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Why does (allmost) everyone say that Blenheim Bouquet [Penhaligon's] smells "Aristocratic"?

post #1 of 25
6/10/10 at 1:57pm
Thread Starter 
Many reviews decribe it as being aristocratic, I think it smells oriental, or perhaps one could imagine a cossack riding through the woods when smelling it. So what makes it aristocratic in your opinion? Do you think it is a pleasant scent? My ex said that it gives her headaches, is anyone else also getting headaches from it? Thank you.


Also, do you smell all these pines? I mean it's a delightful smell but well, how are pines "aristocratic" or "elitist"
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post #2 of 25
6/10/10 at 2:16pm
The most aristocratic person I know (bow ties, a Summer home in the Hamptons, engraved stationary) wears Blenheim Bouquet. I think it fits him perfectly.

I personally cannot stand wearing it myself. Too much pine for me. Instant headache.
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post #3 of 25
6/10/10 at 2:29pm
The spices are hard, and the composition as a whole smells serious, focused, no-nonsense. I think it's a mediocre quality citrus (somewhat detergent like) over the long-term, and I rarely wear it anymore. It was probably better thirty years ago. Sill, it's better than something like Armani Eau pour Homme.

Also, there is nothing oriental (type of fragrance) about it.
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post #4 of 25
6/10/10 at 2:54pm
Thread Starter 
Crucify me but I can't choose between Blenheim or Elixir, I find both fragrances similar in a way. I'm looking for something I can wear all year around and that represents my personality; an eccentric gentleman who bangs both fists on the table. My only worry with Blenheim is that I am not sure whether I would wear it in Spain with 40C Degree temperatures or at the Souk in Morocco.
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post #5 of 25
6/10/10 at 2:55pm
I completely disagree with anyone that says it's aristocratic, which is most people. I find it to be a delightfully simple citrus fragrance pretty much perfect for anyone on a summers day. I do agree with pluran (above) with the words "serious, focused, no-nonsense", but that's what it's supposed to be, doesn't render it a fragrance for the upper classes, in my opinion.
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post #6 of 25
6/10/10 at 3:01pm
In my opinion, it's clean-cut, timeless simplicity may actually contribute to its aristocratic style: so balanced, simple and inconspicuous, that it's the ultimate high-end fashion statement which doesn't even need to be ostentatious in order to stand out
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post #7 of 25
6/10/10 at 3:20pm
Thread Starter 
Can anyone compare it to Elixir?
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post #8 of 25
6/10/10 at 5:44pm
I like BB very much. I agree with the comments about "focused, no-nonsense" etc. I find it has a certain cool reserve in its character that might suggest the aristocratic mind-set. Lively lemon and cool pine with some enduring musk.
In no sense do I see it as an oriental, which I define as spicy, languid, heavy on the patchouli and/or vanilla. Elixir is a mild sort of oriental, I find it totally different from BB in its spice and rosewood-sweet notes.
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post #9 of 25
6/10/10 at 8:03pm
I tried BB three years ago in Madrid. It was spring and after one hour it was a phantom, with slight notes. It seems to me a light, simple, clean fragance. Fine, but for the price I was thinking to look for something more daring. Aristocratic? I think more in the good taste attitude: "less is more" and/or "El buen gusto es aquello que no llama la atención" (Good taste is what it does not draw attention)
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post #10 of 25
6/10/10 at 8:26pm
Aristocrats are conservative, hate to show off, keep a low profile, do not think of money, don't need to shop for durable goods for they have whatever they need (inherited, of course: they will replace the fridge only after it burns down, and this after the insistence of a representative of the younger generation for they would prefer to resort to old fashioned ice bricks), do not know anything about global high-end brands and if they do, they sure know the ones that are extinct because they were the ones used by the usual excentric relative that died in 1920 after arriving from India... you get the picture.

IMHO, having said this, and being in Spain, I would consider that would be Agua de Colonia Concentrada Alvarez Gómez rather than Penhaligon's.
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post #11 of 25
6/10/10 at 8:36pm
I'd love to weigh in with an opinion, but I've tested this on skin twice. I got 10 minutes of lemon drop and then nothing. Nada, Bupkus.
Maybe I'm anosmic to the pine note. Maybe I need to "learn" to smell it. But for now I'll stick with Windsor for an aristocratic vibe.
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post #12 of 25
6/10/10 at 8:36pm
Most likely the dryness, rigidity, and its association with Churchill. I wear it infrequently these days and find traditionals like Guerlain Eau du Coq and Acqua di Parma for more pleasing.
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post #13 of 25
6/10/10 at 9:33pm
because they've never smelled lemon furniture polish before
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post #14 of 25
6/10/10 at 10:07pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pollux View Post

Aristocrats are conservative, hate to show off, keep a low profile, do not think of money, don't need to shop for durable goods for they have whatever they need (inherited, of course: they will replace the fridge only after it burns down, and this after the insistence of a representative of the younger generation for they would prefer to resort to old fashioned ice bricks), do not know anything about global high-end brands and if they do, they sure know the ones that are extinct because they were the ones used by the usual excentric relative that died in 1920 after arriving from India... you get the picture.

IMHO, having said this, and being in Spain, I would consider that would be Agua de Colonia Concentrada Alvarez Gómez rather than Penhaligon's.

Pollux, they may hate to show off their title but most of them are great eccentrics, this might come as rude to many people but on the continent aristocrats try to set themselves appart by doing surprising things, they also reserve the right to make a "mistake" on the dress order on purpose, for example wearing loafers with a Dinner Jacket. Look at Countess Gunilla von Bismarck, she dresses like a hippie.
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post #15 of 25
6/11/10 at 3:30am
Quote:
Originally Posted by odysseusm View Post

I like BB very much. I agree with the comments about "focused, no-nonsense" etc. I find it has a certain cool reserve in its character that might suggest the aristocratic mind-set. Lively lemon and cool pine with some enduring musk.
In no sense do I see it as an oriental, which I define as spicy, languid, heavy on the patchouli and/or vanilla. . .

+1

Esquire, which fragrances do you consider aristocratic?
No, this is not a trick question. Honestly.

Cheers,

Mario
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post #16 of 25
6/11/10 at 5:51am
Probably because it was released in the early 1900s - most scents released before the 30s (when cheaper "drug store" alternatives started to come out) were only worn by those who could afford them, i.e. the upper classes. That being the case, most releases were of a certain type and shared many common notes, much like 90s and 00s aquatics aimed at generally younger people, but with BB and others of its ilk it's citrus, powder, herbs, pine, pepper etc etc rather than fruit and ozonic notes. They're basically mainly introverted scents compared to many of today's extrovert scents and most of them were, and still are, considered by many as conservative and formal for that reason.

As for similarities to Elixir - I can't smell them myself. I personally think Elixir shares more with Opus 1870 (my favourite Pen's, although BB is up there), albeit much sweeter (and too sweet for my liking).
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post #17 of 25
6/11/10 at 5:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Esquire View Post

Pollux, they may hate to show off their title but most of them are great eccentrics, this might come as rude to many people but on the continent aristocrats try to set themselves appart by doing surprising things, they also reserve the right to make a "mistake" on the dress order on purpose, for example wearing loafers with a Dinner Jacket. Look at Countess Gunilla von Bismarck, she dresses like a hippie.

Yes! Take worn out shoes and / or a suit that is obvioulsy out of fashion yet conservative. Or even better, moth eaten sweaters... or jackets. That is why I imagine them wearing whatever eau de cologne any BNoter would discard for thinking of it as way too common. I think the kind of aristocrats I described would resort to an eau de cologne-like / "cologny" blend.

In the case of Blenheim, well, its brandname says it all. But at the same time, I also guess that wearing a fragrance named after a family state would be sort of a put-off - unless paying them a visit, pun intended.
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post #18 of 25
6/11/10 at 8:55am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mario Justiniani View Post

+1

Esquire, which fragrances do you consider aristocratic?
No, this is not a trick question. Honestly.

Cheers,

Mario

Eccentric Fragrances, things that will not offend but surprise people instead
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post #19 of 25
6/11/10 at 11:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Esquire View Post

Eccentric Fragrances, things that will not offend but surprise people instead

Eccentric fragrances like.....
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post #20 of 25
6/11/10 at 11:17am
Thread Starter 
Something out of the common. Something you won't find at Boots.
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post #21 of 25
6/11/10 at 11:37am
To me, it is an olfactive dead ringer for a bowl of Fruit Loops.
I like Fruit Loops, but I wouldn't consider it an aristocratic cereal.
Wish I got the aristocratic pine vibe from it!
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post #22 of 25
6/12/10 at 2:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by boosh View Post

I completely disagree with anyone that says it's aristocratic, which is most people. I find it to be a delightfully simple citrus fragrance pretty much perfect for anyone on a summers day. I do agree with pluran (above) with the words "serious, focused, no-nonsense", but that's what it's supposed to be, doesn't render it a fragrance for the upper classes, in my opinion.

I agree with boosh, BB seems a simple citrus to me.
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post #23 of 25
6/12/10 at 6:58am
Perhaps the fact that one smelled Blenheim Bouquet on an aristocratic person might lead one to think it's aristocratic. We all make these kind of shortcuts (association) in our brain, it makes our life much much easier.
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post #24 of 25
6/12/10 at 7:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Esquire View Post

Something out of the common. Something you won't find at Boots.

For those of us not based in the UK - Boots is a major pharmacy/ drug store chain.

HTH
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post #25 of 25
6/12/10 at 8:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by trapper View Post

Perhaps the fact that one smelled Blenheim Bouquet on an aristocratic person might lead one to think it's aristocratic. We all make these kind of shortcuts (association) in our brain, it makes our life much much easier.

Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnTheBeginner View Post

For those of us not based in the UK - Boots is a major pharmacy/ drug store chain.

I was not aware that many BNoters are unfamiliar with things British: Blenheim is a very important palace, so its brandname should trigger associations with the aristocracy by default, provided one happens to know Blenheim is the home of the Marlborough family.

More information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blenheim_Palace
http://www.blenheimpalace.com/
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