Penhaligons Hammam Boquet

Hammam Bouquet is old school.

Maybe a little too old school . . .

Really, it's a very musty, dusty, but still-alive rose. Swaddled in a powdery synthetic melange of hard to distinguish notes.

Too bad mine's only a sample, I wish I could comment on the beauty of the bottle and box, although they look great in the OP's pics. And I admire his enthusiasm for this fragrance.

I have to keep asking myself if I would wear Hammam Bouquet. Out. In public.

Well, let's see . . . I'd wear Coco eau de toilette by Chanel (on biting cold winter evenings) . . . I'd wear Sung original by Alfred Sung (it doesn't get any more floral) . . . but a Hammam Bouquet . . . ?

Yeah, I guess I'd wear it. Although in very light doses. And only on cool, casual autumn days when around friends and family. But not around the ladies . . . this is, sadly, not something women of my generation (I'm 28) would appreciate on a man. It's bold but just not bold enough to warrant the floral surprise factor. Women like what they'd wear themselves, but this just strays into the obscure realm of being a fragrance that was popular among people who have been dead for a century or two. And you know, that's kind of over most people's heads these days.



...

I payed £70 for this product and £5 for postage. The best money I've ever spent. I first got and couldn't stop smell the end of the atomiser.

Try and keep this stuff a secret.

Ryan

While Hammam certainly is the true Victorian oriental of the 19th Century, it is far too dated and far too "old fashioned" in a bad way for the modern nose. The notes themselves are wonderful, but combined create a symphonic dissonance where accord battles accord for dominance. The end result is a stuffy, super powdery, antiquated rose. If this were cleaned up a bit in terms of spices and musks, this would be a wonderful Victorian scent still relevant and impressive today. I prefer Penhaligons Elizabethan Rose, even though it is marketed for women, because it essentially the same scent minus everything that clouds the water so to speak with Hammam Bouquet. Good juice overall, but use it sparingly!

I THINK I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS SCENT!

The first time I smelt this and I know it was something very very special indeed. This is a scent that you wear on a your special days

I first got one from ebay just to see what it was like and i fell in love from first squirt - I love it so much I brought another one as well as the soap and bath/shower gel.

One whiff of this I think of turkey, steam baths, smell of sweet roses -

this is a ideal summer scent to wear as the heat from your body keeps changing the notes...

I recently got a Penhaligon's sampler, and their quality is outstanding. No one can question this. Hammam Bouquet holds a proud position in the mens' repertoire of this house.

But my god...the scent.

Awful. Bloody Awful.

I'm always cautious when I approach older scents. I know things change, from preferences to styles to trends. But this should've just stayed in 1872. Seriously.

If you haven't tried this, it's basically roses and baby powder. I don't care what Penhaligon's says about the notes, it boils down to roses and baby powder. Think of it this way:

You step into a time machine and go back to 1872. There's a swank party going on. You step inside, gazing at all the old-world luxury, the sideburn-connected mustaches, the cravats, the slicked, down hair. And then it hits you as you pass a group of men talking.

"I say, is that the new scent from Penhaligon you're wearing?"
"It is. Reminds me of my tour in the East. When I went to Istanbul. I rather think our boys over there would be fond of it. Baths are hard to come by in the service, you know."
"Hmmmm, quite."
"Shall we smoke?"
"Yes, let's. But I have to go to the WC first and powder my hands."

The smell of gin, whiskey, pipe smoke, sweat and unwashed bodies hits you, and somewhere in there wafts roses. And baby powder. It's so stuffy that you suddenly understand why so many people went to "get some air" back then.

Sorry for the title but this is exactly what I thought of after the initial strong rosy opening. It quickly evolved to something that was not bad smelling, it was nice, just not as a cologne or for wearing. Mix that with some powdery baby diapers and you have it. In fact this is something that smells great on babies, they have this natural baby smell.

This is one that could never be an "acquired taste" for me. I don't care for Penhaligon's English Fern at all, but after wearing it for a while, the dry down was not bad. Still wouldn't buy it, but I grew to somewhat enjoy the heart and basenotes. The two "bouquets" by Penhaligon's are no deal. I can't stand either of them. I wore Hammam Bouquet for a day (and struggled to do that without washing it off) and during that day I hated the smell from beginning to end. Simply put, at first spray, it is like walking into the patchouli/sandalwood incense corner at a hippie music record store. It brings to mind mushroom shaped incense holders, bongs, dreadlocks, Birkenstocks, and 4 gauge piercings. As it dries down, it evolves from young hippie to old lady as it smells like talcum powder and fresh diapers. A perfect marriage of hippie and old lady. No, no, no.

Price: Allthough I'm not very fond of the price I noticed that I was quite willing to pay for it without even trying it beforehand(it is quite legendary). It's quite expensive even after I've bought and sampled it. I just cant justify the price.

Quality: The quality of this product from the packaging to the bottledesign, label and scent is top notch.

Packaging: Like previously stated it's top notch.

Scent: The first time I wore it I was hit by a familiar and suprising scent. I know I've smelled this before but I just can't remember where or when. I was suprised because I expected something sweeter. I do in no way find the scent offending but never the less it's not something I would wear either daily or for when I spend time with my girlfriend. To tell you the truth... I don't know at all when i would wear it.

Complexity: I am not sure I can explain this properly but the scent lasts quite a while on me and after about 6 hours to sweet roses. There is a lot more to this I just have to wear it more often to find out.

Staying Power: Several hours and even after 8 hours I can smell subtle hints of it.

Quality of Atomizer: I can only imagine the best. One spritz goes where it's directed and no drips on the bottle or on my hand.

Finally I would have to say that though I like it... I'm not sure I could find moments I would use other thain for going to church. Like I said... I have to wear it more to give a better

Being of Egyptian origin, I have to say they really do capture the spirit of the east perfectly. However, in my case, that is not the best of things as the scent is that of granmas and grandpas getting together for Sunday brunch after Church. Which is a beautiful thing really, but I don't want to smell like that.

My wife keeps telling me I smell like baby powder (diapers anyone?)

To be brutally honest, this stuff is basically high quality kanaga water with a sandalwood base and - in my case - not worth the money.

oh, and there's too much Jasmine!

I like Penhaligon fragrances in general. Blenheim Bouquet and English Fern are two of my all-time favorites; however, I just can't seem to come around on Hammam no matter how much I try. To my nose it opens up with a big hit of rose and powder that reminds me of..... wait for it..... a new diaper. It does settle down and lose that quality but I can't seem to get past the diaper association. Hammam is also a bit too feminine as most rose-heavy scents tend to be IMO. No question this is a high quality fragrance that will work wonderfully for some gentleman, just not this one.

I have mixed feelings about this one. On the one hand, it really pushes the "girly scent" envelope. On the other, it dries down to a very intriguing, continually evolving scent that can be bewildering.

The first ten minutes or so can be brutal. Don't splash it on immediately prior to meeting the folks. After it settles down a bit, you might as well frequent some "gentleman's" clubs, as you're going to smell as if you did, anyway.

I have tried this as a decant from the B&B decant club and for me personally, I really can't take this stuff. It has a sickly sweet smell to it and the base notes give me a headache. There's a slight part of this cologne that smells like a middle eastern bazaar and that alone is enough to make me shelf it. I'm not saying it is bad, I'm just saying it's not for me. Which is upsetting because I had such high hopes.

This scent is not for me. Nevertheless, it's does not mean that it's a bad scent. It's a quality scent that does not work for me.

This scent is excellent for what it is. The top notes are heavily floral. If you can get past the first few minutes it evolves to something most interesting, with distinctive masculine undertones.

I find it needs to be applied lightly. Not something I wear to the office, but very nice in appropriate surroundings.

Goofy as it sounds, opening the box, seeing the bottle, and smelling this stuff made me think of words like "sophisticated," "eclectic," and "sybaritic," all elements of the Ottoman sensibility that gave the world the Turkish Bath, and gave Penhaligon's the inspiration for Hammam Bouquet.

Before purchasing a bottle, I had never come close to $85 for 100 ml of cologne--and I don't know that I want to do it again.

On the other hand, I've worn cologne for 20-plus years, most notably a long stretch with Eau d'Orange Verte from Hermes, as well as products from T&H and Floris.

Nevertheless, I still think of Hammam Bouquet as the best I've ever worn.

Starts out strong and sweet. The jasmine stays with the scent for hours but the base sandalwood is what really keeps the scent going. Near the end of the day it smells a lot like C&E Sandalwood with hints of jasmine.

I'm not sure I agree that you could bath in this, but you could try. Penhaligon offers Hamman in a bath oil

Penhaligons is without question my favorite cologne house.... every scent of theirs I have smelled has been simply divine, but Hammam Boquet takes it even one step further. Pure..... liquid.... happiness. Whoever said you can't buy happiness... can go pound sand as far as I am concerned

If you like Rose....and you like Lavender... and you like women... then you'll LOVE this cologne. Talk about a drop dead show stopper - this Hammam Boquet is so classy, so elegant, so fresh, so.... well.... amazing. This is not your typical "knock you over" strong woody, powerful, "masculine" scent that screams "smell me - I have very little confidence and an even smaller weiner." (just kidding calm down) - but is such a different, refreshing change. No matter HOW much of this stuff you spray on you - it can never be offensive. I'd wager - that if you bathed in a vat of this cologne, then proceeded to walk down the street - you could not offend a single soul. Basically it smells beyond description - but the only attempt I could make at describing it would be - that it smells like a english rose garden in the spring - but in a masculine way. Really.... really....really nice. Without question - I have received more compliments on this cologne in a week, than I have received in all of my other colognes combined.

The beauty of this scent - is that not only can you enjoy it, but it is sweet, soothing and pleasent, and something a woman would not be offended to wear herself - so it is ADORED by both sexes alike.

Scents are very personal - so please don't run as fast as you can and buy 10 bottles, but for me.... this is heaven.