Never met a Penhaligon's I didn't like

Nate · Post by **Nate** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 10:36 am

Damn them for being such a fine perfumery. In my limited experience in the cologne world there are some things I 'know' for sure. Among these, Penhaligon's can do no wrong. Now I have only smelt four of their colognes, English Fern, Hammam Bouquet, Endymion, and Elixir. I own the first two, and the samples for the latter two arrived yesterday. Seriously it seems like everything I look for can be found in pretty much any one of their(4) EdT's. I haven't even tried some of the other biggies i.e. Blenheim Bouquet, which is too bad because I have run out of samples to have. The Endymion was great, but the 'Part the Clouds Experience' is going to come when I wear the Elixir. Cologne Acquisition Disorder, here I come.

druphus · Post by **druphus** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 10:55 am

You're a goner Nate. I would bet that you will like both BB and Douro

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 12:00 pm

Yeah, you're clearly doomed....mainlining one of the most expensive overall men's fragrance lines going....sigh. All boundries are gone...you like them ALL....must get them ALL....from one end of the spectrum to the other...poor chap. Personally, I'm in a little better shape. The only Penhaligon's cologne I'll probably feel compelled to re-purchase in future is the English Fern ( I'll be getting the A/S though, due to availability in splash as well as cost ). I also like Hammam and Douro a good deal but they're not colognes I ever wore that regularly. I can pass on the others, more or less. I won't be tempted by the re-issue of their excellent Eau de Lavende, when they get around to it, as it will simply be too pricey. Well, good luck, and don't forget to write us from the poor house ( chuckle ).
Regards,
Gordon

95% · Post by **95%** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 1:17 pm

Nate, with Hammam and English Fern, you started with the best of the entire line. They are the only two Penhaligon's fragrances I can wear. Many of the others are more recent formulations and are very "department store" to my nose. Blenheim is an old one, but the pine in it dries down to a disagreeable, sour finish on me.

See what you think, but test the samples several times before ordering an expensive bottle.

Nate · Post by **Nate** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 1:17 pm

bernards66 wrote:cologne I'll probably feel compelled to repurchase
Regards,
Gordon

Would two others be Trumper's Spanish Leather and Floris No. 89? There is going to be and Eau de Lavende? Assuming it is a lavender water/cologne, how does it compare to Oxford & Cambridge?

And hey, at least its not Creed.!

Nate · Post by **Nate** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 1:32 pm

Porter, yea I am with you on the samples. The problem is I have ran out of samples to have. I am a fan of the Hammam. But the Elixir is like Hammam's younger twin brother that is a little more spicy, pepperry, and dare I say outgoing.? Have you had a chance to the Elixir?

95% · Post by **95%** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 1:35 pm

I did try the Elixir, and had high hopes for it. But I rejected it after a single wearing. I don't remember the scent, only that it seemed modern and rather cheap, like LP #9.

Nate · Post by **Nate** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 1:39 pm

Hmmmmm.... That is interesting... (I say to myself as I start to ponder)

Nate · Post by **Nate** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 2:03 pm

Nate wrote: And hey, at least its not Creed.!

Or Frédéric Malle's Vétiver Extraordinaire, for that matter. Because I have a feeling that if I ever got the faintest whiff of it, I would scrimp for however long it took to get it. Months? Years?

Post by **drmoss_ca** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 2:34 pm

Endymion is one I can happily live without, and to be honest, Douro is over with in a quick and bland fashion to my nose. LP9 cheap and modern? - perhaps, but delightful on a woman. HB, BB and EF speak for themselves and nary a word to be said against them. The big surprise for me is how nice Quercus is, especially when it has had the chance to dry down. Doesn't get anything like the attention it deserves.

Chris

Aztecface · Post by **Aztecface** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 3:09 pm

Douro I love and can wear at anytime in any clothes. Blenheim Bouquet the same but I'll have to dress up. Same goes for Hammam Bouquet. The rest I can live without. Douro is possibly the cologne I appreciate the most. At least among my Top 5.

95% · Post by **95%** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 4:34 pm

Nate wrote:Or Frédéric Malle's Vétiver Extraordinaire, for that matter. Because I have a feeling that if I ever got the faintest whiff of it, I would scrimp for however long it took to get it. Months? Years?

Nate, I don't know that one. Not fond of vetyver generally. Frédéric Malle's Geranium pour Monsieur, however, is the most prized cologne in my small collection. It drew a totally unexpected, enthusiastic compliment from a lady whose opinion matters to me - unexpected because the fragrance is dry, not floral as she usually likes.

druphus · Post by **druphus** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 6:07 pm

95% wrote:
Nate wrote:Or Frédéric Malle's Vétiver Extraordinaire, for that matter. Because I have a feeling that if I ever got the faintest whiff of it, I would scrimp for however long it took to get it. Months? Years?
Nate, I don't know that one. Not fond of vetyver generally. Frédéric Malle's Geranium pour Monsieur, however, is the most prized cologne in my small collection. It drew a totally unexpected, enthusiastic compliment from a lady whose opinion matters to me - unexpected because the fragrance is dry, not floral as she usually likes.

Porter, did you buy that on-line or at Barney's?

95% · Post by **95%** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 6:16 pm

Andy, I bought it in November from LesSenteurs.com, $134 for the 50 ml bottle, including delivery.

DEF · Post by **DEF** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 6:35 pm

If you like a clean scent and aren't intimidated by orange blossom and rose, Castile is another great one. I currently have English Fern, Blenheim, and Douro, and I'm trying hard not to reacquire Castile.

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 6:51 pm

Nate, I'll certainly be replacing my Trumpers Spanish Leather when I run out. I've gone through quite a few bottles of it, and English Fern too, in the last 10 years or so. I didn't immediately re-up the English Fern this time because not only has it gotten seriously expensive, but also because I had quite a bit of good cologne lying around that I decided to make use of before I bought any more. All last year from around now through October it was Trumpers Fougena and Trumpers Wild Fern, and I'll probably resume with them shortly as the weather warms. I've always also like Floris No 89 but it too has gotten awfully pricey and I'm not at all sure that what they're selling now is really the same as the vintage stuff I've been using. If I ever get more, it too will be the A/S as I really dislike spray bottles. Yeah, Penhaligon's seem to be re-releasing their old 'English Classics' line as well as some of the discontinued ladies' scents. So far, they've brought back the Limes, the Vervaine, and the Night Scented stock, so I'm thinkin' that over the next couple of years it's likely that their old Eau de Lavende will reappear. It was the best men's lavender water, in my personal opinion, that I've ever used. Picture a cross between Atkinson's Lavender Water and English Fern and you'll be pretty close. I liked it a good deal, but liked English Fern even more.
Regards,
Gordon

Flash G · Post by **Flash G** » Wed Mar 24, 2010 1:43 am

I like Penhaligons, not just the scents but also the whole presentation. I have got the Blenheim and Opus 1870 and like them very much. I was a bit hesitant about the English Fern when I tried it last summer, but after revisiting it over the weekend I found I enjoyed the scent very much and I'll likely get it in the future. HB was a bit to powdery for me. I'd like to give Duoro/Lords a go, too.

Now, this Eau de Lavende sounds delicious and I hope Gordons thinking is correct as I have come to enjoy lavender immensly this last year.

Post by **Sam** » Wed Mar 24, 2010 5:55 am

Any thoughts on LP 9 for men? My wife kinda liked this one, and I liked EF. At first she liked EF but the second day I tried it, she said, yuck, barbershop

Post by **drmoss_ca** » Wed Mar 24, 2010 6:45 am

Sam,
Your wife must have been hanging around some very exclusive barbershops if she associates English Fern with that kind of scent! Quercus is what EF would be like if it weren't old and eccentric. LP9 is a bit modern for me, but not offensive. I know someone who dotes on it - he had Pippa buy all the stock left in the NYC store before it was reintroduced.

Chris

Post by **Sam** » Wed Mar 24, 2010 8:07 am

So Pippa likes it on you? My wife liked it a bit and the only other scent she liked when we scoured NYC was Guerlain Habit Rouge Sport