The Impudent Cousin Matthew

A brilliantly bright and soapy petitgrain that reminds me a great deal of Mugler cologne - not surprising since they're both Morillas creations. You'll recognize the DNA immediately - neroli-like citrus and slightly grassy greenness in the opening that hints at vetiver as it progresses on skin. The transition into the petitgrain mid is a tad jarring, but it smoothes out rather nicely after a few minutes. Overall, EXTREMELY well blended, with excelllent performance for a freshie and a powderiness in the drydown that gives it a nice, classy unisex feel. It literally takes me to the edge of a slow-rolling brook where a freshly mown lawn gives way to reeds concealing a trout or two. Absolutely nothing unique here, but a fantastic spring scent nonetheless and probably my second favourite from the entire portraits line! Scent - 8.5/10 Longevity - 8/10 Projection - 7/10 Overall - 8/10 - White shirt worthy. UPDATE: No wonder I love it so much! It smells like Froot Loops!

When I was a child there was a mosquito repellant called "Autan" which smelled exactly like the opening of The impudent cousin Matthew. I liked that smell. I still do. And it was lovely to find it again in this fragrance, this citrusy powerful blast only hits you for 5 minutes or so. Then it becomes round and perfectly balanced. Probably the petitgrain. It is like a Cologne that is about to fade but you still perceive if you really pay attention. I really love it. I would happily bathe in this. The drydown is different from any other fragrance I have ever tried. It makes you feel at ease, clean, ready for anything life would throw at you. Shame for the price though. I will never afford a full bottle of this. And my 5ml sample will not last long. It is gorgeous. Anyone should try this fragrance at least once. Mugler's Cologne is lovely too, but it could never be a substitute.

This does not smell like mugler or tom ford or banana republic. Neither it smells like bortnikoff oud cologne which is practically orange candy in a bottle. It seems that all people voting for similarities are speculating like crazy about this fragrance. What it does smell like is Xerjoff Nero70 Campomarzio edition. It's been bugging me for quite a while after I got my sample that scent is awfully familiar and today when wearing Matthew it fell into place. Extremely similar, don't get yourself fooled bu the notes what you read. It's not patchouli heavy. What is in matthew are woodsy musks and something vanillic to make it more creamy in the base. Never the less outstanding release. I can imagine people not enjoying this unique composition, I know I do.

This is possibly my favourite Penhaligon so far. I mostly find that citrus scents aren’t citrusy enough or they burn the hairs in your nostrils when you take a sniff. This passes the citrus test, opening like a fizzy sherbert and drying down nicely without losing its freshness. It seems almost criminal in this age of austerity to spend so much on a full bottle. It’s expensive but it’s such good quality, that’s probably fair. I will probably find a decent sized decant somewhere. All I need is just enough to see me through the coming summer. As someone who has chemical sensitivities, I’m happy when a perfume doesn’t cause me discomfort. This one is an addictively good fragrance, too!

Starts off bright, and exciting with the orange. This is the scent of an orange when you are slicing it. A lot of the rind and zest, and a touch of the meat of the fruit. It’s very fresh, not bitter or sour. After about 20 minutes it calms down to a light soapy orange stem if you crushed the leaves. I think this is what they wanted Irish spring to smell like if it could have had quality oils. It seems to stand up well if you are outside, and compliments spring and summer weather the best. It’s complex but not complicated. Simple, but it has a signature which I find I am greatly enjoying. It’s a smell that accompanies me, it doesn’t announce me.

its as simple as the ingredients, the opening smells like orange then all you gonna smell is aloe vera, or like an orange garden nothing special but its simple, fresh, mass appealing fragrance and suitable for hot weather in the summer. me personally I wore this fragrance in marbella-spain in the summer and I really enjoyed it its very similar to tom ford neroli portofino but I prefer this because the performance is slightly better and for the price of a 50ml tom ford neroli portofino you can get this 100ml bottle.

The citrus on this is nice. The scent is very straightforward. The citrus makes it a great summer scent that is not offensive. Like many, it does not last long, but that makes me enjoy it more. It is nice to have the flexibility to change scents once the night comes since summer nights have a very different feel from the day. I also find that it helps prevent bug bites which is nice to have a two in one, but it is a bit of pricey for a good smelling bottle of OFF.

Excellent offering from this house. Presentation is top notch. Does NOT smell like Mugler Cologne. Not offensive at all and I really enjoy wearing this. However... This is simply not worth the price.. $225 for 75ml.. I go 8 to 12 sprays per wearing, performance is weak on me, so 75ml wont last long.. This fragrance should be sub $150.

This is very beautiful. It somehow smells very close to my grandfather’s shaving cream so it’s so nice for me that it brings up all those memories of his shaving over the years in the kitchen, and all the other memories that come with it. It’s a soapy citrus, very manly, beautiful.

Very pleasant scent. Woody, clean, crisp. I like that it's not spicy, and it definitely benefits from sitting on your skin. Lasts a good few hours.

Simply, this is one of the brightest, most natural perfumes. I find this has Neroli, too. 10/10 -1 --> 9/10 Price is a little high.

so similar to Lv imagination hence 8.5/10, highly recommended.

Identical to the far less expensive Colonia by Acqua Di Parma

Citrusy opening with petitgrain green bitterness. It then goes into a neroli note with a soft fig-like powderiness. Orange sweetness mixed with inky bitter mossy notes is the central facet of Cousin Matthew. Dry down is dry woody patchouli and oakmoss, giving off a chypre-like quality. I enjoyed every bit of this fragrance. This doesn't strike me as a juvenile or simple-minded citrus scent. This is skillful blend of natural-smelling, complementary layers of notes, resulting in a green citrus fragrance that's invigorating yet at the same time embodying depth, restraint, and dignity.

After purchasing various Winter scents from Penhaligon's it was just right to invest in some Summer fragrances. Cousin Matthew has a delightful smell, citrusy and one can even identify the petitgrain and the patchouli. My only complain to what is a wonderful smell is the weak longevity and sillage. At times it barely leaves any scent after a couple of hours. Due to the fact above I don't think I would be spending my money on this again. A shame as when the smell is still there it is wonderful for a Summer day or night.

This is a nice inoffensive perfume. Perfect for the summer though you might need to top up several times a day because this does not last on the skin at all. You need to overspray. It does smell similar to other scents/colognes that you can get a lot cheaper but I find this not as harsh nor alcoholy in the opening. This is smooth and refreshing. I'm just glad I got this for free after playing a game at the Penhaligons website. I will not pay full price for this. But it really is a lovely scent.

A refreshing cirtus masculine fragrance🍋 This such a nice clean orange scent that keeps on the skin because of that patchouli. I think it's quite pleasant for a perfume after getting out of the shower because you will smell crispy and fresh. I for some reason get the image of a faithful man who respects and is close to his family. Super respectable kind and uplifting. Sillage is more close to skin, and longevity is great. Zodiac Trio ⬆️Saggitarius ☀️Virgo 🌜Leo

What you can expect... I love citrus perfumes because it's always summer in Sri Lanka (in-between the monsoons). About this one ... A slightly bright green tree A citrus note A little mint ... Just like the pyramid. There may me a slight waft of amber that helps to keep the fragrance anchored. Nothing spectacular, boring to the point and quite timid in its atmosphere. Quite a fleeting perfume and not worth the penny. 3/10

Green, soapy, and fresh, smells pretty much like every other neroli/orange flower cologne except this one’s maybe a little greener than usual cause of the petit grain emphasis ig, performance is about what you would expect with something like this... there’s nothing in this more special than your average $50 neroli cologne but I’ll always like smelling this type of scent forever

Yea, basically the Tom Ford Neroli Portofino DNA. More so than Mugler Cologne DNA or Creed Original Vetiver. That's pretty good but the question would be which expression of this DNA do you want. Cousin Matthew has value within the Penhaligon Portraits line, so there's that. There are more notes than those listed. In addition to petigrain there is neroli/orange blossom, etc.

I hated it the first time I sampled this. I found it too overpowering and offensive. However, the dry down became more subtle and gentle and pleasant. It is citrus but it also does have some aromatic and woody notes to it which I think is a very unique combination. The sillage and longevity is also good. This is the perfect summer scent. My overall rating: 7.5/10

SOAP An enjoyable fresh, soapy, green fragrance. In the same world as Original Vetiver by Creed. Perfect for a spring or summer day - or all year round to wear to work. As far as Penhaligon's other fresh fragrances, I prefer Opus 1870 or Quercus to 'Matthew'.

Opened up bright and beautiful orange and petitgrain. Then orange went away in a short while leaving only petitgrain. It was great while it lasted but the remaining petitgrain was not too bad either. All in all, I wish the orange lasted longer.

This one is nice — another Mugler fragrance that you have to pay extra for just to enjoy the bottle.

very lovely green clean smell, very much unisex

This smells nice and fresh, but it reminds me of baby perfume. Don't get me wrong, I could wear this in the summer or to the gym. But believe me, go and smell baby perfume/scents and this smells EXACTLY the same. It really shocked me how similar it was to something that you could find in a supermarket for £2-3. For the price of £204, I definitely wouldn't pay retail for this.. luckily it was part of the prize draws on Penhaligons website not too long ago (probably going to discontinue it soon).

it's not a bad smelling fragrance. it's just that it smells exactly like aloe vera in my opinion. only have a sample of it and i don't really consider it a full bottle worthy frag. i'm not interested in paying over $100 for liquified aloe vera. i feel i could get the same result for much cheaper by purchasing aloe vera gel from a pharmacy and rubbing it really hard into my skin

This has a very strong fragrance as you first put it on and as it settles it very much smells like soap which isn't what I personally like in a perfume. Not worth the price tag in my opinion. There are much nicer Penhaligons fragrances.

Basic cologne all the way, having perhaps better quality ingredients. Unless you layer it, this will be a very dull wear. Get the 4177 for 5 bucks at a souvenir shop in Koln and you'll save yourself some money.

wow isn't she just a whisper of scent hahaha i barely smell anything! i appreciate how clean and green it is, with a zing of mandarin, while being super light to carry. would be perfect for summer, but i think i'd have to do like 30 sprays to get even a bit of return from the investment of how expensive a bottle is.

Fresh soapy and green very similar to Mugler Cologne. Nice fragrance if a bit fleeting. Where Mugler cologne lasts around 3 hours on me, this makes it to around 4. Only drawback its 7 times more expensive at retail. Stick with mugler cologne your bank manager will thank you for it.

£200 mosquito repellent. Very disappointed ☹️

This might be the worst-smelling perfume I have ever brought within breathing range. I bought it on a whim, which is impressive considering I didn't yet know I had a deep, soul-level aversion to neroli and petitgrain. The moment it hit my skin, my brain said, “Ah. So this is how the story ends.” I haven't smelled it in over a year, and even now, my stomach is warming up for a dramatic exit. For the record, I love the Penhaligon’s Portraits fragrance collection. Most of the Portraits scents make me feel elegant and maybe even slightly interesting as a person. Matthew does not. Matthew was the first Portraits bottle I tried, and it scared me so badly I approached the rest of the line like someone opening a questionable container that whispers when you lift the lid. Then I tried William and Constance. Those two brought me back from the brink. Since then, I have smelled and bought plenty more from the Portraits family. But Matthew? Matthew is not my cup of tea. Matthew is the cup of tea someone forgot on a radiator, then tried to serve as a prank.

I don’t know why neroli isn’t listed. This is a neroli cologne. Had high hopes for this as I love original vetiver and other soapy colognes, but this has a kind of powdery soap at the base and way too much neroli. Smells like Aqua di Parma tried to remake Mugler Cologne with neroli. Edit: I spent some time with this in the cooler weather and it really shines. I live in a tropical climate so maybe “summer” to me is hotter than what others mean. This is a relatively fresh, soapy neroli but it’s not a “summer freshie.” This shines in cooler weather and probably would do well in cold weather. In the heat it gets powdery and suffocating. I don’t like many nerolis, but in cooler temps this smells neat and clean and the neroli isn’t overpowering or cloying. Very nice when applied in its native British weather. Yes, there are comparisons to Mugler cologne because it’s a soapy cologne, but it’s also very different.

Inoffensive summer scent. I got a free bottle in the portraits game (which is great value) but I would be pretty upset if I had paid £204 for this. As a pleasant summer scent (unisex in my opinion I'm female) I prefer Matthew to his sister Flora but it's not a complex scent. Wouldn't spend £204 on it but as I got it for free with a 30ml bottle of Artemisia (which I love) I'm fairly happy. For a pettigrain orange scent I prefer Nero by Lush and for Penhaligon's citrus I prefer creamy Empressa or Orange Blossom.

Bright, clean, neroli scent. When I first smelt this it reminded me of Maison Alhambra's Porto Neroli, which is a clone of Tom Ford Neroli Portofino (which I have not personally smelt) Compared to Porto Neroli, I think these two are about 70% similar. Penhaligon's has the edge in terms of performance by a little bit, but imo it's not worth the price. I would get Porto Neroli over this, just because it's a much better value. Scent 4/5 Price 2/5 Performance 2.5/5 Total 2.8/5

@waskotransport Unfortunately a higher price doesn't mean better longevity :( Of course youd expect that right or hope , it sucks when a $30 fragrance destroys a $400 one ... argh !!whyyyy. You could always try an older bottle of mugler cologne in old packaging I hear performs better, The Impudent Cousin Matthew performs around same as mugler cologne . CheekyChap is right stick to mugler and carry decant to reapply.

Very strong petigrain, in my opinion this leans much more masculine but only because it really isn't sweetened up at all. A green soapy but dry scent, only soapy because it smells of old school neroli in my opinion, herbal citrus but not provincial herbal, citrus herbal. Dry herbal citrus basically, i do like it but not my scent profile. I need the citrus to be more juicy and a touch sweeter.

The Cologne Podcast gave a good review of this fragrance that I agree with. A green, soapy scent that could be substituted for something in the lesser price tier. It is good but not necessarily worth the price tag. Neroli Portofino is a good option if you like this one.

I found this at beautyhabit.com and am currently waiting for payday to buy full bottle! I LOVE Mugler cologne but it doesn't last on my skin for some reason. This should have better longevity given the high price.

Managed to pick this little freshie up off an unsatistfied ebayer for £50 (missing the the lid, sadly). Their loss is totally my gain! Uplifting, refreshing, clean, you catch my drift. Very pleasant indeed!

As of January 2020, it sells on fragrancebuy.ca for CAD$189 instead of CAD$365. (Tax & shipping are separate.) I have a feeling this one lasts a bit longer than Mugler’s Cologne because this one is EDP.

This perfume is beautiful and light, but sillage and longetivity are poor unfortunately. Shame considering it's so beautiful. Simply not worth the money at this price.

@Kyletrevor - You're an idiot. A wordy idiot, but an idiot without doubt. You've either been given a fake or you're a simpleton. Or both.

Long lasting for a fresh fragrance!! Excellent for those really hot days!! Not unique but smells really good!!

incredible smell absolutely gorgeous, it makes you feel like a million dollars

Very similar to Mugler Cologne (or Come Together), but much more expensive.

Lovely- very similar to Eight & Bob Champs de Provence