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romariys12 – :
I have worn my sample twice (sample from the Aedes website) and I am getting a totally different experience with this beautiful DOROTHEA. Not quite ruthless but rather sweet and devilishly delectable. Without checking the notes, I applied and sniffed my wrist … why am I getting a sweet chocolatey-orange liqueur? I decided to apply this gorgeous juice behind my ears and on my other wrist — oh, goodness! The citrus is luscious and thickened by the vanilla, cinnamon and beeswax but it never gets heavy. Besides being the addictive nectar that it is, this one leaves a delightful scent on your skin way beyond the 8 hour mark.
Aerohoplenerinfr – :
This smells EXACTLY like Unknown Pleasures by the House of Kerosene. So much so that I don’t need a bottle of this, I already have Unknown Pleasures. The scent is amazing, but with Kerosene you get a better value for a huge 100ml bottle.
nujnaya3 – :
This is one of my most anticipated fragrance tries of this year, and by the time I finally got my sample I had read and re-read all the reviews below. You’ll see that my impressions mirror or repeat what has already been said before.
My verdict:
it’s definitely interesting and well done, the notes are clearly discernible (especially the invigorating ginger and the white wine) yet the overall effect is seamless and harmonious.
On the first ten minutes the beeswax really strikes me, it smells like a beekeper laboratory, then it fades down to a sweet solid base that resembles a cake with some lemon tea and an interesting salty side.
I can’t help but think of a toddler who’s just chewed some cookies and smeared its fatty cheeks with cookie crumbles.
Or, of my favourite dessert, which is cookies or pastries dipped in sweet wine like Porto or Sherry.
Pleasant, with reasonable longevity and not too much sillage, not on me at least.
Anyway, as in many Penhaligon’s fragrances, I can find a very similar fragrance in the injustly underestimated Equinox Bloom, which is again inspired by tea-time pastries and, again, offers a sweet and tart scent of gourmand quality.
And, of the two, I prefer Equinox Bloom, not just for the more reasonable price, but because it has more personality, it feels younger, more energetic and more daring whereas Dorothea comes out as its demure, poised older aunt.
carpinteyrouqy – :
I think I’d love this as a home fragrance – it’s a few degrees too sweet for me to personally want to wear (I’ve been enjoying wearing the sample out, but at £185 for the full size anything less than a perfect fit would be a mistake) but I think it’d be a really lovely, inviting and warm scent for a candle, or as a mist to make fresh bedlinen feel even cozier in the winter.
It is a really masterful and unique scent though – all the notes they claim to be there are distinctly noticeable, and it definitely changes throughout the day: initially a huge wave of spices, especially the tingly ginger-lime note, before the sage and sweet beeswax and boozy cashmeran skin scent (though the ginger and sage are detectable in the skin scent too – there’s definitely ginger from start to finish, although it settles from the really sharp, hot (kind of a ‘thai curry’) smell with the lime at the start into a sweeter gingerbread later on.
It’s definitely very special and interesting – I honestly wish that either it fit me a little more, so I could justify saving up for a bottle as a signature scent rather than simply because it interests me, or that they would release more products with this fragrance – I’d happily spend around £40 on a candle that could fill my home with this bewitching scent for hours on end.
NAUMOV – :
Tested this one from a dab on sample and smelled it the next morning. Supreme longevity for such a mild and delicate fragrance. Easily unisex and the prices have dropped significantly so I would assume that more people are purchasing it now. The beeswax and spicy notes are very easy to detect which makes this gourmand but not over the top. Due to it’s mildness it can be worn year round and just about any occasion.
vasya1986 – :
I thought I would like it before I went to the store and smelled but in fact I don’t. To be accurate I dislike it. Countess Dorothea is the mother of Lord George and indeed she smells like a decisive wise old lady. It is definitely not for young girl.
Russianman – :
I have to agree with another reviewer- the sweet and savoury aspect of this fragrance is really unique. As it dries, The Ruthless Countess brings to mind a satisfying aperitif- it’s all honeyed vanilla and lightly spiced fruits.
alim1982 – :
I have only a dab sample. Oh how I wish I could spray it!!! {mental note; in future where possible get samples which spray}
Anyhow, clary sage and bergamot are a couple of my fave smells, and this scent contains both. Not in spades, mind you, but still present.
This scent,is soft, suitable for the Office or a Summer Garden Party/ Wedding. This perfume is going on my’ must try in spray form list’
ujh706elipseskism – :
Dorothea is really nice (and sweet and totally the opposite of cruel) but looking for a reason to justfiy the price tag…hopefully I can substitute, currently marketed at 260 , there must be something out there at a realistic price?
Alekc2012 – :
Sweetness is the dominating theme of this perfume. It’s not cocoa, vanilla type of gourmand sweetness but reminds me of the brown sugar sweetness in Equinox Bloom with a mild ginger oil and very light lime around the edges. It did not seem beeswaxy or winey or herbal unless it’s around the edges.It’s pretty good but I’m not sure it’s complete. I would like there to be some more evolution beyond the sweetness. I only tested one spray on my hand so I will need to spray on my pulse points next time to get a better picture. It is rather unique since I have not encountered this type of sweetness before.
Dimas24 – :
Sweet, Caramel, Toffee .. those were initial thoughts.
Its not the suffocating sweet perfume. On the contrary, sweet in a mild why. Might be because of the Ginger and Lime.
I think what makes this perfume a success, moderation. Notes do not overwhelme each other. They work together.
The perfume is more on the feminine side.
dimas29rus – :
IMPRESSIVE! CAPTIVATING!
Ginger, white wine, cinnamon, honey, mate, and hints of sage. The lime is supporting the white wine somehow to give that sour boosting as the ginger helps with that sharpness effect. I believe there is vetiver as well, not the dirty but the mild.
This is very captivating! As i never thought that Penhaligon’s would ever going to impress me anymore! and i was wrong, dead wrong! this is quite solid, and very unique!
Edit (3rd Jan 2018) This is like lemon lime tart with mild sweetness and tasteful sourness. Very interesting.
Inok – :
This one gets majorly love from me. It’s so meticulously blended that it becomes this hardcore ‘indescribable’ scent. A term I reserve for those that truly perplex me. Ginger, I guess, is truly the most detectable note although they all really are.
This one is something that is made up mainly of accords, rather than individual notes that can be closely and intimately detected.
Calvini actually describes it pretty perfectly. Except, I’d change the ‘not bad’ to ‘bloody excellent’
coocs – :
This is a gem! Very unique scent .
master97 – :
The combination of notes creates a strange sweet-savory—part Christmas pastry, part Indian cuisine—spice concoction. Not bad.