Douro

A very manly, aromatic scent and another superb scent from Penhaligons. I agree this is similar to Navy, yet I find it more of a dress blue type of Navy: deeper, richer and much more refined and very well mixed. The lime, lemon and mandarin are balanced quite well by the lavender and geranium, and this a very dry scent despite the citruses. Mint here is more herbal, than fresh and bright. The inclusion of muguet's soft green and neroli's powdery sweetness adds to the virility of this scent; as opposed to detracting from it, as I would have thought. The base is musky but clean, and oakmoss is added in just the right amount to make it earthy/woody without taking over, and the labdanum resin (cistus) makes it feel rich and warmly incensy but not smoky or tacky. I really am impressed by this scent, and now that I have developed a taste for more classic smelling scents, may reach for this often... Sillage: very good Longevity: above average Overall: 4.25/5 This has a superb blend of citrus, flowers and aromatics that makes it smell classic and manly, yet fresh and woody, without seeming generic or dated. I read somewhere (I think) that this is the 2004 remake of the original Douro Eau de Portugal, which was a much older vintage PL scent, it has a vintage feel without an 'old man' type of aura to it...worth trying!

A gentleman's scent, fresh, full and spicy. For an eau de cologne it has a remarkable persistence, staying on my skin for 5+ hours. A classic old-fashioned fougere, but it doesn't smell like a perfume my Grandfaher would have worn, it reminds me of something like an old luxury watch that has been passed down for generations and always remains charming and intriguing. For the lovers of citrusy and spicy fragrances with an old-fashioned flavor it's definitely one to have in the collection. Too bad Penhaligon's discontinued it. I personally prefer Douro to Blenheim Bouquet, for my taste it's more captivating while Blenheim is more classic. It is a purely masculine fragrance, I can see it working well in both a young man who dresses classically and a wealthy mature man. Personally I will use it this summer even in a T-shirt, but I'm not to be taken as an example, I love it. 7/10

Douro's note composition should make this scent smell like any other aromatic scent. But it doesn't! It is so unique. Douro's opening is one of the best, most, comforting herbal citrus blasts in the game. The progression of this scent is fantastic, it goes slightly floral with Neroli floating in and out and just when you think this scent is going to get cloying, the musk, vetiver and sandalwood show up to the rescue! Douro is a classic; This scent fits in the range of gentlemanly, to barbershop, to mediterranean dandy. Douro is retro and still relevant now in any person's scent wardrobe. To me this fragrance is an olfactory aesthetic, that can spur sartorial inspiration. Douro might make you change to a round collar shirt, or maybe oxfords to espadrilles? Take a sniff of Douro and get inspired!

Penhaligon's Douro is simply an excellent gentleman's fragrance; masculine, spicy, an old-school yet not-dated floral vibe (lavender, geranium and perhaps carnation) and with a touch of that refined Penhaligon's DNA that is in so many of their men's fragrances. It's just an excellent all-around choice for work and social setting in which the focus is on impression people with your gentlemanly demeanor and not screaming, "Hey, notice my fragrance!" Performance is a bit of a weak-point since it only lasts about 4-5 hours on my skin before becoming undetectable. In my case, Douro us a nice morning fragrance for days where I workout over the lunch-hour and can reapply after my shower or wear another scent. Overall, I really like this one...just wish it lasted another hour or two on my skin.

This is my first Penhaligon's fragrance and I am not disappointed: Penhaligon's Douro is bright and clean and fresh 'classic masculine' fragrance that smoothly cuts through hot weather and possesses enough aromatic warmth to stand out in winter. Projection is just about where I'd want it to be - within arms length and for a few hours - and longevity is excellent for an Eau de Cologne with a refreshing top up spray around 5pm still very present as a skin scent after 2am; this may be due to the humidity but I'd say it's down to the quality of Penhaligon's ingredients. In cold weather I get at least 8-10 hours. Top quality fragrance, great notes for even classy formal occasions and surprising longevity.

I just bought a sample randomly, I thought it was a female fragrance. When I first sniffed it on my skin and for next 1-2 hours I felt that it was very acidic, cat piss-like and hated it. But after hours Douro settled into the skin it became so good😍 Truly masculine, high class, how you would imagine a celebrity smells like. I would definitely buy something like this for my husband if he was into perfumes, I don't think he would appreciate me splurging so much just to spray him for my own olfactory recreation. But who knows, might need to try ;) Update: I tested it on him and luckily didn’t like it, smelled like a regular after shave😄

The most refined Eau de Portugal out there... and there are several... 4711's... Creed's... Trumper's... Pinaud's... Douro being a river, the barbershop owner being a poet and labdanum the lively temperament of a coarse flower. A tender note made out of nature's drama - bitter! United, the river the barber and the flower conjure the best Portugal’s coastline can bind – waves robust enough, killing themselves against the rocks, turned in mist. You walk away from it all, safely, feeling like a gentleman.

Clean and masculine! This is perfect for daytime wear in the summer and the spring. It may start off quite overpowering and offensive but it settles down well. It’s for the perfect blend of powder- citrus and woody notes. As per my review for Blenheim Bouquet, this is a good fragrance started for those wanting to build their fragrance wardrobe. Longevity and sillage is good for an Eau de Cologne. My overall rating: 7.5/10

I am not too familiar with english sophistication - not the tailors of Bond Street, nor the tweedy fox hunters of The Dales. But I do know a fair bit of Lusitania and if something ever could claim the name Eau de Portugal, this must be it. The dry lavender, the soft citrus blossoms, the damp moss - they all smell natural and of highest quality. Solid but smooth and toned down, like um senhor português.

In terms of smell this stuff is amazing. What lets it down is the longevity. On my skin it seems to last 2 hours before going completely. Its a very simple barbershop style fragrance. People often remark on how nice the fruit smells in this cologne. I seem to get many compliments when wearing this fragrance. Its slightly disappointing that the lasting power is not so great. However it smells amazing.

Worn from a decant. Really a fascinating fragrance because I THOUGHT I'd get a citrus fragrance, but while it opens with citrus, it is effectively a green and herbaceous Fougere with oakmoss, lavender and labdanum. Once it settles into the base, it smells like a soapy green scent not entirely unlike Floris Elite. This one may be worthy of a FB purchase.

I first tried Douro when it was still Lord's, although the story goes that is was called Douro Eau de Portugal back in 1911 when it was first created. My father used to wear it a lot and I was trying it myself as well. This is a classic lavender and citrus aroma that cannot go wrong. Great as an evening aroma, regardless if you wear jeans or tuxedo!

As a guy happy to leave the dna of designers concoctions, Penhaligon is a good launching point. Whatever the vague marketing of a masterpiece, this is nuclear. Loving oldies like YSL pour homme but clearly reading the difference, congrats, Penhaligon's for aceing this genre. Clear, clean, present and past. Adoration from IMHO. XO

i find this very similar to Sartorial (which i also love) but more citrus/herbal forward and without the metallics. perfect for Spring/Summer but easily a year round wear. Sartorial for the office, Douro i can pull off with casual wear, even jeans and a t-shirt eventhough it feels quite gentlemanly. love it.

One of the classiest aromatic scents on the marked. Smells very natural. Perfect as an everyday refined/classy fragrance for elegant gentlemen. Great for most occasions and seasons, but probably best for spring and summer. It`s a eau du cologne, so sillage and staying-power could be better..

Reminds me of a beautifully blended Faberge Brut and Pinaud Clubman Musk. I enjoy those classic brands and this fragrance brings those old school favorites to mind - but in a much much more refined and sophisticated way. Great blind-buy for me. Oh, the wife likes it too.

A masculine cologne, a spicy fougere, fresh, energic and very very elegant, unfortunetely discontinued by Penhaligon's, like the other masterpieces English Fern (a greener fougere, on the same wave of Douro) and Hammam Bouquet.

Starts out with a blast of herbs and citrus and dries down to a very refined soapy scent. Unfortunately, I discovered this fragrance too late, as it is discontinued. I will relish the little amount I have.

Absolutely superb traditional men's Cologne. Ultra classy. And with its Basil note making it really interesting. As good as a fragrance can get

Simple , manly+30 & clean. Remineds me of a modern version of Chanel pour monsieur(1955) + loewe pour homme (1974).

Stupendo, eccezionale, mi ci farei il bagno! Nota negativissima: dura 1 ora!!!! Fate un EDT per favore

Great scent, had to purchase a few extra bottles for later.

Long before established rulers, the Douro region was inhabited by primitive peoples. They were the first to engrave their tracks in Iberian rock caves. These paintings in the Côa Valley date from 20,000 years ago. The presence of grape agriculture in the region dates back to 30 centuries ago, as charred seeds were found in local archaeological sites. The Douro River is widely considered to be the northern border of Lusitania, a nation of valiant shepherds and hunters recognized as the first Portuguese. In the 1st century of our era, the arrival of the Romans intensified agriculture in the region. Thanks to the new stone-paved roads network, as well the numerous bridges that were built at that time, viticulture gained great importance. Agricultural villages emerged, devoted exclusively to wine production. From the 5th century, the land of the Douro was occupied by Suebi and Visigoths, who eventually unite and Christianize. Muslims followed after the 8th century. The founding of the Kingdom of Portugal in 1143 is thanks to Afonso Henriques (1109-1185), the first Portuguese king and responsible for the country's independence. In the 12th and 13th centuries, in the Low Middle Ages, monks of the Cistercian order settled in the region. It was an important contribution to local agriculture and several farms were established on the slopes of the Douro River. Slope angle controlled the land management practices, imposing the construction of terraces with schist stone walls. More recently, land embankments have been built in order to create flat surfaces to plant the vines. These structures originated a unique terraced landscape. This beautiful type of landscape still continues to this day. Wine production continued to develop thanks to easy transport to Porto across the Douro River. The maritime travelling that led to the expansion of the Portuguese Empire around the world (15th and 16th centuries) also contributed to river wine transportation. The long sea journeys to the Far East and South America required large quantities of strong wines to satisfy the adventurous sailors. Between the 17th and 19th centuries, England became the main consumer of the wines produced in the Douro region, leading to the signing of the Methuen Treaty in 1703. The United Kingdom granted preferential rights to Portuguese wines. In return, Portugal allowed British fabrics free access to the domestic market. The high demand for Douro wines by English traders led to a distortion of the wine quality. Merchants demanding an easy profit seldom mixed high-quality Portuguese wines with cheaper ones. Prime Minister Marquis of Pombal (1699-1782) would change the economic situation of the region, create the first regulated wine region in the world and delimit the Douro wine region (1757). This inaugurated the exclusivity of the production and marketing of Port Wine in the Douro region. The landscape of the Douro is quite unique and very beautiful. This change of Nature by humans contributed to the fact that the Douro wine region was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2001. Now is the time for a glass of port and a whiff of perfume! Douro Eau de Portugal by Penhaligon's is simply a very good perfume that fits the gentleman stereotype; It is fresh, masculine, with non-bubbly citrus fruits, light aniseed barbershop spices and a floral note with notes of lavender, geranium, neroli and lily. It has an exquisite touch that is also present in several other Penhaligon men's fragrances. It's an excellent choice for social settings where the focus is on impressing people with your gentlemanly demeanour rather than yelling, "Hey, I am here, smell my scent!" Performance is its weakness. It only lasts on my skin for about 4-5 hours before it becomes undetectable. Silage and projection are below average. However, Douro is a good morning perfume for spring and summer days. In the afternoon I can reapply myself or use a different perfume. It can also be suitable for a formal and elegant night event where you want to smell nice but subtle. I like this Douro. It reminds me a lot of the also very elegant Monsieur de Givenchy original. I just wish this Penhaligon's would last a couple of hours more on my skin. I also want my Port Wine bottles to last a little longer ... the world is not perfect. Music: YES - "Soon" (included in the "Relayer" album)

On my skin, this opens with a mix of citrus and neroli with lots of lavender. These are not bright sunny citrus notes, these are dried citrus. The rinds used for mulling spice. The lavender is not synthetic at all. Not the type you smell in washing liquid or scented candles. It is garden lavender, more herbal than floral in nature. If there is LOTV here, I don't detect it as such. The opening is bright, fresh and herbal. The opening is one of a purely old school gentleman's "barber shop" cologne. Lovely. 30 minutes into it's development the citrus notes begin to fade as geranium and basil take center stage. I detect oakmoss and labdanum as well but at this point its really all about the geranium and basil. Still fresh and herbal. Still very "barber shop" in style and feel. At the hour mark the geranium and basil have fallen back into line with the oakmoss and labdanum. All play their parts. The combined effect at this point is quite musky. It's certainly more of an ambrette type accord as apposed to an animal sourced or synthetic "white musk". I believe its the labdanum mixed with the other notes that create this. It stays in this herbal, musky phase for another hour or two. I never get any sandalwood. From the third hour onwards, it's all about the labdanum. The other notes linger in the background to keep it a bit fresh and prevent it from becoming a boring single note journey. At the fifth hour it basically becomes a labdanum skin scent that hangs around for another hour or two. As far as seasonality goes, I find this could be a year round fragrance. I know some have designated it a summer only scent. Maybe in the UK, Canada or northern Europe where the summers are typically mild. Someone in Miami or Indonesia may have a different view on what constitutes a summer staple. For me, and YMMV, this can be worn on most summer days or nights (with only the sweltering, oppressively hot days being excluded) but it also has enough backbone from the muskiness to work in the other seasons. It would do just fine on a rainy day in October. It's an old school creation hearkening back to a time when most people would only have one fragrance to wear year round. If you enjoy scents from yesteryear or just love the art of fragrance and don't mind wearing one that smells like it could have been worn proudly in 1960 I believe you'll enjoy having this in your portfolio.

I first got this in 2005 when a London colleague gave me 2 small tubes and told me about this great perfume brand. He said I should try it and that I'd only need to apply a little bit as the stuff lasted very long. As I remember he claimed it was because it was(more) oil-based. One was Endymion, the other was Douro and indeed it lasted ALL DAY. (and night) Forward to 2018, I'm re-introducing myself with Penhaligons and besides others I bought a bottle of Douro. Perhaps they changed the formula or those vials I got in 2005 were concentrated uber-samples because it doesn't last as long today. However, I enjoy Douro very much and it lasts quite long. It does not radiate several meters but who needs that? If you choose Douro, you are already confident and used to radiating with your eyes and presence. Douro is not to bait or draw but to convince and seal. Douro is not my immediate Penhaligon favourite and if you aim to score quick compliments maybe something else is better. I rate it as 100% masculine, 100% mature. (anyone else seen those Douro "for women" ads from US vendors???)

I probably should have done a side-by-side with Tiffany, Chanel PM, and PMC, based on forum comments. Initially very promising, it opens with a pleasant (non-acidic, non-fizzy) lemon over anisy barbershop-type spices, a top that I'd expect to herald a good wood scent farther along. It seems to get a bit weaker after the first few minutes and the lemon gets duller, sweeter and more powdery, like a lemon analog of the orange in Habit Rouge. It develops just the slightest bit of "wild/english fern" type herbal green in the mid notes, and initially remains more spice-oriented than that group, until the spices recede more and the ferny-ness becomes more apparent. In the end, I feel like I'm left with a sweet spice/wood scent that would be really great if not for the intrusion of powdery, anisy and ferny notes which I would prefer not to have. Their Opus 1870, while built around a different selection of wood notes (more cedar), feels more uncontaminated to me because they've chosen ancillary notes that don't bother me as much: sharper spices and maybe a little fruit.

No longer discontinued, it's back from the beyond in 2023. Is now made in Spain though at the main PUIG factory rather than using a UK supplier. Penhaligons was UK made from the 1870 until 2022. Not sure if all of them are going to be like this onwards. Nothing wrong with making things abroad but seems hypocritical for a brand that trades on its Britishness and also highlights how penhaligons of today is literally just a fairly meaningless label. Also it is almost twice the price it used to be. Despite the change of location it's pretty faithful to the original and remains a classic scent. Have always enjoyed this. Think it is a lovely sporty fragrance. Beautifully balanced. Smells like summertime; playing fields, that kind of musty linen smell of the wooden equipment coming out of storage under the sun. It's a classic. I would mark this above Blenheim but below Hamman. This is one of the best classic English fragrances, although it's no longer in any way authentic it still smells the same.

This is the smell of summer; of English summertime. Green, overgrown countryside; being outdoors all day. It shines best on hot days, I bearly go near it all winter. Douro has a strong family resemblance to Blenheim Bouquet. They have a simular fresh start and then followed by a metallic, herbal but still floral undertone. It seems close to Sartorial too. Quercus has a simular outdoors feel to it but is more woody and washed out. I would say that this has strong herbal notes. I get basil mostly, maybe a little Thyme. You get oakmoss, geranium and fairly true representation of cistus too. I think Douro is more interesting where Blenheim is more universal and versatile. Both are excellent. In the ranking of Penhaligon's I would put this above Esprit Du Roi, Quercus and maybe even Blenheim; but far below Hamman, Zizonia and Lothair. It would never be anyones first buy from the line but its got enough punch to be worth being in any collection of Penhaligon's fragrances.

Starts with an unsweetened lemon (the star of the show), with strong presence of geranium and neroli, and noticeable lavender and basil. The base will be a beautiful moss, combined first with labdanum, and then with a soapy musk in the drydown, and the lemon still present. Projection is good in the first hour, but falls as a skin scent after that and last (at most) 4 hours total, unsurprisingly for a citrus scent. Overall a beautiful old school herbal citrus fragrance perfectly blended by Michael Pickthall. That said, lower budgets might want to look elsewhere, as the full retail price is imo a bit steep in view of the many solid but cheaper alternative offerings on the market, and the difficulty to find this one discounted (unlike many other Penhaligon's fragrances). Still, in terms of scent, I love it!!

Douro is an aromatic with a touch of the classic fougere about it. For me it's a pleasant fragrance and worthy (and expected) to be in the penhaligon's line but one of my least favourite. Nothing offensive about I just think it's not herbal enough, not spicy or mossy enough, put simply Douro is just not ballsy enough. The composition has the balance of other similar Penhaligon's scents which is usually a positive thing but dare I say it makes Douro a tad on the boring side. Opens, with fresh bergamot, citrus classic note of lavender, then becomes a slightly, floral mossy, musk. Nothing jumps out at me, but not offensive by any means.

Aromatic freshness, definitely masculine! There's a certain effervescent quality to it. Reminds me of a very hot and dry day, on a road lined with aromatic shrubs.

Bright, sharp lemon citrus with lavender, becomes smoky, incensey. Very nice, but not a standout.

Probably the most masculine lavender that you can wear. Still to me it's around the unisex area, I don't know why people rated it as masculine, probably because of the cologne vibe. Imagine mixing your daily aftershave with some moth repellant for clothes, and you'll come close to Duoro. It's a reassuring smell, which is nice for a woman to feel on a man. But I don't think that the person who wears it would enjoy this as much as the one who smells it. Sample before you buy.

I don't hate it, and to say that I dislike it would be a stretch, but it definitely is my least favorite from 10+ Penhaligon's offerings for men that I currently own or had before. It has not too great opening, than it is OK for about an hour, after that it smells like wet floor just washed with weird soap for about 3 hours, before settling into decent scent that lingers too close to skin to be noticed by anyone who is not within inches from you. I try it on the paper too, thinking it could be my body chemistry don't go well with it. I guess paper chemistry don't go well with it either - the same result. I won't buy it again, that's for sure.

Douro opens with pastel citrus and lavender, more filtered sunlight through the countryside than sharp, piercing rays of sun on the beach. It is the embodiment of yesteryear refinement, impenetrably smooth, calm, cool, collected. It's no mere barbershop refresher, but a subtle statement of groomed completion. A fragrant feather in one's cap, so to speak. As the citrus and aromatics settle, what surfaces is a heart of nuanced floral elegance. It's evocative of the finest neroli and lily of the valley soaps that gradually gets mossier and woodier in the dry down. The development is classic, yet in no way cliched, just expertly executed. Perfumer Michael Pickthall seems to really know what he is doing. Maybe I really *should* look into that curious Bluebell he composed... Several hours in, and whispers of musk and labdanum make the skin nuzzle-worthy. Yes, Duoro has won.

Was Sartorial born from Douro? No, seriously, check this out - Douro is an idea that I'm surprised hasn't been executed more. It's a chypre and a fougere crossed. The mossy-woody citrus/resin/lichen chypre quality is there, but the fantastic lavender/coumarin fougere accord that makes Sartorial so great is thrown in the mix, albeit much more subtle. Surprisingly, these elements don't clash, and what results is an incredibly smooth, almost seamless barbershop-esque masculine that doesn't smell too dated nor overpowering. I actually wish it were a bit stronger, but hey, it gets the job done. Good stuff.

Review for the 2004 edition of Douro: Not exactly old-school but more sort of "old-school-inspired" citrus aromatic with the usual lavender presence and a slightly synthetic, kinda mossy, vibe. Not terrifying as I expected but let's put it like this: if I should compile a list of my 100 favorite fragrances, Douro would be #83.257. Note: The original Douro (Eau De Portugal) was released in 1985. The same year when the world got its first contact with Derby, Poison, Caron Le 3me Homme, Sables, Lauder For Men, Green irish Tweed...Hard times for minor fragrances. Rating: 5/10

There is something very ethereal about this fragrance. Really loud at the opening with citrus but middle notes and dry down really take you on a journey. Its fougere will still having some body to it. Good performance for a cologne. Like most of penhaligons more you wear it the more you come to appreciate it. Definitely one of my favourites from this house. Can be a little heavy for full summer day but a confident scent for spring or autumn glad I managed to pick it up before it discontinued.

Wear Douro and people will just assume you drive an Aston Martin DB5, play Polo, frequent Sotheby's, and read Chaucer for fun. If you're a traditionalist, a bit of an Anglophile, and eschew fleeting trend in favor of all things classic; if that's who you are—Douro is your summer fragrance.

Совершенно недооценённый аромат старой классической рецептуры. Уровень класса А. Своего рода Роллс - Ройс на улице города. Потрясающее благородство. A totally underestimated aroma of an old classic recipe. Class A level. A kind of Rolls - Royce on a city street. Stunning nobility.

Wearing Douro as I write. One of my favourites that I've been wearing for years.This and Sartorial are the quintessential, masculine fragrances from this House, though the latter is more suited to smart formal wear. Both would suit the discerning gentleman.

Douro is the name of the most beautifull river in Portugal :) The river divided a valey surronded by grapevines, my grandfather family has a big farm in there and the landscape is awesome! I never smelled this fragrance but now I want to!

This, Wild fern by Geo f Trumper, and Very irresistible men by Givenchy, are the only three Cologne that a (gentle)man really need in his life. Along with the other two mentioned above this is the best perfume FOR MEN ever created.

The opening is very very lemony with a slight sweet base. Then overall it’s very classy gentlmen but to me quite old school. Classic i’d say, barbershop style, lemon basil lavender and oakmoss is what i pick.

Absolutely gorgeous for 15 minutes, however the dry down just smells like lavender. Goes from citrus blast to grandma's handbag. Real shame as the first 15 minutes are as close to perfect as I've found.

I love Douro (Eau de Portugal) by Penhaligon's, which unfortunately was discontinued. Is there anyone who could suggest some alternative, as close as possible to Douro? Thanks

MASTERPIECE!!!!!! THEY DONT MAKE THEM LIKE THIS ANYMORE.... THIS BAD BOY HAS BIG COJONES ❤️❤️❤️❤️😂😂😂

This is one of the classiest "old school" barbershop fragrances out there. Absolutely love it !

Reviewer below is spot on. Very much like Clubman Pinaud. Strong powdery barbershop fragrance.

Smells like a nice clean toilet. That is all.