Penhaligon's
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
The narcissus arrives with its characteristic green-almond sharpness, almost bitter in its freshness, cut through with that peculiar metallic coolness that sets it apart from sweeter white florals. There's an immediate powderiness that suggests the orris is already present, waiting just beneath the surface like a foundation beneath makeup.
The iris emerges fully now, its signature lipstick-and-face-powder character merging seamlessly with the narcissus to create something almost grey in its sophistication—floral, yes, but rendered in charcoal and chalk rather than watercolours. The green accord persists as a subtle background hum, preventing the powder from settling into pure cosmetic territory.
Sandalwood finally makes itself known, though it remains polite and understated, offering just enough creamy warmth to keep the composition from turning entirely austere. The narcissus has faded to a memory, leaving behind the persistent whisper of iris powder and pale woods, like the lingering scent in an empty room after someone elegant has departed.
The Revenge of Lady Blanche is Penhaligon's portrait of a wronged Victorian aristocrat seeking vindication through sheer olfactory elegance, and it achieves this through a masterclass in white floral restraint. The narcissus here isn't the sunny, honeyed daffodil you'd find in spring gardens—it's cooler, greener, almost metallic in its opening crispness, with that characteristic almond-like facet that gives the flower its distinctive personality. What makes this composition compelling is how Daphné Bugey has woven the narcissus directly into a bed of powdered orris, creating an almost immediate sense of vintage face powder and cold-pressed roots. There's a mineral quality throughout, as if the flowers have been gathered from marble conservatory floors rather than soil.
This is florality for those who find most white florals cloying or shouty. The sandalwood provides barely-there warmth—it's more a suggestion of wood than a statement, allowing the narcissus and iris to maintain their aristocratic pallor. The powderiness is pronounced but never dusty; instead, it reads as refined and deliberately composed, like the scent of expensive stationery or the interior of a leather glove box. It's a fragrance for those who appreciate the space between notes as much as the notes themselves, who understand that restraint can be more provocative than volume. Lady Blanche wears her revenge cold, and she wears it exceptionally well.
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