Burdur Ateek

Burdur Ateek: Vintage 1950 - 1970 Turkish Istanbul Rose Otto - Rare - Rising Phoenix Perfumery

Distilled: Vintage 1950 - 1970: most likely in Copper

Region: Burdur, Turkey

Species: Damask / Rosa Damascena

Everyone loves a good Rose... few get to smell an EXCEPTIONAL Rose.

Let alone a VINTAGE Rose no longer in production!

SCENT

This small batch of Turkish Rose Otto I acquired from the archives of the grandchildren of the man who taught perfumery to the Ajmal family.

As with many of the oils in their possession, they are often older than their date of acquisition, and this bottle was acquired no later than 1990.

Researching the packaging the bottle came in, as well as the company that produced it - I consulted with a few friends that know more about these old companies than I do. It is estimated that this oil was produced somewhere between 1950 - 1970.

Burdur Ateek is an exquisite specimen from an area of Turkey that I can’t find any hints of production that are happening any longer. At least not on any commercial scale. 85% of all modern Turkish Rose is produced in Isparta. The company that produced the oil is no longer in existence, either - so it's safe to say this is a relic of the past that few today will ever have the opportunity to get their noses on.

Burdur is closer to the Mediterranean that Isparta, where most of the modern day production in Turkey is taking place. Burdur is very dry. Roses generally don't like too much wet, as they can be prone to fungus. When it's THIS dry, it'll push the bushes to produce very sweetly aromatic Roses.

The scent, itself, is sweet and very citrusy - reminiscent of excellent T'aif Roses. I could see this easily being mistaken for a T'aif. The sweetness, I would say, adds a lovely dimension, with a hint of herbaciousness that makes it very interesting. It wears beautifully, and is swoonworthy even sniffing from the bottle. Pairs beautifully with Sandalwoods or Oud oils. Especially darker profiles. Smells absolutely bonkers with a smokey oil like Kepi. Rose also pairs exceptionally well with Cambodi and Hindi oils. My collection of exceptional Hindi oils has no comparison - so you've got quite a lot to explore if looking for an oil to pair with this beautiful Burdur Rose.

Burdur Ateek was produced and bottled by a company that no longer exists, and would have been produced in the arid outskirts of Burdur from what we can glean from the label and packaging, and was most likely distilled in copper. I managed to acquire an unopened bottle of the oil, and filmed its opening. That video can be found here:

https://youtu.be/r5NEvWCH0qQ?si=hUgQpa2qiB1zprcr

The luscious aroma finishes with a noticeable sweet musky rose nuance that actually reminds me of smelling what's known as a "Bridal T'aif" Rose Otto. Double-distilled to remain liquid at room temp. It’s stunningly beautiful.

I don't generally favor Turkish Rose Ottos...this is a rare one that caught my attention. It deserves a seat on the shelf of every serious collector!

This bottle was a very small bottle. I'm reserving a small portion for use in some upcoming Attars - which leaves about 20g total to offer as a straight Rose oil. Be sure to grab a bottle of this exceptionally rare oil while it's available!

Enjoy!