Review of Penhaligon’s Standard Scent Library
Part 2 of 3: PerfumeTok Rejoices
TLDR: In the search for my next favorite scent, I purchased Penhaligon’s Ultimate Scent Library. It contains two of their most popular scent libraries: a review of their Portraits series, and their standard sampler. For the purposes of this article, I’m reviewing their standard sampler (confusingly also labeled as Trade Routes, though that library was wildly different).
This collection contains 10 scents: Empressa, Endymion Concentrè, Halfeti, The Favorite, The Coveted Duchess Rose, The Tragedy of Lord George (all eau de parfum), Blenheim Bouquet, Juniper Sling, Luna (all eau de toilette), and Quercus (an eau de Cologne).
My favorites are Duchess Rose and Quercus.
For more words on these daily delights, read on.
Some Repeats
I reviewed Penhaligon’s Trade Routes Scent Library a few weeks ago, and that set also included Empressa and Halfeti. So you don’t have to open a new tab, here are my thoughts reprinted:
Empressa
Top note: Bergamont, Mid note: Peach, Base note: Patcholi
My Experience: This one was delicious and smelled similar to Chanel’s Chance, though less powdery. It lasted all day, and was the least “spiced” of the perfumes in this set. I’ll start putting this in rotation, though as of yet I’m not sure for what.
Halfeti
Top note: Bergamont, Mid note: Rose, Base note: Oud
My experience: This perfume is one of their best sellers, but it’s almost as muddled as it is complex. The top notes are un-placeably sweet, and dry down to a green-ish tang, or spicy vanilla. Allegedly there’s also some rose in there somewhere, but you don’t get to that until perhaps 20 minutes of wear, and regardless the scent remains very warm. It gets a bit brighter about 40 minutes into wear, but a sort of heady-sweet spiciness remains for the rest of the day. It’s not one of my favorites.
The New Stuff
Unlike the other two scent libraries, Pen.’s standard sampler is indeed a diverse and delightful representation of all of their perfume series.
These samples also represented 3 different concentrations of scent. With a little research, it’s clear the difference between eau de parfum, eau de toilette, and eau de cologne is contentious, especially when it comes to wear time and projection. Regardless, a scent is categorized by perfume oil percentage, and these categories are helpful when estimating scent strength and duration:
- Eau de Parfum: 10–20% perfume oil, up to 8 hours of wear; more intense, for night
- Eau de Toilette: 5–15% perfume oil, 4–7 hours of wear; generally lighter, for day
- Eau de Cologne: 3–5% raw materials; lightest and least concentrated, for … men?
Hilariously, none of the samples in this set (and probably none of the perfumes in our respective collections) are considered pure parfum, because parfums have a fragrance oil concentration of 40%. I’ll make note of which concentration each scent has in the notes, but I’ll mostly focus on scent profile.
Let’s get started.
Endymion Concentrè
Top note: Not Specified, Mid note: Not Specified, Base note: Not Specified — EDP
My Experience: “A sparkle of bergamot dances off suede, coffee and geranium” says the website, though the official top, middle, and base notes go unspecified. At first spritz I got a sort of lemon pepper scent, which quickly settled down to a sort of smokey … something. That’s probably the suede. Geranium I can only describe as perhaps a fuller floral scent — a blend of citrus, rose, and very light incense — that comes out stronger the longer you wear it. Coffee though? In this economy? If I had to set a picture for this perfume, I’d say it smelled like a grandmother’s Chanel bag drying by the fire of an old hunt club. It’s certainly a vibe.
The Favorite
Top note: Violet Leaf, Mid note: Orris, Base note: Musk — EDP
My Experience: When I first put it on, I immediately thought “wow, this smells like baby powder and a little bit of synthetic banana, but in a good way.” If the Penhaligon’s marketing team ever read that, they’d think I’m a pleb. I do love the transition from flower-powder to a light musk — it reminds me that every woman has her secrets. After two hours, this scent remains light, musky, though perhaps with less staying power than other perfumes here.
The Coveted Duchess Rose
Top note: Mandarin, Mid note: Rose Centifolia, Base note: Vanilla — EDP
My Experience: All women are vanilla! Obviously! But to play right into the stereotype, I am obsessed. Citrus is the prime note to start — at first I got grapefruit but within a few seconds the bouquet morphs into a very warm mandarin. The next layer smells like white tea, pink peppercorn, and (as expected and hoped for) rose. It’s enchanting. The scent stays at the very front of the soft pallet, and I kept awkwardly huffing my wrists while grocery shopping. The only vanilla I could find, though, was in the grocery aisle.
The Tragedy of Lord George
Top note: Ambrox, Mid note: Rum, Base note: Tonka Bean — EDP
My Experience: At first spritz, good old George reminded me of Barbasol and pistachios (that bit comes from the tonka bean). Apparently, ambrox smells like “ambery musk with woody tonalities,” and if that description sounds like your thing, congrats — it’s spot on. Regardless, Lord George smells like aftershave. A few minutes in, it mellows into a peppery-sunscreen. Some might say it has an edgy floral scent too, like a fern made of pen knives. It gets sharper over time. Like fresh cut grass. Sad that I’m allergic. Very verdant overall.
Blenheim Bouquet
Top note: Lemon, Mid note: Lavander, Base note: Pine — EDT
My Experience: This is how I learned that the US and UK spell lavender differently. The 120th anniversary of this scent (what-ho!) invented by the Duke of Marlborough smells like it was invented at the turn of the century, because of its tonal clarity. I picked up lemon right away (though more cleaning agent than grove), and the lavender/ pine meld together quite nicely a few minutes later, turning into something peppery. Oddly enough, to me it almost smells like an old leather bound book. This one could be a good for layering.
Juniper Sling
Top note: Juniper Berry, Mid note: Black Pepper, Base note: Vetiver — EDT
My Experience: GIN. Gin gin gin, it’s like taking a shot when you first put it on. But what’s even more fun is the alluring all-spice that makes itself known a couple minutes later — or could it be the black pepper getting a little aspirational? After a few more minutes of wear, there was a moment where I thought “…straw? Farm?” but that’s just the vetiver talking. After an hour, the scent mellows into a demur meld that smells like a fresh, powdery wash. This is a fun one, especially for the day! After 4 hours of wear, though, this scent is as good as gone.
Luna
Top note: Jasmine, Mid note: Fir Balsam, Base note: Bergamont. — EDT
My Experience: And this is where I realized Penhaligon’s has an obsession with bergamont. This one has more reviews (all 5 stars) than any other perfume I’ve seen on Penhaligon’s website, and to some extent I understand why. As the proud owner of some currently blooming Jasmine, I’d say the top note a looser interpretation of white flowers (I’m getting more mandarin orange, actually) and the bergamot makes itself known right away. You do smell fir, though I wish it was more powerful. This is a very unique scent that permeates well. After an hour of wear, the scent seemed almost soapy. Four hours in, and a coquettish scent remains that reminds me of my sorority days.
Quercus
Top note: Mandarin, Mid note: Lily of the Valley, Base note: Oakmoss — EDC
My Experience: This scent is incredible. Clean and confident. The oakmoss base is front and center, and the lily of the valley here is less sweet, instead offering floral depth to round out the almost aqua vibe. I love it. There is indeed a mossy tone to this scent, and I believe that’s what lends it such freshness. Enchanting. Perhaps I’ll have to acquire it for myself…
Hey, I’m Amy! From working in the arts, to startup manufacturing and fellowships, to edtech ops and growth, I’ve lived multiple lives. Follow for more content from an avid multi-passionate. ✨
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