TEN, TWELVE OR TWENTY TERRIFIC TUBEROSES

The reference tuberoses:

  • Fracas - Robert Piguet1948

The originaldiva powerhouse tuberose

  • Carnal Flower - Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle20

Eucalyptus, cool green florist shop, then rich and creamy

The 1980s: Death by tuberose, shoulder pads, big hair, long nails…

  • Gorgio– Giorgio Beverly Hills1981
  • Poison- Christian Dior1985

Weird tuberoses

  • Tubereuse criminelle- Serge Lutens1999

The full menthol/dirty carpet experience which mellows into the flower

  • Tubereuse 3 Animale- Histoire de Parfums 2009

Tobacco, immortelle burnt caramel scent

  • Nuit de Tubereuse - L’Artisan Parfumeur 2010

Pepper, Mango, broom then spice and woods

Tuberose bouquets

  • Les jardins de Bagatelle 1983

Very French, very elegant bouquet of white flowers

  • La chasse aux Papillons- L’Artisan Parfumeur 1999

happy tuberose

  • Honour Woman–Amouage2011

Madam Butterfly tuberose – starts as a fruity floral with rhubarb, opens into a tuberose bouquet and ends as woody oriental with incense, leather, vetiver

  • Caron Tubereuse – Caron ladylike and lovely2004
  • So Nude – Costume National 2012

Slightly spicy and rosy with a woody base – quiet, delicate and intimate which is unusual for tuberose – no sillage but a close up scent which is still there when you think it’s gone (enjoy your sample and thanks again to Libertine for their generosity)

Mainstream tuberoses

  • Michael - Michael Kors2000

Freesia and osmanthus as well as iris and tuberose with a musky base. Lasts really well – too well?

  • Gucci Flora Gracious Tuberose- Gucci2012

Part of the Flora family; light and pretty – if you could get a tuberose shampoo it might be like this

  • Douglas Hannant- Robert Piguet2011

Well-behaved, well-dressed, well coiffed – no risks

  • Tuberose Gardenia – Estee Lauder Private Collection2007

green, woody, elegant, cool and rich all at once

Gourmand tuberoses

  • Vamp a New York – Honore des Pres2009

Hit the rum bottle – dry and boozy at first, with vanilla and resins coming in later but nevertheless transparent and light

  • Tubereuse Couture – Perfumerie Generale2010

Citrus and sugar cane with some jasmine – subtle, delicious

  • Petit Fracas - Robert Piguet2012

Fracas with fruit – pear, berries, chocolate – for chocolate addicts

Competing with tuberose

  • Fleurs d’Oranger- Serge Lutens1995

It’s orange blossom .. no, it’s tuberose, no it’s orange blossom, no…

  • Lys41- Le Labo2013

Yes there are lilies in there but jasmine, tiare flower and masses of ripe creamy heady tuberose– perfect for summer evenings outdoors on bare arms. Luscious.

Natural tuberoses (all from not available in Australia); these contain no synthetic ingredients at all

  • Star FlowerAnya’s Garden –these are the stale Indian spices which have been in the pantry for years and are destined for the bin (but several people liked it and one person liked it enough to take it home and says it’s good!)
  • Night blossom:AbdesSalaam Attar– incense tuberose – interesting and powerful
  • Cradle of light- CB I hate perfume – green and citrusy turning to rich white flowers – loved it and I’m not a naturals lover

Availability in Sydney

Christian Dior widely available at Dior counters throughout Australia

Costume National - David Jones (downstairs at the Creed stand near the exit to Westfield); online from (free shipping in Australia)

Editions de Parfums – Mecca at Myer Sydney (also Melbourne) and online online from also online from

Le Labo - Mecca at Myer Sydney (also Melbourne ); online from also online from

Giorgio Beverly Hills – widely available from department stores to discount stores

Gucci – widely available in department stores

Honore des Pres –

Michael Kors – widely available in department stores

Parfumerie Generale – only online from

Serge Lutens – all Mecca stores and online also online from

Robert Piguet – David Jones (downstairs at the Creed stand near the exit to Westfield); online from (free shipping in Australia)

Selected quotes on tuberose by perfume writers and bloggers

Tuberose … flamboyant, assertive, provocatively feminine, it burst(s) with the self-confidence of a woman wholly desired. …A cold, venomous green bitch-slap subsumed in narcotic, creamy, coconut-white flesh betraying hints of a rubber soul. (Denyse Beaulieu)

Fracas said “I am woman, hear me roar”, Tubéreuse Criminelle said “don’t you mess with me, baby” and Carnal Flower whispered something about hot summer nights; Beyond Love (beautiful but not much personality) tossed her hair and said “I come in a satin-lined black lacquer box with a lock and key, and I cost more than the rest of you” And Nuit de Tubéreuse? She says nothing at all, just smiles slyly over her shoulder and then disappears into the night. (Now Smell This)

Carnal Flower: The top notes are euphorically beautiful, a perfectly-judged floral accord that shimmers between the healthy vulgarity of tuberose and the rich, mouthwatering freshness of jasmine

GiorgioNo dogs, no Giorgio…

The secret of Giorgio was the discovery of an accord that could stand up to a monstrously powerful tuberose while extending it in interesting directions. Two heroically strong aromachemicals were drafted; one…an intense fruity-peppery ester reminiscent of pineapples, and the second a ..base made of helional (a fresh almondy, marine material and methyl anthranilate (the Concord grape smell). The result was a cute, twelve-foot-tall singing canary, at first impossible to ignore and at length too big to love.(Luca Turin)

Poison

‘ This is the fragrance that cost me a couple of friendships and one good working relationship. It is also unquestionably the best dressed-up, syrupy tuberose in history.. every perfume lover must have this but please never ever wear it to dinner.’ (Luca Turin)

Jardins de Bagatelle –

a grande dame among droids(Luca Turin)

La chasse aux Papillons

It still thrills me whenever I smell it. I cannot sulk wearing La Chasse Aux Papillons, just like I cannot feel blue looking at Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s works. Both are full of light and serenity.’ (Bois de Jasmin)