Penhaligon's

When speaking of English luxury houses and perfumes, the emblematic Burberry most often comes to mind. Yet it is not the only house to carry these characteristics and to display its allegiance to the United Kingdom. Indeed, Penhaligon’s has proudly worn the colors of its country in its perfumes since 1870.

Penhaligon’s, a royal perfumer

The history of Penhaligon’s began in 1870 when William Penhaligon left his native Cornwall to settle in London. Indeed, everyone was then heading to the capital in the hope of becoming rich. He first opened a barbershop, partnering with a certain Jeavons, at 66 Jermyn Street, near Piccadilly. This place resonated with the oriental scents of its Turkish baths and soon gave him ideas. Greatly inspired by the surrounding smells, William Penhaligon decided to create his first perfume in 1872. It was called Hammam Bouquet and replaced the unpleasant sulfurous fumes of classic steam baths. From then on, success followed, and William Penhaligon became the official hairdresser and perfumer to the Royal Court. Of course, he did not only style the hair of Queen Alexandra but also counted a large part of the English aristocracy among his clientele. Moreover, this remains true today. Upon his death, it was his son Walter who took over the reins of the company. Also endowed with a unique sense of perfumery, having always been immersed in this world, he carried on his father's momentum. Consecration came in 1902, when the Duke of Marlborough commissioned a private fragrance from him. Walter then decided to break away from the floral waters that were customary at the time and composed a fresh, lemony juice. Success was immediate, and this juice, named Blenheim Bouquet, remains to this day one of the house's best-sellers, arguably the most famous of them all. Moreover, the story goes that it was even Winston Churchill's favorite perfume.

Penhaligon’s perfumery today

Nowadays, several perfumers are tasked with creating the perfumes of the house Penhaligon’s. Each one is created from the most luxurious ingredients from all four corners of the globe. Moreover, they are designed to resemble no other perfume and are most often reserved for a knowledgeable and affluent clientele. Thus, Penhaligon’s is a skillful blend of daring, innovation, and traditional craftsmanship. The latest fragrances from Penhaligon’s, named Blasted Heath for men and Blasted Bloom for women, were created by the talented perfumer Alberto Morillas. They evoke the English countryside and the meeting of lush green land with the freshness of the sea. Finally, tradition dictates that each Penhaligon’s perfume bears a small bow in tribute to those that were once tied to keep the cap in place on the bottles. Penhaligon’s thus stands midway between tradition and modernity.