aromatherapy or trace application on skin
  

The aroma

Hundred-Petal Rose (Centifolia) opens with a full, soft rose rather than a sharp or highly lifted floral impression.

There is an immediate honeyed sweetness, but it stays natural and balanced. Underneath that sits a light fruity quality, fresh green facets and a slightly waxy floral depth that gives the oil more body.

Compared with Damascena, the shape is rounder and more enveloping.

The rose feels less about brightness and more about volume, softness and petal-like richness.

As it settles, the green character becomes more noticeable and keeps the sweetness from becoming too dense. The result is a rose that feels complete without becoming heavy.

That extraction is part of what makes this oil especially interesting.

Centifolia is much more commonly encountered in perfumery as an absolute. Steam-distilled Centifolia essential oil is far less common because the flower produces a very small essential-oil yield.

Here, you experience the flower in a cleaner, more transparent form while still retaining the soft, full character Centifolia is known for.

Wearing the material

Used sparingly, Hundred-Petal Rose opens with soft floral sweetness before becoming warmer and rounder on skin.

Honey, green petals and subtle fruit remain close to the skin, giving the oil a gentle, naturally perfumed quality without behaving like a finished fragrance.

In perfumery

Centifolia has been important in fine fragrance for generations and is closely associated with classical floral perfumery.

Its strength is not simply that it smells like rose.
It brings body, softness and natural floral volume to a composition.
It works particularly well with jasmine, sandalwood, musk, amber, iris, oud and other rose materials.

For perfumers and collectors, it is also especially interesting to smell beside Damascena. The two share the same broad floral family, but their structure and behaviour are noticeably different.

Technical details

• Material: Hundred-Petal Rose / Rose Centifolia Essential Oil
• Botanical name: Rosa centifolia L.
• Origin: Bulgaria
• Extraction method: Steam distillation
• Volume supplied: 1 mL and 3 mL

Please note: If you are buying 1mL quantity, it will come in a 3mL bottle where it will appear approximately one-third full. This is normal and intentional.

Aromatic profile

• Full, soft rose
• Honeyed sweetness
• Fresh green facets
• Gentle fruitiness
• Slight waxy depth
  

Uses

• High-end perfumery
• Luxury attars
• Aromatherapy
• Skincare formulations
• Standalone skin perfume (trace application)

Additional notes

This rose otto may crystallize at temperatures below 20°C. This is a natural characteristic of high-quality rose otto and a sign of purity. Gently warm the bottle in your hands and shake lightly (with the cap secured) to restore it to liquid form.

What is rose otto?

In natural perfumery, otto refers to pure essential oil obtained through steam distillation. The term originates from the Arabic word itr, meaning essence or perfume.

Rose otto is especially valued when taken from early distillation fractions, where freshness, clarity, and structural integrity are preserved.

What is Rose Centifolia?

Rosa centifolia is also known as the Hundred-Petal Rose or May Rose.

The flowers are densely packed with petals, and the species is valued in perfumery for its softer, fuller and more honeyed character compared with many other rose materials.

Centifolia is most commonly encountered as an absolute, which makes a steam-distilled essential oil particularly interesting for perfumers and collectors wanting to experience another side of this famous rose.

The Raw Natural Collection showcases rare and exceptional oils, carefully curated from our private library. Some of these oils appear in our perfumes, while others remain untouched — each a reflection of true material craftsmanship.