Fortuitous Finley

>woody/spicy with a marine/green/leather tinge Either someone at Penhaligon's is a mind reader or very perceptive because this sounds similar to what I've been looking for. Going to order a sample once it starts becoming available but I'll curb my expectations. For all we know this could be another dud and go the way of Roaring Radcliffe or Cousin Matthew but the initial description sounds promising. What concerns me though is the pistachio element. Gourmand notes tend to lean feminine, especially pistachio based on Yum Pistachio Gelato, but I'm hoping the salt leather and sandalwood make it more masculine leaning unisex. Then again Penhaligon's has always been more furtive with their notes; what they list is usually a fraction of what their fragrances actually contain. UPDATE: Finally got my hands on a sample and took it for a test. Unfortunately Finley has proven harder to nail down and rather confusing for me. Its not that its a bad scent by any means but rather that it seems to blend in so naturally with my own skin chemistry in certain aspects that I'm only detecting certain notes while others clearly listed I cant smell yet others can. For the most part the violet shines through early on in addition to the grassy/hay notes but not matcha as many others have suggested. If anything Orris root might want to be added to the notes because im getting a certain lipsticky powdery scent I also got in Omnisicent Mr. Thompson but without the vanilla. After that inital spay though the more grassy notes shine through albeit faintly.The general problem is that others who have given it a whiff tell me theres a musk in there that I cant seem to register. Overall though Finley isnt a bad scent, if anything ive gotten compliments from it but in this case, the classic Penhaligons restraint seems to have backfired here. Personally speaking I wouldve gone more in on the leather notes similar to Halfeti Leather while also upping the animalics just a smidge; I understand that unisexes will sell better but Finley is supposed to be the stud of the stable, not a prancing pony.

Ok just posting an update to say... I'm SO happy they finally corrected the notes. This perfume is my go-to for a marine, nutty, and matcha scent. This latest addition to the Penhaligon's Portraits line was a Fortnum & Mason exclusive for only a week, but was thankfully released officially by Penhaligon's on April 1st, 2025. From the moment I tried it on paper for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised by its fresh, green notes of matcha and cardamom and the subtle pistachio, balanced by calm earthiness from the black pepper. During the drydown I noticed the saltiness from the pistachio coming out more, almost like a marine oceanic note, and the subtle suede leather note becoming stronger. The gourmand note from the pistachio could also be interpreted as ice cream or coconut. When I tried this on skin the same note progression as above resulted. Overall though, since the leather is not dominant, this perfume can appeal to both genders. Never trust anyone who says that a Penhaligon's scent is "masculine" as most scents that this brand releases are intended as unisex scents. Considering the overwhelming amount of sticky sweet, overtly gourmand cake pistachios that have been released in 2024 (looking at you, Theodoros Kalotinis Pistachio Latte), this perfume is fairly unique as a fresh, balanced gourmand. Others have noted with concern that the projection or longevity is not great. For me personally, I get at least 4-5 hours on skin with a moderate sillage. The overall impression is nothing you would get from Finley the stable boy. Nothing at all that is dusty, oudy or animalic. Luckily for me, I did not have to hold onto my 5 ml decant for long. I found a bargain on a new bottle and added it to my collection!

I ABSOLUTELY love this fragrance. I am a 33 year old feminine female & I've fallen so hard for this fragrance! My SO says it's too masculine with me(but he like me to only smell like flowers and fruit 24/7 lol) bit IDC this is so unique and beautiful! It smells amazing on him but I also obviously love it on me lol. I get this greenness in the sillage at opening that I would think was cedar had I not seen the notes. I now know it's the greeness of the matcha. In the background there is this VERY light & airy sweetness just swirling around that green note, juuuust a little to where you notice it and it peaks your interest, it's the perfect touch. The sweetness though it smells slightly whipped and fluffy I believe it MUST me coming from the violet leaf and cardamon. The salt isn't really too noticable BUT along with the violet leaf it adds this fresh vibe to the scent and when combined with all the other notes, it just works SOO well! The leather isn't harsh but it is there from the first spray, it is playing a supporting roll and it does not well. So it's this very aromatic, fresh, green, fluffy, leathery fragrance. It's so good, and totally unisex imo.

Surprisingly I liked it! The fragrance immediately grabs attention with an unusual, fresh pistachio accord — it’s not gourmand or sweet, but rather green, as if you’ve just peeled an unripe nut. It sounds quite realistic! Then the scent smoothly transitions into a gentle, soft sandalwood, powdery-woody, very delicate and cozy. Leather is listed as one of the main notes, but on my skin, it’s almost undetectable. Instead, I sense more of a suede nuance — thin, velvety, and soft. The salt is also present, and while it’s noticeable, its presentation is very smooth — it doesn’t make the fragrance aggressive or sharp but rather adds an interesting touch. Overall, Fortuitous Finley feels very comfortable and soft on the skin. Although it’s marketed as a men’s fragrance, I would classify it as unisex. I believe it would appeal to those who appreciate unconventional yet delicate woody compositions. There’s no loud masculinity or heavy leather here — rather, an intelligent, refined play of textures. The longevity also impressed me 💪🏻. I could smell it on my skin for about 6 hours. On a blotter, it was still noticeable on the second day.

This fragrance is great, especially in the warm weather (~70f). The fragrance opens with a strong violet/cardamom note, but it quickly evolves to just be a support for the salty note. The salt is well defined and feels more like a gourmand than a mineralic note. In time, you notice a nutty, vanillic note forming, which becomes the pistachio and matcha note that takes over for the remainder of the wear and is eventually rejoined by the violet note and a very soft leather note. This fragrance is a beautiful journey with amazing projection and decent longevity. It is also very unique. I thought it would be a nice middle ground between violet-heavy freshies like Ege and salty fragrances like Acqua di Sale, but due to the matcha pistachio drydown, the only way I can describe it is The Matcha 26’s long lost cousin that grew up in a beach town.

My fiancé doesn't know it yet, but this will be his wedding cologne. To my nose, this is actually a gourmand, spring-friendly men's fragrance (though could lean unisex). The pistachio, violet leaf, and salt shine here, being the three most prominent notes that made me go "WOW". I have never smelled anything like this before in a mens cologne, and it is addictive. Pretty long lasting with moderate sillage. I don't get the leather in this (as I normally don't like leather), but I do get the tea and cardamom, though both take a backseat to the three earlier mentions. Super unique and versatile. Let's hope he likes it too!

It’s just slightly similar to the Fahrenheit line, but Finley has it’s own personality and many differences! It’s more refined, more subtle, elegant and charming and it lacks the gasoline accord. And by the way, I still like Fahrenheit, but to me this is in another level. This is truly a great launch by Penhaligon’s!!! Time will give it the credit and hype it deserves! Scent 10/10 Projection 7/10 Longevity 8/10 Wow Factor 10/10

Was able to try this at a Boutique in Bluewater and it is really nice! I really do smell the salted pistachio, the fragrance is mature, masculine, salty and nutty. My girlfriend loved it on me and funny enough it reminded us a little bit of the scent profile of Haltane which she also loves, just without the oud. Has immediately gone onto my list to buy as one of the only 2 portraits I enjoy from Penhaligons next to Arthur.

Penhaligons delivers another banger, unfortunately in the portraits collection which has gotten very expensive for 75ml. Nonetheless, this fragrance is so unique and outstanding from the hundreds of samples and fragrances I’ve smelled in my journey. Penhaligons makes such classy fragrances, not loud and obnoxious and sweet and trendy, but smooth refined classy elegance. Just sample if you can

I am a big fan of Penhaligon's fragrances. I think Fortuitous Finley is my current favorite. It leans a little masculine and gourmand. The top notes that I detect are the pistachio and leather. There's also a hint of a melon in there. It's strong and stays on me all day. I love it so much that I use it sparingly because I want it to last. This scent makes me happy.

It’s a lovely fragrance, fresh aromatic and the opening pistachio is lovely. I really wanted to get a bottle until today, I just sprayed on Le Beau Paradise Garden by JPG and there is a very similar notes after it dries down, I keep thinking I have Finley on. And also JPG lasts twice as long for half the price so I’d recommend trying it and make up your own mind

one of the most beautiful green masculine scents i have ever tried, it is SO good. violet leaf gives this almost salty element to the scent which pairs like a dream with fresh pistachio, then cardamom and patchouli round out the entire scent out and give it this gentle warmth. this scent is, vibrantly bright, vegetal, and refreshing.

I think my chemistry is a fan of Finley. This on me, is a gorgeous salty, aquatic, nutty, earthy fragrance. I get the salted pistachio mixed with the sharpness of matcha, and leather rounds it. The violet leaf and yummy matcha kind of “bounce” off each other. the faintest hint of the star anise adds even more interest. 10/10

There are many notes on here missed: Top: Black pepper, cardamom Middle: Matcha, salted pistachio, violet Base: Orris root, patchouli, suede The fragrance pyramid should have "nutty" and "green" at the top and "smoky" and "leather" and "salty" at the bottom. The woodiness by itself is not overly detectible.

Smells like matcha mochi, but with a bit more depth than you expect. Fresh, slightly vegetal, but belongs to the skin very well. Soft sweetness, almost milky, but the faint bitterness of tea and spice keeps it grounded. Really easy to wear at anytime, comforting and quite. Perfect blend 10/10

Beautiful all out perfume. The bottle is as gorgeous as the scent itself. Unique niche and surprisingly versatile, just beautiful high quality great performance juice. Ethereal leather base covered in delectable gourmand note of sweet pistachio, very delicious and sexy. Instant love for me.

OK, I got no salted pistachio at all! The fragrance is heavy on violets with a beautiful patchouli/cashmeran/leathery base. It immediately reminded me of freshly violety Fahrenheit Cologne vibe but with a richer dry down. Overall, a classy masculine fragrance, extremely well done.

This perfume is perfection in a bottle! I can’t get enough of it - it’s fresh, refined, cozy, sexy... the best in my husband’s collection. We both love it and he always gets tons of compliments when wearing it!

Loved the profile very unique pistachio fragrance, with the twist of spiciness in the top and leather, woody pachouli in the base. personally, liked the profile and very strong projection and good lasting.

This. Is. Incredible! I stopped my husband dead in his tracks after he tried one of my samples unknowingly. I was like “what is THAT!” it’s fresh but complex and completely addictive!

Take JPGs paradise garden, but actually grown up nd without the childish sweetness. This is what I get from this fragrance. It's really beautiful I absolutely love it.

A Penhaligon's version of Dunhill fresh by alfred (older patch) but more luxurious and refine ~ to my nose at least.. Addictive

This scent has me in a chokehold. The leather, pistachio, and violets are blended so beautifully. This is pure artistry.

@LiaDaisy Yeah, I can understand that a bit. Not as sweet though More lactonic, like ice cream.

I hope they do not discontinue this fragrance. One of the best fragrances ever.

One of my favorite perfumes i have. Elegant!

I really like this, it's by far the most versatile Penhaligon's I've tried so far. Fortuitous Finley is the newest addition to the Portraits' collection, and I must admit the notes caught my eye from the beginning. I had never heard of a fragrance that used pistachio as one of its most prominent notes, let alone in combination with something like leather. I purchased a sample straight from Penhaligon's website, along with a Lord George and Blazing Mr Sam samples, to properly try it out as I was still quite intrigued (and also because I wasn't allowed to pick The Duke to complete the three samples you can pick from their online quiz, neither could I get William Penhaligon no matter how much I played around with my answers). The first time I sprayed it and smelled it up close all I could get was watermelon candy with cardamom, but shortly after when the fragrance began to dry it started smelling of a very realistic pistachio, and it stays that way throughout its entire duration on skin. I don't really pick up most of the notes listed, I only really pick up pistachio, cardamom and maybe just a bit of matcha tea, but other than that I simply can't perceive any leather, violet, patchouli or star anise. This fragrance also doesn't evolve much, if at all, over time. The sample vial's atomizer is really bad so the amount of fragrance I could actually get on skin was really small, so I definitely need to do more testing to see if these notes reveal themselves a bit more or if this fragrance might be really well blended. As I alluded to at the beginning of the review, this is an extremely versatile fragrance, you can easily wear this all year round, to any occasion, and it's also a perfectly unisex fragrance in my opinion. My judgment on its performance might be inaccurate due to the low amount of fragrance I wore today, but it performed surprisingly decently nonetheless. Sillage is really light, you won't be smelling yourself a lot after applying it, and projection is moderate, only staying in a small bubble around you. It seems to project the strongest only for about an hour, then it pretty much becomes a skin scent. Not really ideal behavior for a fragrance that's $330 for 75 ml, but it might perform better if you apply proper amounts of it. Despite that, longevity is really solid as I can still smell it faintly on both of my forearms around 8 hours later, so longevity isn't an issue at all.

The good: this is a very original and delicious scent. It opens fresh, slightly green and salty, like a very nice and very mass appealing fresh summer scent but with an interesting saltiness but not aquatic. Then in turns slightly nutty, and with that velvety feeling of a good iris while been gourmandy. In the end it warms up a bit to a sort of creamy nutty salty, you can sort of taste it. You can very much feel the breakdown of the notes evolving. Also, the bottle is absolutely gorgeous, really one of the most beautiful of penhaligon's. The bad: performance is underwhelming, specially for a scent in this price range. I get you can say that summer fragrances, like this one is intended to be, aren't supposed to dominate or have a heavy silage. However it really lasted around three hours noticeable in my skin, which is a shame, for I truly liked the scent. The ugly: the price is bonkers. I really enjoyed this fragrance, and despite the shortcomings of the performance, I would consider buying it, for it is the best pistachio based scent I've smelled. Nevertheless it is very very expensive, and I find it kind of unacceptable to give poor performance in this price range. Conclusion: I do recommend trying it, it smells really good, snd it evolves very nicely on skin. However, I don't think I'll be buying a full bottle of this. Ill try to get s couple of samples and save them for special occasions, and save my money for other more reliable options performance wise.

There's something really addictive about this fragrance. On first spray, I get salty, marine fresh air with a little bit of nuttiness. A friend of mine described it as "cucumber water" — not exactly what I was hoping for, but it's definitely got that refreshing element. Finley has surprising projection compared to some others from the Portraits line, but ultimately he's still mellow and smooth, not offensive or overpowering at all. I did actually spray some on a handkerchief before I got a sample for my own use, and it blossomed into this lovely creamy, nutty, buttery woody fragrance after a few hours that I was so excited to smell on my own skin. Absolutely a pistachio cream accord; it reminded me of pistachio gelato or something similarly smooth and creamy with a soft suede and leather base. Unfortunately, the salt sticks on my skin a lot more, drying down to a salty leather and driftwood rather than that sweetly nutty pistachio. Even bearing that in mind, it's still a lovely summery scent and a welcome addition to the pistachio fragrance trend. Very much a savoury gourmand rather than a sticky sweet one, and therefore a lot easier to get into if you’re like me and you’re not used to wearing gourmand fragrances. And I appreciate the slightly unconventional combination of notes as someone who enjoys unisex fragrances — it's a great pick for sunny weather.

This is exactly why I think Penhaligon’s is one of the best perfume houses in the game — especially when we’re talking about the Portraits line. Every fragrance in that collection feels completely different, each with its own personality and creative concept that truly makes it stand out. The Fortuitous Finley is no exception. This is a refined, salty, fresh pistachio-and-violet scent — and very different from most pistachio fragrances on the market. Even with notes like pistachio, cardamom, and star anise, the composition feels airy and fresh rather than heavy or gourmand. That balance makes it surprisingly versatile. I can easily see this being worn year-round, in almost any situation, which makes it an amazing signature scent — especially for someone who wants something different from the usual crowd-pleasers. Penhaligon’s always does a great job of avoiding trends. Instead of pumping out overly bold, mass-appealing releases, they create classy, character-driven fragrances that stand on their own. If you get the chance to find it in-store, I highly recommend sampling it — and honestly, exploring the entire Portraits line. There’s a lot of creativity there, and chances are you won’t be disappointed at all.

I like this and would probably buy it if it wasn't so eye-wateringly expensive, plus my unpopular opinion is I hate the portraits bottles, they just look tacky to me, and the idea of 'smelling like an aristocrat who enjoys big game hunting' or whatever is very off-putting to me. That said, I do really like this one. It reminded me vaguely of oldschool Valentino. Not strong on me but did linger a good long while especially on clothes. Powdery, wood-shavings-y, salty. It was recommended to me as a leather fragrance but I didn't get any leather from it.

This reminds me of Porthole by Loumari! How is there no citrus note listed? I had to declutter Porthole becuase it was too fishy for me and made me nauseous. This one has the perfect amount of saltiness. No pistachio detected though sadly. And the leather is not too strong. I think it is quite unisex but definitely leaning a little masculine. Kinda under the radar isn't it this one. Penhaligon's doesn't really get hyped in Fragcom sadly because it doesn't satisfy their appetites for super loud beast mode-y scents 🙄

Very first impression, after smelling it from a tester strip at Fortnum & Mason in London. Will need to try it on skin, perhaps when it gets released more widely in April. Anyway, slightly more green (but still "soft") than Spicebomb Night Vision EdP. If this one has good performance, it may be the first Penhaligon's that I may consider buying! 😮

green and black pepper opening!!! i really like!!! it feels like the same genre as jazz club!! its aromatic, its and a but salty! theres a bit of nuttiness to it but its very faint! definitely an interesting smell

Fortuitous Finley opens like JPG Le Beau and dries down to something reminiscent of Fahrenheit EDT—generic-smelling at worst, fleeting at best. For the price, I expected far more. It’s ‘ok’ not a ‘love,’ for me.

The most beautiful soft fresh green leather scent with a hint of well blended spice. Classy sophisticated masculine scent. A great father's day gift for anyone old enough to be a father.

It's a great, smooth, warm-sweet classy fragrance. But the resemblance to BIR intense is insane. Maybe my nose was wonky that day, but it smelled as if Finley was a dupe of it.

A fishy cucumber... In a good way! This is funky and I like it :D Not sure if I ever will be ready for a full bottle though, I might not be brave enough haha

Just sprayed this on a paper strip and im getting a lot of cucumber? And of course there’s the usual spicy accord that’s in most penhaligons

I'm getting sauvage eau forte with more sweet and cream

Longevity is terrible. I sprayed two sprays and it is gone within 4-5 hours. I have other EDP/Parfum perfumes like Sauvage Elixir or Bleu de Chanel and they last almost the whole day. I made the mistake of buying it based off on a sample strip. I sprayed at an airport, dropped it to my bag and loved the scent. I bought it on my next trip hoping for longevity but it didn’t last past 4 hours on skin, and this is multiple spritz of this expensive liquid. Oh the price- it’s so expensive! Too overpriced for what it is.

Massive black pepper, spicy opening! Really singes the nostrils when smelling after application to skin and not in a good way for me. As a few have said below, this is totally different on skin than on paper. On paper the ozone and salt come through and it's very fresh and green, on skin, the spices dominate, the freshness does come on the dry down, but the spices are still there, and not to my liking unfortunately. Not for me.

I have a sample of this and although it’s marketed to men I feel that this is equally suited to the female of the species. It’s certainly not the most masculine scent in my collection and I’ve enjoyed wearing it. The pistachio note in here takes a back seat to the spices which seem to be the most prominent notes in here to me. Seems to last a while. I imagine that this would be quite overwhelming in hot weather

This reminds me of riding your horse through a summer meadow. Starts off with a floral fresh scent quickly overtaken by the pistachio and leather which puts me in mind of a new saddle. So definitely get the horse inspiration. Ultimately is not for me, but I'm certainly intrigued by the scent.

Not great, not terrible. A very bland mix of violet, orris and leather. The aquatic/marine note was gone within 15mins, and the projection and silage are disappointing. The scent itself doesn’t give me Penhaligon’s vibes at all, smells very generic. Way overpriced for what it is!

After the initial spray, which was super strong nutty leather, it almost immediately softens to something undetectable. The drydown is nice but it’s bordering on a strange fougiere territory even tho lavender isn’t listed. It’s also extremely faint, disappearing within 5 mins

I’ll start with the fact that this isn’t amazing, I’ve smelt this before, but this is great nutty and somewhat gummy in my opinion. I love this scent a lot! I think it’s great, and out of all the others from this line, I think this smells like it lasts the longest.

Interesting fragrance in terms of its notes but too "green" for me, too perfumey. Works better in the colder weather. Very ozonic (I presume from the violet leaf).

meh--don't like don't hate. changes as it wears on skin

I don't usually comment on anything here, but after seeing these comparisons I had to speak out. CRAB APPLE BLOSSOM AND PORTHOLE? WTF? 😂😂😂😂😂 ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH IT, my god, whoever said that must not know any of these perfumes, how absurd. that's why you can't take this site seriously, look at the kind of comparison they make, there are several perfumes with absurd comparisons