Fodor's Expert Review Rose Water Distilleries

In the mountains of Jabal Akhdar, especially in the village of Saiq (just over an hour from Nizwa), more than 100 Omanis still use traditional methods to distill the Damascus roses that grow wild on the mountainsides. The resulting rose water is very different from the clear, fragrant stuff you have likely encountered before. Jabal Akhdar rose water is prized for its intensely smokey scent, which comes from the wood-fire distillation process, and it is extremely popular throughout the Arabian Gulf. Rose water distillers are happy to allow visitors to watch their process in season (typically in the springtime around April), and visits can be arranged through your hotel, by calling the Ministry of Tourism, or by talking to friendly vendors in the Nizwa Souq, where the smoky water is available to purchase year-round.