Dolce & Gabbana Dolce Rosa Excelsa Eau de Parfum — Young Love Is In The Air At The Dolce Garden
When I think of the ever-expanding collection of Dolce & Gabbana Dolce perfumes, I picture Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana taking on the role of curators of a magnificent fragrance garden, drafting a landscape design that delineates where to plant each bloom, meticulously selecting seeds of both familiar and exotic flower species, testing the soil’s pH level, carefully deciding when the soil is ready and the season is optimal for planting a specific bloom, pulling weeds and mulching their flower beds, determining which decorative details to add (a cobblestone walkway here, a stone wall there, an idyllic pond with a wooden bridge to the far left, and so forth), and pruning blossoming flowers as needed — all while wearing the most stylish gloves and tool belts (think printed, lace-adorned, gem-encrusted, and adorned with three-dimensional resin flowers, something akin to the headphones they released for Spring 2015). Which is all to say that each new release feels organic but also premeditated, that there’s a rhyme and a reason to the order in which they’ve introduced each new scent and the way they’ve expanded upon their initial Dolce perfume to create a cohesive and harmonious family of aromas.
After focusing on the white amaryllis for their Dolce EDP, and then adding some neroli leaves for the Dolce Floral Drops EDT, Domenico and Stefano decided to add some color to their all-white floral garden, turning their attention on the deep pink Turkish rose (while keeping the white floral motif going by also focusing on the African dog rose). The result of their fascination: the new Dolce Rosa Excelsa Eau de Parfum ($74 for 30ml, $93 for 50ml, and $117 for 75ml at Sephora stores and Sephora.com).
In keeping with the Dolce fragrances that preceded it, the Dolce Rosa Excelsa EDP contains a white amaryllis note. Dolce was, after all, the first fragrance ever to incorporate this South African blossom, which has a very delicate and subtle scent that some have compared to that of an apple blossom. Like its two predecessors, then, the Dolce Rosa Excelsa EDP opens with sweet and joyous, smile-inducing notes of neroli leaves and papaya flower surrounded by aqueous, dewy, fresh-smelling water lilies and the soft aroma of white daffodils (these two white blossoms are an integral part of the Dolce EDP’s heart, but in the Dolce Rose Excelsa EDP they serve as an opening act). As the aromatic show continues, the stage is overtaken by the elegant and feminine heart of the fragrance, which is comprised of Turkish rose absolute and Africa dog rose. The background players — musk, cashmere, and sandalwood notes — add balance to the aromatic composition, while also increasing the sensual allure of the scent thanks to the woody, carnal, and spicy elements.
When you first apply the fragrance, you will detect a nectar-y sweetness, followed by those white blossoms, which have a dewy character to them that makes them feel crisp as if freshly picked. The rose heart, meanwhile, is sophisticated but modern, unlike so many other rose-centered perfumes that feel old-fashioned and even matronly. Though Turkish and Bulgarian roses have long been used in perfumery, it’s strikingly rare to find a fragrance that does these poetic, symbolic blooms justice (though Jo Malone’s Red Roses, Annick Goutal’s Rose Absolue, and Stella McCartney’s Stella all stand out as noteworthy exceptions). Oftentimes, the rose notes meant to conjure up images of romance and desire wind up triggering rather visions of grandmas in church clothes that, while sentimental, don’t necessarily communicate sex appeal.
The Dolce Rosa Excelsa EDP, then, embodies a new type of rose-centric fragrance, one with a youthful sensibility. The combination of African dog rose (a specific rose species found along the African coastline which, until now, hasn’t frequently appeared in the perfumery realm) and Turkish rose is enchanting, ladylike but modern, assertive without being overwhelming, innocent but still flirtatious, dreamy but not elusive or evasive. It doesn’t have the overly powdery quality of so many rose blends, and it also doesn’t scream out for attention but rather, earns it effortlessly.
What I love most about this scent is that it doesn’t try too hard to reinvent the wheel. Instead, it nods to tradition, retaining a certain timelessness while adding enough novel elements to make the final aromatic production palatable to a younger generation (without, of course, alienating older generations in the process). Yes, a fragrance with a rose heart isn’t a revolutionary concept, but it’s the type of rose notes used and how their scents were harnesses (D&G used Headspace technology to perfectly replicate the scent of the African dog rose’s petals), as well as the supporting cast of notes around them, that makes the Dolce Rosa Excelsa EDP so alluring.
The scent reminds me of young love, of passionate letters exchanged furtively between teen sweethearts, of stolen glances that lead to blushing and shy smiles. It’s an aromatic nod to the purest, most innocent, most hopeful kind of love.
