Another niche fragrance label from Australia has been delighting us for a few weeks at Aus Liebe zum Duft, namely Fort & Manlé. Seven fragrances comprise the portfolio of the brand from Down Under as well as a Discovery Set, which I have for testing purposes. At first glance, the names of the creations do not necessarily suggest the origin of the fragrance house: Harem Rose, Fatih Sultan Mehmed, Amber Absolutely, All the Queen’s Men, Honiara, Late Harvest and Bojnokopff sound partly very oriental.
The fragrances are still “Made in Melbourne”, but as I could see from a recent Instagram post, the headquarters of the label Fort & Manlé will soon be moved to the United Arab Emirates. However, the brand itself – according to the article – should remain Australian at heart.
Perfumer and founder of Fort & Manlé is Rasei Fort, an experimental self-taught perfumer and lover of exquisite creations. His grandfather lived in Cyprus and he himself came into contact with precious agarwood and rose oils in Saudi Arabia in the mid-2000s, which strengthened his desire to create his own perfume brand.
A self-taught artist who is well-researched and meticulous in his methods, Rasei blends artisanal oils and extracts to create a nuanced balance that is truly unique to Fort & Manlé. The flavors created for Fort & Manlé are as rich and inspiring as the imagination of the founder. They combine the sensations of the modern and the “old world”, from the pomp of great empires to the seductive allure of romantic seduction and the fresh paradise of exotic islands.
A first fragrance of the brand I would like to introduce to you today, and that is Harem Rose. First, a few words about the wonderful look of the bottles. How beautiful are they? Nostalgic, sophisticated and noble, they round off the overall package of these exquisite compositions in a stylish and elegant way.
Harem Rose – fragrant seduction
A rose fragrance opens our series of contributions to the collection of Fort & Manlé and due to the epithet Harem I expect here quite a somewhat more opulent and perhaps also more daring composition, which is due to the yet clear name reference to the Orient. In addition, I could imagine that the fragrance is a feminine creation, because a harem is known to consist of several women. Each eau de parfum Fort & Manlé has put a poem to the side, which I find very nice.
Rose petals fill the air
Your seduction has just begun
Relax and close your eyes
Feel the soft velvet touch
Warm comfort and gentle caress
Shadow in moonlight
Beautiful and light
The fragrance notes I may of course also reveal to you. Perfumer and founder Rasei Fort used for Harem Rose the ingredients rose, amber, benzoin, vanilla, woods, musk and vetiver.
Harem Rose – the rose fragrance by Fort & Manlé
The eau de parfum Harem Rose does not wear a label in noble pink for nothing. The fragrance reveals lush rose nuances right from the start, carried by a wonderful, honeyed nectar sweetness. From the beginning, this very protagonist is underpinned by leathery-woody and amber nuances that give her dark facets and depth.
It is not a carefree youthful innocent girlish rose we are dealing with here, but an elegant adult flower that knows what it wants. A fragrant femme fatale, a seductress as she is in the book. Vetiver brings gentle woody and earthy accents to the composition, while benzoin resin and vanilla provide a spicy-creamy base into which the queen of flowers is only too happy to fall.
Rose fans and those who prefer woody-floral creations should definitely put Harem Rose by Fort & Manlé on their to-try list. A beautiful and – despite all the lush rose notes – not overflowing floral fragrance with woody-spicy and amber-creamy undertones. Finely balanced, very noble and elegant, with a touch of nostalgia, yet modern, Harem Rose reveals a good first glimpse of the skills of perfumer and founder Rasei Fort and really makes you want more. A creation for every season, age and gender, which in my eyes can be worn for any occasion. 🙂
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