We test out the new Penhaligon’s perfume
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The dawning of February offers an implied pat on the back for surviving January, that interminable Tardis of a month.
It also offers heritage British perfume house Penhaligon’s the perfect excuse to top up our life force with their newest: The World According to Arthur, a plush rush of incense in a theatrical dragon-headed bottle.
The latest in Penhaligon’s ‘Portraits’ series, The World According to Arthur’s dragon isn’t breathing fire so much as cosiness. Billowy and pillowy, it’s upholstered with frankincense and myrrh, ancient aromatic resins signalling status (there’s a reason why those three wise men gifted little infant Jesus the stuff, although honestly, perfume is wasted on a baby). This swaddles the skin with warmth, courtesy of a vanilla that is less ‘Hi, I’m cake!’ and more an insinuating promise of pleasure. Perfumer Fabrice Pellegrin amplifies the enveloping nature of the vanilla and incense with musky ambrette seed.
What makes this shared perfume moreish is the myrrh, an enigmatic material that shimmers between sweet and spicy. Its distinctive anise bite calls forth the dragon within, putting just the right amount of spike in your snuggle.
Penhaligon’s The World According to Arthur eau de parfum, £210 for 75ml, at selfridges.com