From the TFK website:

TFK, The Fragrance Kitchen, is the latest chapter in the ongoing retail legend that began in 2005 by Sheikh Majed Al-Sabah. The Kuwaiti based fragrance house was borne of childhood memories and sensory memories that became associated with his beloved grandmother. Fragrance can be a translation of memories and Sheikh Majed has skillfully combined both via the use of Oud, Taif Rose, and burning Agarwood which were used frequently by his cherished grandmother. TFK is the culmination of a dream to create the “perfect” or dream perfume for each individual. Sheikh Majed has long been associated with the ultimate in luxury having been a member of the international fashion community for over 2 decades.

TFK is a serious perfume line with a sense of humour. One only has to read the names of some of their perfumes to get that they are having fun and being a bit cheeky. Perfume is, after all, enjoyable, and doesn’t have to be so serious and dramatic. I would think this comes from a love of the joy of scent, and this is evident in smelling TFK perfumes. Their website is interesting & interactive, and I really like the way they introduce their “icons” that are behind the brand. Their blog is also fun, and I have to say seeing Jonathan Livingston Seagull mentioned there just made me, well, happy. This is an interesting and intriguing team. I received samples of 3 of their perfumes and could catch wafts of something intoxicating and enticing from the packaging. I left them on the counter, where both daughters chose their favourites. There is nothing wishy washy or middle of the road about TFK perfumes. They have a presence of their own, without being super strong or “loud”. I would suspect this presence comes from the quality of the ingredients.

Son Of A Rose is, obviously, a rose fragrance, part of TFK’s Exclusive Perfumes collection. I’m not sure if they use the word “son” to denote a masculine fragrance, but I would say this perfume is absolutely suitable for a man or a woman. The rich woodsy base takes the floral sweetness of the rose and makes it deep and rich. Agarwood (oud) isn’t listed in the notes of Son Of A Rose per se but it is mentioned as a note that is beloved by Sheikh Majed Al-Sabah and is part of his scent memory so I think it must be part of the TFK special base. The beauty of this particular oud is the gentle smooth beauty of it. I have a tough time with oud smelling medicinal and have not really enjoyed it- Montale’s oud scents come to mind. Yikes. Any oud in TFK Son of A Rose is tempered with the sweetness of the floral notes. There is geranium along with the rose, and that adds a fresh green almost minty aspect. The rose is a soft green rose note, not strong or sour at all, and it is complimented by a powdery note – and all of these add up to a rich scent that is somehow also clean. But it is kept from veering into soapy territory by wrapping up the floral notes with pepper, amber and woods. Is it the amber that makes this scent so compelling? Maybe? Rose – patchouli scents are everywhere these days and there may be some patch in Son of A Rose but it doesn’t stand out. I think what sets this “dark rose” perfume apart are the powder and amber notes, and the distant clean “feeling”. Maybe it’s an ambergris, likely synthetic but who knows? It’s almost moutwatering, and I have found that certain ambregris perfumes tend to have this effect on me. If you enjoy the sexy amber notes in Hermes Eau de Merveilles or even the softer ones in Hermes Caleche Eau Delicat, then you must try Son of  A Rose.

I’d say that Son of A Rose is probably the best rose that I’ve tried that would work beautifully on a man. And while it is a dense rich scent, there is an airy and delicate feeling to it that makes me want to lean in and smell more. So, are you looking for something different? A perfume that is gorgeous, well composed and enticing, yet something that isn’t worn by everyone around you? I urge you to check out the TFK line.

TFK perfumes are available from their website. The Signature Line is around $125 a bottle, and the  Exclusive and Handmade Line is around $195.