The Inimitable William Penhaligon

My Dearest William Penhaligon, As I sit here, enveloped in the captivating essence that is your namesake fragrance, I am compelled to express the depths of my adoration for you. From the very moment our paths intertwined, I knew there was something truly extraordinary about you, something that would linger in the air long after you departed. Oh, William Penhaligon, how do I begin to describe the symphony of sensations you evoke? Your top notes, like a joyous overture, dance upon my senses with the effervescent freshness of bergamot and juniper, igniting a spark of exhilaration within me. As I delve deeper, I am enraptured by the tender embrace of lavender and geranium, their floral melodies weaving a tapestry of romance around my very being. But it is your heart, dear William, that truly steals my breath away. Here, nestled amidst the fragrant petals, lies the soul-stirring warmth of cinnamon and cloves, a passionate embrace that speaks of timeless devotion. And oh, how my heart quickens at the mere thought of your base notes, where the sultry allure of amber and patchouli entwine in an intoxicating embrace, leaving an indelible imprint upon my soul. With each delicate spritz of your essence, I am transported to a realm where time stands still, where every moment is infused with the ineffable magic of our connection. You are not merely a fragrance, my dear William; you are a whispered promise of enchantment, a lingering caress that lingers upon my skin like a tender kiss. In your presence, I am bewitched, entranced by the sheer depth of your complexity, your imitable charm that sets my heart aflutter. So, let me linger in your embrace a while longer, my dearest William Penhaligon, for in your fragrance, I have found a love that transcends the boundaries of time and space.

The Inimitable William Penhaligon is a fragrance that bears the name of the founder of the maison, and this alone should make the intent clear: to create an olfactory portrait of classic British elegance, but with a modern touch. Being signed by Alberto Morillas (a true "King Midas" of perfumery), the structure is impeccable, clean and incredibly balanced. This fragrance is the essence of discreet sophistication. It is not a "screaming" perfume, but one that stands out for its composure. Bergamot and jasmine offer a bright and almost buttery start. Not a feminine or floral jasmine in the classic sense; here it is used to give a "creamy" consistency to the citrus fruits.The real beating heart is Vetiver. It's an earthy but clean vetiver, made majestic by cedar wood and a touch of incense that adds depth without being "ecclesiastical". Sandalwood and ambroxan close the composition, leaving a soft, warm and slightly amber trail on the skin that lasts for hours. It is the ideal choice for the man who appreciates luxury minimalism. If you love fragrances like Terra d'Hermès or Gray Vetiver by Tom Ford, but are looking for something creamier, softer and less sharp, William Penhaligon is the next step. It is part of the Portraits collection. The ram's head-shaped cap is not just an aesthetic detail, but symbolizes the determination and decisive (but polite) character of the wearer. It's a safe but distinctive scent. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, but makes it turn with a fluidity and quality of raw materials that few other brands can match. It is the olfactory equivalent of a tailor-made suit.

I was pretty surprised with my experience with this perfume given everyone's comment, but I could still smell this scent on me after 8 hours. As in, it is still projecting off of me after more than 8 hours, and I was walking around in the heat for a decent bit of it as well. I am really pleasantly surprised with its performance on me. As for the scent itself, a beautiful classy gentleman smells. Very smooth and kinda damp vetiver and sandalwood, wrapped in a subtle haze of incense, and beautifully lifted by jasmine. For some reason, I also get slight sweetness, almost like vanilla, in the opening. I don't think it's the most complex scent out there, but every parts of it plays a strong role in making up the composition. As it dries down the incense comes out more and making the scent a little bit more stifling. But overall, it is a very nice classy smells, plus a surprising performance on me. One of my favorite fragrances at the moment.

It smells pleasant and nice. I like the jasmine, incense and sandalwood notes settling down to a woody-powdery and floral scent. The bergamot almost disappears straight after. I probably own several fragrances that smells similar. I would love to own one but for £204 for 75mls is way too overpriced. I don’t whether it’s the notes, longevity and sillage that makes me want to own one or the fact that this fragrance comes from Penhaligon’s which is a brand that I am becoming addicted and drawn to! Overall rating: 6/10 (lost several points mainly due to the price)

Morillas, yet again, has sculpted a fine frag. Problem is, the longevity is very average. For $400 AUD, this won’t be getting purchased anytime soon. The opening is sublime. Citrus, wood, vetiver with a touch of smoke. The dry down is as lush. After 10-15m, I’m picking up what smells like coconut. After a couple of hours, I’m picking up a skin scent and the occasional waft. 3 hours in and it’s a soft skin scent. If they work on the longevity, I’ll happily pour some dollars into a bottle. A shame. This is some fine juice.

Smooth clean white floral reminiscent if something like amouage reflection man, i reckon if you like that fragrance you’ll like this. This fragrance smells great in the air, and maybe not as good close up on skin or paper. In the air it smells very smooth and clean and sophisticated. Unique and very regal in Penhaligon’s style. Signature scent worthy, i think this could work all year. It leans a little formal, a little autumnal, but still versatile with the right style

Absolute amazing fragrance for winter and autumn, vetiver/sandal is the main character but the magic resides in the surrounding notes that make some sort of beautiful chord. That's the inimitable part. You can find fragrances with the same base notes, you can try the clone of it for 30 bucks, but it will be a massive loss of time. Fully recommend, only down side it's the longevity, for that price tag and bottle I expect a lil bit more performance.

So nice - this is unisex and leans masculine but as a woman, I would not mind smelling like this all day. The opening is very peppery and citrusy and dries down to a lush incense scent on the skin. Vetiver and sandalwood round it out to create a warm, inviting, and all around sophisticated fragrance. I would expect nothing less from Penhaligon’s! 8.5/10

This is my all time favorite perfume my husband owns. This is for a gentleman that knows how to negotiate and get what he wants, he also has a luxury life and is a businessman. It’s very professional plus a tad bit sexy. I love it. I follow my husband around more when he wears this. Performance- on my husbands skin 8hrs, on clothes 12hrs+

This, in my opinion, is the best Penhaligon's from the trade routes and portraits discovery sets ive tried, absolutely very well blended and extremely addictive, i just cant stop smelling it. I think women can pull this off eventhough its a bit more masculine leaning, its got a very strong character and just radiates luxury 10/10

very nice and smooth, feels like a soft musk in the background that reminds me of musk therapy alittle bit by initio..but less abrasive. for vetiver lovers this will not cut it, can barely detect any vetiver in this what so ever. it is a creamy sandalwoody musky scent that is very pleasant.

All i can say is ay caramba in the best possible way, i want this and i want it as a signature scent. This smells like a citrusy and creamy vetiver, also very woody and perfectly blended scent. I think this is unisex leaning masculine but women can pull it off. 10/10

Delish floral opening that fades fairly quickly (or at least my nose ceases to recognize) over few hours into a lingering sandalwood accord. One of the few bangers that made me want to buy a bottle right away. I wish it lasted longer, my only criticism

This has a warm woody scent. Very pleasant. The longevity is pretty good as the smell of sandalwood remains even after 8h. The dry down reminds me of D&G The One EDP. The bottle design is definitely one of the great selling points of this fragrance.

Beautiful woody spicy fragrance. It’s not doing too much and I appreciate that it only has around 4-5 hours of scent and it doesn’t completely over project, like I feel some other Penhaligon’s fragrances have the ability of.

My boy does not get enough love, this is a banger and a very calming luxurious vibe. Lasts really well on clothes, I have one coat that has kept the scent for months.

This is a very well done citrus-sweet vetiver. Quite balanced, mature and gentle, just what you'd expect from Penhaligon's.

Really love this one ! The ultimate scent, can be used daily and any occasion, a gentle, polite and sophisticated style !

Smells just like amouage Meander without that carrot note. Such a gorgeous scent and garners tons of complements

A very realistic and mellow tincture of vetiver and sandalwood. Class in a bottle!

Very nice light fragrance but for the price the strength and sillage is lacking.

i found it last quite long,8-10 very smooth creamy wood underrated 9/10

This is smooth and beautiful i just love this. my fav scent 10/10

smells like a rich british king

I have tried this several times, as well as the Fragrance World Inimitable, which is one of the closest clones I have tried. As with many fragrances, the listed notes do not tell the whole story. This opens with an citrus accord of a hefty rounded lemon, lime and bergamot, blended with a touch of mint, something green like artemesia, jasmine and a good measure of amber. As it wears, the citrus accord falls away, which is too bad but is to be expected. The woody notes and amber become dominant, copa and patchouli notes enter quite prominently, and the jasmine, artemesia and slightly smoky incense notes fill in the bottom. Many of the reviews below mention that this is mature and dapper. Mature, yes, because this is not an easy wear and would smell odd on someone below 30. But "dapper" doesn't ring true to me because this has a pronounced sweetness and middle eastern lean that disqualify this for formal wear or old school guys. If you are looking for something similar with less sweetness, check out something like Lalique Ombre Noir (which emphasizes the green and copa notes here) or Lattafa Pride Hala (which captures the woody accord accurately). Or if this is your thing, Fragrance World's Inimitable is practically indistinguishable (i.e. the OG is quite ... imitable), and due to its EDP concentration, has much better performance. This is definitely unisex, a cool weather wear. A like but not a love.

The Inimitable William Penhaligon has a gorgeous sandalwood base, which is also the star note of this composition. It’s a very smooth, simple and well balanced fragrance, where the other notes don’t really stand out. It doesn’t smell particularly incensy or white floral or citrusy or earthy but an overall woody, aromatic and a bit fresh. For me, The Inimitable William Penhaligon doesn’t smell very much as I was thinking when I’ve checked the notes. Everything is seamlessly blended and besides the sandalwood and cedar, I can’t really distinguish any other specific note. I like the way The Inimitable William Penhaligon smells like and I would wear the scent if I were to get a bottle gifted, but it’s not my favourite scent profile, to worth splurging £245 for a bottle. Also, like with most of the Penhaligon’s fragrances from the Scent Library set, the performance is underwhelming to worthy the FRP. For me personally the only ones who performed well were The Blazing Mr Sam, The Bewitching Jasmine and Terrible Teddy. I love a lot The Changing Constance as it’s the type of perfume that I adore in general but it also lacked in performance. Overall, I think Penhaligon’s fragrances are really good, natural and photorealistic smelling but most of them are massively overpriced and lacking in intensity and/or longevity. I would not buy these perfumes for FRP!

It is fitting that Penhaligon's include an ode to their founder, William Penhaligon, among their Portraits. However, where I expected a classic cologne in an old-world style, I got a fairly generic modern masculine, a woody-amber with some spice. While decent, it leaves me underwhelmed. The Inimitable William Penhaligon is a woody-amber scent, discreet and with mass appeal. It opens with bright bergamot, with vetiver following closely, forming the backbone of this scent. Dry and woody, with its distinctive grassiness, the vetiver is good quality and not bitter. The cinnamon follows, adding some warm, sweet spice. It is muted, melding nicely with the vetiver. As it develops, it becomes an ambroxan scent, its synthetic creamy musk rounding out the base. I think ambroxan is actually a great synthetic amber-esque molecule, but it feels generic here, even lazy. There is a slight balsamic nuance as it dries down thanks to the incense. The dry woody notes linger as it fades to an ambroxan skin scent. Sillage and longevity are moderate. It is a masculine-leaning transeasonal daytime scent. Safe and bland, there is little to set this scent apart from the crowd. It is also overpriced for what it is. William Penhaligon may have been Inimitable, but the same cannot be said for his namesake fragrance. 2.5/5.

Ultra smooth vetiver, sandalwood, and cedarwood fragrance. There's a polish to this that makes it feel very refined, with all the rough edges of the vetiver and woods sanded down. Sometimes it seems veriver dominant, and other times it seems more wood dominant. There's a common creamy note or accord here that Alberto also uses in Blazing Sam and Balm of calm. Here it's more nutty, in Sam it's more balmy, almost like shea butter, and in Balm of Calm it's shea and coconut. My buddy who is not a vetiver lover, wears and enjoys this one. It seems to be extremely versatile and could be worn casual or formal, in just about any weather. I wore it in the heat without issue. This might be the perfect introductory vetiver for someone to get acquainted with this material. Sandalwood aspect slightly reminds me of Boadicea Green Sapphire, but less oily and missing the violet and a few other things. It's also in the same vicinity but not exactly like Amouage Meander. Late stage drydown reminds me of Floris Santal. It's good, but I don't feel compelled to buy it over the others I have mentioned. ------------------------------------------------------ Scent 80/100 Performance 55/100

This is a perfume that I would not recommend blind buying as it smelled SO differently on my boyfriend to myself. Personally, I've never been a huge fan of Vetiver so was not expecting to like it but on my skin Vetiver is not the most prominent note. It's a great composition as I can smell every single note and it works really well. On my skin, I get a dose of citrus and floral on a bed of creamy sandalwood. Almost smells like the love child of Penhaligon's Heartless Helen and Monsieur Beauregard with a tiny bit of Vetiver and Ambroxan thrown in, making it an unoffensive unisex perfume. However, on my boyfriend's skin, the Incense and Vetiver definitely dominate! Its so much spicier and interesting so I would recommend purchasing a sample first to see how it sits on your skin. I would like to add that its longevity, projection and sillage are poor for me. The fragrance was barely a skin scent after an hour which is a shame as I have so many of their other perfumes. Still an overall pleasant scent but its not particularly mind-blowing or exciting. Would be great for a desk job perhaps. But for the price, is it worth it?

To me, this smells like a much richer and nicer version of Ralph Lauren Polo Red, but without the awful synthetic leather note. I particularly notice some similar red berry notes which are persistent throughout the development of the scent. It’s a very nicely blended scent that if worn in moderation lasts for a good 4 hours and gives a fairly close but not intimate silage. People around you will definitely notice a subtle, classy scent, but it won’t bang them over the head. The incense note is like a panther skulking about in the background and occasionally appearing to add some mystery. A very safe office scent for the cooler months, or even into spring and cooler summer days, however do not overspray or it becomes overly sweet and cloying. I prefer some of the other Penhaligon’s portraits, like Terrible Teddy, or Tragedy of Lord George, but this is definitely wearable and suits an everyday scent if you like this sort of thing.

Very distinguished and transportive to a bygone era, a green sandalwood fragrance, something I’ve never experienced before. The sandalwood is refreshingly authentic but I’m not particularly excited about the bitter, almost savoury vetiver that accompanies it. I love the incense that blends beautifully with the sandalwood and adds an opaque, smoky texture. This reminds me of Basil from the Portrait of Dorian Gray, a mature, cultured and artistic man who buries himself in books and museums. He isn’t flamboyant and doesn’t try to attract attention but he’s a very curious character. He wears corduroy trousers and earthy colours. It’s very unisex but it isn’t pretty, it’s more intellectual. This is more punchy in performance compared to some of the lighter offerings from the house.

So I recently tried this due to a sample I got and it simply reminds me of an image I saw in the past with some black spots bananas with the following text on them: "Not the best, but still good." This is what the fragrance is to me. It's nice, don't get me wrong, but the price simply doesn't justify the smell. It smells similar to Encre Noir a l'Extreme (at least for me), a bit sweeter because of the ambrox I guess, but overall, it's not a magnificent scent, especially when there are a lot more interesting to try. Again, not a bad fragrance, sillage and longevity is really good but, if you look at it entirely, it's not worth the money. After all, I guess we are not buying a fragrance for the bottle and the box, but for how it smells, right ?

First impressions of this: a really nice sophisticated fragrance that doesn't scream, you could describe it as 'gentlemanly' - subtle dry vetiver interspersed with that classic creamy sandalwood grounded in cedar, with slight almost imperceptible citrus that quickly fades. There is nothing acerbic in this, it's incredibly well blended like most of Penhaligon's offerings, all notes combining seamlessly to form a beautiful aromatic whole. Could be an intriguing office scent or day to day fragrance, I believe you would have a right to over spray as it's projection lies within the realms of intimate. Overall nothing to dislike here other than the cost. If money is no object and subtle suave is the goal then go for it.

sample from Penhaligons after purchase: This fragrance is very warm, soft and inviting. Starts off with bergamot and Jasmine, with a moderate 15 mins dry-down to Earthy vetiver and sandalwood. I don’t get any incense to my nose. The ambroxan helps the warmth and adds a layer of comfort to the fragrance. This fragrance is warm and creamy, inoffensive, but it reminds me of so many other fragrances. Lasts a decent amount of time (7hrs+ on skin), arms length projection and average sillage. Minimal compliment getter but should be good as an everyday cool-weather scent (not winter and not summer). I won’t be purchasing a full bottle. Recommendation: meh Rating: 4/5

This is a handsome and dapper fragrance. I put this on if i want to feel calm and collected, a perfect image of a gentleman. The opening is incredibly inviting with a light creamy floral scents. No standout notes in the opening, everything is so well-blended. After a while it turns completely into a fabulously smooth and milky sandalwood - well done, stunning, elegant. Performance on the moderate side, and it gets volatile on me really, not sure why, maybe it's the weather, my body temp, or just my mood-induced chemicals. Sillage is "cozy" for like 3-4hrs, then it turns into a skin scent and stays there quite a while actually (till the ~8th hour).

The top note is kind of spicy although there's no spice mentioned in the official note on perfume notes. Soon some gentle notes of vetiver and cedarwood prevail, which make the scent feel slightly moist yet clean. Later the citrus note also emerges to deliver a kind and open impression of the gentleman. The sandalwood in the bottom note smells much more distinguishable than the ambroxan to me, which is good as I noticed ambroxan smells slightly sensual to me. Overall a really nice perfume for men that are probably hitting their 30s. If a lady were to wear this I'd also find it a good match for some tough and stylish women.

Like people before me have said, along with my sister when she smelled it, woodsy and coconutty. The smell becomes kinda creamy to my nose as the mid notes come alive too with the incense also quite distinct. It smells quite classy, quite gentlemanly which is exactly what I expected coming into Penhaligon's fragrances in addition to the fact that they have two royal warrants (three when the Duke of Edinburgh was alive.) It's a very intimate scent, it will not project very far at all but a very elegant scent when you catch a whiff so you'll be forgiven for going quite hard on the sprays.

I can say that it is the only good men's fragrance that I found by trying, which can be bought from this brand. The smell is exactly a father smell, a reassuring and supportive father. Woody but in a soft tone. I liked it very much. The opening is citrusy but not the stay. The stay is a very classy and elegant wood. I'm probably picking up the santal note, a nice creamy santal. I am going to buy a bottle for my husband as a gift for being such a loving and caring father.

My rule is simple - all "men's" perfumes that don't smell like shaving foam can be worn by me. So I don't understand what's so obviously masculine about this scent and will consider it unisex. Is vetiver masculine? Come on! There is a wonderful suede vetiver, a little nutty and creamy at first, and then with a very soft, not rough and not old suede. Such a nice quiet lamb. My main complaint is that it fades very quickly and turns into a skin scent, which is a shame.

Scent, Branding, Packaging.. Amazing! BUT genuinely have never had a perfume that doesnt last like this one. Which is really disappointing knowing how beautiful the potential is.. nearly used up th bottle in such a short time, drenching myself in it - only for the scent to fade. - I find this to be a common issue with this brand as i have tried on the Bewitching Yasmine and smelt a couple of others in stores. The scent is gone half way into a shopping trip.

Opening kind of smells like paint to me.... Hopefully that doesn’t ruin it for anyone. But after that, it is a nice creamy & smooth sandalwood & incense - definitely masculine and can be worn in professional settings. Not too heavy at all, probably gives me 5/6 hours. Kind of expensive for what it is but is 100000x times better than vetiver glacier. Don’t even spend $60 on that, it doesn’t compare and smells like a diet version of this.

Only a slight similarly to Meander. The creaminess of the sandalwood is the same in the opening. After, it gets quite fresh. The bergamot really comes through on my skin, along with a background of vetiver and a slight bit of sandalwood. However I think the bergamot is what ruins this. The bergamot mixes with the vetiver and smells like damp forest leaves. Likeable but doesn't last long at all

Just bought a small sample, having read various positive reviews. I'm not sure that this is for me. There's something in the initial scent that strikes me as odd, for some reason it even reminds me of summer camp -- maybe the dampness of the cabins or the wetness of the lake. I do like the way it's settling in, though, which reminds me that I shouldn't judge any EDP by its initial scent.

I just tested this fragrance from the portraits collection and it smells like second skin scent with some creamy incense. It's more masculine but I think I would wear it like on a day to day. Definitely would suggest this perfume for someone who is looking for a signature scent that is androgynous, natural, lactonic and slightly woody. Fragrance Zodiac trio: ⬆️Virgo☀️Gemini 🌜Capricorn

Beautiful and dapper fragrance. Comforting, for sure. I like it but with small projection and high price, it gives me pause to love it. Change those, and you have a winner. Penhaligon's offers many great fragrances. I really enjoy Halfeti. The portraits collection has many great offerings. This is one of the best from that collection in my opinion.

WOODY + COCONUT At first I thought I was going a bit nuts (pardon the pun) - I was smelling coconut. And it's not listed as a note. (But I did just read a few reviews that confirmed my nose.) Overall a well blended, smooth, creamy fragrance that can get you thru daytime into evening during the autumn or winter. But you had best like coconuts.

As some before me have stated... its a nice, green woody one. Reminds me of a forrest after it rains. Definitely enjoyable for the fall time ( Spring as well ) Unisex but leans more masculine in my opinion. Is it worth the price tag for this? Not for me. It's nothing spectacular, just enjoyable. Definitely worth a try.

This brand truly has a hard time with performance. It’s nearly every fragrance i’ve tried from Penhaligons it’s almost as if they’re allergic to making longer lasting fragrances. Nice pleasing daily fragrance suitable for work. Classy, but like i said, relatively poor performance.

A very nice sandalwood for men (but I can imagine to wear it!). Versatile, for all seasons, all ages and all profiles. Office compatible. 8/10 For my husband, in this brand: Sam (cardamon & tobacco) > William (sandalwood & vetiver) > Teddy (ambroxan & incense) > Georges (wood)

This is a great masculine scent for a guy. A nice date night evening/fancy event scent. It came in a discovery set and therefore too masculine for my taste. The sandalwood and bergamot really stand out. Okay longevity and good sillage.