Long time ago, in the most flourishing period of the Mughal Empire, there lived a great queen: her name was Mehr-un-Nissa but history recalls her as Nur Jahan. Neela Vermeire pays tribute to this legendary figure with Mohur, a fragrance in which the most sumptuous and opulent roses bloom in the heart of a refined woody-spicy bouquet.

Mehr-un Nissa was born on 31 May 1577 in Kandahar, into a family of Persian nobility. She was educated in art and literature and, at the young age of 17, she was given in marriage to the governor of Bihar, a major Mughal Empire province.
She was already a married woman when Prince Jahangir, the eldest son of Emperor Akbar, fell madly in love with her.
In 1605 Jahangir succeeded his father and became Emperor. Few years later, when the husband of Mehr-un-Nissa died, Jahangir chose her as his twentieth and last wife. She was a well-educated and refined woman, with a strong and charismatic personality. She soon became the favorite of the harem and her influence on the Emperor grew to the point that the latter conferred to her a great deal of decision-making powers and gave her the title of Nur Jahan “light of the world”.
Nur Jahan encouraged and promoted several forms of art and, among these, the art of perfumery, handed down to her from her mother. According to legend, she improved the distillation of essential oils and, thanks to her talent, the first precious attars saw the light. The compositions, known by the name of Mughal Roses, were mainly based on a rose-oud accord.
After Jehangir’s death, Nur Jahan was confined in a comfortable mansion where she spent the rest of her life.

Mohur Extrait
(photo credits: Anthoscents)

Mohur draws its name from the ancient Sanskrit term identifying a gold coin minted in India  in the mid-sixteenth century.

Created by Bertrand Duchaufour for Neela Vermeire, Mohur is a sensual and multifaceted fragrance. Presented in Eau de Parfum concentration in 2012, all its majestic beauty is exalted in the Extrait version of 2014.

Mohur Extrait
(photo credits: Anthoscents)

Mohur Extrait combines the opulence of the traditional Moghul Roses with the refinement of French perfumery.
Sumptuous and magnetic since the opening, Mohur leaves immediately glimpse the roses in its heart. Adorned with warm golden tones and precious spicy-aromatic gems of cardamom, coriander, black pepper and elemi, they rise in a slightly sweet and vegetal  gleam of ambrette seeds and carrot, where a trace of oud emerges from the base of the fragrance. A note of leather creates immediately the liaison with the skin, allowing a regal bouquet to unfold in all its bewitching beauty. Turkish Rose and Maroccan Rose, emphasized by a precious rose accord, bloom amid earthy, green and powdery shades of iris and violet, caressed by a soft, creamy and gourmand touch of almond milk. Infinite purple petals, fleshy and sensual, sprinkled by a romantic dew of jasmin and hawtorn, lay on a bed of woody and balmy notes. Vanilla, amber, benjoin and patchouli amplify the oriental charm of the composition where the prized Oud from Laos, which is just slightly perceivable in the opening, becomes sheer and refined by marrying an accord of white woods, sandalwood and tonka bean.

The notes:

Top: cardamom absolute, coriander seed oil, ambrette seed, carrot, black pepper, elemi
Heart: Turkish rose, Maroccan rose absolute, rose accord 11%, jasmin, orris, hawtorn, violet, almoond milk, leather vitessence
Base: sandalwood, amber, white woods, patchouli, oud Palao from Laos, benjoin Siam, vanilla, tonka bean

The fragrances of Neela Vermeire are available in Eau de Parfum concentration 60 ml. Mohur Extrait, is only available in 50 ml limited-edition numbered copies and it can be purchased from the web site of Neela Vermeire Creations.