Phul - Nana

Phul-Nana is the fragrance I have been waiting to find. Breathtaking and unflawed, like the stately Baccarat crystal flacon, cast and relaunched straight from the original mould created in 1919 as part of the "Serie de Luxe" range released in 1920. The house of Grossmith (one of England's oldest perfume houses) has recently fallen back into the hands of the family of the original founder after being out of its ownership for 30 years. And with the reacquisiton, the original perfumes have been relaunched and 'remastered' (wonderfully romantic word for 'reformulated') based on the handwritten formulae in books rescued from the original Grossmith premises in London in 1940. *** Apparently Phul-Nana was released when Jacques Guerlain was barely out of grade school, so you get the idea of the originality of this archetypal Oriental formula. Phul-Nana most definitely bears classic substance and would not be out of place amongst the likes of Shalimar, Coco and Joy. However, I find Phul-Nana completely unpretentious. That's not to say that loyalist of the aforementioned perfumes are not, but Phul-Nana has a little more of a chaste and pure botanic feel without the animal undertone. There is a beautiful arrangement of piquant flowers courtesy of geranium and neroli with the welcome. Patchouli and sandalwood give this such a lovely palpable quality, which in combination creates the most sensuous accord. Ylang-ylang and tuberose are seemingly animated and never languish heavily in the heart. A powdered touch of something rosey is also apparent (rose geranium perhaps). Opoponax (sweet myrrh) is quickly becoming one of my favorite base ingredients and in combination with tonka and benzoin, give Phul-Nana an exotic, incandescent depth without ever feeling heavy. A breath of cedar for clarity; vanilla and bergamot are well balanced and give a perfect, gently sweet luminosity; while a drop of orange furnishes a feeling of familiarity, comfort and joy. A very Indian feel indeed with a peacefully cultivated incensed accord, woven with immaculate flowers and high class opulence. I imagine Phul-Nana to be worn by a tender-hearted and dignified, high caste Indian woman, who has embraced British influence without being disloyal to her roots. Wearing this treasured and historically significant fragrance is a truly a joy for me.

Grossmith's perfumes are captivatingly beautiful. Grossmith is a heritage British house whose original perfumes dating from over a century ago have been recently revived, thanks to a descendant of the original family stumbling upon the original handwritten formulas. With these precious notes in hand, modern perfumers bottled Hasu-no-Hana, Shem-el-Nessim and this one, Phul-Nana for the 21st century, while attempting to remain as faithful to the original creations as possible. The result: high-quality, old-world beauties, expensive but worth their price. Phul-Nana is a spicy amber-fougère with a rich floral heart. Opulent, baroque and high-quality, it is a remarkable composition, vintage in style but wearable today. PN opens with orange notes, initially juicy, but with green neroli quickly coming to the fore. The neroli is fresh with a slightly green citrus edge, becoming increasingly sweet and floral as it develops. It is joined by spicy notes after a little while. The amber base, emerging surprisingly early on, is rich and balsamic thanks to the benzoin, complementing the other notes throughout. As it develops, the heady floral heart emerges, led by sweet ylang ylang, and tempered by green, peppery geranium. The tuberose is sweet rather than carnal, still reasonably strong, rounding out the florals nicely. Tonka bean emerges as it begins to dry down, adding its characteristic soft spiciness, giving a hazy sweetness to the drydown. The amber becomes more resinous here, complemented to perfection by some earthy patchouli. Smooth, rich sandalwood emerges at its late stages, opulent and regal. Some restrained, dry vanilla adds some sweetness here, complementing the sandalwood and amber to perfection. It fades to a sweet woody-amber skin scent after a while with remnants of spice remaining. Sillage is strong and longevity is long-lasting. A rich woody-amber-floral with a pinch of spice, PN is a dense yet radiant composition, intended for women originally but unisex by today's standards. It is transeasonal and can be worn for day or night. Old-fashioned in the best way, they don't make them like this anymore. Except Grossmith does. 4.5/5.

I'm not feeling on top of my game at all currently, and definitely not feeling especially articulate so I apologise for what I imagine will be a fairly badly written review! But I wanted to leave a review as I am so surprised that only 12 people had reviewed this and only 30 people listed as having this. This scent is simply beautiful and I think would be well received by those who like classic timeless scents. To me this feels unapologetic opulent and feminine. That said my husband (we'll get him into perfume yet!) today commented how beautiful this was, and added a tiny dab on top of the Givenchy Pi decant he was wearing (I am making progress with him!) and it actually worked astoundingly well together to make a kind of floral masculine rich exotic heady aroma, that I have to keep going to his neck and inhaling! To me this scent is perfect in all conditions - it doesn't become cloying or heavy during summer, yet radiates warmth and beauty in cold weather. While it would be suitable for a posh night out it also works equally well on days like today where I have been home ill in pyjamas all day. Basically, this perfume makes me feel good and smell amazing. I get a lot of ylang, bergamot, resins, geranium from this but it is one of those scents that seems to become more than the sum of its parts. I don't feel inclined to analyse and breakdown the notes because such if the beauty that I just want to be enveloped by it, and stop thinking. Good longevity for me, getting wafts clearly after 7 or 8 hours wear, and nice sillage too - I can still smell it and it leaves a pleasant yet not overpowering trail. I really do love this perfume and I am surprised more people do not know it. That said the price point is somewhat offputting - £145 for 50ml is pretty steep. Yet, this is beautiful that it really is one of the few worth that price tag in my opinion and only really in line with some of the much more well known Tom Ford scents. I currently have a good size decant but will be for sure getting a bottle when I have the money! Please try this scent, it is gorgeous! Don't be put off by my poor reviewing skills!

Baroque and beguiling, Phul - Nana opens with the peppery verdure of geranium and sweet, buttery ylang-ylang, with just a tint of neroli like a glint of light. There is also a notable candied orange in the early stages of its development, while a medicinal herbal element feels a bit wintergreen. I would compare its timbre to that of an English horn, simultaneously sharp, buzzy, but deep and reverberant. It has an incandescent, arresting feel, making me stop and ponder while wearing it. There are two things: where I am, and where fragrance takes me. This is all the latter, this all "elsewhere," anything other than the here and now, almost as if I am getting flashbacks of memories from past lives lived. The heart of Phul - Nana is full of garnet opoponax, warm, bittersweet, softened just somewhat with benzoin and tonka, anchoring the piquant floral heart in its illuminated cloisters, trails of warm spice and whispers of woods. Throughout all of this, what's most notable is its restraint. Be that as it may, there is a corporeal undercurrent further into its dry down, just the slightest utterance of lustful profanity, ensuring that this is not entirely candied and dandy. Overall, I feel pretty confident that this is faithful to the original formulation as it can be given modern restrictions, and while I by no means want to suggest that its essential to the vintage lover, it would behoove a diehard to at least sample it to see if it moves them in much the say way as it does me.

I have a longstanding fascination with old perfumes, probably trying to recapture something from a hazy past. By my age, I should be nostalgic for the seventies, but the yearning is for times I never lived through. So this nostalgia is imaginary, sort of à la recherche du temps jamais vécu. In my quest for nostalgic, retro perfumes (not talking here about vintage, these are ‘fresh’ bottles), this one seems the most authentic, uncompromising and best quality so far. For me, this really makes time travel happen. Not sure if anybody remembers an old film called Somewhere in Time with Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeve where he ends up travelling back in time to 1912, to an Edwardian boudoir and to the lace covered bosom of a belle époque beauty. This is the scent of that boudoir and bosom! Now coming back to reality, this is a potent, interesting and long-lasting fragrance. Starts with a bracing spicy geranium, with a bit of citrus to lighten the punch; this initial phase is much longer than the top notes we usually get these days. The next stage is fairly constant, a woody floral, slightly ambery mix, very tenacious and with strong projection. I would say that it is unisex, but as a man you need to be quite brave to wear it, while on a woman it would be less eccentric. I had to buy the bottle and I usually wear it for my own sake, enveloped in its potency and capacity for dépaysement, in rêveries of other times. But I am getting bolder and started wearing it more often.

Disclaimer: this is a review of the Perfume (Parfum) version, and not the EDP. Grossmith’s website quite accurately describes Paul-Nana as a fresh, sweet floral composition with aromatic fougère overtones on a soft, warm, woody base. Originally created in 1891, the recent formulation maintains the vintage feel (while remaining wearable in a modern context) of the perfume as the fragrance has very rich ingredients done in the old tradition of classic perfumery. On my skin, Phul-Nana starts with peppery geranium along with semi-sweet and citrusy neroli. This phase lasts for a while and I can also detect a buttery ylang-ylang in the background. Tuberose is not discernible to my nose. Shortly thereafter, a dark, slightly smoky, sweet and balsamic benzoin joins the party, accompanied by sweet and slightly honeyed opononax. The latter stages of the journey are mostly dominated by this deep, sweet and warm amber. Enriching the background are slight hints of vanilla and creamy sandalwood. Paul-Nana was originally marketed towards women, but anyone can wear this perfume, with the fougère and amber characteristics providing some traditionally masculine elements. In addition, the bottle is utterly exquisite with gorgeous cut glass and the presentation/packaging is inspired by the Victorian era. All in all, Phul-Nana smells luxurious and opulent, and it is an excellent illustration of classic perfumery done right.

Phul-Nana or, ‘lovely flowers’ , was inspired by the idea of a hand-picked bouquet of beautiful Indian flowers, and the aroma which filled the air around them. Originally created in 1891, this is a real treasure which had been lost to the cruel effects of time before Grossmith gracefully resurrected it. As you might imagine, of course this is a wonderfully floral scent. A light, airy melody of neroli, tuberose, geranium and ylang fill the space around you, with gentle hesperidic touches which are gentle and fleeting. Surprisingly, a warm, amber base with a particular presence of opoponax and benzoin makes itself known as it settles on the skin - whisking you away somewhere far more exotic and exciting than your current life in society. I can only imagine how exciting materials such as these must have been in 19th century England. This is a truly wonderful scent, a timeless creation which still smells incredible despite the composition being over 130 years old. It goes without saying I have not smelled the original, I’m not lucky enough to have that sort of privelage, but I long to.

With all the uncertainty and fear in the world right now, being able to enjoy some beauty is a blessed relief. Phul Nana, I've waited years to discover and it was well worth the wait, it's truly exquisite. Proper perfume in the classic style, yet still fresh and modern, there's nothing ' fusty' about this gem. It's dense and glorious, opening in a neroli and bergamot cloud, then orange blossom nods its head adding a freshness to the composition. As the perfume unfolds, I smell what seems like smokey carnation pinks, vanilla, sandalwood and amber and there she sits, waft after waft of the ' lovely flowers' after which she is named. It's definitely a love for me and I'd highly recommend this to lovers of Chanel No 5, vintage Carons, Opium, Shalimar...Plus in buying Grossmith fragrances, you're supporting a house dedicated to producing the finest historical perfumery. Everyone who loves the art of perfumery should get their nose on this if they get the chance.

This fragrance beguiles me. It has a wonderful list of notes that are blended so well well. This may be a Victorian scent but I find it to be intoxicating, The Neroli opens up strong, but all the listed notes are part of the whole. It is a joyful scent in that is uplifting. To me it is less incensey than some have remarked upon. The more fragrances I try, the more I find that male/female distinctions make little sense to me. There are quite a number of Neroli scents that are categorized as masculine. Virtually all the other notes are used in fragrances often designated male or female. Pure unisex for me. If this is what Victorians smelled like then I may have missed my true time period in life. Expensive, so please sample first. It can be worn any season, day or night, but it may be a bit too strong for office wear. I think it was meant to be worn by those attending the Opera or Grand Balls, or in more intimate settings.

Five years back, a suave gentleman was sitting next to me on a 2 hours early morning flight. After reaching my destination, I could smell the fragrance of his perfume on my shirt! And it lasted for good 8-10 hrs. It was a very pleasing fragrance for men - I am surprised to read that it's supposedly for women. Next day, I called him just to inquire about the perfume he was wearing. He laughed and said that French perfumes are no match to Italian and British perfumes. He told me he was wearing Phul Nana by Grossmith. Unfortunately, it's not available in my country and some day I'll get it through someone traveling from UK. Some day!

To me, this is one of those gorgeous 'can't stop-sniffing-your-wrists' perfumes. Strong, rich, voluptuous, sweet in a non-sugary way. I get a hint of something like very nice bug spray for the first hour or so, but then bug spray is presumably perfumed with something that this beauty also contains. This is an instant Love for me, pretty much at first sniff. Not for the faint-hearted.

you have not experienced real perfume until your nose has had the joy of embracing this masterpiece. This is probably the most complimentary review I have left after smelling hundreds of scents. A classic treasure to be found and hidden away for your nose only , worth every penny, on my must have list without a doubt.

Phul-Nana’s citrus and neroli character really does penetrate the entire way through the life of the perfume and that is - in part - thanks to the inclusion of benzoin. It grabs some of the bright characteristics and anchors them into the base of the fragrance.

This is crazy :o People comparing this to Pierre Guillaume’s fragrances. Come on :(

“Somebody smells incredible here”. Oh... "Hi, that's me". OMG... this is the one!

8/10. Spicy with a little water melon. Rose. Too much amber. Smells like a teak furniture shop with imports from Thailand or Indonesia. Also those plastic/rubber dolls and figurines for kids. Reminds me of being a child and playing with them. Interesting but not right for the whole day. My husband thinks it smells like tobacco.

To me this is Floris No 89 which I am liking a lot at this time of the year. Very potent though .. lovely sillage and good longevity

This was one of those fragrances I really was excited to try. It is a reimagined old school gem. Completely reminded me of something my mama would wear. First impression was of a cello wrapped peppermint, fruity and spicy. Dry down sunk into a heavy tonica bean/vanilla sweet. Don't think it holds up to the modern interpretation of fragrance but a good once in a while throwback.

Too heavy on geranium, very old school vibe. I can see a man 60+ wearing this. Sorry, guys, not for a modern man. No females though... Try before you buy

this fragrance is mysterious. don't let the orange, neroli, or the bergamot fools you to think it's fresh or the common brand, it's not and never will be. this one is dark, evil, and sinful. and if im going to the 7 deadly sins it'll be Pride, an evil Pride. i can't deny that i didn't love the top note or let's say loved it from the first sniff as it was citrus complex (not the summer common type of citrus). after few minutes the dark pack comes infront slowly (Opoponax, Benzoin, & the Tonka Bean) in order to settle up, then the geranium, vanilla & slightly tuberose shows a bit and mixed up with oranges and neroli to make quite acceptable mix. the sandalwood, & cidar shows up later a bit sharp with the help of patchouli to set the base note with the help of the amazingly used Ylang Ylang note here as the sandalwood here plays the role to hide the medicinal effect that the Ylang Ylang always brings as the measurements were set to 3:1 (sandalwood to Ylang Ylang Respectfully). the base note is just as amusing as the top note and quite different than the top note as well, the top note is citrus enchanting party, and the base note is an amazing charming dark sweetful bliss. this fragrance is a major classic and an invention itself. this fragrance should have been named "The Illusive Mask of Pride". about a year ago i couldn't neither stand this one nor any of his other fragrances, but today i love 4 of them. Edit (10th Jan 2014) i just sampled the Parfum (not the eau de parfum) and the top note was exactly identical to Dilmun by Lorenzo Villoresi for few minutes then the charms begins. and to be honest the Perfum doesn't worth it as the eau de parfum, it's ove 600+ and again it doesn't worth it, the eau de parfum is just perfect. note: the main drawback of all Grossmith's fragrances is the spray, the top piece that sprays the fragrance. however, after few sprays that piece on top kind of wears down or melts, in another way the smell of it turns very metallic. this could be because of the quality of the spray itself, or maybe the fragrance itself is quite strong in away that the spray material can't handle it's strength or density. so i wish they take this into consideration cause this might ruin the essence as it has direct connection with the fragrance. Edit (8th March 2018) Wow, after 3+ years i am still struggling with this fragrance! i can't decide wither to go for full bottle or not! it's just a bit harsh! the MAIN drawback of this mesmerizing blend is the dry down (the BASE note), it goes quite candy sweet, not really cloying but hits the boarder of cloying sweetness in away that makes it overly sweeter than the citrus it held! I can't deny that i am still enjoying it but mostly not all the time because such sweetness isn't for everyday use for me, it is for certain times use only. This remained one of the great fragrances i have witnessed and at the same time it remains one of the main fragrances that i can't make up my mind on owning full bottle of it or not.