I've read a lot about Penhaligons here at B&B, and I've received a sample of Blenheim Bouquet EdT and love the scent! Well, SWMBO would like to provide me with a few of these exquisite scents for Christmas. Without buying a sample pack, and without knowing anything about my preferences, I would like to know what everyone here considers to be the best scent Penhaligons offers.
Which Penhaligons Scent is the Best?
- Thread starter TimMechEngr
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That depends on when the question is asked! I haven't heard too many folks say that there is no Penhaligon's scent that they love, though. I do think their "scent library" isn't the greatest deal....unless your spouse wants samples, too.
I voted BB, but it is probably really Douro. I have only had the tiny sample of Elixir quite a while ago, but I loved it. It is possilble that it is my favorite. I have never tired LP or EF. I like what I hear though.
I'm a Racquets fan. I want to like BB, but small test it had no legs at all.
A small test of Douro was nice- spicy. Hamman Bouquet sort an acquired taste like Scotch I think.
Ultimately, the best is whichever one makes you feel most centered.
It's great that your wife wants to gift you with one, but most of us all pretty focused on sampling first.
All are excellent, but one or two will stand out more as something you like.
It would suck for her to gift you with something you're not wild about based on our tried and true preferences.
I think I read in a thread here that if you call Pens, they will tinker their sampler to all men's scents. Their standard sampler is 5 mens, 5 women's, and doesn't include some of the scents we're going to be suggesting here.
A small test of Douro was nice- spicy. Hamman Bouquet sort an acquired taste like Scotch I think.
Ultimately, the best is whichever one makes you feel most centered.
It's great that your wife wants to gift you with one, but most of us all pretty focused on sampling first.
All are excellent, but one or two will stand out more as something you like.
It would suck for her to gift you with something you're not wild about based on our tried and true preferences.
I think I read in a thread here that if you call Pens, they will tinker their sampler to all men's scents. Their standard sampler is 5 mens, 5 women's, and doesn't include some of the scents we're going to be suggesting here.
I can get it down to four or five (or six), but certainly not one.
...and really, who cares what they are?
All of Penhaligon's scents are 100% awesome in my book!*
(*with the exception of Hammam Bouquet, which leaves a spiciness in the drydown that just doesn't sit well on my skin)
...and really, who cares what they are?
All of Penhaligon's scents are 100% awesome in my book!*(*with the exception of Hammam Bouquet, which leaves a spiciness in the drydown that just doesn't sit well on my skin)
Send Penhaligon's a message--they'll probably send you some samples. They were extremely generous when I wrote to them and they sent me six or eight different ones.
Hope you find something that you like. All of the Pens fragrances that I tried were nice, except for Hammam Bouquet, which was appalling. But Blenheim Bouquet, English Fern and Douro were all quite pleasant if not very long-lasting. In classic YMMV fashion, I also think that they're unbelievably overpriced.
Besides, everyone knows that Winston Churchill had FDR deliver him a case of Aqua Velva by military courier every year right before the holidays. Then, on Boxing Day, he'd pass out all the Creed and Penhaligon's that people had been giving him to the servants and tradesmen. Except for the Hammam, which he'd send to Stalin. That's how I heard it anyway.
Hope you find something that you like. All of the Pens fragrances that I tried were nice, except for Hammam Bouquet, which was appalling. But Blenheim Bouquet, English Fern and Douro were all quite pleasant if not very long-lasting. In classic YMMV fashion, I also think that they're unbelievably overpriced.
Besides, everyone knows that Winston Churchill had FDR deliver him a case of Aqua Velva by military courier every year right before the holidays. Then, on Boxing Day, he'd pass out all the Creed and Penhaligon's that people had been giving him to the servants and tradesmen. Except for the Hammam, which he'd send to Stalin. That's how I heard it anyway.
Now that's funny.
As much as I LOVE my English Fern shaving soap, I have to say my Opus 1870 is my favorite scent. It has a very soothing, slightly spicy cedar wood scent, to me.
In my order of preference BB, EF, Castille, Douro/Lords, Racquets. I think HB is also awesome, but just doesn't quite fit me. I think opus, endymion and quercus are the low points of their collection, not as low as the typical fly by night mass market product, but leaning that way.
Castile, then Endymion, then Racquets.
Blenheim Bouquet is my favourite scent period.
But they are all good, except Opus 1870 that makes me gag.
But they are all good, except Opus 1870 that makes me gag.
Appalling is not generally a word I hear used to describe colognes. Can you elaborate?
Blenheim Boquet and Opus 1870 are two of my favorite winter scents from Penhaligons.
Truth is, although I haven't tried the EF cologne, I like Gentlemen's Best AS Splash and Cologne when I use EF SS. No joke -- just check my SOTD for today (posted long before I saw this thread)!
Rose petals macerated in Johnson's Baby Oil. If this is an authentic fragrance from the Victorian era, I would have to think that any gentleman returning home smelling of it would be cast out of his home, excommunicated and shunned in polite society.
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So Churchill sending it to Stalin was a root cause of the Cold War, I guess.
Hamman is not an easy one to love. Nid's description a bit over the top, but not all that far off either.
It's opening is kind of loud and confronting and a bit little old ladyish. Then there's a sort of boozy rosey transition. (I think that's the baby oil note that Nid is referencing.)
It settles into something a bit more spicy and manly after a time.
Getting there is the problem.
If this was the first and only Pens you tried- you might not try another. It is very old fashioned.
It's opening is kind of loud and confronting and a bit little old ladyish. Then there's a sort of boozy rosey transition. (I think that's the baby oil note that Nid is referencing.)
It settles into something a bit more spicy and manly after a time.
Getting there is the problem.
If this was the first and only Pens you tried- you might not try another. It is very old fashioned.
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Poor Hamman is taking a beating.
A lot of the top frag critics seem to believe part of the problem is that the quality of many of the original ingredients is compromised these days.
A lot of the top frag critics seem to believe part of the problem is that the quality of many of the original ingredients is compromised these days.
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