When we look at the greatest rose perfumes ever, La Douleur Exquise is going to be at the top of the list. Skanky, powdery, animalic rose, a rose for every vintage perfume-lover, for the romantic who laments that they just don’t make them like they used to. To those who are well-versed, this is a cross between Antaeus and Portrait of a Lady. Not as masculine as Antaeus, and not as spicy as Portrait of a Lady. Eau Capitale feels stripped back and basic, missing that weird element that keeps you coming back for more. You think you’ve smelled all the great roses out there but then this one comes along. If all the other roses are a portrait of love, this one is a portrait of lust.
