Eau de Cologne (1927)
by Penhaligon's

I get a strong splash of mandarin, then it quickly fades to a very light citrus, then to nothing. I compared it to both 4711 (1792) and Trumper's Eau de Cologne. Trumper's has a slight edge over 4711, in that it seems to have a bit of rose in there that gives it that extra boost of sophistication and Trumper's lasts longer than either 1792 or Penhaligon's (1927).

One has to ask oneself why pay $130 for a bottle of Penhaligon's when one can get a finer version from Trumper for $90 and double the amount of 4711 for $50.

I can't comprehend why Penhaligon's revived this one. It's "okay" but its competitors have it beat by a mile in terms of longetivity and price.

5th July, 2011. (Last Edited: 13rd July, 2011.)

This is a very simple and traditional concept, but sadly utilizing poor quality ingredients. I am not even afforded the luxury of having the glorious top notes that fragrances of this type are famous for. Instead, it is instantly flat, cheap and prosaic. This was probably a fine product back in the 1920s, but cost-cutting and regulations have ensured it no longer deserves to be taken seriously.

13rd April, 2011.

Quite nice but nothing special. No longevity(as in all EdC's). Not in any way worth the price Penhaligon's ask for it. Purchase 2 bottles of Guerlain's Eau du Coq instead.

22nd January, 2011.

This was a good try to revive the traditional cologne genre in a modern, popular fragrance house. It's decent and not bad, but lacks a lot of the natural and historical import of many of the top performer's in the area. The opening is a bright lime very similar to their own Extract of Limes--and it is a tad powdery and then burns down to a laundry detergent type musk. Good compared to the like of Chanel and Asprey Purple Water. I would invest in Jean Marie Extra Vieille or one of the Guerlain eaux before shelling out the money for this one.

5th December, 2010.

This review is for the 2010 re-release of Penhaligons Eau de Cologne. It is supposed to be an identical formulation to its 1927 formulation. I could not tell you how, if it all, it differs from the 1870 edition, but since this is the only relevant listing, I post my review here.

Penhaligons EdC opens with a bright sweet and zesty orange, both pleasant and realistic. A touch of rosemary underneath. And then it quickly fades to near oblivion. While certainly within the spectrum of classic EDCs, it is nowhere near as good as Acqua di Parma Colonia, Guerlain Eau du Coq or Villoresi’s Acqua di Colonia. All of these are much better choices in terms of complexity and longevity.

21st May, 2010.