Penhaligons Sartorial

[brothers]

I like the scent of the shaving soap so well that I'm entertaining the idea that I should buy a bottle. Does Sartorial have many supporters here?

[Bargepole]

Yes. It starts off a bit odd though appealing -- tailors' chalk, steam, some sort of hot metal smell involving helional I think; the atmosphere (says M. Duchaufour, who designed it) of a Savile Row tailor's shop -- and settles into something which reminds me a bit of the old (original) Brut: a smooth and unequivocally masculine scent which works equally well for business and for the more stylish hours of relaxation. In effect (though not in actual smell) it reminds me of Rive Gauche Homme before they fiddled with it, in that it just says 'Well-groomed man'. Which is a nice thing for it to say.

Yes, actually, women *do* like it...

[brothers]

Thanks Michael.

[Squire]

Now that's exactly how I'd like to be scented, as if I'd just returned from my tailor. The supporting look though may be tough to pull off.

[brothers]

Today I received my samples from Lucky Scent. I got Hammam Bouquet; Blenheim Bouquet; Essence of Lime; and of course Sartorial. Hammam is rose, rose, rose. If you like rose done only as an old line British house can do it, then this is the real thing. The Lime is lime, a bit perfumy and sweet, not a lot, just a bit. Blenheim Bouquet has been difficult for me to describe in words, and the fragrance is very close to the shaving soap we're used to. Sartorial's masculine and classy. I probably wouldn't buy the Hammam or the Lime, but I probably would buy the Sartorial and Blenheim. These two turned out to be my wife's favorites, of the 4 samples. She isn't a big fan of rose perfumes. She said "that rose smells like someone's grandmother, not their grandfather, their grandmother". At first she didn't like the Sartorial, then she went through all of them again a few times, and finally said she likes Blenheim, but she decided she likes Sartorial the best.

[brothers]

Following up, I like the Sartorial well enough to buy it. I haven't yet, but it's only a matter of time. My sample of Bayolea should arrive tomorrow.

[TheMonk]

Sartorial is my current favorite Penhaligon's fragrance... but I have yet to try Bayolea.