Wikipedia Article About Rose water on Wikipedia Rosewater (or rose syrup) is the hydrosol portion of the distillate of rose petals. Due to the perfume industry's immense demand for rose oil, rosewater has the status of an inexpensive by-product. Rosewater has a very distinctive flavour and is used heavily in South Asian, West Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine—especially in sweets. For example, rosewater gives loukoumia and gulab jamuns their distinctive flavour. In Iran it is also added to tea in small quantities. It is also used for religious purposes in Hinduism and Islam.