Quercus

Quercus is Latin for oak, and brings to mind strong woody aromas, greens, leaves and an earthy rooted feel; masculine, yet beautiful and warm...strong enough to stand firm, but supple enough to sway with the Wind,Penhaligon hit the nail on the head with this one! Quercus begins with an utterly beautiful citrus melange that really shines. Not too much of any one particular citrus, but the best of all of them. The mint adds a fresh aromatic greeness to it without the menthol aftertaste or biting pungency. As it dries and begins to develop on the skin, it reveals a muguet and jasmine combo that is clean and not too floral, but still sexy and verdant. Cardamom adds its subtle aqueous spice to this and keeps it from getting too feminine, but guys have a softer side too,(they just don't show it as much!). The basenotes develop on me, but they are very understated: the galbanum whspers, as opposed to it's normally loud scent, and the woods are delicate but firm. The oakmoss is breezy and adds that chypre-ness to the overall feel and the amber-musk adds depth without too much 'stink' (I mean that in the classic and not derogatory meaning!)An extremely elegant scent that is very clean and light, with just enough prescence to linger, but not overpower. Nice enough to be unisex, but probably would do better on a man. Sillage: decent Longevity: good Overall: 4.25/5 I can see why many compare this to cK 1, but I find this scent to be far more elegant and refined than cK1 and would wear it more for special occasions as opposed to an everyday scent. cK1 is great, don't get me wrong; it's just that Penhaligon scents are (besides much more expensive) more natural smelling and quite a bit better constructed on the whole. I am very pleased with my first samplings from this house and see a bleak bank balance in my future...

At the outset, I love this. I've read many reviews here that call this simple, maybe a bit generic, not unique. But honestly, the combination of citrus and florals is equivalent to the four chord in pop music - yes, it's probably been overdone at this point but that doesn't mean you can't write a great song with it. Quercus, to me, is the definition of an after shower cologne. The image I get is that when a new-age irresistible antihero (from any number of tv shows in the past decade) comes out the shower - you know the type, chiseled jaw, slight stubble, waxed chest and then also extremely rich with a suave mansion on a cliff overlooking the ocean, all brutal straight lines... That dude. When he walks out of the shower wrapped in a towel, he probably sprays this on before doing questionable things to the inevitable woman in that house. It might be simple but it's confident in its abilities, knows its place in the world and steps forward to confidently take it. I've written a bunch and I've realized that I actually haven't described the way it smells. But that's alright - others have done that. My job isn't to tell you this a four chord pop song. My job is to tell you that it's a great song. 9/10 Edit: That I've made recent references to a perfume released in 1996 should tell you how timeless it smells. Just and FYI :)

Penhaligon's says it's unisex. When I stayed at the Fairmont, all of their little toiletries were Quercus. It's fresh & clean with a soft woodsy base. The citrus is not overwhelming in any way (I can be sensitive to citrus). It was hard to find in the US, but I was very excited when I stumbled upon a boutique that sold Penhaligon's. I bought a large bottle, which was the most I'd ever spent on perfume in my life up until that point. So imagine how annoyed I was when my friend commented that I smelled like CK1. To be honest, CK1 never even crossed my mind, and I'm very familiar with it. Still, I have not been able to wear it since then. My dad loves it. He says it's "very pretty." He is not a fan of those typical masculine colognes. I'm happy to let him borrow it, and I don't think of CK1 when he wears it.

A beautiful fresh chypre that smells like summer. It is overpriced given that there are designer fragrances from this era (like CK One) that do not smell exactly the same but are similar enough for a much smaller price point. But that does not take away from how pretty and fresh this smells, with citrus fruits and white flowers and with oakmoss and green galbanum underneath. You'll smell great and feel fresh. UPDATE 8/10/22: I was wearing this today in a coffee shop, and the barista said, "You smell amazing! It's like a woody, earthy smell with just a bit of lemon." (I was in the drydown stage.) The more I wear this the more I love it--it's much more complex than I had initially thought above, and is worth the money, especially since CK One has almost no oakmoss anymore in its most recent formulations.

Call me basic but I am in love with this fragrance! From the first initial whiff to the dry down, all I can say is OUTSTANDING! This smells nothing like CK One. I personally think that CK One is more citrus and Quercus is more of a floral and woody scent. I get a strong hint of the jasmine, oakmoss and amber notes! I would say this is the perfect all year round perfume and is very much a unisex scent. Not too overpowering or offensive but very subtle with outstanding sillage and longevity. If the whole Penhaligon’s collection were people and I were to judge or comment on their personalities, I would say Quercus is the down to earth, modest and humble member of the family! This is definitely one of my favourite. It is however, a little on the pricey side. My overall rating: 8.5/10

Just gorgeous. Elegant. Like sinking into the crisp sheets of a five star hotel. Lemony and milky and soapy. I can see why they went for bright whites and royal yellows when they designed the bottle. Picks my mood right up. I can understand why people tend to like rather than love this fragrance: it's literally impossible for any of the notes to offend. But I tend to look for comfort and deliciousness in fragrances, rather than challenge and uniqueness, so this is amongst my favourite fragrances. On the CK One comparison, I kind of get it, but CK One is synthetic citrus to me. It hits me a bit brash and sharp. Quercus feels more blended and soft and cuddly, and I think is worth the massive price difference.

Pity the dismissal of this clean subtle and very classy fragrance. The comparisons to CK are useless if one's never smelled CK. It seems though that many reviewers spend their day doused in cleaning products, throwing their nose off. We both wear it in our home. The fresh citrus is delightful, not astringent, with the dry down rounder and to my nose, softly woody with notes of amber and sandalwood. An everywhere and anytime fragrance that is not found everywhere and always welcome. Penhaligon's threw in a mystery gift with the purchase, a full sized Babylon. Wow, what a contrast! Absolutely thrilled. My calculating self thought, hmm, that's half price for each. Two great perfume investments.

When initially sprayed, it seems like Quercus will be another 4711-type of 30-minute freshen-up you need to carry around in your man-purse if you want any practical use out of it at all. However, it has enduring tenacity on skin! What a pleasant surprise, though, remaining true to its cologne character, Quercus is never more than a pleasant reminder to one's proximate companions that a well-groomed gentleman is in their midst. It can be found for low prices (for Penhaligon's) worth the cost if you are looking for a fine bitter lemon supported by floral greenery. There are some days that call for something like this, and this is just the thing for that!

I haven't smelled this for years, so I have no idea how it smells nowadays, but this was a regular in my collection. It is a beautiful fragrance, but the sillage and longevity were shockingly poor (like many Penhaligon's perfumes tend to be). That's the main reason I stopped buying it — poor performance. I get the comparisons to CK One, which I also like, but this is infinitely superior in every way......except maybe for the weak performance.

Oh I love this. It's really well blended but I still can make out the juicy citruses floating over the white floral heart, with a gorgeous oakmoss, sandalwood, galbanum, and amber base. The sillage is decent, and the longevity is moderate, but this is a great all-around scent. I would enjoy this in all seasons, day or night. Someone in the comments said it reminds them of CK One and yikes on a bike that's true, just more substantial.

Penhaligon's Quercus is totally gnarly It's like a wave of freshness and energy that hits you right in the face The citrus notes are totally killer and give the fragrance a super-refreshing vibe n then you get hit with a smooth n chill wave of jasmine n cardamom that totally mellows you out And let's not forget about the base notes. The moss and amber give the fragrance a solid foundation that totally sets it apart from other scents

I get why this is compared to cK1, but I think this is better, more grown up, more refined. I like ck1, and I really like this. I thought it was weak though.But after wearing it,I was wrong.Its not weak its deceptive.It lasts and projects quite a lot better than I first thought.I had stopped smelling it (nose-blind?) after about two hours,but other people had not,and I was surprised I could smell it on my clothes the next day.

It indeed brings back CK One memories. But the quality of the ingredients is incomparable. It's an upgrade both in quality and in age appropriation. You can easily wear this as a gentleman, while CK One is a teeny gym frag. Nice and nostalgic, just the way that I like a fragrance to be. It's a shame that it's so ephemeral.

took me a little bit of time to fall in love with this one, but now I just love it it's very fresh and citrusy and the dry down is absolutely gorgeous earthy and mossy giving the feeling of being outdoors in nature after the winter , when it's still mossy from a lot of rain but fresh , just beautiful

Light, spring like, fresh and citrusy.. It's a little too manly for me, but if I came across a guy wearing it I think it would give me a serious case of the fanny gallops. Smart wool suit, crisp white shirt, five O' clock shadow and chiselled cheekbones. And Quercus. Sigh. Yummy.

This is my all time favorite summer scent. It is different, classy, and clean. The performance is lacking but I find that simply spraying it on is something I look forward to so I reapply multiple times on the days that I west this.

This is a nice summer scent. One of my favorites out of the Penhaligon line. It is too bad that out of all of the toiletries Quercus has to offer, they do not include a shaving cream or balm.

Great summer scent from Penh's. I only compare it to Fleur d'Orange Amere Hermes. Excellent for the sunny days and warm nights of the Mediterannean.

Lemon, citrus, fresh, light and airy. Perfect spring & summer scent. At this price, one could buy a few bottles of CK One though.

This may be aimed at men, but I just love it! A soft and classic fragrance.

Very good. It reminds me Clive Christian masterpiece - 1982 for women

Why buy this when you could buy CK one? They. Are. The. Same.

There are two "danger zones" for me with fragrances: sweetness and lemon. The former is something that is more about personal taste—even with food—but the latter, though I love the smell and flavour of lemon, tends to do something funny on my skin after the first few hours. So, this one, a gift, sat at the back of the cabinet for some time. But this summer, maybe emboldened by woody citrus combinations I've come to love from other houses, I thought I'd pay it more attention. I'm really glad I did. For one thing, the lemon doesn't go weird and the woody oakmoss and sandalwood come out well for me. It's not groundbreaking, pretty much a Jermyn Street classic vibe, so don't bother if you're after cutting-edge. And, look away if you want your fragrance to announce your arrival, though that really would be an unreasonable in something where the word "cologne" appears on the bottle. I guess some of the very things some people don't like about it—that it's fresh and fairly "safe" and not overly powerful—and that the wood notes come through well on me, are what I do like about it. I have found a place for it: it's a good choice for serious occasions (or joyous occasions like weddings if you don't want to draw more attention than the bride and groom) or if you don't wan't to be the parent picking the kids up at a school activity who gets gossiped about for trying to seduce others. But, yes, it's definitely very expensive for what it is.

Quercus was one of my first Niche fragrances, I bought it at a time when I should have only been able to afford CK 1 but I plunged for the better of the 2. I had tried CK1 a million times but never bought the bottle, I really wanted to like it but it never captured me, and to this day I feel the same way. Quercus however caught me by surprise. I first tried it as toiletries at a boutique hotel I was staying in for work, I had no idea what the scent nor the brand was but it stuck with me, I stole a tone of soaps and toiletries that week haha. The vibrant citrus and sophistication just had me hooked. It just smells like a crisp linen shirt walking through a citrus grove. It’s classy but casual, it’s not modern but it’s so incredibly clean. It had just come out and wasn’t even available in the Us at the time. But the next year when I was in Vegas I found out there was a boutique that carried it I immediately marched my self over and bought quercus for me and Blenheim bouquet for my then boyfriend now husband. I feel like penhaligons is sometimes written off like MDCI is written off. Yes they may not be ground breaking scents and may seem over priced but sometimes the little twist each brans takes is what makes it loved and unique and not a mass CK1. I would have loved a little more sillage but quite honestly I just spray away with this one on a hot summer day. I enjoy it.

A CLASSY AND MORE ELEGANT CK ONE _______________________________________________________ I had the oportunity today to try this wonderful fragrance. It opens very very elegant with a hint of classy. In the beginning I couldn't identify it, but a few seconds later it didn't mater any more... I was definitely under Quercus' spell. Without a doubt there is a huge similarity with CK One - but don't let yourself be fooled too easily. To compare 'Quercus' with CK One is like the book 'The little Prince' by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. Young people and old people read it alike and love it. But the young people (CK One) like the adventures of the prince, while the older readers (the connoisseurs, Quercus) read between the lines and love the lecture for it's metaphores. Overall: To compare 'Quercus' to CK One is to compare teenagers, who lack experience, to real connoisseurs, who can write entire books on classy elegance! They are all human, but there is undoubtedly a lof of difference. Longetivity: - 3/10 Sillage: - 3/10 All in all: 7 out of 10 points (because it is manipulatingly charming).

Because of the numerous comparisons to CK One, I pit Quercus against it. Everyone was right. They're very similar. The difference becomes larger by the 3.5 hour mark. Until now, CK One was easily beating Quercus with projection. Its notes also seemed sharper and more focused. Quercus felt soft and diffuse. Strangely, right after 3.5 hours, CK One just disappeared. Quercus is still there, but very close to my skin. This matchup reminds me of the fable where the tortoise beats the hare because it conserves it strength and determinedly walks on. Quercus is the tortoise here. This is tough. Quercus seems like a refined and softer (and weaker) CK One. It's also 2x as expensive: $1.60/mL v. $0.84/mL for CK One... I prefer CK One for its louder and sharper presenation, and cheaper price.

What's with me testing out fragrances that start with Q lately?! I get a vague citrus and wood; white florals, oakmoss, sandalwood and musk. Quercus is a little generic smelling and someone I know confirmed it smells like CK One. Kind of a body lotion vibe. Unisex leaning feminine. I think Q would work in any season. Not really sexy and just fine for work. I was surprised at the performance of this cologne as many Penhaligon's scents are pretty quiet. Lasted seven hours before becoming soft with nice sillage and projection. While Quercus isn't exactly groundbreaking I do like it. Reasonably priced, performance is there and it smells good. Quercus sounds like a cheeky insult you would call someone. A little like the word dingus. "Give this perfume a try ya quercus!"

This reminds me of so many other fragrances ranging from the inexpensive CK One and Chrome Legend all the way to the high priced Kobe, by Xerjoff. It's a slightly watery fragrance equal parts citrus notes and white florals, specifically neroli and jasmine. It's decent and of relatively good quality, appropriate for the spring and summer. It presents an impression that is clean and fresh. There's not a ton of personality in Quercus, but it does its job well, and while I wouldn't be mad if someone gave this to me as a gift, I wouldn't seek it out either. Performance is good. Thumbs up because there's nothing wrong with this offering from Penhaligon's, and on its own it's a solid fragrance, but once you start comparing it to others, it kind of gets lost in the mix.

Its a mellowed chypre version of Blenheim Bouquet💐🍋 It's airy citrusy just instead of of a pine dry down it is oakmoss which creates a pleasant fresh earthy soil scent. Wonderful cologne, and it's more masculine compared to unisex. I imagine a posh man who plays golf or enjoys riding. Very elegant, clean and bright for a masculine fragrance however I do have a preference over Cousin Matthew for it's more refreshing and has a greater longevity. I would use this Mercurian cologne if you need a workout fragrance that isn't overpowering and Cousin Matthew as a signature scent. Both used on a daily would be a great for someone who enjoys a certain routine and wants a good but not strong fragrance to wear in the office. Zodiac Trio ⬆️Virgo ☀️ Gemini 🌜 Cancer

Reminds me of the acqua di parma mediterraneo arancia di capri. Leans masculine, super lemony, this one lacks the sweetness arancia has but it works. its much more citrus and has a nice balance with the white florals which I really enjoy. The lemon and lime make this scent a little sour and makes my nose burn initially but the dry down is a much more aromatic green scent where the bergamot and oakmoss come through and it smells less like a cleaning product. This fragrence is too masculine for my taste so I layer it with more sugary citrus scents like stella tocca to balance it out.

This smells good to me (woman). Could be completely unisex, and I am not one to quickly say that (i often find that 'unisex' marketed fragrances tend to lean masculine)! Immediately reminded me of Aqua Vitae (MFK). From me, Quercus also gets the same critique as Aqua Vitae: while it smells good, refreshing, not offensive, it lacks in originality and definitely smells like that fresh, summer, citrus (and somehow aquatic) scent you've smelled multiple times before. So to me, this is not worth the pricepoint, nor a niche title. The longevity is also not good enough (though alright).

I love this. love it love it so much I have the soap and body lotion. I honestly don't care that I'm wearing a male cologne, to me it's unisex not masculine. I love the spontaneous, impulsive, quirky, impish character i become once this brings me to life( anyone who reads Jilly Cooper novels- Tabitha Campbell Black wore this). It's fresh and zesty citrus all over, a clean and lively scent, not to be mixed up with detergent or soapy smells by all the "cleanliness" descriptions going on. My only wish is that it lasted longer :( but it helps with layering on top of the body lotion.

Lots of People compare this one with CK one. They did smell alike, but they present totally different characters. One is symbol of Pop culture, the other stands for, let say, a modesty tradition. Generally speaking, CKone presents notes in a showy way: sharp citrus, loud and spicy floral notes(jasmine with muguet)... but Quercus always smells much more softer and peaceful, the same citrus and floral seem to be tamed. My impression: CKone is a piece of glitter glass, shiny and colorful. Quercus is a piece of soft velvet shimmering under the moonlight.

As most reviews here have noted, this smells similar to CK One, with less longevity and sillage. I concur, but in my opinion Quercus is a more refined fragrance. CK One is loud - a tart citrus, in-your-face florals. Quercus is more restrained and well-rounded. You have the same citrus and floral notes, but they seem more natural and blend together better. If CK One was your signature scent in high school, Quercus is what you would be wearing to the office as an adult. Overall, a pleasant scent, I just wish longevity was better (I get around 2 hours).

Penhaligon QUERCUS is a uniquely structured fragrance. It opens very aromatically, with lots of bright citrus and vibrant basil. Next it settles into a greenish chypre peppered with lily of the valley. Incredibly, however, the drydown becomes aromatic once again: cardamom mingles with a woody-musk base, along with a touch of citrus oil. I like this composition a lot and don't think that it belongs only to men. QUERCUS seems a fine summertime scent for anyone looking for a very natural-feeling citrus aromatic floral green chypre!

Ok in my books, most of the signature range are the same but very different if that makes any sense? But this? Come on! Why the hate, this is just awesome, I think it’s overtaken Castile and Blenheim.yes, none of them project and none of them bl**dy last and therefore they are a bit overpriced for that reason but God they are awesome, only ones I still don’t have are Junipwr Slimg and Hammam Bouquet. I do want Juniper Slimg thought but this one is going to be a regular like Endymion.

Quercus for me is the most forgettable of all Penhaligon's fragrances I have tried. Its one that I neither like or dislike. I have tried to develop a love for it but have been unable to do so in nearly two years. Having said that I feel that is is probably the most universal fragrance Penhaligon's have. Anybody could wear this easily as the notes are inoffensive. Maybe in time I will fall in love with this. However I do not feel it is a fragrance I crave for and reach for easily.

This gives an aristocratic, old-school cologne vibe that kind of echoes Chanel's Paris-Edimbourg for me; not that they actually smell that similar, just the vibe. Quercus is sturdier, though. The titular oak tree is a good metaphor for this one. I'm not sure it quite reaches FB worthy but I've worn this sample from the discovery set a couple of times now and I'm really enjoying it. For context, I identify as she/her, and this definitely doesn't seem too masculine on me.

It does seems to mimic Ck One a little ... but thr one that DOES Reminds me of is AZZARO CHROME the Original that was launched the same year as QUERCUS. Sadly ... Chrome performs waaaaay better and for a fraction of the price. Is a beautyful scent. Very well Blended and everything ..... BUT!! Is NOT worthy of a Penhaligon's Niche High Prices. I've tested from a Discovery Set thankfully because if Blind Bought ... I'd be very very dissapointed because of the price.

Indeed it is similar with CK One, but mellowed with some white flowers (I'd say white lilac, no lily of the valley) and less lemon rind. Drydown is soft and milky/powdery, like a yogurt and lemon cake. Again, white lilac is the master of the show. A safe for office perfume of summer, uplifting and fresh - I needed such a happy perfume in this not so happy year. Not much sillage, though. [20 votes for enormous sillage?! dunno what were they thinking]

Not your regular fresh scent, that's for sure! Opens up crisp and bright like a summer morning. The next thing you know is that you've just opened the closet where you keep the clean linen. Next up is the dreamy mix of moss and amber. Quercus is basically what I'd imagine a stay in a fine hotel somewhere in the UK is like - clean bedsheets, fine toiletries and, as you open the door to the balcony in the morning, a whiff of the park's greenery.

Slightly herbal citrus with a lot of sillage and lasting power, moreso than many typical citrus fragrances. Rather like a gin and tonic with lemon. Doesn't remind me of CK One, which I find more masculine, synthetic and a bit dirty to my nose (at least the vintage version was). Pricey, but the quality ingredients are worth it in my opinion for this type of scent, as it performs more like an EDT than a cologne.

I have samples of this and CK One and they are near identical as others have said. Smelling them both side by side, Quercus is soapier while CK One has more florals/green notes. Without having both of them, they are easily confused. I prefer Quercus because it smells cleaner like out-of-the-shower soapy, cooler, and lasts longer on my skin. CK One is warmer/fizzier.

My first impression is that this is almost identical to CK1. Seems like the scent profile is essentially the same. Lots of citrus with a little musk and florals. Seems like most of the citrus is bergamot/lime with a bit of lemon. Since I like CK1 I like this one as well. Like most citrus scents (and like CK1) sillage and longevity are on the modest side.

I got a small body lotion sample, and I *knew* it smelled so familiar, but I couldn't quite place it. And yes, It is verrry similar to CK One! It may actually be a bit more subtle, and significantly less synthetic. Ultimately I think it's a more aromatic and refined identical twin... I think CK One is pretty obnoxious, but don't mind Quercus at all.

5ml dabber bottle: It’s alright, nothing special as a cologne. I was in a hotel in 2021 and the hand wash-/body wash version of this fragrance is GREAT, because it’s fresh, clean and soft. I definitely won’t buy a full bottle of this, as it has poor sillage, poor projection and lasts only 2-3 hours. Recommendation: Miss Rating: 3.75/5

I can't believe I got a full bottle of this free when I ordered a bottle of Arthur! I didn't like it at first - reminded me of the cologne boys used to wear when I was in middle school (CK One, I think). But after a few minutes it settles nicely and the citrus really comes out. It is soapy, yes, but in the most posh way possible.

Open with a similar lime sour candy from Blenheim Bouquet, and goes to some green little white flowers and oak moss. The oak moss reminds me of tobacco wire. There are details, but can't think of a reason to buy this chypre. ------ 开头和Blenheim Bouquet相似有青柠硬糖味道,走向绿色的小白花(铃兰),最后走向干燥的苔藓丝。橡苔有烟丝的感觉。 有一些心思,但没有到要买的程度。

Strong citrus smell - comparisons with CK one are spot on. It's unisex leaning towards feminine, as it also has a white floral lotiony vibe. Although initially it smells citrusy/aromatic and quite maculine, it does soften down nicely. A summertime scent, that can be applied liberally

This is a citrus where I can smell the base notes very well, and luckily, they are nice. Quercus is perfectly named, as it smells like it sounds. Bright, crisp, smooth. This would make a great linen spray.