A new fragrance from my favorite British fragrance house Penhaligon’s has been available in our store for a few days now: The Dandy not only sounds stunningly British, but also absolutely seductive and a creation that seems to fit perfectly into the coming cooler season. Here at the Baltic Sea, it’s cloudy, windy and a little rainy today. The ideal weather for a fragrance that smells of whisky, oak barrels and the Roaring Twenties.
Welcome to the Roaring Twenties
The color of the era says it all: the fragrance itself is as golden as liquid honey and the visuals are adapted accordingly. The golden 1920s are a time of upheaval, jazz, roaring party nights full of vice, secrets and sleaze. The alcohol flows in torrents, the orchestra plays at full volume and people dance themselves into a trance.
It is a time of abundance, of endless nights, of intoxication, in which the party-goers soak up the good mood and exuberance, as if they suspect the unspeakable suffering and sorrow that the future will bring.
The Golden Twenties and their parties always make me think of the hit series Babylon Berlin, in which this era is described so impressively. Who hasn’t seen them, the extravagant parties at the Moka Efti, where anything seems possible. Even though there is of course a lot of fiction involved here, I find it incredibly exciting to look back at a time that is now a hundred years in the past.
The Dandy – Cheers!
Perfumer Fabrice Pellegrin took on the creation of The Dandy, which is composed of the ingredients bergamot, raspberry, cedrat (citrus medica), oak, whisky, cedarwood, ambroxan and patchouli. As already mentioned, the theme is the wild 1920s and whisky. When I look at the fragrance notes, I see English gentlemen’s clubs in front of me, with dark, wood-paneled rooms containing heavy leather sofas.
Oriental carpets and subtle lighting. Fireplace. Clouds of smoke from thick cigars drift through the room and amber-colored precious whisky glows in the glasses and the smell of peat and alcohol is perceptible. It is an exquisite gathering, as only members of the British upper class meet in these clubs.
Would you like another whisky? Penhaligon’s takes us back to the Roaring Twenties. This time, a world full of nocturnal secrets awaits us. Whisky matured in oak casks, refined with bergamot and cedar wood, poured over a raspberry melange. Its peaty fragrance blends with a hint of amber and patchouli. With The Dandy, every night becomes a glittering party full of jazz and dancing in the incomparable style of the Roaring Twenties. Cheers!
Party without end with The Dandy
A hint of Hesperides freshness and raspberry magic combine with the dark woody notes of oak and liqueur-like peaty whisky in the opening of The Dandy, creating lightness and transparency in this intense and densely woven creation that smells so wonderfully distinguished and British right from the start.
Gradually, the fruity freshness fades and gives way to the protagonists of the eau de parfum, who have already introduced themselves in the opening. In the heart, they reveal their most beautiful side. Gentle, velvety and oaky, with these wonderful boozy notes of fine whisky that blend with the creamy and clean nuances of cedarwood.
It is an incredibly cozy mood that The Dandy evokes. Elegant, seductive and with an inimitable noblesse. The Penhaligon’s fragrance is as stylish as a real dandy, ending with the soft, delicately earthy and woody-creamy facets of ambroxan and patchouli. What more can we ask for?
The Dandy is a true Brit and a genuine Penhaligon’s. Noble, aristocratic and yet so wonderfully fascinating. An extremely successful blend of peaty-tart whisky and the finest woods, accompanied by delicious fruit at the beginning and with a pleasantly smooth finish, which in my eyes does not call for a loud and shrill party. The fragrance is far too calm, far too relaxed for that. It is a perfect combination of woody and boozy notes that is expressive but at the same time light and quiet. Stylish from the first to the last sniff. An absolute tasting recommendation, and not just for whisky fans. Ideal for the cooler months of the year and wearable for any occasion. 🥃
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