Eau de Portugal

Obsessed · Feb 20, 2010

What does "eau de portugal" really mean? Do most eau de portugal colognes share a lot of characteristics, or is it an amorphous term?

Also, are there any that are more long-lasting than others? I've used Trumper's Portugal, which I liked, but the longevity was very poor.

Thanks.

jakespoppy · Feb 21, 2010

Good question! I'm anxious to see the responses, as I've had the same question.

john parker · Feb 21, 2010

Somewhere at some time I believe I read that this was a generic term for a fragrance blend. Googled with no luck. Searched on Basenotes with no luck. Looked at a couple more sites with no luck because I can't navigate them! Have you tried posing the question on Basenotes?

The Nid Hog · Feb 21, 2010

Well, eau de Portugal is known as such because it's made with essence of Portugal. That's an oil extracted from the skin of the orange. Now, historically, there appears to be some disagreement about this. I've seen it referred to as derived from bitter oranges or as an oil made from oranges, lemons and bergamot. Basenotes has it as an oil extracted from sweet oranges. Although Portugal figures prominently in the name (also sometimes known as Lisbon Water), I've seen 19th Century texts that refer to essence of Portugal that was obtained in Italy as well as a history of Paraguay that suggested that the bitter oranges grown there could also be exploited as a source of essence of Portugal. So it seems that an acceptable eau de Portugal doesn't imply that it actually came from Portugal. It's old enough to be mentioned in Balzac's "Cousin Betty:"

"Yes, I am a tradesman, a shopkeeper, a retail dealer in almond-paste,eau-de-Portugal, and hair-oil..."

I'm going to hazard a guess that the popularity of Eau de Portugal must have something to do with the general popularity of Spanish and Portuguese products that includes sherry and Seville oranges (in marmalade). Maybe popularized around the time of the British Iberian campaign against Napoleon's army?

Obsessed · Feb 21, 2010

john parker said:
Have you tried posing the question on Basenotes?

I've only allowed myself to join one grooming-related website! I figured someone here would know, and fortunately I was right.

So, it looks like other choices besides Trumpers are 4711 Portugal and Penhaligon's Douro. Does anyone know where they carry the 4711?

billyboy · Feb 21, 2010

I have 4711 Eau de Portugal. I understand it's only available in Japan.
Like many of these fragrances, they are unfortunately short lived. You just have to keep applying it during the day.

john parker · Feb 21, 2010

From Basenotes, Pinaud makes a Eau de Portugal which is a hair tonic which can be used as a cologne or aftershave, Penhaligion makes Duoro/Lords, and Trumpers make one. Don't know if Creed's Bois de Portugal is the same idea or not.

The Knize · Feb 21, 2010

Pashana makes an Eau de Portugal, too, which like Pinaud may be called a hair tonic.

I do not think of Pen's Douro as being much like Pinaud, for instance.

It is a great question as to what an Eau de Portugal is.

Frowzy · Feb 21, 2010

The Nid Hog said:
Well, eau de Portugal is known as such because it's made with essence of Portugal. That's an oil extracted from the skin of the orange. Now, historically, there appears to be some disagreement about this. I've seen it referred to as derived from bitter oranges or as an oil made from oranges, lemons and bergamot. Basenotes has it as an oil extracted from sweet oranges. Although Portugal figures prominently in the name (also sometimes known as Lisbon Water), I've seen 19th Century texts that refer to essence of Portugal that was obtained in Italy as well as a history of Paraguay that suggested that the bitter oranges grown there could also be exploited as a source of essence of Portugal. So it seems that an acceptable eau de Portugal doesn't imply that it actually came from Portugal. It's old enough to be mentioned in Balzac's "Cousin Betty:"

"Yes, I am a tradesman, a shopkeeper, a retail dealer in almond-paste,eau-de-Portugal, and hair-oil..."

I'm going to hazard a guess that the popularity of Eau de Portugal must have something to do with the general popularity of Spanish and Portuguese products that includes sherry and Seville oranges (in marmalade). Maybe popularized around the time of the British Iberian campaign against Napoleon's army?

What a great post, especially the Balzac reference!

The Knize · Feb 22, 2010

A perhaps amusing trip through the OED re "eau de portugal":

eau de Portugal, a perfume comprising an essential oil known as essence of Portugal

1825 H. Wilson Mem. 43 ‘A little *Eau de Portugal would do no harm+’ I remarked,+alluding to his dislike of perfumery. 1848 Mrs. Gaskell Mary Barton I. vi. 104 Did not I get you that eau de Portugal from town. 1938 L. MacNeice Zoo xiv. 229 We poured a bottle of eau-de-Portugal over our heads. 1963 ‘M. Albrand’ Call from Austria vii. 64 He smelled of Eau de Portugal, the lotion he used on his hair; he smelled a little like an orange.
1907 Yesterday's Shopping (1969) 537/3 Houbigant's *Eau de Toilette+bot. 4/6. 1985 Times 23 Jan. 10/5 The continental man has never had any reservations about buying eau de toilette rather than aftershave

(The OED has no definition for "essence of Portugal," but it seems pretty clear, as TNH indicated, it is simply oil from orange skins of one kind or another.)

Pen's lists "mandarian" and "neroli" as among Pen's Douro notes, but nothing that looks like out and out orange peel oil to me!

Master-Classter · Feb 22, 2010

Creed's Bois de Portugal hasn't been mentioned yet?

The Nid Hog · Feb 22, 2010

I think that Pinaud and 4711 are very similar. It's been a while since I smelled it, but I seem to remember that Trumper's is not that different either. Pen's Duoro starts to move away from the model. To me, it seems like they decided to use better quality ingredients, then infused it with that weird Pen's house note.

While I like Creed's Bois du Portugal a lot, it doesn't seem to have much in common with the other Portugals save the name. it's much more in that lavender+bergamot family of fragrances.

The Knize · Feb 22, 2010

I agree with TNH that the Bois du Portugal is very different. If I recall, besides lavender and bergamot it has some wood in it, too.

EDIT: I got out some Bois du Portugal when I got home. Luca Turin describes it as "woody oriental." That seems right to me. One of Creed's best.

The Pinaud to me is orange and cigarette ash. Does the 4711 have any ashy funk to it?

The Nid Hog · Feb 23, 2010

No, the 4711 is pretty bright. So is the the Pinaud that I have, but a fair bit lighter than the 4711. II don't get any of the ashy notes that you mention. Typical Pinaud inconsistency--I like mine, but yours sounds interesting.

The Knize · Feb 23, 2010

The Nid Hog said:
No, the 4711 is pretty bright. So is the the Pinaud that I have, but a fair bit lighter than the 4711. II don't get any of the ashy notes that you mention. Typical Pinaud inconsistency--I like mine, but yours sounds interesting.

I really like the Pinaud Eau De Portugal I have. What I think of as a cigarette ash note makes it masculine and complex to me. It does not come on right away and is not overbearing, but to me it sure is there! Otherwise it would be basically orange/neroli. Pleasent, but not really fully developed scent!

Churchill · Feb 23, 2010

DR Harris's Traditional cologne is also an eau de portugal. To me it seems to have a longer life than Trumper's when I wear it. Also Trumper's seems a little "soapy".

Obsessed · Feb 23, 2010

With all due respect to my good friends in this thread, "cigarette ash," is just not a note I'm looking for in anything, particularly a fragrance I'm going to be applying on purpose. YMMV on steroids!

The Knize · Feb 23, 2010

Obsessed said:
With all due respect to my good friends in this thread, "cigarette ash," is just not a note I'm looking for in anything, particularly a fragrance I'm going to be applying on purpose. YMMV on steroids!

Ha! You might be surprised! Or not! The note I am picking up in this Pinaud reminds me of the "funk" note in many C&S frags. (Not the poop note so famous in Cuba, but the dirt in Citrus Paradis, for instance.) I realize that note is not universally beloved.

What scents are you really liking these days?

blantyre · Feb 24, 2010

Curious whether eau DE Portugal of eau DU Portugal is grammatically correct -perhaps Leon can help.

My only experience is with Creed's version at it is aromatic and rich with a good solid, dense kind of scent. A long way from the fleeting cirtus end of the range.

The Knize · Feb 24, 2010

blantyre said:
Curious whether eau DE Portugal of eau DU Portugal is grammatically correct -perhaps Leon can help.

My only experience is with Creed's version at it is aromatic and rich with a good solid, dense kind of scent. A long way from the fleeting cirtus end of the range.

eau ("water") is feminine so "de"

bois ("wood") is masculine so "du"

Not that I really understand that. "de" is a prepostiion, I think "du" is really "de le"

Eau de Portugal

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