Pashtun People, Afghanistan 2007, Oil on canvas.
Artist: Durar Bacri, Palestine.
Make Perfume not War
The Story of The Noble Rose
Fields of rose bushes have replaced some opium growing areas in Afghanistan. The petals are handpicked and distilled into rose oils and absolutes for the world markets.
Jalalabad, Nangarhar, Afghanistan. Photo: Sandra Calligaro
There is one fragrance company that has placed the Afghan Rose on the new ingredient shelf – The 7 Virtues Beauty Inc – and so far, only one perfume has been released from this rose source.
Noble Rose of Afghanistan was signed by Canadian perfumer Susanne Langmuir in 2010. This company is owned by Barb Stegemann, the same person who dreamt up the concept of an export path for the harvest conversion. Stegemann was considering the consequences of war and peace, and her considerations became reality after investment through the TV program Dragons’ Den where she found her investor and business partner, W. Brett Wilson.
Stegemann sources her rose oil from Abdullah Arsala who owns Gulestan Essential Oils based in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. Abdullah also grows orange blossoms and distills them into essential oils for The 7 Virtues Afghanistan Orange Blossom Eau de Parfum.
Abdullah Arsala, Jalalabad, Afghanistan.
These essential oils travel to market on what Stegemann says is the most dangerous highway in the world.
Barb Stegemann
The 7 Virtues pays $10,000 USD per litre of rose oil to the Afghan supplier, Abdullah Arsala and the farmers.
There are 178 hand picked rose petals in every bottle of The 7 Virtues Noble Rose of Afghanistan. Viewers of Name This – a show on History TV – chose the name of the fragrance, naming it Noble Rose to honour soldiers, and to reference the rose farmers who no longer grow poppies.
Photos: Abdullah Arsala
Notes
Afghan Rose, Carnation, Clove, Peppercorn
This spicy rose, Noble Rose of Afghanistan is available from The 7 Virtues.
International shipping rates are available via email.
Samples from The Perfumed Court start at $US4.95 / 1 ml to $US36.95 / 8ml.
Slideshow Images via Pashtun Forum
People, Pakistan / Afghanistan
Further Reading & Viewing
Noble Rose – review by Hannah JV
Afghanistan Orange Blossom – review by Feral Jasmine
Afghanistan Orange Blossom – review by Hannah JV
Gathering the Ingredients for a Love Story
Elements New York
Barb Stegemann on Dragons’ Den
Naming the Fragrance
The 7 Virtues Review at Cafleurebon
Oil on Canvas $3,600 – Alhoush, House of Arab Art and Design
The Fragrant Man 
YAY! Great work as always Jordan, see you at APJ.
Portia xx
In fact I am over at APJ right now. The wonders of the web!
The Wonder of it All – Kristine W.
What a great alternative crop to poppies! Kudos to all who enable that venture to succeed!
Yes! Say no to drugs, say yes to perfume. There are similarities though.
I can totally see that! 🙂
I can (almost) see myself selling the tv to buy the latest Amouage. 😉
Very sensible Solanace. Who needs a TV when you entertain yourself with perfume blogs? I never watch TV myself. Keep the fridge though; good for food and perfume storage. Are you keen on Fate Man or Fate Woman?
Reblogged this on scent bound and commented:
Here’s a great article by Jordan Rivers from the Fragrant Man about a Canadian perfumer helps the Afghani fragrance industry find new markets.
Thank you Scent Bound. I see we both like Oxygen!
It’s a good theme. I think I need to remove a couple of buttons though.
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Fantastic. I’d love to experience the scent of Afghani roses. I’m hoping people do make perfume and not war and Afghanistan becomes a place we can all visit in the near future.
Sounds like a trip Clayton. A possible ingredient for your project?
Such good news, thank’s for sharing Jordan, this made my day! What an amazing, strong woman. And what a smart idea, to find something equally expensive for the guys to plant. Hope a few big guys will follow her example. And I think they will, because this is PR heaven.
Now I’m going to the 7 virtues website. 🙂
It’s all Good News here on The Fragrant Man; an antidote to the nightly news, an Oasis of Peace, Love and Perfume.
Thank you for zoomin’ in Solanace.
Wouldn’t it be great if perfume really was the key to world peace and prosperity? If people turned to sniffing white flowers instead of white powders?
What a beautiful thought Poodle. Also hilarious! I am off to do a line of gardenias. Lol. But I do hope that you are right.
I may snort some jasmine later.
Heady stuff. A day without a laugh is a day wasted. Thank you Poodle.
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