Bayolea

Well, this is a nice, somewhat unusual citrus-based gentlemanly scent from the house of Penhaligon's. Its selection of citric notes is a tad different than usual, being that its main note isn't really a fruit(lemongrass), and it has some cold spiciness and an aromatic quality different from the others of the genre. The opening of Bayolea accentuates its backbone lemongrass note with an addition of some sweeter citruses, like mandarin and orange. Later it introduces a pinch of different spices, mostly cardamom and ginger(which is not mentioned here, but I surely felt like it's present so I had to mention it). Those two are giving a spicy quality to an aromatic heart comprised of lemongrass and other, less pronounced, herbs - it could be lavender, but I'm not sure. Its drydown is aftershave-y with the remnants of the past phases and a moderately nice cedar note. Bayolea has its share of sharpness, as its notes imply, but its projection is rather tame, except at the moment of application. The longevity of this scent leaves something to be desired, as I got a bit more than four hours, five tops. It did stay longer on my jacket, though. The occasions and seasons suited for Bayolea are vast. With this one, in essence, you can act like with your favorite aftershave lotion, only better and, being an EDT, stronger. In my opinion, this one has a type of masculinity that would really suit a lot of men - it feels like a very well-made aftershave. This would be a hell of a gift to pretty much anyone who's not in this perfume thing as much as most of the guys here, especially with its following shaving products. It's different enough to garner some more attention than a regular masculine woody citrus scent, yet safe and traditional in its own right. Usually, I'm not too much into this kind of fragrances, but I will recommend this one to pretty much anyone who is, for all the reasons I wrote above. If it had a slightly better performance, I would give it an even higher mark. 8/10

This is now one of my favorite fresh fragrances. The lemongrass is the dominant note here, it’s unmistakable. However, it’s not the only note by far. The other notes support it so beautifully. It’s perfectly blended in my opinion, despite having a dominant note. Even though mandarin/tangerine notes are listed at the top, I don’t get that from it and instead would say lemon would be more what I smell, which is no surprise since it’s lemongrass. Other notes such as lavender, black pepper, and moss don’t stand out to me. Neroli is listed and while not outright noticeable like neroli typically can be, that note makes sense for this profile and is likely what is pushing and balancing the lemongrass. It does have a slight woody aspect to it, but again it’s not obvious. I really feel like most of the other notes are simply supporting notes and are present just enough to blend this fragrance into what it is. I would also say that lemongrass isn’t just a top note and that is stays throughout. It is a fairly linear fragrance in that way, and it is incredibly long lasting on me. I can smell it on me after a 12 hour shift, which is very uncommon with this type of fragrance. This is my favorite Penhaligons so far, and lasts much longer than several of the House’s other well known fragrances (which is apparently common with them). I would say this is a barbershop type fragrance as categorized, but would say that it is also very unique and not the typical type of barbershop profile, in that it isn’t soapy or shaving foam-like. It would be something that would be very much appreciated at an actual barbershop, after a fresh cut and shave. Bravo!

This is a Saturday morning; You’ll wake up and have a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. The glass that is delicious and healthy. The acidity of the juice is a little to much and turns a little on your stomach; it wakes you up. The bitterness kick-starts your brain and you’re immediately ready to go to the barber. It’s Saturday and after a long week of slaving away you beautiful bastard should treat yourself to a proper shave to really start the weekend and get rid of that hangover you acquired on Friday. You hop on your bike and cycle, not far. In your mouth the orange mixes with the air and adds freshness. Your barber is in this “used-to-be industrial area” which is now being converted. It’s an old factory building filled with history and, now, wood workshops where people work together on their Saturdays. Not you though! You head to the barber. You’re chewing and in your mouth the freshness of air and Orange mixes with the sawdust that fills the inside of the old factory building. You enter your barber shop and greeted with a glass of water. This is were your slightly hungover face sits down in these fancy barber shop chairs and the cold metal arm rests take you away from the saw-dust-orange mix that filled you so far. The metal tingles on your skin. It’s ice cold but you quickly get used to it – in fact: you like the warmth that develops in between your skin and the metal. You walk out: Fresh, handsome and all the bodily experiences remain on your skin while you're gentlemaning yourself through this weekend which is just about to begin!

Before saying anything about the scent itself, I must mention that the bottle in itself is a piece of art, the prettiest bottle in my collection without doubt. After being disappointed by the performance of Mugler's Cologne, I've decided to buy something else for the upcoming summer. I'm glad I did, because this is fresh, citrusy, and very masculine. As a result of its genre, this doesn't last a long time on my skin either, but while Mugler disappears after 2-3 hours without giving me beautiful sniffs throughout the day, Bayolea lasts around 2-3 hours before becoming a skin-scent, and another 2 before fading away completely. I'd say that this is a classic barbershop scent (a style that I hate), but this was somehow tailored to modern taste, so that I can appreciate it too. My environment said it was OK, without being blown away by it, but I think it is far better than average. As it is a niche, it takes acquired taste to appreciate it completely, but one thing is for sure: this is quality in a bottle.

A truly great fragrance! Penhaligon's really have been knocking them out of the park as of late. Relatively recent releases such as Sartorial and Lothair really are making me take a closer look at this underrated niche house. Back to Bayolea; this starts of with a tart green opening that smells a little too foody for my liking. However within minutes the woody/ peppery elements in the fragrance start to emerge and the it stays this way for at least 5-6 hrs - which is pure bliss. The final 2 hrs of the scent comes off as a sweet Ambery/ vanilla type smell which is ok. It has to be said that the heart of this fragrance smells almost like the best part of By Kilians Straight to Heaven - the opening; a boozy woody pleasing aroma. *just a small note on compliments - it gets tons from men and women alike! Some final ratings: Scent: 9/10 Longevity: 8/10 Projection: 8/10 Utility: 10/10 (I could wear this all year round - any occasion)

Cannot get how underrated this is!...IMO a much better smelling cologne that Sartorial...which is too pungent and old-school...and also a better scent that the famous Endymion itself...It is a classy fragrance but with a nice uplifting modern touch...It was a blind buy and I cannot get enough of it...I never used fragrances after the shower but this one just makes feel happy and invigorated...GREAT stuff....looking to buy others...with a similar modern touch Scent: 8 or 9 Longevity: 8...always 7-9 hours projection: 7 Uniqueness: 8 Versatility: 8 Overall: a Solid 9....cause I cannot live without it.... Edit: the shower gel and deodorant are great as well...I love showering knowing all this is there for me...

The most easily likeable and universally appealing of the men's Penhaligons scents. Lovely, consistently reassuring. You know what you are getting with this. It is the traditional English barbershop scent as someone in the current time would imagine the past. Not necessarily how it actually was. Other Penhaligons like hammam bouquet and zizonia have a better depth to them but this is not without its pleasures. I really like it and I think almost everyone would be impressed with it. Although the side products are good they are not essential and the 100ml eau is the best representation of the fragrance. Worth a buy if you are into Penhaligons or if you like the idea of a soapy lime and lemongrass.

This fragrance is lovely. It is a gentleman’s freshie. The orange/lemongrass opening is as refreshing as it is unusual, and remains present throughout the duration. Traditional base of sandalwood/lavender/moss/patchouli endow Bayolea with a barbershop vibe, but it never comes across as dated. When I wear this, I love the naturalness of the scent. There is nothing in this that smells artificial or contrived. Like most Penhaligon’s, Bayolea is definitely high quality but not aggressive. It sits close to the skin but longevity is better than most of their other ones I’ve tried. Bayolea is such a nice alternative to synthetic, chemical, loud or screechy stuff. I really enjoy this wonderful scent.

An awesome offering from Penhaligon's, this is a photorealistic lemongrass scent. It smells of lemongrass with pepper (combining to smell sort of like lemon-pepper seasoning), with a lot of mossy green notes in the drydown. In fact the lemongrass is so realistic that some people say this reminds them of Thai food (which often uses lemongrass in its recipes). It smells similar to Lalique White, but lasts far longer than that, having strong projection for over 4 hours. Very gentlemanly, green, and old-fashioned (in a good way). Love this stuff. 5/5

What a beautiful surprise! Bayolea is not a classical Penhaligon's. It's a modern interpretation of the traditional English barbershop fragrances but with a modern and addicting twist. It starts with a blend of citrus (a very natural tangerine-orange accord) and dry aromatic heart (lemongrass? pepper? cardamom?) that become stronger after a few minutes. From the beginning, there's a surprising modern and young metallic accord that smells like a freshly ironed white shirt. With no doubt, Bayolea is one of the best launches of 2014.

A really nice barber shop perfume !! If you like barber shop perfumes you must have it!! Its clean fresh you can smell the lemongrass the citruses and the spices! With that one you smell like man with beard and moustache!! It worths it!!

I didn't acquire this scent in the traditional sense. I was first introduced to Bayolea while actually purchasing Sartorial. That damn sales assistant did his job, because it was put immediately on my must have list. I came back to this scent and purchased it as a beard oil, yeah Bayolea lost out to Douro this time. Bayolea as a beard oil performed wonderfully and yes two years later I spotted a 50ml bottle at a reasonable price and pulled the trigger and i'm glad I did. Bayolea opens up with a robust blast of lemongrass, tangerine, cedar and lavender. The result is refreshing, pungent and very unique. Bayolea then evolves into this spicy fresh scent with a lovely Neroli note that is flanked by some pepper and cardamom. The spicy freshness finally gives way to a nice musk and amber finish, that is rounded off with a bit of earthiness from the patchouli and moss. Bayolea is very well executed with that signature Penhaligon's quality. I am not sure of the inspiration of this scent but Penhaligon's have created a real homage to a zesty artisanal soap. You know that soap that you would never buy for yourself, but you usually get it as a gift from a friend during the holidays, the odor knocks your socks off so you try to use it sparingly. Bayolea gets big love from me for one note and its' pairing with another. The note? Lemongrass! Yes, lemongrass is not just for soaps and delicious Thai dishes! Now the lemongrass itself can have a bit of an acrid finish and when paired with cardamom presto, the acridity vanishes! Bayolea is really an underrated fragrance from Penhaligon's and really offers a spicy aromatic alternative to what is currently out there on the market. If you are looking for something that smells natural and unique and veers towards something clean and spicy then Bayolea is for you. Bayolea could be worn anywhere: the office, home, or just on a day out. Bayolea is perfect for spring, summer and early fall. Give this a spray, when you really want that comfort of a hot shower, and a nice soapy shave.

Very crisp and green unisex citrus. In its transparent soapiness and green bitterness quite similar to Mugler Cologne, but with a better longevity. To my nose, the lemongrass, albeit being the dominant note for sure, is nicely balanced with lavender and a handful of other notes that probably extend its longevity and give it a body, while remaining mostly background players until the end. It's remarkable that you can still smell the green notes going on so many hours later (5-6 hours in my case), especially on clothes. And it makes a more natural impression than, e.g, Eau Sauvage Cologne, which has similar long lasting green (galbanum) notes, but has also a synthetic vibe to it that I don't get from Bayolea. I also don't get the culinary association -- after all, this isn't a single-note lemongrass fragrance. The lemongrass is used to convey a soapy green citrus effect, not to convey a thai cuisine effect. So, why one should be thinking about chicken pad thai, is beyond me. The bad? Well, nothing to complain about, really. Maybe just that for a citrus aromatic, the performance is decent, but there are citrus-dominant fragrances like (the discontinued) Acqua di Gio Essenza or L'Eau D'Issey Fraiche that have stellar longevity and performance compared to Bayolea... Secondly, as with Mugler Cologne, the scent itself is simply forgettable, tastefully crafted, but without personality or gender. It comes and goes as a fresh breeze of a clean and fresh feeling that you can enjoy and let go of without any thought. If that's what you're after, it does its job well. But it doesn't have the distinguished air of Acqua di Parma Colonia or Eau Sauvage (original). It's too neutral and impeccably clean for that.

I blind bought a small bottle, based on some good YouTube reviews, and I am a bit dissapointed. I was interested in the lemon grass, and it is the nicest, most unique part of the frag. It was not as fresh as I thought it would be, the moss, sandalwood, and amber weigh it down, and the tangerine does not give much citrus freshness. The freshness does come from the lemon grass, and fresh peppery spices. I do like it some, and I think I will wear it from time to time. It is very "barbershop", and old fashioned. It is a mature, and very masculine fougere. If you like cardomom it is a noticable nuance here, but not too much; which is a good thing for me because it's a note I don't usually care for. The quality of the notes and performance is Pritty good; nothing synthetic in a cheap way. PS: This one is growing on me. I like it more now than when first tried. It's classic smelling but unique classic, love the lemon grass and pepper spice. I recently wore my vintage YSL Rive Gauche, this is similar, but better, with more punch. Some say this has performance issues, but I don't think so. Projection is obove average, and longevity is average for a designer edt. Rating: 8/10 God bless. John 3:16

I’m disappointed with myself for not posting my review of this scent when it came out because I really liked it then and nothing has changed really. The citrus opening is lovely and with the edition of a positive and superb lemongrass note, is kinda herbal and zingy. Then it does become this thing we imagine old shave products to be like when they possibly were much harsher and full on as other reviews have mentioned. I get a classic cologne type mix but also a manly, herb Fougere, I’ve no doubt lavender is playing a part but it’s not pronounced to me. What I do think is I’m there is a vetiver like, earthy clean note, sometimes causing Bayolea to lean toward a kinda lemongrass Terred’Hermes. This could also be due to a zest of the tangerine note in here, especially in the opening. The drydown is lovely, clean, clear, concise...(maybe another C word I can’t think of right now?) and absolutely satisfying. I don’t think it’s groundbreaking, but Bayolea gets a thumbs up because performance was agreeable at 6+ hours so one of these days I might just get a bottle.

Bayolea is your dad's/grandad's splash and slap cologne updated for modern sensibilities. The use of lemongrass as the main component – it works as a ‘faux’ citrus - gives the fragrance an aromatic lift and a generous dose of black pepper fufills the manly spice brief. Predictably there is also the presence of lavender, surely a nod to the heritage of the fougère (along with moss), but it's not administered in classic fashion here - the floral facets are annexed, leaving you with herbaceous tones that carry to the end. As a whole, Bayolea is sharp, angular and punchy. It projects extremely well for a couple of hours before quietening down (though neither does it disappear altogether until quite some time thereafter) and leaves a positive impression. Invigorating stuff. Recommended.

When I first smelled Bayolea in the Penhaligon's store, I absolutely loved it and picked up both the EDT and aftershave. A few hours later, I regretted not having a more measured response. It opens with a lovely citrus-lemongrass-lavender blend. A bit heavy on the lemongrass, but I don't mind. However, a few hours later is when it starts to morph into a bay rum! I don't see any bay rum notes listed, so I checked the Penhaligon's website. Sure enough, it states "A Renaissance of a ‘Bay Rum’ preparation from the archives." I'm not a huge fan of bay rum, so this is only occasionally in my rotation. However, if you like bay rum, I think you'll like this. Longevity is excellent, I get over 10 hours with moderate sillage.

Another male fragrance that I feel absolutely addicted to! I expected lemon-grassy citrus cologne, but here something else with 12-hours lasting power - chalky-woody-dry and dusty peppery cedar! Beautiful herbal-spicy nuances, it smells unlike anything out there and I really like this chalky-dry taste that surrounds you in hot humid weather. Might be individual notes that each wearer will be able to pick the best, according his own skin ability, but I would say it is woody-spicy beast, not falls into citrus aromatic category. Very very good one.

The first time I smelled this, it conjured the sensation of eating sour, unripe grapes ( I used to do strange things as a child). Now when I smell it, I get lots of piney mastic gum and lemongrass. I wish it lasted longer and were more concentrated because I have to spray 20 times for it to have an impact. Would I buy it if they re-issue it? I don't know. I don't find myself reaching for it very often at all. Overall a good fragrance IMO.

I’m not normally a huge fan of citrus based fragrance but this one hits different. Yes, the initial spray can be a little over powering but it’s the base note and dry down that really gets to me. It’s simply outstanding! It smells like a high end barbershop! Not an ideal scent for formal meetings or outings but I would say this is a safe bet for daytime casual and office wear during the spring and the summer! My overall rating: 7/10