PENHALIGON’S BLENHEIM BOUQUET EDT Archives

I recently celebrated Penhaligon’s 150^th anniversary by compiling a list of their 10 best fragrances. With hindsight, I probably should have done a top 20. There are so many standouts from this British heritage brand that was founded by barber William Penhaligon in 1870.

ENTREPRENEURIAL FOUNDER: The life of William Penhaligon is integral to the Penhaligon’s 150th anniversary celebrations.

In this post I continue to mark Penhaligon’s 150^th anniversary in an interview with Lance Patterson, the company’s CEO (pictured below). He talks to me about their new fragrance launch, the effects of the coronavirus, the importance of heritage and customer preferences.

Image: Penhaligon’s.

How is the company celebrating its 150^th year in business?

We are highlighting this important milestone throughout the year by telling the stories that make up our rich history on our digital platforms, as well as when we get back into retail.

A key moment was the launch of The Favourite in early March, a stunning floral fragrance with notes of mimosa, violet leaf, bergamot and sandalwood. It was inspired by Sarah Churchill, the Duchess of Marlborough, a very influential woman of her time and best friend of Queen Anne. Sarah was the Keeper of the Privy Purse and the Mistress of the Robes, responsible for the royal wardrobe. She was also instrumental in building Blenheim Palace. It’s one of the most impressive palaces in England and a place of great importance to Penhaligon’s heritage where one of our most iconic scents was born in 1902.

Image: Penhaligon’s.

Blenheim Bouquet was created in 1902 by Walter Penhaligon, William’s son, and was a private commission by the ninth Duke of Marlborough who resided at Blenheim Palace. So we are very proud to celebrate the brand’s history with a nod to this chapter and introduce another classic yet thoroughly modern fragrance.

ROYAL INSPIRATION: Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, is of great importance to Penhaligon’s heritage. Image: Penhaligon’s.

We are also gearing up for an iconic Christmas campaign that will celebrate the brand’s British heritage and its spirit of generosity.

How has the coronavirus pandemic affected the Penhaligon’s 150^th anniversary celebrations?

Although we had to cancel our big global event for the 150^th anniversary, we adapted quickly to the new environment. We are now focusing on digital campaigns and bringing the brand alive in a number of interactive ways on social media, the website and via email marketing.

People are spending a lot of time online and we found new ways to connect with them via tools like Instagram Live or series of online Q&As, where we delve into the brand and celebrate our fragrances old and new.

Heritage and tradition are very much part of the brand. How is that balanced with more modern trends and tastes?

We love bringing a more contemporary experience to our customer through initiatives such as online Fragrance Profiling, which helps you find your perfect scent and sample it at home. At the heart of our Fragrance Profiling is a rich history of storytelling around our scents. When we share these stories and give our consumers more knowledge and history behind the fragrances, we see a much stronger long-term connection being established.

BRAND HISTORY: The front of the store on 33 St James Street, London, when the company was known as Penhaligon & Jeavons in the 1890s. Image: Penhaligon’s.

Our loyal consumers love sharing what they learn and become our finest ambassadors. They love the entertaining and quirky side of the brand that we embodied in olfactive fiction in the Portraits collection, which has become a great success story for the brand. The connection people make with the Portraits’ characters shows the strength in storytelling for fragrances.

Image: Penhaligon’s.

What would fans be surprised to know about Penhaligon’s?

Many don’t know that our founder, William Penhaligon, was from Cornwall originally and moved with his entire family to London to set up shop. He was the original young entrepreneur, had a unique vision and made his dream happen.

“William Penhaligon was the original young entrepreneur, had a unique vision and made his dream happen.”

What’s the best-selling product?

Best-sellers change depending on the season and region. But globally our market can’t get enough of The Tragedy of Lord George, Halfeti and The Coveted Duchess Rose. But there are others that have been our top sellers for more than 100 years such as Blenheim Bouquet.

However, we know that fragrance is a personal choice and want to offer our customers a lot of variety and options, hence having over 50 fragrances in our collection.

Which country is the company’s biggest market?

Our domestic market is very important for us, but the brand is loved in many other parts of the world, with Asia being a rapidly growing region in the past few years.

What do the company’s various markets tell us about their customers’ preferences?

Although there definitely are local nuances when it comes to fragrance preferences, we also notice that customers globally are looking for a very individualistic expression of their personality. They increasingly want more unique scents, especially the younger clientele.

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE: The Penhaligon’s store on Wellington Street, Covent Garden, in London. Image: Penhaligon’s.

For example, young Arabic customers are choosing less oud-based scents and exploring florals and gourmands. In Asia fresher, lighter scents are favoured, but again a younger demographic often go for more opulent scents like Lord George and Halfeti.

Penhaligon’s justifiably is seen as a niche fragrance success story. But what’s been the company’s costliest mistake? And how was that rectified?

Like all brands, Penhaligon’s has faced challenges when entering different markets in a rapidly changing retail landscape. One of our most important lessons was with our expansion into the US. We took risks in opening too quickly and have had to reassess how best to move forward.

Can you share some interesting Penhaligon’s stats with my readers?

Hammam Bouquet is turning 148 this year. This icon of the brand, created by William Penhaligon himself, makes Chanel No 5, at 99 years old, look like a youngster.

Image: Penhaligon’s.

There aren’t that many fragrance companies that can celebrate 150 years in the biz. But then Penhaligon’s isn’t just any brand. It has come to represent the best of British heritage since it was founded in 1870 by William Penhaligon. As you can imagine, I had a really hard time narrowing this list down to just 10 best Penhaligon’s fragrances. But I hope that it will give you a good idea of the top-notch quality and creativity on offer.

HERITAGE: William Penhaligon founded his company in 1870. Image: Penhaligon’s.

What started out as a barbershop has evolved into a Puig-owned company that niftily balances tradition and modernity, with three royal warrants along the way.

The company’s debut fragrance, the woody-floral Hammam Bouquet, was launched in 1872 and remains a best-seller to this day.

You will notice that many of the fragrances on this list are recent releases. Proof that Penhaligon’s is not just trading on its illustrious heritage.

Where known, the name of the perfumer is included in brackets after the name of the fragrance.

Do you have any best Penhaligon’s fragrances?

Penhaligon’s Blenheim Bouquet EDT

I begin my best Penhaligon’s fragrances list with this absolute classic. Originally launched in 1902, it was created for the Duke of Marlborough, according to the brand’s website, and has lost none of its charm over the decades.

Interestingly, on a technical level, it has no heart notes. But it’s the super-refined opening of lemon, lime and lavender notes that keeps me coming back for more. That, and the drydown of pine, musk and black pepper notes.

It’s officially a male fragrance. But you know better than to be limited by such things, especially in spring and summer when it’s the ideal tonic for the heat.

Penhaligon’s Halfeti EDP (Christian Provenzano)

There’s no shortage of quality oud fragrances on the market, but it’s this best-seller that always gets my attention.

Inspired by the Turkish town of Halfeti, this 2015 release has a very brief fresh opening, courtesy of grapefruit, green and artemisia notes. It then moves rapidly into more heady territory when the notes of cumin, nutmeg, rose and saffron come into play. Oud is the centrepiece of the fragrance and is very ably assisted by notes of leather, amber, vanilla, tonka and sandalwood.

This EDP is rich, warm and intense in all the right ways.

Penhaligon’s Juniper Sling EDT (OLIVIER CRESP)

Launched in 2011, Penhaligon’s Juniper Sling is inspired by the quality of London dry gin.

Juniper berries, which give gin its distinctive style, open this unisex EDT in style. But there’s more to this modern boozy classic than its gin intro. A cocktail of citrus (orange), spices (black pepper and cardamom), herbs (angelica) and a hint of sugar all complement each other.

It’s more of a skin scent, so if you only go for power performers, this one might not be for you. But you will be missing out on a fragrance that develops beautifully on the skin.

PENHALIGON’S THE UNCOMPROMISING SOHAN

A humorous take on the idea of the fragrance family, the Penhaligon’s Portraits collection was launched in 2016. It includes an assortment of EDPs named after delightful characters, including Clandestine Clara, Heartless Helen and The Bewitching Yasmine.

I love this 2017 release for its big, bold and powdery rose opening, with spicy pink pepper in the background. I don’t pick up much of the listed vetiver, but all is forgiven when the dynamic between the rose and Laotian oud (one of the best varieties) is so gorgeous. Sandalwood adds to the delicious oriental mood.

It’s on the pricey side, but the exquisite packaging is part of the deal.

PENHALIGON’S ELISABETHAN ROSE EDP

Inspired by the Tudor rose and the union of the houses of York and Lancaster, this 2018 release is one of the most distinctive rose fragrances I’ve smelled in a long time.

Its unusual character is evident right from the nutty opening notes of hazelnut leaf and almond oil. Cinnamon adds to the warmth. The queen of florals dominates the heart of the scent, in particular rose centifolia oil and rose absolute. Their fruity potency is accentuated by red lily.

Eventually settling on a base of woody, musk and vetiver notes, it’s powerful stuff, so one or two sprays will more than do.

Penhaligon’s Iris Prima EDP (ALBERTO MORILLAS)

Looking for a super-elegant iris fragrance created by one of the world’s top perfumers? Then this 2013 release is for you.

It begins in fresh ’n spicy mode with notes of bergamot and pink pepper, and then transitions to the star of the show. This iris is full of powderiness and is partnered with a dose of jasmine, which has a slight animalic quality.

That animalic vibe is further developed in the drydown where an oh-so-smooth leather note predominates. Its creaminess is enhanced by woody notes of sandalwood and vetiver.

PENHALIGON’S ENDYMION CONCENTRE EDP

Penhaligon’s Endymion Cologne is a lavender classic. But the Concentré version gets my vote, as it offers greater depth and longevity.

It opens with freshly elegant notes of bergamot and lavender, which give it a captivating herbal-citrus character at first. This 2016 release then takes a floral direction with the addition of a geranium note, which builds on the initial freshness. A waft of coffee brings an intriguing twist and contrast to the proceedings. A soft suede mood permeates the EDP and reinforces its timeless appeal.

It’s too good to be monopolised by men only.

PENHALIGON’S LOTHAIR EDT (BERTRAND DUCHAUFOUR)

Wow! That’s my response every time I wear this multi-faceted 2014 release. I’m sure you will feel the same way when you sniff it out.

It’s from the brand’s Trade Routes Collection, which is inspired by all the exotic ingredients that arrived in London at the end of the 19^th century. And boy, does this deliver on the unusual front!

Aromatic juniper berries set the tone in the opening, but there are also accents of grapefruit, cardamom, red berries and fig leaf to tease the imagination. Notes of fig milk, black tea and lavender stand out in the heart of the EDT. The olfactory pleasure keeps on coming in the drydown that features a perfect union of vanilla, ambergris and woody notes.

PENHALIGON’S AS SAWIRA EDP (CHRISTIAN PROVENZANO)

This 2015 release is another treasure from the brand’s Trade Routes Collection. Taking its inspiration from the abundance of opulent goods to be found in a souk (Arabian bazaar), it’s a beautifully executed woody EDP.

Opening notes of saffron, artemisia and absinthe create a rich and intoxicating ambience. The intensity progresses to the heart of the fragrance, featuring a melange of floral and spice notes, in particular rose, carnation, cardamom and cloves.

There’s a lot going on in the complex drydown, but there’s no mistaking the contribution of oud, myrrh, sandalwood and amber to the overall sensuality.

PENHALIGON’S ARTEMISIA EDP

After all that full-on opulence, I complete my round-up of the best Penhaligon’s fragrances with the understated luxury of this 2002 release.

A softly sweet note of nectarine sets the tone, with a touch of greenery in the background. Violet infuses the heart of the fragrance with a delectable powderiness, while notes of jasmine tea and lily-of-the-valley provide floral and green nuances respectively.

An almost caramel-y vanilla (without being gourmand-ish) is complemented by a large dose of seductive musk and creamy sandalwood in the drydown.

All of the fragrances on this best Penhaligon’s fragrances list are available in South Africa at Skins Cosmetics.

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