An American in London: Penhaligon’s

by: John Biebel

London is one of those enormous cities that never ceases to offer fascinating little streets and curiosities. Turn a corner, and you’re in the midst of an historic pathway or a window to a centuries-old view. Covent Garden is one of the city’s most popular tourist areas, and yet also has such wonderful personal vistas, little worlds within worlds. Penhaligon’s, one of England’s premier perfume houses, can be found here amidst the other quaint shops and boutiques. The shop on The Piazza is a bright and well-stocked, but still has an intimacy and coziness characteristic of British shops. Your first impression of Penhaligon’s is punctuated by the brilliant duality of their product design. Nearly all the perfume bottles are the same cylindrical shape, topped with round ball stoppers, but each covered with fascinatingly different labels and a one of a myriad of ribbons around the neck. The interplay between visual consistency and variation creates for a sparkling array of fragrance that span well over a hundred years of creation.

For many, Penhaligon’s is synonymous with classical distinction. It’s a perfume house that set the high standard for men’s scents and grooming products when William Henry Penhaligon first introduced his wares in London in the 1860’s. He was first and foremost a barber, so his products were a natural outgrowth of the business. One of Penhaligon’s most famous scents, Blenheim Bouquet, was created for the Duke of Marlborough. It went on to become a favorite of Winston Churchill, and it was this business for royalty and government figures that kept the company in constant production over numerous decades, whilst many other heritage perfumers lost their audiences over the passage of time. Although the business stayed with the family for many years, the brand nearly did succumb to obscurity but was purchased and brought back to life by Sheila Pickles in the 1970s. She was able to retrieve the original formulations for much of Penhaligon’s catalog and set about reviving the perfumes.

I was first acquainted with Nick Gilbert, Fragrance Ambassador for Penhaligon’s, online—and had the pleasure to visit with him at the two Covent Garden Locations; in The Piazza, and we then strolled over to the second store in 41 Wellington Street. He is a trainer for Penhaligon’s London stores and beyond, and as Fragrance Ambassador, he is often called to be the face and voice of the brand in locations far and near. His knowledge of Penhaligon’s is vast, but more importantly, he understands that certain something that embodies the spirit of the company’s cultural imprint. Beyond just being an important relic in Britain’s perfume history, Nick understands and communicates its continued vitality. “We are a prestige perfume house, but so approachable and full of creativity.”

“Our customers are fascinating,” he says. “The clientele ranges from taxi drivers to dandies. Artists Gilbert & George are frequent customers. Young people covered in tattoos, traditional British customers, well-educated, worldly, well-traveled folks, many men. It’s a very wide audience.” As we discuss today’s Penhaligon’s customer, it’s clear: the only thing that defines the customer is a discerning sense of style. They are from all walks of life, all careers and cultural centers.

Nick, myself, and traveling companion Rob Evans were treated to an amazing array of the Penhaligon’s scents currently in production, and it quickly becomes apparent just how many perfumes they have produced over the years, so many of which are as popular as ever. The names are familiar to many of us who follow perfuming around the world: Douro (1910), Castile (1999), Violetta (1976), Elisabethan Rose (1984),English Fern (1911). There are forty perfumes in total being produced today by Penhaligon’s, and plans for many to be released in the near future as the company continues its development.

As I sat smelling so many different scents, some new and some who are old friends, I was struck by the thematic link that draws them together. You can definitely find something wonderfully traditional about Penhaligon’s, but most of the perfumes are simultaneously modern and bright; embodying a persistent swagger that’s bold and refreshing. These are not mundane scents—a quick spritz of the now-classic Juniper Sling reminds you just how fresh and exciting Penhaligon’s scents are. Another good example of this is one of the company’s recent releases, Sartorial. Meant to recreate the sensory atmosphere inside a tailor’s shop on London’s Savile Row, the scent (whose name means “of or relating to clothes or the making of clothes”) is a brilliant example of an environment captured by smell. “ All the elements are there,” says Nick, “Bertrand Duchaufour, the perfumer, captured a tailor’s work bench; the ozonic smell of steam, the scent of the scissors, the tweeds, it’s story-telling through fragrance.”

Putting the essence of a place or an idea into a bottle, with a particular emphasis on certain English traditions, is a towering strength of Penhaligon’s. Their classic 1978 perfume, Bluebell, is a prime example. Nick and Rob explained to me the wonder that is Bluebell Wood, in Surrey. I viewed some photos on an iPad of this inexplicably beautiful wonder—a carpet of purplish-blue wild blue bells that appear every so briefly on the forest floor, only to last for a tantalizingly few weeks in mid-spring. The perfume is a lush, full, big floral that perfectly evokes this sense of boundless spring energy and loveliness. In another case of British-themed scents, Peoneve is a gently floral eau de parfum that is extremely popular in the Far East, where women prefer lighter, airier scents.

“Penhaligon’s Lily of the Valley is by far one of the most true to life lily of the valley scents ever made,” Nick says as I take a sniff of this classic that as of yet I’ve not smelled before. It’s true—I’m stunned by its accuracy; from the initial jasmine-like floral to the hints of indolent white petals and stamens, and that characteristic bright green pungency lent by the sharp leaves. It’s a remarkable perfume, incredibly English, and utterly Penhaligon’s.

For the extensive reach that Penhaligon’s has, it’s something of a surprise to learn that it is a small company, with only about 200 associates globally, both sales and executive staff. With such compact personnel, everyone is encouraged to contribute to idea brainstorming on multiple levels. Concepts for new scents are elicited from anyone on staff and are discussed. The idea is that Penhaligon’s employees know the brand extremely well, know the world of Penhaligon’s, and have a deep appreciation of what space it inhabits. Nick mentions an associate in their Mayfair location that has been with the company for over twenty years.

As we move from Lily of the Valley to Lavandula, I’m in raptures again. Lavandula is a Penhaligon’s perfume that I smelled as a sample a few years ago and have loved ever since. Like Lily of the Valley, Lavandula is a true to life perfume. You can smell all the beauty and rawness of a field of lavender here—even the dew on the leaves, the flecks of dirt washed onto the florets, even some of the hazy sun burning down upon the field. It’s another remarkable recreation, but it works so successfully as a perfume, with bright violet top notes and a deep greenish-brown base of wood and leaves. It is rounded out with a base of amber, pepper and basil, enlivening the organic nature of the experience and making it broader than a soliflore; more like a complete lavender experience from start to finish.

Nick explains the next perfume as another that’s particularly attached to London. “Lothair is a celebration of the historic trade ship that would have traversed the Thames, having traveled back and forth between Asia and England.”  The ship’s primary cargo was tea. On its trips to China, Japan and India, the ship became imbued with the amazing scent of tea, salt, and sea air. I smell that first spritz of Lothair and again, everything is there—the sea, the salt, and the wind. There is a lovely peppery-wood cedar and spice base that sits heavily under these incredibly savory tea and salt notes. The mixture is unusual, but transformative and carries one over the waves. It’s nothing short of stunning in its illusionary power, bringing the ship alive not only from the depths of history but also from our quiet inner senses to the living present.

We traveled between the fascinating basement of the Piazza location across the road to Wellington St, which has a darker paneled interior and a tempting back area. Here consultations take place amidst leather chaises and glass wall displays lit by dramatic single spotlights. You can see examples of the bottles throughout Penhaligon’s history, and how the brand has evolved during this long time. Even though the design of the various offerings (perfumes, colognes, soaps, lotions, shaving products) have changed over the years, one is far more impressed by the consistency and how much of the brand has kept itself the same in that time span.

But of course, when a brand has such a wide collection of products and releases, there are bound to be moments when a scent may not quite reach the audience that was intended. Amaranthine, a tropical green and aromatic floral perfume for women, proved to be a bit too particular for Penhaligon’s customers, and is no longer produced. “Market forces are required to sustain the life of a fragrance,” Nick reminds me as we talk about the various perfumes that move in and out of popularity. Tralala, a sultry gourmand perfume of whiskey, saffron, violet and vetiver, certainly has its fans, but it was packaged most unusually for Penhaligon’s. Part of understanding the brand, as Nick does so well, is to know its place both historically and for future releases. Penhaligon’s likes to expand its boundaries, but also likes to do so with a respect for its inherent character.

Of the reach Penhaligon’s has around the world, its market continues to impress. I ask Nick about the world-wide view of the company. “Blenheim Bouquet is still the best seller globally. Bluebell, Quercus, Vaara, Endymion, Artemisia, and Empressa all sell extremely well. The audience is very popular in France, Germany, and steadily growing in Asia, particularly in Hong Kong, Singapore and Korea.”  This wide appeal reflects the company itself, and it’s amazingly enthusiastic staff. “We would never become too big, and the staff know this. Everyone here is passionate, so enthusiastic—and that makes all the difference.”

Walking through the two London shops, you understand just how historically saturated the perfume house is. There is evidence of their mark felt everywhere. And yet they operate in the modern world as well, so innovation is key to keeping the experience alive for audiences today. Nick knows that this has been key to Penhaligon’s success. “Everything here has some modernity to it. Even Blenheim Bouquet was groundbreaking for its time. It moved men’s scents away from heavy floral to citrus, and that was a first.”  Despite the unparalleled success of Blenheim Bouquet, Penhaligon’s doesn’t rest on laurels. It remains an evolving brand that asserts its relevancy in the world of perfume.

All images:  John Biebel