VIBE

Part antique apothecary, part gentlemen’s barber shop, Penhaligon’s shops are lined with dark, masculine cabinets and mysterious stoppered glass bottles filled with their delicate perfume brews. Declaring themselves “one of the few true fragrance houses in the world,” Penhaligon’s uses rare ingredients (some, like hand-squeezed oil of bergamot, are actually more precious than gold) and old-school methods to create their much-sought-after scents. An iconic British luxury brand since 1870, Penhaligon's can boast even today that its perfumes remain favorites of the aristocracy and the royal family (who have bestowed Penhaligon’s with a Royal Warrant since Victorian times).

USE A PURCHASE FROM HERE FOR

Special occasions

WHY WE LIKE IT

Although they have expanded into an international brand, we like the quaint apothecary feel of their shops, and we dig their fragrances, too. They’re definitely on the "antique" side of perfume, but in a good way–there’s a reason they’ve been around for so long.

GOOD TO KNOW

In case you can’t make it to one of their fragrance boutiques in person, Penhaligon’s products are stocked by luxury department stores and perfumers the world over, so there’s probably somewhere closer to home where you can find them. Book an appointment for a special fragrance testing session where you are invited to “blindly” try a variety of scents in a private room (in this store, upstairs from the main shop), to determine the one that best suits you- you may surprise yourself!

OTHER LOCATIONS

Islington (London); City (London); Covent Garden (London); Mayfair (London); Regent’s Street (London); Beauchamp (London); Chelsea (London); Edinburgh; Cambridge; Chester; New York; Paris; Tokyo; Dubai; Moscow

CLOSEST COMPS

Bond No. 9 (New York)

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