Babylon

Oh yeah, I really like this stuff. I thought I would from the time I first read, probably here, that it was going to come out and I read the list of the notes. So I've been sitting like a buzzard on a branch waiting for its arrival. Alas, it arrived in the UK at least a year ago, but no one was selling decants then and I wasn't going to drop $258 plus whatever god-awful shipping rates they're charging for UK-US packages right now on juice I haven't smelled. So it's been online at full retail in the US maybe a 3 weeks and several eBay sellers are offering samples and decants. All hail them! Babylon is everything you're hoping. I'm an easy mark for anything bearing nutmeg, and it comes on strong right away. It's definitely a Middle Eastern woodsy scent, but not bombastic. Acceptable....well maybe at the outer reaches of acceptable; rosequeen has a notorious range of what passes for acceptable. But I don't think you'll be shunned if you wear this in a public place among strangers. I'm headed to the grocery store at high noon in a few minutes, so I'll be testing this theory. It's warm and spicy but not overwhelming. Distinct from Penhaligon's other Trade Routes scents too. Nowhere near as sharp as original Halfeti or As Sawria (love that one, but it does reek). Most people will consider this a fall and winter scent, so it's unfortunate that it's arriving in the US in April. Of course because of Covid a lot of people may not feel safe heading to the department stores until fall anyway. And since all the big ones in the US anyway that will carry Penhaligon are in Chapter 11 bankruptcy, if they don't reorganize their debt they may not be open by September. (And won't we be in trouble, those of us who test perfumes in department stores by spraying fast and running away quickly). Ugh, but I think Babylon will still be wearable on a warm day up to maybe 80 degrees. But I have a notorious wide range on what to wear on a hot day too, so maybe not. Babylon died down at about 3 hours last night, but I could still smell it at about 7 hours. So it's not one of those expensive scents that only lasts 90 minutes. Don't be concerned about that. Not a blind buy, but if you've sprung for a big decant and are now enthralled, you'll maybe wish you'd just blown it on the full bottle (until you remember how often you've done that and been disappointed and kicking yourself).

I have heard Demi Rawling recently talking highly of how great Babylon smells. Her description seems exactly what I am into momentarily, so I had to go and try Babylon. As usual, she’s right, this is a sophisticated vanilla gourmand scent. Babylon is such an intoxicating warm, spicy, aromatic intense vanilla. I realised last fall that I really adore the following combination of notes in fragrances: lots of sweet, creamy vanilla, sprinkled with nutmeg, cardamom or cinnamon and spiced up with coriander or pink pepper! This combo has conquered my heart and all I want to smell is this! This is that combo with added Cyprol oil, saffron and two types of smooth woods: cedar and sandalwood. It’s perfection in the bottle and it’s performing beautifully. Which is fantastic since it’s going past 200 euros per bottle. I am not completely sold on Babylon yet because last fall I fell in love and bought a big bottle of Carlisle. At first sniff they don’t seem to be very alike, until you get to the dry down. But trust me, I have tested Babylon today both on skin and on blotter and I have sprayed from my Carlisle bottle on the other hand. In the deep dry down, after about the five hour mark, these two beauties are 80%similar, with Babylon smelling more feminine since it doesn’t have patchouli or davana. Carlisle smells a bit more aromatic, fresh spicy, a bit fruity. Babylon more like a smooth creamy, spicy vanilla! Both smell delicious, luxurious and expensive. I prefer Babylon’s bottle better, since it’s more feminine and pretty looking. I think Carlisle is technically a masculine scent, but it’s freaking fantastic smelling!! I see this compared heavily with Bouquet Ideale from Xerjoff, another scent I own, but not worn in a while. I have to grab my Xerjoff bottle to sniff these two side by side. If these two prove to be very similar like with Carlisle, I might not need to buy a third bottle of the same exact same juice. I should be rational enough not to do so...

Three months later I'm finally done trying my Trade Routes discovery set (I don't know why it took so long) Babylon is a gorgeous and extremely smooth woody-vanilla fragrance with just the right amount of spices. The spice that stands out to me the most is saffron, a touch of it over a base of vanilla and creamy sandalwood that's not even the slightest bit pickle-y. As the fragrance dries down the spice disappears and leaves only a powdery vanilla and sandalwood skin scent, somewhat similar (to my nose) to Clive Christian's Amberwood's dry down and Prada's Luna Rossa Black, but a million times better. Excluding Empressa, Babylon does vaguely remind me of the rest of the Trade Routes collection, but I'd say this is the safest and most mass appealing of them all. Unlike what the votes say, I think this could work year round, obviously going lighter on the sprays during the warmer months. It's also a perfectly unisex scent in my opinion. It really bothers me that Penhaligon's doesn't offer 30 ml bottles for many of the Trade Routes fragrances, I'd love to own a smaller bottle of a lot of these but as of right now they only have Halfeti and Cairo. I'm really interested in trying out AlUla now, as it's the only fragrance from the collection I have yet to sample and its notes sound really interesting. Performance is really good, as is the case with the rest of the collection. No issues with my sample's atomizer this time, so I could get the full performance out of Babylon. Moderate projection but really strong sillage that you'll smell for hours. Even now, about 8 hours later, I can still catch whiffs of this while moving around. Longevity could probably stretch to the 12 hour mark with ease.

Such a beautiful fragrance. This is a woody, clean and slightly spicy, slightly herbaceous vanilla fragrance. It's not syrupy sweet, but rather on the dry side, which I like. Although I believe it leans a bit feminine, a man could pull this off I think. I would say of all the vanilla fragrances I've smelled this year, this one has to be the best so far. It is rich, opulent, while at the same time being very relaxed, cozy and comforting. You could wear this for yourself at home just for some self-care, or you could dress this up and go out to an event. It's very versatile, but more suited to colder weather. Like all Penhaligon's fragrances, the presentation is beautiful and there's a nice story behind the fragrance. I really enjoy this house and look forward to acquiring more fbs from them. This frag is AMAZING when layered with Diptyque's Tam Dao. Since both have sandalwood in the base, they blend very beautifully. The Tam Dao gives it that really solid creamy sandalwood base that is dry and a bit vegetal, while the Babylon on top lends its beautiful vanilla note with the spicy and woody undertones. Really a premium combo if you have both frags. They combine to form an accord that is unisex, very sexy and appealing, radiant, while comforting and refined at the same time. Highly recommend you try this combo. 10/10 Snifftacular! I'm now looking for a full bottle the next time I'm at the discounters.

A simple but sophisticated perfume, not necessarily unique but absolutely warm and beautiful. Vanilla is no doubt the main character here, but it does not make the perfume overly sweet and turn it into a gourmand perfume. You can already get the sweet and delicious vanilla in the opening, well mixed with nutmeg and saffron. It is sweet, spicy and slightly boozy. Normally I find nutmeg gives this kind of dry and dusty spiciness, but here in the opening I don't get the dryness; instead, it is mainly warm spicy. Saffron adds warmth too, but also brings this leathery scent. Both the leathery and spicy notes well balance the sweetness. At this stage I would simply describe it as a warm spicy leather vanilla perfume. Then it gets more and more woody and earthy on my skin, while the sweetness remains. I also find the leathery scent gets stronger and stronger. To me it is leaning more and more towards the masculine side. At certain point it gives me this vintage wooden furniture vibe. The drydown is simply beautiful and delicious. I would call it sweet leather with milky sandalwood in the background. It is warm but no heavy, which makes it a perfect choice for cold weather. The performance is also great. It lasts easily on my skin for the whole day.

Penhaligon’s is known for its well-crafted, traditional men’s fragrances, many of which I rate very highly, but in recent years the house has introduced some modern options that I’ve found to be a bit hit and miss. One of these more modern offerings is Babylon and from the moment it hits my skin I know I’m going to be experiencing something special. It opens with a deep, rich, warm nutmeg note, that is perfectly balanced with saffron and coriander. There is a natural sweetness and gentle smokiness to it right from the start, and that continues throughout the life of the fragrance on my skin. In fact, other than fading, Babylon hardly changes at all from start to finish, making it one of the most linear scents I’ve experienced. It truly is a masterpiece in my opinion. Tested: 1ml decant. Seasons / Occasions: Mainly winter. Perfect for special occasions. Key thoughts: Rich, luxurious and warm. Masterpiece. Overall rating: 9.5/10. Buy full bottle: Yes.

Ugh this fragrance is so beautiful it almost hurts my heart. The cozy, comforting scent of Babylon has uplifted my spirits on this bitterly cold blizzard day in Iowa; radiating up from the collar of my t-shirt & hoodie, giving me the warmest feelings with its rich, cozy, lightly spiced aromatic scent. Babylon is a bottled up hug! The vanilla does not dominate -- it is so well blended and balanced. Not as much of a spice-bomb as the notes might imply. I find The Bewitching Yasmine to be more spice forward than Babylon. This is THE perfect unisex winter scent. Save it for the coldest, bleakest days, apply liberally (4-6 sprays) all over the bare decolletage/chest, and thank me later. I'm so relieved that Babylon is not overhyped on social media nor is it available in Sephora; because gen z-ers don't deserve to be graced with this luxurious beauty. Let them eat Baccarat rouge clones 😏.

This fragrance smells like luxury travels. It's one that every time I apply, I'm surprised again how great it is. I feel rich. I feel well-traveled. I most notice the cypriol, which is complex and resembles many other ingredients that are woody, dry, aromatic, and deep earthy. You get this depth without it being an overwhelming or challenging scent. I think this is a complex niche fragrance that the masses could easily enjoy. It's balanced by spices and vanilla. It's a beautiful combination that rounds this out without letting it go gourmand. Both sandalwood and cedar are clear and can be distinctly picked out. One thing I don't notice is saffron. If the almost latex/sterile scent of saffron can take on bothers you, you will not detect that here. This is best for cold weather. I'd say winter only if you live in a warmer place and into fall if you're in a colder climate.

This is my 15th bottle from Penhaligon, I mostly own British Tales frags because they so easy to wear, and the variety for summer frags in that collection is immense. This however has got to be my No1 Penhaligon's fragrance, I think it holds up against my favourite which is Sartorial, and blows Cairo (again was a favourite) out of the water, takes over. It reminds me of another frag, and I can't put my finger on it, I think it might have some resemblance to a Xerjoff frag, but I've kinda gone off Xerjoff after amassing a good 15 bottles as well. I'm not really good at painting the lovely pictures so many of you wonderfully do, and even if I could, I'm sure there are far better descriptions that would better mine, I can simply that this is *gorgeous* I blind bought, and no regrets, but I blind buy most of my frags, part of the excitement .

this is easily one of my top 2 vanilla perfumes of all time. babylon smells as if christmas up in a massachusetts lake house was in a bottle. upon first spray the notes of a spicy woody vanilla are very evident due to how strong it is, and once it dies down you can also sense the hints of nutmeg mixed in with the woody and vanilla notes alongside still having that spicy smell that makes the perfume an absolute winner. it smells so good that i literally wear it in the summer— despite the fact that babylon is more so suitable as a fall/winter perfume. this perfume also will have you smelling like that one rich aunt that comes around once a year yet is still so mysterious to you and your cousins. while it is quite pricey, i think babylon is def worth the price and everyone should absolutely own this perfume at least once in their life.

Treated myself to some sprays after a long stressful day (work); and was comforted by a leathery (saffron), slightly medicinal/herbal (cypriol), spicy (nutmeg+coriander), yet lightly sweet (amber) (((hug))). Instantly my blood pressure and cortisol drop to non-existent levels. The vanilla here is natural -- like the slightly boozy, distilled, pure vanilla pod extract used for patisserie (definitely not your powdery, cheap artificial, tooth-achingly sweet vanilla frosting smell). Sometimes I layer a bit of Zum Mist in Frankincense-Lavender over this for extra de-stressing benefits, the lavender and frankincense pair so wonderfully with the cypriol/cedar/santal base of Babylon. I cannot recommend this unique and lovely smell enough for your collection. It's perfumed gold 🪙🪎.

I can say that this is one of the scents I could not forget since I tried it. Never have I ever met such rich and spicy woody vanilla scent that is so refined at the same time. Very well executed. Nothing is sharp or screechy. Nothing smells synthetic. Looking at the notes, so many things could go wrong - nutmeg or coriander could overpower everything, saffron can smell like iodine and outshine everything else again, sandalwood can be screechy, the whole composition might get cloying, but no. Here we have a perfect and smooth concoction. It is an olfactory journey, which takes you to far away lands and long ago times, not a male/female scent. Amazing in the autumn and winter. Scent: 10/10 Longevity: 6/10 Sillage: 4/10

Oh this is a really relaxing perfume. The sweet woody vanilla resting on my arm is reminiscent like others have suggested, of a vanilla spiced latte or chai. This became the first fragrance to unlock an old memory for me, of waking up very early on a morning to make cereal while the rest of the family was still fast asleep. We stayed at an old farm cabin during the winter holidays and the wooden beams and staircase filled the air with this cosy aroma and the previous day's fire was merely ash by this point. I'd pour myself some cornflakes and sit in excitement just happy and gullible as kids are, filled with excitement for the Christmas season. I am absolutely thrilled that this memory lives on.

I have way too many vanillas. When I was given a sample of this, I never thought it would end up in my top 3. I don't really like coriander, and I'm glad I don't notice it here. It's a slightly spicy vanilla that's very well blended. It has moderate projection but very good longevity. It's best suited to the colder months, but I wear it all year round. I especially love wearing it to bed because I find it very comforting. I can smell the similarities with Bouquet Ideale, but that one opens with a blast of something weird that I don't really like. The magic of Bouquet Ideale is in the dry down which smells like Babylon.

I really like this. Surprised it doesn't have leather in as I picked that up immediately, thought it smelt like an old shoe shop in a good way. Then a bit of vanilla behind it. My take was it was the most accurate leather smell I've seen in any fragrance so shows what I know that it isn't in there! Doesn't smell like it will project as widely as other scents but it will likely sit quietly with a high quality sense to it. Late edit: a couple of hours in the dry down is excellent. Really high quality vanilla and actually projects quite well. Keep getting wafts of it while I'm working. Very impressive.

One of my favourites from Penhaligons. I’m a lover of Vanilla and this again is another brilliant take on a spiced Vanilla with Saffron, Cypriol, Nargamotha. This adds a greener, woody, spicy feel to it. This is a Vanilla version of Cairo. I love what they have done here. It’s not original or unique, it has some Kalemat, Raghba vibes but completely different quality. This is a very cosy and comforting spiced Vanilla. No sugary sweetness here. In terms of longevity this is great. Beautiful silage and lasts all day. Next up on the list Halfeti Cedar.

Babylon is a fragrance which perfectly blends vanilla notes with wood notes and is arguably one of my favourite winter/autumn scents. Akin to Naxos by Xerjoff, the vanilla note is smooth and inoffensive, but as a creation in it's entirety it's not overly sweet or gourmand. The wood notes are not as pronounced as some many think it to be. It perfectly compliments the vanilla notes giving some complexity to the fragrance. Upon spraying, the saffron and nutmeg evoke this sense of warmth and coupled with the vanilla makes for a great creation. 9.5/10

I smelt a great many Penhaligons perfumes in the store and have been working through their two scent libraries since. Babylon was, and still is, a clear winner for me. It's become my signature scent. This is beautifully warm and spicy and makes me feel like I'm being wrapped in a soothing hug as soon as I spray it. Lovely vanilla base with almost plum notes. Perfect for autumn and winter. Slightly reminiscent of a boozy plum pudding but nothing so sharp and crass as that. The woody notes add depth. Perfectly blended, warm and classy.

A warm, unique and comforting vanilla with an amber undertone. Truly a favorite from first sniff, and I have many vanilla scents, and many amber scents. The performance is impressive. Happy I own a bottle. This becomes my favorite Penhaligon’s scent, dethroning Cairo, who now earns the silver medal. And that is no small feat, because that is a memorable fragrance as well. I have worn it on two different days, and each day received a compliment. That is notable, particularly since each day it was hours after I applied the scent.

GORG!! Never thought I would describe a woody scent as "decadent" but here we are. The combo of sandalwood, vanilla, saffron, and nutmug is so luscious, the sweet-earthy-spicy facet from the saffron almost causes a tickle in the back of my throat in the best way. Cedar is now a new favorite note of mine, particularly combined with the warmth of sandalwood. Reminds me of a winter's night spent sipping hot spiced cider and baking cinnamon cookies.