Meet Penhaligon’s small delights

Meet five of Penhaligon’s most loved fragrances. Spray and prepare oneself to fall in love with your new favourite scent.

Small scents with a big impact. Ensure you leave a pleasant redolence on your journeys with Penhaligon’s travel friendly fragrances.

Penhaligon’s Halfeti

A potion so delightfully intoxicating one falls immediately in love. Warm, strong and reassuring all at once. All respectability forgotten, we have travelled far, as far as Turkey!

Created by perfumer Christiano Provenzano, Halfeti is inspired by precious goods traded by Turkey – spices, exotic flowers and soft leather. Named after a small Turkish village, Halfeti, where beautiful Halfeti black roses bloom on the coasts of the Euphrates river. Here in Halfeti, the red roses appear black so intense is their magic.

Top notes: Citrus, Bergamot, Grapefruit, Saffron, Cardamom, Atermisia, Cypress needles
Heart notes: Jasmine, Bulgarian rose, Nutmeg
Base notes: Leather, Oud, Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Amber, Musk, Vanilla, Tonka

The beginning of this story is fresh and vigorous; bergamot, hints of green, and aromatic Artemisia. It evolves with gusto thanks to jasmine and spiced rose – this love has thorns. The ending bears all the promise of distant lands, with the certainty of vanilla and sandalwood, the piquancy of leather and a most reassuringly distinguished mélange of Oud, amber and patchouli.

Here, the British Levant Company traded in the opulent treasures of the Ottoman merchants to secure the pick of the crop, the finest of the batch, the best in the region, of the valuable goods that were opening up… could one call it Epicurean tastes in the, oh so stoic, British Isles?

Penhaligon’s Halfeti was created for women. The delightfully intoxicating oud fragrance commes now in 30ml, perfect for journeys to distant lands.

 

Penhaligon’s Elisabethan Rose 

Created by Michael Pickthall Penhaligon’s Elisabethan Rose is a floral aldehyde fragrance, launched in 1984.

Top notes: Geranium, Aldehydes
Heart notes: Violet, Rose
Base notes: Musk, Sandalwood, Amber

Fit for a Queen. A fragrance with (of course) a most commanding presence. Regal. Demanding. Imposing. And yet so perfectly at ease. Delicate indeed. ‘A rose is a rose’ – but not all roses are created equal.

Penhaligon’s Elisabethan Rose was created for women. The delicately regal rose fragrance comes now in 30ml, to accompany a queen on her travels.

 

Penhaligon’s Empressa 

As one would expect of an Empressa, she travels in style (whilst travelling light): with her abundant pearls, mirrors and fine silks. She is the jewel in the crown. The rose in the desert. She rises above all others in stature, in refinement, in grace and in beauty. Her queenly airs are clothed in splendour. Like her scent, she leaves a seductive and lasting impression. Florals and fruits are exquisitely combined, tamed, because whilst she is certainly sweet she is anything but cloying. A rare find indeed.

Top notes:  Bergamot, Blood orange, Mandarin orange, Peach, Pink pepper
Heart notes: Neroli, Geranium, Rose, Dewberry, Cassis
Base notes: Amber, Musk, Sandalwood, Olibanum, Cacao, Brown sugar, Patchouli, Vanilla

Penhaligon’s Empressa – part of the Penhaligon’s Trade Routes Collection – is a Oriental Floral fragrance, launched is 2014. The nose behind this fragrance is Christian Provenzano. A precious Middle Eastern Rose, from Damascus, makes the fragrance tender; geranium and pepper bring verve. The opening trilogy of blood orange, bergamot and mandarin serve as an inviting, radiant smile. But what lingers of the Empressa, are the sensual depths of cocoa, amber, patchouli, frankincense and the most precious woods.

Whilst she may always wear rare, immaculate pearls, the Empressa has a secret fondness for silks and spice. Bright, soft and deeply sensual are the textures of this luxurious, luminous, lavish cloak.

Penhaligon’s Empressa was created for women (and men?). The deeply sensual floral fragrance comes now in 30ml, for those who travel in style.

 

Penhaligon’s Orange Blossom 2010

Perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour updated the classic scent in 2010. All the stimulating sensations of a stroll through orange orchards in bloom, for those new to the discovery of a love story bathed in sunlight. Perfumed with honeyed floral mists, that rise and fall from the tiny innocent white blooms. To the warm blossom-scent, some more vigorous Lemon-Cedrat, violet leaf and pink berries/pepper? The Calabrian orange and bergamot are resplendently complemented with peach flowers, rose, tuberose and jasmine. And because an orchard is full of trees… cedar unifies the vanilla and musks that create a satisfying shady base.

Penhaligon’s Orange Blossom was created for women (and men?), the honeyed floral comes now in 30ml, essential for travels to the orange orchards of Calabria.

 

Penhaligon’s Luna 2016

Luna, the Moon Goddess, brings her blessings to the forbidden. Endymion was the most handsome son of Zeus and was placed into perpetual slumber by the Goddess of the Moon so that she alone could gaze upon him.

Offering gentle introduction in a daintier dose. She also likes to bathe at night. Illuminated by her own dancing opalescent light. A light that needs – and longs all day! – for night’s return. To shine again.

Top notes: Lemon, Bergamot, Bitter orange
Heart notes: Jasmine, Rose, Juniper berries
Base notes: Musk, Ambergris, Balsam fir

Luna was created in 2016. Sparkling first with Bergamot oil and lemon primofiore, it soon finds a dream-like calm, with jasmine, juniper and soft rose accords. A harmony complete when musks and ambergris enchant Endymion’s endless beauty sleep.

Penhaligon’s Luna, for men and women, the much loved fresh floral fragrance comes now in 30ml, perfect for your dream-like travels.

 

 

 

 

PENHALIGON’S OSTARA EAU DE TOILETTE

This spring, British niche perfume house Penhaligon’s will launch Ostara, a luminous solar floral created by Master Perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour. Inspired by the daffodil, the fragrance is a modern interpretation of this delicate and incandescent flower. An olfactory journey – from bulb to bud to bloom.

And then my heart with pleasure fills, and dances with the daffodils.

William Wordsworth

An iconic feature of the British countryside, the daffodil symbolizes the optimism and revival of spring. In 1802, the distinguished poet William Wordsworth wrote about a sea of daffodils in his poem, ‘I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud’. Excerpts have been included on the outer packaging of the fragrance to reflect the radiance of the flower.

Penhaligon’s have worked with artist Melissa Bailey to create a beautiful and unique illustration of Ostara exclusively for the launch. Melissa used gentle brush strokes to recreate the fragrance in her own distinct style in a combination of watercolours and inks.

 

Penhaligon’s Ostara Eau de Toilette

Top notes: Clementine, Bergamot, Red Berries CO2, Juniper, Spearmint, Blackcurrant Bud CO2, Violet Leaf Absolute, Leafy Effects, Aldehydes
Heart notes: Hyacinth, Narcissus Absolute, Beeswax Absolute, Cyclamen, Ylang Ylang, Hawthorn, Wisteria
Base notes: Styrax Resinoid, Vanilla, Benzoin, Musk, Amber, White Wood Effects

Ostara opens in an affirming burst of green and yellow: Juniper, Violet Leaf Absolute and Spearmint are layered against vibrant notes of Aldehydes, Blackcurrant and Clementine. Narcissus Absolute leads the sun-drenched floral bouquet, gathered with Hyacinth, Hawthorn, and Cyclamen, which are given depth by the humming warmth of beeswax. The fragrance then settles into a powdered, resinous base of Benzoin, Vanilla, Styrax, Amber and White Wood effects.

Come into the wonderful world of Penhaligon’s.

 

 

 

Vaara, A Fragrance Fit for a Maharaja

The Maharaja’s granddaughter is born into luxury. Succulent quince, fragrant roses, and wood warmed by the midday sun. Vibrant Rajasthan, captured in an Eau de Parfum. Tempered by stately elegance.

Created by Bertrand Duchaufour, Penhaligon’s London’s new fragrance Vaara was inspired by no other than the Royal House of Marwar-Jodphur in Rajasthan. The composition started life as the passion of His Highness Gaj Singh II who wanted to reflect his family’s deep love and connection with Jodhpur and to celebrate his granddaughter Vaara’s birthday.

Top notes: Quince, Rosewater, Carrot Seed, Coriander Seed, Saffron
Middle notes: Moroccan Rose Absolute, Bulgarian Rose Oil, Freesia, Indian Magnolia, Peony, Iris
Base notes: Honey, White Musk, Cedarwood, Sandalwood, Benzoin Resin, Tonka Bean

Vaara’s luxurious bouquet leads the nose to a parure of petaled jewel tones. Rubies, diamonds, sapphires and pearls are translated into a string of scents rich in compatible elegance. As if on cue, they compose an exotic aura; there, the Absolute rule of roses is in everlasting bloom. After a single spritz, those in your presence will be transfixed. A rose-infused Eau de Parfum by any other name would not be the same: The multifaceted dazzle that is Vaara is the only sparkle you’ll ever need to adorn your days and nights.

It offers a unique and beautiful glimpse into this aromatic world of the Maharaja. Perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour’s journey to Jodhpur provided him with an abundance of inspiration for the fragrance and the end result, Vaara, cleverly captures the spirit of this fascinating part of India.

A secret garden at the backyard of an Indian palace a summer evening. The smell of saffron on hot skin. Spicy nights and burning desires in a flacon. This scent will never let you go

Penhaligon’s Vaara is available as 100ml Eau de Parfum at Penhaligon’s boutiques and selected store worldwide. Come into the beautiful world of Penhaligon’s.

Neela Vermeire Ashoka

 

Ashoka – a new fragrance has been recently presented by Neela Vermeire Creations and is inspired by one of India’s greatest emperors who was conquered by his own compassion at the moment his victory was assured. He converted to Buddhism and devoted the rest of his life to spreading the Buddha’s teachings, to truth, to justice and to compassion for all living creatures beneath the sun. His own evolution from ruthless conquerer to benevolent emperor is reflected in Ashoka’s journey from the fierce opening to a softly floral heart & the gentle embrace of its richly complex drydown.

It must have been a rather daunting and unenviable task for both Neela Vermeire and perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour when creating their fourth perfume together and the first to be launched since the initial trio of India-inspired fragrances in the Neela Vermeire Collection. These three perfumes – Trayee, Mohur and Bombay Bling! – were so well received and critically acclaimed that the pressure really must have been on when the time came to add a brand new fragrance to the series – a fragrance named Ashoka. Luckily for us, this pressure does not seem to have phased this dynamic duo one bit.

Ashoka is Neela’s fourth perfume and first to be released outside of her initial trio of perfumes inspired by different eras of Indian culture. It would make sense then, that Ashoka strikes a slightly different chord from the others in the collection whilst managing not to stick out like a sore thumb. The fragrance is a continuation of the historical Indian narrative but in an olfactory sense, Ashoka leads Neela Vermeire Creations in an entirely new and exciting direction.

 

Key Notes of Ashoka: fig, leather, white and pink lotus, mimosa, fig milk, osmanthus, rose, water hyacinth, vetiver, styrax, incense, sandalwood, myrrh, tonka bean and fir balsam.

Neela Vermeire Ashoka will be available as 50ml Eau de Parfum for €190 in selected stores very soon.

 

 

 

 

Aedes de Venustas’s first signature perfume

Aedes de Venustas is based in New York’s Greenwich Village, established in 1995 by two visionaries by the name of Karl Bradl and Robert Gerstner. The name itself, Aedes de Venustas, means temple of beauty, and indeed, it has been serving New York’s need for beauty in scent since its inception. Ever since they opened their shop in New York City, Aedes de Venustas has had a very special place in my perfume-loving heart.

Aedes Venustas honors the past, present and future of perfumery with its first signature scent. Housed in aubergine glass the bottle disrupts classic rules of design with its round and square shape, hinting at the unique construction of the fragrance housed within its body. The circumference of the cap is uniquely positioned and adorned with the Aedes insignia. A baroque yet futuristic ambience emanates from the skin as soon as the fragrance is applied, embodying the magic that is the Aedes de Venustas boutique.

 

The mind questions, but the heart knows; a new experience anoints the wearer as it weaves a sensuous spell like no other before it. It is the first touch of Aedes de Venustas, a touch that will never be forgotten. The composition of Aedes de Venustas Signature Eau de Parfum is a world onto itself. There is no trace of the traditional fragrance pyramid. The construction is round, luxurious, voluptuous and addictive.

The scent’s chypre character is pierced at its center with the ephemeral green freshness of rhubarb accord; the axis around which the fragrance revolves, like the wearer emanating its memorable sillage. This enveloping and voluptuous essence deepens to smoky incense, tomato leaf and hazelnut accords punctuated with green apple, vetiver and sweet honeysuckle. Embodied and embodying; Aedes de Venustas Signature Eau de Parfum is the past, present and future of perfumery in simultaneous revolution.

 

 

Perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour describes the perfume as ‘a game of supports in an unexpected, even improbably olfactory architecture because the green effect increases while the heavy dark resinous incense and chypre accord is largely deceasing and getting more abstract’. On an interesting note many of the ingredients in Aedes de Venustas Signature Eau de Parfum have been sourced by Bertrand Duchaufour.

The Aedes de Venustas world is a world of luxury, of quality; simultaneously opulent and baroque yet decadent in a way that is refined. This is reflected in the store’s interior; purple, red and aubergine colors, shimmering and iridescent tones like those found in peacock feathers, and textures expressed in velvet, angel skin like silk, taffetas and brocades.

Bertrand Duchaufour

The ominpresent Vetiver is from Madagascar where Mr Duchaufour himself traveled to meet the farmers and made sure it complied to fair trade practices. Aedes de Venustas Signature Eau de Parfum is an olfactory reflection of the boutique.

 

 

The design for Aedes de Venustas Signature Eau De Parfum bottle was inspired by a 1920’s piece of art glass co-owner Karl Bradl discovered in a flea market in New York City’s Chelsea. Bradl and partner Robert Gerstner were not developing a fragrance for their boutique at the time, but the antique, with its unique zamak metal accents, became a symbolic muse inspiring the concept for several luxury fragrances which the brand will release over a five year period. Aedes de Venustas Signature Eau de Parfum is the first fragrance in this venture.

Aedes de Venustas Signature Eau de Perfum is available as 100ml spray.

 

 

 

 

Neela Vermeire Creations tribute to India

Neela Vermeire Creations is a newly introduced Paris perfumery niche in the world. As a perfume connoisseur, Neela had a keen awareness of the difference good natural raw materials can make. She began her work with perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour by giving him free rein to use a costly palette of attars and resins that would do justice to the sensual splendors of India.

Neela Vermeire started to explore the roots, traditions and the history of India through three wonderful perfumes like: Mohul, Trayee and Bombay Bling. Neela Vermeire created the trio perfumes in the memory of her native country India and the appreciation for its values. The result?

The three initial perfumes are a tribute to three different eras of Indian history spanning thousands of years, fast forwarding from the spiritual tranquility of ancient India to the cultural and architectural splendors of courtly life during the Moghul era and the British occupation, finishing with the chaos and dynamism of modern India illustrated by the maximum city of Mumbai (Bombay). 

 

 

Neela Vermeire Creations
Mohur

Known as Mehrunissa, the most powerful Empress of the Mughal dynasty, Noor Jahan was the favorite wife of Emperor Jehangir. She was the true power behind the throne while her husband lived, so much so that after his death her male relatives had her sequestered (in comfort!) for the rest of her life. In her confinement, she devoted herself to the art of perfumery as it had been passed down from her mother.

Mohur is a rose-based fragrance, a combination of opulent moghul rose perfumes and a distinguished spicy leather bouquet that can only be imagined during a high tea after a polo match. To capture this moment, Mohur has been created as a refined rose-oudh alliance that pays tribute to Noor Jahan’s power and talent. It exemplifies the nearly 500-year span of India’s history that was shaped by a succession of influences from the outside world…

Mohur features alluring and arresting notes of carrot, ambrette, cardamom, black pepper, coriander, elemi, rose, jasmine, orris, aubepin flower, almond milk, violet, leather, sandalwood, amber, white woods, patchouli, Oudh, benzoin, vanilla and Tonka bean.

 

Neela Vermeire Creations
Trayee

The Vedic tradition suggests that Wisdom is eternal. It exists within the eternal fabric of consciousness itself and is uncreated. It is the essence of India, the beginning of the journey. It is a eulogy, a hymn to the idea of India, an act of deepest reverence for the traditions of the mother country. The divine origin of the first three Vedas – Rig, Yajur and Sama – suggested the name of the perfume: Trayee (pronounced ‘try-ee’, meaning ‘the triad’).

Trayee is a complex fragrance that represents the boundless spiritual landscape of the great Vedic period, which started many centuries ago: its intricate rituals and temple ceremonies, ayurveda, the universe of yoga and the holistic quest for knowledge….

Trayee blends sensual notes of cinnamon, ginger, elemi, blackcurrant, ganja effects, basil, jasmine, cardamom, clove, saffron, sandalwood, vetiver, incense, sandalwood, patchouli, myrrh, vanilla, cedar, amber, oud and oak moss.

 

Neela Vermeire Creations
Bombay Bling

This joyful creation embodies every aspect of the very modern, colourful, eclectic, esoteric, ecstatic, liberal, happy side of buzzing India, a world economic power, where nothing is to be taken for granted, where the underbelly of the big city combines with the glitter of Bollywood on the vast sandy stretches of Juhu Beach and the Queen’s Necklace. Fortunes are made and lost on the Bombay stock exchange and gambling dens of Mumbai. Abandon yourself to the nightlife as dawn breaks over the city. There is nothing like it and there will be nothing like it. Welcome to a vibrant new India!

Bombay Bling opens with fruity notes of blackcurrant and mango and calms with radiating notes of cumin, blackcurrant, lychee, cardamom, cistus, rose, jasmine, ylang-ylang, white floral accord, tuberose, frangipani, gardenia, patchouli, tobacco, white woods, sandalwood, cedar and vanilla.