La Rosa Moceniga by The Merchant of Venice – 300 combinations to capture history and fragrance….in a bottle!

Harmoniously set in a soft and sensual base note, this rose becomes the queen of its fragrance. The comfortable musk, the white cedar wood, and the vanilla absolute, coupled with a touch of amber crystals, assure a precious base to the majesty of this historical rose. These were the notes of the nose who went to work with a rich palette of ingredients to recreate a fragrance which we know, which caught the whims and sensuality of the infinitely graceful and elegant Empress Joséphine Bonaparte – Napoleon’s wife.

The History of the Rose

The Rosa Moceniga is an ambitious project that The Merchant of Venice specifically developed to honour a sophisticated flower that bears this ancient heritage related to the Venetian tradition of perfumery, triggering nostalgia for the romance and love between Rose and the young Corsican army officer, Napoleon (it was he who nick-named her Joséphine).

Originally, the rose was native to China, and it is a rare and precious specimen, which today gets its name from the ancient Venetian family, Moceniga; the reason being that for over 200 years, the historic residence of the family in Alvisopoli, near Venice, has been cultivating a garden devoted to this unique rose. Its residence today in Venice is ultimately thanks to Lucia Moneniga’s friendship with the beautiful Rose (Joséphine) Bonaparte. Being an absolute lover of this flower, as she brought this particular rose over from France in 1814, at the time of Joséphine’s passing when she lived at the Chateau de Malmaison.

The journey of the re-discovery of this precious flower is narrated by the writer, Andrea di Robilant, the great-great-great-great grandson of Lucia Mocenigo, who traced this rose down to a park on the old farming estate, now Villa Mocenigo in Alvisopoli, where it grows wild among the local vegetation.

“Noticing a splendid rose in a garden on the Venetian mainland, Andrea di Robilant decided to undertake a very special journey to discover the origins of this rose. This trip led him from the famous rose gardens of Chateau de Malmaison, to a rustic garden in the Italian region of Friuli, where he met a woman passionately growing over 1400 ancient species of roses. During this journey, the author met with eminent botanists and people with a deep-seated passion for roses, and he brought his book to life, narrating anecdotes, stories and secrets, around the colours, scents, and growing techniques of this most noble of flowers: the rose.”
– Marco Vidal, Founder of The Merchant of Venice.

Ultimately, the collaboration between The Merchant of Venice and Andrea di Robilant led to the creation of a very special fragrance that describes the essence of this mysterious and historical rose brought over by the original merchants’ ships over 200 years ago, from India and China.

La Rosa Moceniga – Product Notes

This unique Rose has a strong and fruity perfume, a fragrance which is the perfect expression of the rose in its most natural sun-dappled habitat. The master perfumer of the house, who has used exclusive and natural raw materials to recreate the natural sensuality of this flower’s perfume, has exceptionally recreated its olfactory composition.

The head note is immediate and enchanting.  Fresh Sicilian lemon, and the suave essence of the Moceniga Rose, delicately highlight the fragrance with elements of magnolia, lotus, raspberries and blackcurrant leaves.

The heart note, meanwhile, is a floral bouquet created by rose absolute, which exalts the fresh and springy magnolia along with delicate and transparent touches of the  lotus flowers.

 “Its presence is mysterious yet assertive.” – Andrea di Robilant, Writer.

Hole & Corner tell us their story about the elements of the Rose – www.holeandcorner.com/craft-collaboration/scents-and-sensibility.