Samples, next up Penhaligon's English Fern

desmoface · Post by **desmoface** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 3:37 pm

Ok, got a nice package from Penhaligon's today. First up, after a shower, English Fern, the fragrance that is all the talk on some of the shaving boards. I'm new to these higher end fragrances, so please bear with me, with that, here goes:

This is one mysterious scent. When I first put this stuff on, it smelled like Pine Sol, even my wife commented that it was almost repulsive. The initial scent, or what I'd call odor, is horribly strong. Now it get's wierd, about a half hour later it smells pretty good, at least a heck of a lot better than when I originally put it on. I guess this is "dry down?" Dunno if I'd drop $100 bucks for a bottle of this stuff, but I have to admit, it's starting to grow on me. Anyone else have any experience with this stuff?

Something just dawned on me, as I took a sip of me Extra Bergamot Earl Grey tea; Engish Fern is Earl Grey in tea form. Earl Grey tastes like English Fern Smells LOL..

Steve

AZwildcat · Post by **AZwildcat** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 6:39 pm

I am not a fan of the English Fern scent. I liked a couple of the other Penhaligon's scents but I really don't like the fern.

DEF · Post by **DEF** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 6:39 pm

Check the vial again; it sounds like Blenheim Bouquet, which is a citrus/pine blend that is quite sharp and has been scientifically proven to repulse females. English fern is somewhat sweet, with hints of clover and wintergreen. (I like both very much.)

Regards,
Doug

Austin · Post by **Austin** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 6:44 pm

I agree with Doug. It sounds like pine sol, I mean Blenheim Bouquet.

desmoface · Post by **desmoface** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 6:48 pm

Dunno, I guess it's possible they packaged it wrong, maybe they filled it with the wrong stuff?:

It's not too bad after it's been on for a bit, but when I first applied it, my wife was like, "you're going to have to take another shower"

Steve

DEF · Post by **DEF** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 7:20 pm

I don't know. It seems unlikely that they would have misfilled the vials. But Blenheim is definitely sharp and citrus with a prominent note of pine, while English Fern is more fresh and a bit sweet, with neither citrus nor pine. Women seem to dislike the first, and more often than not I think they tend to like the second. If you got a Blenheim vial as well, I'd crack that one and compare the two. (By the way, forgive me if you already know this, but the distinguishing ingredient in Earl Grey tea is bergamot, which is a member of the citrus family. So that would definitely play into any similarities with Blenheim.)

Doug

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 7:54 pm

Well, Doug pretty well covered all the bases. I'll just add that since you said you have little familiarity with high end classic gentlemen's scents ( and your wife probably doesn't either ), it sometimes does take some getting used to. More then one member, who was only familiar with the usual dept. store stuff, has been somewhat surprised or even put off when first they sampled stuff like the older Penhaligon's colognes. It's a different thing. But generally, when they've worn them for awhile, they find that their tastes have changed/matured, and they can't go back to the mass market products of today......just ask Brett.
Regards,
Gordon

salbev · Post by **salbev** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 8:40 pm

Penhaligon's English Fern is my favorite.

SteveK · Post by **SteveK** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 10:06 pm

As usual, Gordon is so right. The high end classic scents may seem downright odd at first. Give them a chance though, and you’ll find yourself avoiding department store fragrance aisles. The weather here has just turned cooler, so I’ve broken out The Hammam Bouquet.

Steve

desmoface · Post by **desmoface** » Sat Oct 13, 2007 5:30 am

Hey gang, thanks for all the replies, I must say, that after the english fern was on a bit, the sharpness subsided, it was downright pleasant. But, again, nearly $100 a bottle

Tried Hammam Bouquet this morning, definitely not like the masculine scents that are shoved down our throats at the dept stores. I'm probably not describing this right, but I would call it floral. Very pleasant, although my wife isn't a big fan, again, brainwashed about what a man's scent is supposed to be. Not bad.

Steve

DEF · Post by **DEF** » Sat Oct 13, 2007 7:20 am

Steve -- Good to hear you're trying new things. I put together a thread on building a cologne collection, which may give you some background on some of the traditional-style scents. If the Penhaligon's prices give you pause (and they should!), you might start with some of the Taylor of Old Bond Street colognes. These are quality scents at affordable prices. (Keep in mind, though, that I am a big fan of both English Fern and Blenheim, so my taste may not match yours.)

Regards,
Doug

PS: And you're right on the money describing Hammam as "floral." It's the most floral men's scent I've ever encountered. You have to be comfortable wearing rose to pull that one off.

desmoface · Post by **desmoface** » Sat Oct 13, 2007 9:22 am

Hey Doug, thanks for those links, definitely looks like you know your colognes. I'm admittedly new to the higher end stuff, but I am looking to not smell like everyone else, hence my quest has begun LOL.

Thanks for all the info.

Steve

AZwildcat · Post by **AZwildcat** » Sat Oct 13, 2007 9:59 am

Steve,

I think it is perfectly ok not to like something just because everyone else does. I myself don't like English Fern. I do however like plenty of other high end fragrances from Penhaligon's, Floris, etc. I would just keep asking around for samples and find something that you like. You don't have to like them all, and if your wife is anything like my girlfriend she definitely won't like them all. Doug's suggestion of Taylor of Old Bond isn't a bad one because they are so cheap. The problem is buying cologne blind can be a big mistake so you may want to see if you can get it decanted somewhere first.

DEF · Post by **DEF** » Sat Oct 13, 2007 10:07 am

Steve,

I learned everything I know right here on SMF -- most of it from Gordon. Be warned, though; if you catch the bug, you'll find yourself wanting to spend some $$.

Doug

Squire · Post by **Squire** » Sat Oct 13, 2007 10:42 am

Hi Steve, you're certainly on the right tract using samples prior to purchase. Much like developing a knowledge of good wines, high end colognes can be an expensive and sometimes disappointing experience if all we have to go by are blind purchases based on the reviews of others. Fortunately we don't and if you have any difficulty finding the samples you want pm me and I may be able to help.

Interesting, I've never had the experience of a cologne 'growing' on me. If it doesn't work for me on first try subsequent applications only reinforce the initial impression. Some time back we had a discussion about Trumpers Wellington which I had found disappointing. At the urging of fellow posters I ordered a bottle along with a few others including Marlborough and Wild Fern. Nope, no better than when I first used them. After a week with each the bottles were sent to a peer in Memphis and through his extensive network I understand wound up in the hands of a guy in Florida who actually likes that sort of stuff.

Regards,
Squire

desmoface · Post by **desmoface** » Sat Oct 13, 2007 11:56 am

Hey gang, thanks for the replies. When I say I don't want to smell like everyone else, I mean the stuff that you find at the dept stores. Don't see much Floris and Pehnaligons there, (don't see any, as far as I know).

I do like the Floris Santal and Vetiver scents, and my first impressions of Penhaligons Endymion and Douro were good. I have to give them closer attention, try them on for size, see how they fit LOL.

I agree about getting addicted to buying stuff..Unfortunately, in the short time I've been here, I've spent way more money than should be allowed LOL. I've got my shaving stash pretty much up to speed, now I have to work on getting some good frag's.

Oh well, thanks again for all the advice, and recomendations.

Steve

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Sat Oct 13, 2007 4:08 pm

Moi? Would I, of all people, encourage unnecessary expense?! No, no!...certainly not....I merely write a little about this and that ( chuckle ). Yeah, buying cologne blind can get expensive, and is not a good idea, if at all avoidable. But it's tough. In most areas of the US one is simply not going to be able to find any of the better stuff locally. And when I got into all this, there WERE no samples....or hardly any, not of these types of colognes. The only thing that saved me was that I started traveling to NYC two or three times a year, and I hit up the shops there and sniffed myself silly, finding out what was what. I had to really hunt this stuff down like a bloody detective back then ( this was essentially pre-internet ). But now, there are sometimes samples available from the makers ( although sometimes not ), and, there is SMF and other shave boards and similiar. So, if you really want to sample a scent that you think you might like, it usually is possible if you ask 'around'. And Squire; yeah, but you were already used to old fashioned good colognes, so for you, it was just a matter of which ones appealed, and which did not. You never had to make the leap from Calvin Klein to Spanish Leather ( chuckle ). And Dominic was the final recipient of your largess ( except for the Wild Fern which I greedily kept for myself ).
Regards,
Gordon

Squire · Post by **Squire** » Sat Oct 13, 2007 6:57 pm

Calvin who?

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Sat Oct 13, 2007 7:10 pm

Just as I suspected ( chuckle ).
Gordon