Penhaligon's Blenheim Bouquet - SWMBO approves

My wife is *very* picky about what scents I wear; for instance, I'm forbidden to wear anything with sandalwood, real heavy scents or lots of musk. Normally my go-to fragrance - at her request - is something citrus-based.

Well, I've gotten a bunch of samples over the past couple of weeks and each time I've rotated Blenheim Bouquet through she has said "You smell good"!

My only issue with it is that it fades so fast on me. What other scents can be recommended for me to hunt down that might be in the same family? And I don't necessarily mean Penhaligon's.

Anyone?

I dont know of anything right off but I will ponder it. Hope someone can help you quicker than I can.

When applying cologne spray one on you hair, sounds funny but your hair holds scent better than skin

[QUOTEMy only issue with it is that it fades so fast on me. What other scents can be recommended for me to hunt down that might be in the same family? And I don't necessarily mean Penhaligon's.

Anyone?[/QUOTE]

I research frags a lot, and the longevity of Blenheim Bouquet is questioned by a huge number of people who really like it. One trick some told me was to spray it on your shirt, or undershirt. You may not like to do that. I have mixed feelings about it. I haven't grabbed any Blenheim yet since I hate longevity issues. In a small, in store squirt test, it was gone before I got to the parking lot.

I would tell you not to rule out all Penhaligans based on Blenheim.

Their Racquets is a favorite frag of mine. Test it with the wife...it does not smell like Blenheim. I believe it avoids all of her dislikes. It is a distinctive, unique frag in the same sort of sophisticated British sense . The longevity of Racquets on me is among the best in my collection. But YMMV, so test it.

I am pretty confident you'll get better results than you did from Blenheim.

Racquets profile:

Top notes are lime (linden) blossom, lavender, bergamot, geranium and lemon; middle notes are cloves, ylang-ylang, cedar and rose; base notes are amber, musk, oakmoss and incense.

I actually use the undershirt trick in the mornings and then put my dress shirt on over it.

I can still smell it in the evening when I get home. This may affect the longevity of my under shirts...but they dont last longer than a year anyway!

It's funny, I've been digging around with frags and colognes awhile, and just today I've discovered a whole legion of people who do the fabric trick.

I'll have to try it.

On me, Endymion is the longest lasting of the Pen's colognes, and it's not even close.

In fact, it lasts so long that it's almost a negative. I put one spray on my chest in the morning at about 8 a.m. and the smell is still obvious at 11 p.m. It's like it never goes away. Sometimes I swear I can smell it on me the next morning when I wake up. Crazy longevity.

Racquets is another one that lasts awhile, but nowhere near as long as Endymion. YMMV.

Try Pen Opus 1870. It has much the same base notes, but with a different opening. It is beginning to be a tough choice as to which one I will use most days.

WhosYerBob said:

My wife is *very* picky about what scents I wear; for instance, I'm forbidden to wear anything with sandalwood, real heavy scents or lots of musk. Normally my go-to fragrance - at her request - is something citrus-based.

Well, I've gotten a bunch of samples over the past couple of weeks and each time I've rotated Blenheim Bouquet through she has said "You smell good"!

My only issue with it is that it fades so fast on me. What other scents can be recommended for me to hunt down that might be in the same family? And I don't necessarily mean Penhaligon's.

Anyone?

Click to expand...

Trumper's Wellington is a smell-a-like for Blenheim Bouquet.

This is all excellent info, guys. Please keep it coming!

kingfisher said:

On me, Endymion is the longest lasting of the Pen's colognes, and it's not even close.

In fact, it lasts so long that it's almost a negative. I put one spray on my chest in the morning at about 8 a.m. and the smell is still obvious at 11 p.m. It's like it never goes away. Sometimes I swear I can smell it on me the next morning when I wake up. Crazy longevity.

Racquets is another one that lasts awhile, but nowhere near as long as Endymion. YMMV.

Click to expand...

and this is a problem? I'm heading toward the closet with the colognes in it and looking for my bottles of Endymion and Racquets to choose between the two for my next scent in rotation!

FYI- just re-reading the original post...few frags are truly "citrus based."

Citrus is frequently used as a "top note" or often a "middle note" scent for the frag, but after a time those notes fade away to be replaced by the base notes.
When you apply Blenheim, you'll get an overwhelming lemon blast, that will fade to be replaced by musk and pine (if it lasts that long- it does not on me).

Basenotes are generally the darker, heavier notes: sandalwood, leather, oakmoss, musk, amber, etc.

I haven't tried it yet myself, but a semi pricey frag that is very well regarded is New York by Parfums de Nicolaï

It is a woody spicy fragrance for men.

Top notes are bergamot (citrus), amalfi lemon and cloves; middle notes are thyme, cinnamon, pepper and paprika; base notes are oakmoss, vetiver and amber.

It's going to start out very ciitrusy, then shift to something tasty, then settle to a basenote with NO sandalwood.

Some of the best noses at basenotes are very high on this one. It is known for going through many distinct and great phases shifting from one scent to another.

If searching for it, be careful to include "Parfums de Nicolaï". There are several frags with "New York" in the name.

StylinLA said:

It's funny, I've been digging around with frags and colognes awhile, and just today I've discovered a whole legion of people who do the fabric trick.

I'll have to try it.

Click to expand...

I spray it on my shirt every time I put cologne on. I hit my neck, chest, wrist, and shirt.

Our sense of smell can be so unique!

I could have my head stuffed into a vat of Opus 1870 and could not pick up a strong scent. I love Pens' frags, but unfortunately for me (and many others), their scents do not last long on the skin.

How about a citrus classic? Aqua di Parma.

StylinLA said:

I would tell you not to rule out all Penhaligans based on Blenheim. Their Racquets is a favorite frag of mine. Test it with the wife...it does not smell like Blenheim. I believe it avoids all of her dislikes. It is a distinctive, unique frag in the same sort of sophisticated British sense . The longevity of Racquets on me is among the best in my collection.
Top notes are lime (linden) blossom, lavender, bergamot, geranium and lemon; middle notes are cloves, ylang-ylang, cedar and rose; base notes are amber, musk, oakmoss and incense.

Click to expand...

StylinLA said:

I haven't tried it yet myself, but a semi pricey frag that is very well regarded is New York by Parfums de Nicolaï It is a woody spicy fragrance for men.

Top notes are bergamot (citrus), amalfi lemon and cloves; middle notes are thyme, cinnamon, pepper and paprika; base notes are oakmoss, vetiver and amber.

It's going to start out very ciitrusy, then shift to something tasty, then settle to a basenote with NO sandalwood.

Click to expand...

I just went out to Badger Decant and ordered a whole bunch of his offerings - checking with Basenote first to see what they were supposed to smell like. I included Racquets and New York, as they did get good marks and look like something we both might like. Many thanks for the tips!

You might try a different way of application for the Blenheim to increase longevity. I find that a light splash works well on a damp face, as opposed to dabbing behind the ears or spraying.

In my experience, citrusy scents that normally suffer from longevity issues are best applied as a light splash, as they did in the days of yore.

If SWMBO likes citrus scents, you might give Czech & Speake Neroli a shot. Bitter orange and neroli, excellent longevity for a citrus scent, and great for warm or cool weather.

WhosYerBob said:

I just went out to Badger Decant and ordered a whole bunch of his offerings - checking with Basenote first to see what they were supposed to smell like. I included Racquets and New York, as they did get good marks and look like something we both might like. Many thanks for the tips!

Click to expand...

Let me know how you like New York. I think it's next on my list to try.
Probably will breakdown and try it tonight.

Floris JF?

Kevan said:

Trumper's Wellington is a smell-a-like for Blenheim Bouquet.

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I find it interesting that the Trumper came out about 25 years before the Pengaligon's.

It's funny because I like Wellington a lot but don't really like BB. I'm much more of a Trumper man than a Penhaligon's. I think the lemon note is more natural in Wellington and less like Lemonheads candy.

Check out this thread over at Basenotes:

http://community.basenotes.net/group.php?do=discuss&group=&discussionid=356

You should also read the reviews of BB, as their might be some apt comparisons mentioned.

Good luck.