Isparta

Isparta announces itself as a rose fragrance with genuine complexity, though one that wears its ambitions perhaps too earnestly. The opening marriage of red fruits and Turkish rose is immediate and candied—think morello cherry syrup clinging to petals rather than the green, almost metallic facet of a true damask. Where Isparta truly finds its footing is in how the Peru balsam and patchouli emerge beneath, creating a subtly spiced, almost medicinal warmth that prevents the fruited rose from becoming one-dimensional.

The fragrance's true character emerges in its base, where benzoin and frankincense create a resinous, almost ecclesiastical sweetness. The oud here serves not as a dominant force but as a textural element—a woody, slightly smoky undertone that prevents the composition from collapsing into pure amber territory. There's an animalic musk grounding everything, lending a skin-like proximity that makes Isparta feel intimate rather than projective.