Reviews of English Fern (1911)
by Penhaligon's

A wonderful spring scent. It's all been said. It's clean but not in the way modern scents are labeled clean. The lavender anchors the spices and the clove, a tricky note in perfumery, is delightful. It's not the demented clove of Jacomo de Jacomo, a favorite sinus rocket, but as usual with this house, a bright and cheery part of the entire composition. Do yourselves a favor and sample this 1911 classic. Do me a favor and the next time a newbie asks on the forums what would be suitable for an 21 year old, or younger; suggest English Fern.

This is a stripped down version of the fougere accord consisting of the interaction of a lavender top and a coumarin base (coumarin isn't listed in the notes on Penhalligon's website, but it is definitely in there). If anyone is looking for a very classic fougere fragrance, you can't get any more classic than this. I have not smelled the old Houbigant Fougere Royale, but I can imagine that English Fern has much in common with it. This type of fragrance is not common in modern perfumery any longer. The modern fougere fragrances are much more built and composed. English Fern is a perfect depiction of old-style masculine fragrance. It is not loud, but it is persistent. It is fantastic! Modern noses may have to get used to the accord but it is quite delicious.

Definitely smells like a men's fragrance to me. Herbal and complex, it has a rich earthiness to it. The dry down is subtle, clean, and sophisticated.

Wow! I like it! Soapy! It reminds me a lot of Creed's Original Vetiver, with the Ivory soap smell. However, whereas Original Vetiver soapy smell is [cedar + ginger], English Fern's soapy smell seems to come from the lavender mixed with something else. . . maybe geranium? It also doesn't have the lemongrass smell that I get from Original Vetiver. I like it a lot, and one spray has lasted a good 12 hours on my skin. I don't smell the patchouli that foetidus smells, and thankfully so, because I tend to not like patchouli.

Deep, earthy green is the color I envision. Aptly named, this smells classy and green.While it doesn't smells like Mugler Cologne, I think this might've been Mulger Cologne before it existed. It's got that "fresh out of the shower feel" with the soapiness without the odd after smell you get from stagnant bathwater. Crisp and clean with great sillage and longevity.

Fresh and earthy green, with a deep spicy woodiness. Very clean, but not in a modern synthetic way. Penhaligon’s website describes English Fern as ‘delicate’ – I don’t see it that way. Perhaps restrained and refined, but there is nothing delicate or fragile here. Interestingly, Penhaligon’s classifies English Fern as a chypre, whereas most of our reviewers see it as a fougère. I can’t see English Fern as unisex. It is for a strong, confident man.

Penhaligons’ English Fern – what a lovely scent! It has a very bright, crisp opening of lavender and green notes. The clover is a brilliant touch, giving a fresh-field scent. Very quickly that clover combines with a pure light oakmoss for the signature “rubbery” clean scent that is so attractive and desirable in a great fougere, in my opinion. The patchouli is done just right; giving a light spicy richness to the scent. Sandalwood adds a good woody note, and the latter two elements give a wonderful dry-down. This is a true classic. It has a slightly cool and distinctive “edge” that is typical of Penhaligons’ style (see also Duro and Blenheim Bouquet): it is assertive, confident, and masculine. It is more complex than the also very worthy Trumper’s Wild Fern.

English Fern introduces itself with a burst of spices and lavender, sweetened by fruit notes that I cannot identify. The lavender soon begins to recede, leaving room for a very distinct licorice/anise note and some barbershop soap to blend with the remaining brisk spices. English Fern settles into a conventional spicy “absinthe” tinted fougere, not far removed from the grand old Crown Fougere, but less complex and less nuanced. The scent remains linear for most of its duration, before fading into a sweet vanillic woody drydown. This is a very pleasant, conservative fougere – the kind of scent that one can wear to the office or to dinner with no fear of offending anybody. In this respect it strikes me as distinctly “English,” which is to say that it is proper, refined, and elegantly traditional. It may not be exciting, but it’s a solid representative of its type, and highly versatile to boot.

Talk about memories, the very instant I smelled this I was taken back to my childhood. My mother smelled of this geranium / lavender accord; possibly she used a fragrance with this accord, or maybe it was from the result of her tending the geraniums and lavender that she grew in her gardens. This opening presents an exquisitely enticing combination of geranium and lavender with the geranium, for a refreshing change, taking precedence over the lavender. The lavender provides texture, richness, and depth to the geranium… ending up in an exceptional accord. The potency of the opening lasts for much too short of time (in my opinion) before it yields to the neutrality of the heart notes. I also approve of the heart notes – a genuine aroma of nature presenting oakmoss, wood, and … clover. It really is, as they have said, like rolling around in a glade in the middle of a woods. As much as I miss the top notes, I thoroughly enjoy the middle notes. Clover is such a light, fresh, sweet, and tasty floral and green, I wonder why it isn’t used more often in fragrancy. And the combination of the clover flower and the slightly spicy clover leaves help give English Fern its truly natural fougere feel. The dry down begins exquisitely with its combination of patchouli and sandalwood, and then settles down to an endearingly rich but gentle wood accord. It doesn’t last at all long enough as a sillage producer, but, for a few hours, it remains very close as an enticing skin scent. English Fern adds up to a handsomely refined, natural smelling fougere that is clean, fresh, elegant, and more than acceptably masculine. Two thumbs way up on this one.

I agree with most of the reviewers. I first tried this scent in a Penhaligon's scent library. English Fern was perhaps the only scent vial that hooked me. It is soapy, clean, non-offensive and smells like a fresh morning in an aromatic forest. One of the first memories it brought to mind (they say the nose brings back the most memories) was that of my female elementary school teachers. That "just out of the shower" smell which I find so sexy. Lots of pine needles, lavender, soap, and loads of kid memories in this one. I love it!! Will get the largest bottle they sell very soon.

Top Notes - Geranium, Lavender
Middle Notes - Oakmoss, Woody, Clover
Base Notes - Patchouli, Sandalwood

English Fern is one of the classiest fougeres around. The opening is fresh and slightly soapy, anchored by a nice lavender note. From there, the fragrance transitions to an earthy woody scent - the oakmoss is extremely well blended with the clove. Clove, a note which was overdone in LP No.9, is masterfully put to work here. The balance between the oakmoss earthiness and the clove notes' spicy freshness is just right. A sandalwood base provides a smooth richness to the overall composition.

English Fern is a classic, understated, all-purpose fragrance (especially for formal and office wear). With excellent longevity, this is a must try, especially for fans of the fougere genre of fragrances.

Classic fougere at its English best. FAR different from the hordes of "clean" scents on today's markets, though. MUCH better. Great stuff, albeit expensive.

Totally outstanding fougere. In my honest opinion this juice represents the essence of this category of fragrances. And what a fantastic job at that! Manly, soapy, mossy but fresh and with just a tad of sweetness - as classic as they come. Basically gives you the most pleasant, clean barbershop vibe imagineable - like an upscale luxurious shaving cream. Incredible longevity as well, keeps you confident all day. Only downside I guess is it's extreme simplicity which probably could prevent many from making English Fern their signature scent. It would perhaps get a little boring using it every day. But despite it's somewhat austere and linear character I sincerely think this should be everyones first choice in the search for the ultimate basic fougere. Truly Excellent.

A great pick for fans of the now discontinued Crown Perfumery Fougere, as they are very, very similar. A soapy clean lavender and fern concoction, this one is best enjoyed in warm (not hot) weather, where it lasts virtually all day. Another excellent choice for office wear.

An English classic scent that's sweet, green and fresh. Someone here described the scent of an English woodland, which is true. It's a classic gentleman's scent. It's one of Penhaligon's best scents, although some people might find it too mild and polite to their taste. I think it's great, though.

Next to Blenheim Bouquet, my favorite from this classic British house. An intoxicating woody fougere with that common aristocratic aire possessed by many of the line. Amazing.