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dimmal – :
Penhaligons makes a some really great fragrances. I own Sartorial and Opus 1870. I think Lothair will be my third from the brand. I like how it has a fresh spiciness and sweetness to it but its nice and not overpowering.
nepisatel – :
As I write this review, I’m sniffing this perfume from the bottle… The first thing I get is lavender and then all the citrus notes…. slightly woody as it drys down… I smell everything at once but it’s not overpowering….. I would definitely buy a full bottle of this… So delicious and sexy… Can be worn for any occasion.
Haemul – :
I decided I should try some more Penhaligon’s fragrances since I quite like Blenheim Bouquet.
It is fresh, but has a soapy note as well.
I think this is one of the very few fragrances I know that deserve the name of “modern classic”.
Edit: It took me a few days but now I can tell the drydown is very powdery. Which might be considered still modern (well, vintage) but not my cup of tea.
Gustualv – :
I’ve tried a lot of the Penhaligons range. The past few years have been very good to me, I’ve been able to afford to buy a lot of them and also regularly get them bought for me too. I could choose any brand really, but I enjoy Penhaligons the most. What I’m getting at is that I feel quite qualified when it comes to writing about their scents.
This one is their best.
No question about it. This fragrance is a timeless, beautiful blend that suits every occasion and gives you a feeling of confidence and comfort.
Some of the other ones like English Fern, Hammam and Zizonia I have deep connections to, or Halfeti which I think is their second best. This is the best made, suits the widest range of moods or reasons to wear perfume.
If this was any other type of product, like a soap or shower gel, it wouldn’t work. I think in a sample size or of they did a 50ml like they do for some of their scents, you wouldn’t get the full experience either. The amount you get from a spray and how it distributes effects the feel of this.
The story behind this links to clipper ships and the tea trade. Although it does match up with that description, it also makes me think of the remote Outer Hebridies in Scotland. The calm tranquillity that comes from the isolation, the stillness of the sea, endless beaches. That feeling of remoteness and the comfort when you go inside and feel protected from the weather.
The whole time you are there you feel a distance between reality, a history, a connection with the past and how hard life must have been there. I don’t know how but Lohair gives me the same feeling and impression.
It’s milky and comforting, there is an undertone of sophistication and quality. You also get a sour sharpness that increases the complexity. It all swirls round.
Where Penhaligons have so many fragrances and so many of those have come out around the same time; lots of them share elements. Quite a few take wholesale parts of each other.
Lothair is pretty unique in the range, the only one that I think bears much resemblance is Espirit Du Roi. They share a similar top notes, the part of the scent that seems elevated but to the back of it. The rest of the composition is so different and Lothair is so much more complex and delicately tuned. It stands out in the range as the finest of all.
janka666 – :
I am fast becoming a fan of Penhaligon’s. I find their scent interesting. Many are complex and intriguing with real depth never boring.
I really would not recommend blind buying Penhaligon’s because there are some rather bold offerings there (Halfeti
for example is very good but one i will admire from afar, it is utterly not for me). You need time and patience too because the scents shape-shift over long periods of time. Lothair is one of the few that I liked immediately and to my surprise because greeny-woodsy would not normally be my cup of tea. The floral notes are present but neither twee nor sticky. Likewise there is freshness, but the citrus never goes into light cologne mode. A fine balancing act of invigorating freshness with depth, body and a wee pinch of sugar. Perfect.
Наталья Никитина – :
I am fast becoming a fan of Penhaligon’s. I find their scent interesting. Many are complex and intriguing with real depth never boring.
I really would not recommend blind buying Penhaligon’s because there are some rather bold offerings there (Halfeti
for example is very good but one i will admire from afar, it is utterly not for me). You need time and patience too because the scents shape-shift over long periods of time. Lothair is one of the few that I liked immediately and to my surprise because greeny-woodsy would not normally be my cup of tea. The floral notes are present but neither twee nor sticky. Likewise there is freshness, but the citrus never goes into light cologne mode. A fine balancing act of invigorating freshness with depth, body and a wee pinch of sugar. Perfect.
mirshtor – :
Really enjoying this despite the juniper note. But it blends in nicely with the warm spicies, it’s green and warm spicy. Very enjoyable!
jio963Unlogrere – :
Fresh, grassy, aromatic with enough else going on to keep a bit of interest. Not a fan of Penhaligon’s (though I really want to be), their output has been so mediocre, the only interesting things have been the concepts and the names, the smells all one dimensional, tired, dull, plus I have yet to forgive them for discontinuing Violetta (I understand it’s economic reasons and if I am the only one who likes it, it’s not worth making blablabla). But this one passes muster. Just about. If I got it for christmas I’d say thank you and mean it.
mas_63 – :
Oh, I’m sorry, but it reminds me Fourreau Noir fragrance by Serge Lutens, almost completely!!! as regards to longevity and projection Pengaligon’s one is weaker. That’s it.
zaj4enok17 – :
A very dimensional scent
Its like a mix of duellle with a fresh mens cologne.
Starts off vey warm and sweet, i notice the cardamon and vanilla.
But settles into a really interesting herby/green cologne smell, not in a bad way at all its very different.
I see this as totally masculine and with great performance.
aboniiyta – :
Lothair, my first full Penhaligon’s bottle. I’ve sampled plenty and have never felt compelled to purchase until now… and blind at that. Unquestionably no regrets.
When the Trade Routes collection launched, it was so compelling to me on reading the release and set me off into a spiritual odyssey of spices, resins, textures and color from the East that danced in my olfactory imagination.
Fast forward a couple of years, and of the ones I had sampled, nothing yet had really moved me. Revisiting the notes and reviews on Lothair, and seeking something a little different to what I have had in my collection in the past, I decided it was time to get my hands on a bottle.
Lothair… a pure aromatic tonic. And the bottle is so beautiful and stately to look at with its fastidious navy bow. My initial spray delivered a blue-green haze of fresh juniper and bitter, but sparkling citrus peel.
Typically, fragrances develop very quickly on my skin, but not Lothair. This budded ever so delicately over the course of at least an hour, behaving very much like an eau fraiche.
Juniper berries and crushed, green fig leaf excreted a light milky sap that was as luminous as salty dew drops high on a merchant ship’s mast at dawn. Cedar and cardamom released a subtle, camphorous, tannic vapor. Here I kept falling between fresh, cool air, and a warm, arid tingle — sunrise on the North Atlantic Ocean.
Magnolia, lavender and geranium aren’t singularly discernable but soften and balance the composition. More than anything the lavender and geranium contribute an herbal, floral nuance while still remaining on the classically masculine side of a unisex scent.
I couldn’t really tease out any vanilla either, if it’s there, it’s a drop boozy and grounds the aromatics along with a touch of warm ambergris and a ghostly whisper of musk.
I can see myself wearing Lothair a lot. I love spritzing it my hair and tousling it with my hands, just to get a rush of crisp, briny air billowing in my sails.
As far as trade routes go, I feel Lothair is an outbound commodity: cardamom imported from the East, infused into a Britannic distillation of botanicals to create a fine artisanal gin with a splash of citric Earl Grey. It draws a marked parallel to one of my favorite spirits — The Botanist Islay Dry Gin — reserved only for the captain’s quarters.
Tasenok – :
This smells wonderful- it is very green and fresh but milky, warm and woody at the same time. Perhaps like eating a fresh bowl of cold salad with ranch dressing in a warm sauna made of wood. haha sounds wierd but it’s lovely I promise!
A broken stalk of fig tree with oozing sap and classic Penhaligon’s juniper berry is the most prominant at first.
It quickly becomes comfortingly milky and aromatic as it’s being warmed up, with cardamom and rosemary. There is also a smooth saltiness -I’m guessing its the ambergris note. It is quite feminine up to this point, and I find it very wearable as a woman!
But then as it dries down, the ceder and oakmoss comes in and turns very masculine – a tiny bit more so than I am completely comfortable with – but that makes it quite sexy when I am in the right mood 😉
Overall, it is a very sophisticated and unique scent!
Sillage and longevity all moderate, but I could still smell this on my coat two weeks later 🙂
btw, I just realized now that I own 3 Penhaligon’s scents and all by Bertrand Duchafour! Amaranthine, Tralala, and Lothair! How incredible is that! And I thought I chose the most atypical, wierdest scents from this house!
Emitoeffest – :
It reminds me of Dolce & Gabbana The One for Men(2008) and Penhaligon’s Sartorial (2010) on the bad side though.
To be more specificly, it just a combination of Dolce & Gabbana The One for Men and Penhaligon’s Esprit du Roi (2011) with vanilla and some greasy vibe.Rating: 6.5-7.0/10
Glaz – :
It reminded me of a gourmand by Duchaufour, Noir Exquis.
This is a nice sweet smelling fragrance, but there is nothing that makes it stand out as a very good fragrance, it’s just fair to Midland.
I was expecting a fresh fig fragrance, but I don’t get any fig or fig tree, and I have 4 fig fragrances. So it’s not very fresh, and it’s not quite gourmand, although it is sweet.
OK, let me give you an insight as to what this smells like if your considering it.
Lothair is mostly Cardamom and sweet vanela, with a bit of grapefruit freshness. There a bit of pink berry spice and some woodiness. The other notes are hidden nuances.
So this fragrance seems confused, it’s caught in the middle of gourmand and fresh. Noir Exquis is similar but a very good and interesting gourmand by my favorite parfumer Bertrand Duchaufour.
If your looking for a nice fresh fragrance with good fig and fig tree notes, I recommend Acqua di Parma Fico di Amalfi.
Update: I’m finishing my sample of Lothair thinking that it’s better than I first thought. The performance is very good, and it has a nice potent sharpness to it, very Duchaufour esk…
Rating: 8:10
God bless. John 3:16
Deroxtricg – :
Three thumbs up for Penhaligon’s on this one! The fragrance itself is very sophisticated, with great silage and phenomenal longevity. On my skin it’s almost a dead ringer for Creed’s Royal Oud. It’s definitely more of a late afternoon / evening fragrance with a hint of mystery. Very nice indeed.
filli – :
Indisputable and unparalleled masterpiece of Penhaligon’s.
I have never seen a perfume that can combine fig/lavender/vanilla/black tea without any disharmony.A huge thumb-up for Duchaufour!
Among all the works of Bertrand Duchaufour, this is my favorite.And it has a beautiful name indeed:) Even at the first time I tested it I was sure that it is going to be marvelous.Although the lavender note has won quite a few votes, I would rather focus more on the fig & black tea notes.Lothair belongs to the Trade Routes collection, and it was inspired by the famous Tea Clipper Ships.Therefore I believe that the black tea should be the theme of it.The tea leaves have the special astringent taste and the “unsmooth” but fresh smell, which made it very intriguing——for the fig/fig leaves smell are usually described as creamy and smooth.But!The combination turned out not to be a collision, but a surprisingly perfect harmony.
The lavender here, despite the dominance, has already lost the soapy and harsh traits, I presume that it was vanilla’s credit;Eventually, the whole thing has developed into a mixture of green/spice/creamy aroma, although it has the traditional aromatic structure(lavender/juniper/oakmoss), I myself consider this more as a modern artwork.
–
iren_AmokY – :
Fresh,sparkling and versatile, but also complex! I like Lothair,he gives me joy and it relaxes me. This fragrance is not heavy…opens with cardamom grapefruit red fruits and juniper..it’s really nice and lively the beginning. Each note stands out well, in the middle notes become more “spicy” and evolves in a really nice getting hotter, while maintaining its freshness (thanks to lavender and black tea). Overall it is a light fragrance, suitable for spring days, transports you making you feel in perfect union with nature. The sillage is moderate, longevity pretty good. Beautiful.
Sillage: 6.5/10
Longevity: 7/10
Scent: 8.5/10
Overall: 9/10
den—– – :
Starts with mild citrus melon and turns into a dry, but not overly dry, mild musk with vanilla. Doesn’t really smell like hay but reminds me a bit of hay. Probably related to the comfortable dryness.
It’s not very heavy and the performance hasn’t been remarkable. I applied it a few hours ago and it’s basically a skin scent now. Light and airy. Could be a nice choice for hot weather.
Nice and pleasant but not really robust enough for my tastes, especially considering the price tag.
ssd21 – :
If you love a good tea scent, try this.
It’s not overtly sexy, but I can imagine this smelling extremely appealing on a man, and equally lovely and unique on a woman. Sometimes “unisex” is more like “sexless”. This is not that.
The lavender and juniper blast is quite masculine and dry at first but once it warms up and dries down, the gorgeous black tea, magnolia and fig milk comes out, rounds it out and adds warmth and “roundness” without falling into an obviously feminine territory.
What’s lovely is that the inviting amber and musk and vanillin is very soft and doesn’t take away from the translucent, luminous quality of the whole thing. It is quiet but has presence, and lasts very well for an EDT.
gdi665speagoessenda – :
Gorgeous unique scent. As a woman I find this very wearable.
Rhillonna – :
A very wearable fruity fresh unisex scent, lifted initially with tea, softened in the middle with fig and vanilla, and warmed up ultimately with soft spicy wood. Beautifully blended and balanced, doesn’t put a foot wrong (should think not at that price).
As such, would probably bore the pants off the niche scent lover who likes a surprise, be it nice or nasty.
eva5555 – :
Once this opens up, it smells to me like a mix of L’Occitane’s Eau des Baux with a beautiful fig note added. Impressive.
IdeoloBoula – :
Penhaligon’s has quickly risen up the ranks as one of my favorite perfume houses, with Lothair being my most recent favorite. The advertisement for this fragrance promised to somehow take me back to the age of English tea clipper ships that delivered precious goods from around the world. To my delight, I seem to have stumbled upon a case of truth in advertisement. The overall sentiment I get when wearing Lothair is that of being in a dry cargo hold surrounded by a mountain of crates containing tea, lavender, vanilla bean, dried fruits, and a mixture of other delightful commodities.
On spraying, I get an incredibly strong black tea note (not brewed, but dried loose tea leaves), softened by a good dose of lavender and vanilla. Within minutes, the black tea is tamed and the vanilla gains steam along with a note that I am fairly sure is juniper. Fig is there (creamy!) but my nose seems to confuse it with some other scents…Overall it’s herbaceous, creamy, and weird in a very good way.
This is a powerful fragrance, not just in terms of sillage and lasting power but also in the general aura and feeling it carries. It’s not one easily forgotten. I think it’s perfect for fall and winter. Thanks Penhaligon’s for another favorite to love!
kowka90 – :
Here in the Southern Hemisphere we are just entering Spring. And I have found my signature for the season. This costs $270 AUD in the only retailer stocking it (Myer) but I picked up a bottle for a tad shy of $140 via strawberrynet (my first purchase) I was worried I may receive a fake based on some online reviews but I need not have worried. This is the real thing & it is incredible! The staying power is great, especially since it’s a EDT. I wear a sprizt to bed in the crook of one arm & it’s still there in the morning. I do the dishes & it still lingers afterward. Love. I may buy a second bottle to have in reserve!!
lisckov.v – :
This is an incredibly subtle warm fragrance. It took me a considerable time for me to appreciate this creation. It reminds me overall of fruit stored in a ship. The fig comes through as a prominent note. From sampling it I found there was nothing amazing. However it wears really well on the skin giving a rich warm base. Such a great mix of notes in this perfume. An enjoyable fragrance to wear for certain.
dmw280Diobtetty – :
Deep, complicated, herby, woody, and fresh.
I’m getting a blast of Middle East from this one. Rugged but refined. Manly but not heavy.
James Bond would wear this.
yulai – :
Am I really the only one who is reminded of Swiss Army on this? Lothair Penhaligon is obviously a more refined version, but I think I might prefer the brute sexiness of Swiss Army.
3,80667E+11 – :
I haven’t found a Penhaligon that I wanted to own but then again, it’s not like I’ve been on a Penhaligon scavenger hunt either. But THIS can very much change all of that. Wow, wow and wow! The reviewers below got it right. The hype is legit. For all you people out there, I’m gonna make a bold prediction: If you smell this in the atmosphere you very well will make love to a stranger. Lothair is psychedelic hedonistic pleasure. Rich and full, this is a well-balanced aromatic. It has a good mix of herbaceousness, fresh citrus and vanilla, all intense and floral. Lavender wrapped in Fig Leaves are generously layered with woods. Good everyday bubbly perfume, non aggressive but all so serviceable. Another stellar fragrance to put on your want list.
BLIND BUY WORTHY
Mix293 – :
A fantastic meeting of Jaipur Homme (cardamom, vanilla, florals and woody notes) and Philosykos (fig tree, fig leaf).
The result is a creamy, fig infused spiced vanilla fragrance.
Delicious without being gourmand, green without being razor sharp. 10+ hours longevity, perfect sillage, great signature and a head turner.
Best part, if you’re a UK resident, Penhaligon’s have 2 retail outlets (Bicester & York) – it’s not uncommon to find it there at half it’s hefty retail price.
Well done Penhaligon’s and thank you Mr Duchaufour.
gareaidessy – :
As Bertrand Duchaufour’s stock has risen in niche perfumery, so his has somewhat fallen with mine. Admittedly he set the bar extremely high with Jubilation XXV – and will be in credit for some time to come for that alone – but his more recent releases I’ve tried have been pleasant without capturing the imagination.
Lothair marks a return to form.
Save for a relatively safe, paint-by-numbers drydown, you get a memorable blend of grapefruit, cardamom, geranium, juniper, black tea, lavender and oakmoss. I can distinctly smell each and every one of these notes (a rarity), and together the effect is crisp, cool and spicy. All of this is propped up by a deliciously sweet and creamy fig that had me grinning from ear to ear.
A brief soapy phase follows (probably the cardamom) before Lothair reaches a woody/vanillic end that I wish carried more of a flourish, but it’s fine as it is. Indeed I’m inclined to be generous enough to go along with Penhaligon’s inspiration of Tea Clipper ships and their varnished decks. It’s probably just the power of suggestion, but I do pick up whiffs of something that is reminiscent of a top coat of polish.
All in all, Lothair is an excellent fragrance that is easy to recommend.
kwa517bedyWelty – :
Beautiful! very fresh and something that I would wear after a shower, or at home in the morning.
knm85 – :
A blind buy and one of those that I hit jackpot. I just read the reviews on Fragrantica, taking note of the notes, I “feel” that I should like it.
And I did like it, like it very very much. Opening of fresh citrus (not heavy) got whiff of tea milky fig scent and stay close to skin. Very very similar to another of my fav. Acqua Di Parma Fico Amalfi. If you already own Fico Amalfi, you could skip it if tight on budget.
Bottle packing is so lovely. Would love to add more Penhaligon’s to my collection.
Edit: 2 June 2015
I LOVE this. Niche vibe to the max. Resinous of spices, very outstanding scent in a crowd.
ramones32 – :
I tried this yesterday and I have to say it’s fantastic!
Yet another enigmatic, smooth, complex yet effortlessly simple creation from Penhaligon’s.
Lothair starts out with fresh top notes of juniper and fig, juicy and watery but then more herbal lavender strong, dry, woody notes, tea and oakmoss.
Slightly soapy spice of cardamom in there too it’s typical Penhaligon’s really, understated and elegant but in no way lightweight, Lothair to me comes off quite masculine.
Does suffer a little from the usual penhaligon’s issue, Longevity! It’s not great but totally acceptable because the fragrance is good…another winner from the house.
Update: I’d just like to add that upon wearing some samples a couple of times now I’m glad I didn’t buy a full bottle. Nothing wrong with it at all, it’s all the things I expect from Pengaligons and largely what I said above, with the exception of quite a lot of cedar present throughout and I’m not sure it’s as masculine as I first thought? I’m glad I opted for Levantium in the end, and I really don’t get comparisons to Aberdeen lavender? Still alright though.
khersonec – :
Beautiful & complex take on lavender & tonka bean with superb longevity.
An absolute masterpiece of good perfumery.
Well Done Penhaligon’s!
Thumbs up!
slyubaev – :
Got a chance to try this new trio in Covent Garden and I definitely liked this one best.
Lothair opens with a nice green citrus, but quickly settles with a relaxing fig note.
It’s a very comfy green scent for a while, neither sharp nor crisp, with very soft floral nuances. As it wears longer however a sweetness comes forward, which actually comes across more like tonka than vanilla, as it has a mildly powdery hint to it – perhaps working in combination with the oakmoss and geranium.
It’s fairly rich despite being green and chilled out, smelling quite round and well developed. It never smells typical though, this isn’t a kind of green I’ve encountered before, with it’s delicate balance of citrus and sweetness. If I had sniffed it blind I would have guessed it was from Diptyque, as it’s very natural smelling and warm but transparent at the same time. A very nice offering indeed, I would recommend it for those who like English Fern by the same house or to those who like Infusion d’Iris, Philosykos or Chanel No 19 if they’re looking for something slightly fuller and warmer but still green and understated.