Penhaligon’s – The Inimitable William Penhaligon – I’m a fan of this brand, but I can’t for the life of me work out why this “Portraits” line from Penhaligon’s is so beloved. Most of the compositions I’ve tried from the line are uninspired and come top-loaded before the thin dry down inevitably disappoints. Their latest release falls into this trap. The sharp citric opening of bergamot and what feels like lime, though it isn’t listed, is a bit of a blast to the senses. Not entirely unpleasant. However, a jumble of muted woody notes and a characterless attempt at a vetiver perfume follows. The sparkle of the opening long gone, leaving behind a rather forgettable shell of a fragrance. Why would you buy this when you can own Guerlain Vetiver for a fraction of the price? Perhaps some people have more money than sense.
Frapin – Bois Blanc – Frapin have some excellent offerings. L’Humaniste has long been a favourite for summer. The main knock on the brand is their scents disappear relatively quickly on skin. Bois Blanc is a very nicely done woody (eucalyptus, cedar), herbal scent (rosemary, sage). The pencil shaving effect of the cedar is particularly evident. In addition to the creamy, woody dry down, a zing of ginger makes for an enjoyable experience. The punctuation of herbal notes and eucalyptus gives a medicinal vibe and adds a green effect over the woods. It’s well done, but similar things such as French Lover by Frederic Malle have this covered.
Have you tried these two perfumes?
Note: Bottle images courtesy of Google. Perfumes sampled in store.
I haven’t tried any of those! I haven’t found one Penhaligon I wished for yet, and they are indeed overpriced for what they are, in my opinion. Great reviews!
Thanks for reading and your comment, Tetê. Yes, they are generally overpriced for what they are.
Not too exciting, eh. I haven’t tried any of the Penhaligon’s Portraits series, firstly because they don’t interest me, secondly the bottles look… (not good to my taste). I do own three Penhaligon’s perfumes from the “normal” range, but they seem very hit & miss & the performance is well. Delicate :p
Not overly exciting at all, Kati. Yes, those bottles aren’t my thing either. The regular line of Penhaligon’s has many I enjoy. As you point out they do suffer from poor longevity and performance, though. Thanks for reading and writing.
Haven’t tried either of these, Daniel. Insightful, as always. A big part of the appeal of the Portraits collection is the bottles. I’ve tried a few good ones from the range.
Thanks, Rich. Yes, I think many people love those bottles. I much prefer the regular line bottles. I haven’t found one of the Portraits line I’ve connected with, unfortunately. I still need to try a couple, though.