Good evening chaps. Another day and another fragrance sample tried. This morning's choice was Hamman Bouquet. I want to say that buying from the Decant Shop was a most pleasant experience. Superb service, fast delivery, and well packaged sample atomisers. You can choose different sizes of decants for most fragrances. I chose 3-4ml atomisers for the testers I bought. This allows me to try each scent a number of times to get a proper feel for each one and by spraying them on you won't waste as much as you would with splash.
I also wanted to gauge the interest of the forum to see if there is any interest in having me post a thread about each one of these fragrances? Something for the chaps like me who don't really know anything other than traditional woody fougere aftershaves and more bargain priced edts like Taylor or Trumper. These French, and in this case English, scents are really male perfumes even if they don't reach that strength. Any scent I wear that I would not choose as an aftershave is a perfume to me. Its sole purpose is scent. So something like the title of this thread for each one? There are only four so I am already half way through. I was thinking maybe a post every fortnight or so as I rotate through the scents. Good or bad idea?
Now to it. Straight away I have to own to something. I love English fragrances. I cannot say they are superior or inferior to French fragrances but they most certainly carry a different vibe. And I love them. While I love the traditional old fragrances like Spanish Leather and lavender water, I have noted I am considering branching out in the fragrance department. Hammam Bouquet is a large step in the right direction. Much as Mouchoir de Monsieur struck my old fashioned nose, Hammam Bouquet was even better. Much better. And that is not damning MdM in any sense. Hammam Bouquet's rich, fragrant top notes and rose, sandalwood and slight powder dry down are simply class to me. Most of you know know my rantings about modern fragrances but this makes it doubly clear to me. I like old fashioned scents. And this one is glorious. Fantastic staying power on me, I was astounded the sillage did not overwhelm me. Every so often you try a fragrance that simply melds with your body chemistry and your olfactory senses. Hammam Bouquet is that fragrance. Two quick sprays on each pulse point on my neck this morning and I could easily smell it most of the day and can nearly guarantee you my wife will still smell it on me when she arrives home this evening. Nearly eleven hours later.
Make no mistake. This is a RICH fragrance. Apply too much and you and you will be getting the wrinkled nose look from just about anyone you meet. I have to say I had always kind of avoided Hamam Bouquet because most rose heavy scents always blow my senses away in the sillage and I was sure I would not be able to wear it or even really like it. This is not the case and I am happy about it. My wife gave one of the biggest thumbs up I have ever noticed from her. She told me she likes it even better than Brooks Brothers 1818. I never thought I would ever hear her say something like that. The only downside to this is that currently I cannot find it on Penhaligon's USA web site. I do see it on their UK site. Is there some issue in getting Hammam Bouquet in the States? I am NOT starting any sort of rumour here. I simply noted the absence on their site which leaves a big hole as far as I am concerned. Someone tell me I can still get my hands on this.
Cheers, Todd
I also wanted to gauge the interest of the forum to see if there is any interest in having me post a thread about each one of these fragrances? Something for the chaps like me who don't really know anything other than traditional woody fougere aftershaves and more bargain priced edts like Taylor or Trumper. These French, and in this case English, scents are really male perfumes even if they don't reach that strength. Any scent I wear that I would not choose as an aftershave is a perfume to me. Its sole purpose is scent. So something like the title of this thread for each one? There are only four so I am already half way through. I was thinking maybe a post every fortnight or so as I rotate through the scents. Good or bad idea?
Now to it. Straight away I have to own to something. I love English fragrances. I cannot say they are superior or inferior to French fragrances but they most certainly carry a different vibe. And I love them. While I love the traditional old fragrances like Spanish Leather and lavender water, I have noted I am considering branching out in the fragrance department. Hammam Bouquet is a large step in the right direction. Much as Mouchoir de Monsieur struck my old fashioned nose, Hammam Bouquet was even better. Much better. And that is not damning MdM in any sense. Hammam Bouquet's rich, fragrant top notes and rose, sandalwood and slight powder dry down are simply class to me. Most of you know know my rantings about modern fragrances but this makes it doubly clear to me. I like old fashioned scents. And this one is glorious. Fantastic staying power on me, I was astounded the sillage did not overwhelm me. Every so often you try a fragrance that simply melds with your body chemistry and your olfactory senses. Hammam Bouquet is that fragrance. Two quick sprays on each pulse point on my neck this morning and I could easily smell it most of the day and can nearly guarantee you my wife will still smell it on me when she arrives home this evening. Nearly eleven hours later.
Make no mistake. This is a RICH fragrance. Apply too much and you and you will be getting the wrinkled nose look from just about anyone you meet. I have to say I had always kind of avoided Hamam Bouquet because most rose heavy scents always blow my senses away in the sillage and I was sure I would not be able to wear it or even really like it. This is not the case and I am happy about it. My wife gave one of the biggest thumbs up I have ever noticed from her. She told me she likes it even better than Brooks Brothers 1818. I never thought I would ever hear her say something like that. The only downside to this is that currently I cannot find it on Penhaligon's USA web site. I do see it on their UK site. Is there some issue in getting Hammam Bouquet in the States? I am NOT starting any sort of rumour here. I simply noted the absence on their site which leaves a big hole as far as I am concerned. Someone tell me I can still get my hands on this.
Cheers, Todd
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