Rose Perfumes:

Delightful rose perfumes are created from "attar of roses" (or "rose oil"). Crushed rose petals are are put in a steaming process that distills a mixture of essential oils. The distilling technique originated in Persia (the word Rose itself is Persian) then spread through Arabia and India. Today, 70% to 80% of rose oil production happens in the 'Valley of Roses' in Bulgaria. Additional production occurs in Qamsar, Iran and Germany. The Kaaba in Mecca is annually washed by the Iranian rose water from Qamsar. In Bulgaria, Iran and Germany, damask roses (Rosa damascena 'Trigintipetala') are used. In the French rose oil industry Rosa centifolia is used. The oil, pale yellow or yellow-grey in color, is sometimes called 'Rose Absolute' oil to distinguish it from diluted versions. The weight of oil extracted is about one three-thousandth to one six-thousandth of the weight of the flowers - for example, about 2,000 flowers are required to produce one gram of oil.