No. 33

No.33 was created by Mike Parrott in 2015 to commemorate the 145th anniversary of the founding of English niche fragrance house Penhaligon’s. It’s named for the Penhaligon’s shop at 33 St. James Street in London. On me, it opens fresh, bright and citrusy, with notes of orange, grapefruit, and bergamot. The bitterness of the bergamot is echoed by the herbal bitterness of artemisia. Coriander and clary sage heightened the herbal aspect of the opening. I am a sucker for herbal openings, so I am happy to drift here for a while until a note of aromatic lavender appears. It’s fresh, floral and slightly camphorous. These aspects are heightened by notes of violet, jasmine, rose, geranium and lily of the valley. Black pepper, ginger, saffron and cardamom bring a gentle warmth to the flowers. The lavender anchors a smooth, seamless heart while smelling gorgeous. The base is dry and woody from vetiver and cedar, tempered with a light sweetness from Tonka bean, amber and vanilla, with a rich note of tobacco threading through it. Moss gives it a whiff of the forest, while musk keeps it warm and sensuous. This aromatic fougère is a skin scent with a drydown that is smooth, clean and refined as a classic gentleman’s scent should be. Notes: Bergamot, orange, grapefruit, artemisia, coriander, clary sage, cypress, lavender, violet, black pepper, ginger, jasmine, rose, lily of the valley, geranium, saffron, cardamom, amber, vetiver, musk, moss, tobacco, Tonka bean, vanilla and cedarwood.