Turkish Rose is damask rose oil and absolute produced in the Isparta region of south-western Turkey, one of the two great centres of rose oil production alongside Bulgaria. It is a floral note with a fruity, green and spicy rose scent, and Turkey is a particularly important source of rose concrete and absolute for the global perfume industry.

What does Turkish Rose smell like?

Turkish rose otto is lively and slightly sharper than Bulgarian oil, with pronounced green, spicy and fruity facets that give it a vivid, almost tangy freshness. Turkish rose absolute, made in large quantities in Isparta, is rich, honeyed and fruity, with a greener edge than many centifolia absolutes. Perfumers often choose Turkish material when they want a rose that feels full-bodied and vibrant rather than soft and polished, and its price is usually a little below Bulgarian equivalents.

Where Turkish Rose comes from

Oil roses are grown across the Lakes Region of Anatolia, especially in Isparta and neighbouring Burdur, Afyonkarahisar and Denizli. Thousands of small family farms sell petals to cooperatives and private distilleries during a harvest that runs from early May to mid-June. Around three to four tonnes of flowers are needed for a kilogram of oil.

• Also known as: Isparta rose, Turkish rose otto, Anatolian rose, Rosa damascena
• Fragrance family: Floral
• Type: Natural
• Main origins: Isparta, Burdur, Afyonkarahisar and Denizli provinces, Turkey
• How it's obtained: Steam distillation (otto); solvent extraction (concrete and absolute)
• Key aroma molecules: Citronellol, geraniol, nerol, phenylethyl alcohol, beta-damascenone

Turkish Rose in perfume history

Although roses and rose water have a long history in Ottoman culture, commercial oil-rose farming in Isparta is relatively recent. Local accounts credit Müftüzade İsmail Efendi with planting oil-rose gardens there in 1888 and distilling the first oil around 1892, after which Isparta oil found buyers in Istanbul and Europe. Production grew sharply in the 20th century, helped by the upheavals affecting Bulgaria, and a state-supported cooperative came to organise much of the trade.

Turkish Rose in modern perfumery

Turkish sources describe Isparta as supplying a majority of the world's rose oil for perfumery, and Turkey and Bulgaria together account for most global output. The region is also a hub for rose water, cosmetics and rose tourism during the harvest. Major fragrance suppliers run sourcing partnerships with Isparta growers, focusing on traceability, fair pay for pickers and the effect of hotter, drier springs on yields.

How Turkish Rose wears and what it pairs with

Turkish rose is a strong heart note that holds its own in dense compositions and lasts well, especially as an absolute. It pairs well with lychee, raspberry and blackcurrant in fruity florals, with patchouli and vanilla in modern chypres, with oud and saffron in oriental styles, and with pepper and geranium for a crisp, spicy effect.

Safety and regulation

Turkish rose oil and absolute contain allergens including citronellol, geraniol and eugenol that must be declared in the EU, and a small amount of methyl eugenol, which IFRA limits.