Sartorial is a contemporary interpretation of a classic Fougère; the traditional notes of oakmoss, tonka bean and lavender have been exquisitely stitched together with woods, ozonic and metallic effects, leather, violet leaf, honey and spices to create the perfect illusion of a tailor’s workroom. The modern thread running through Sartorial is beeswax; echoing the blocks of wax each thread is run across before stitching. This sweet smudged note ties together the more traditional elements; the oiled flash of shears cutting cloth, the rub of fabric beneath fingers, tobacco tinted cabinetry, puffs of chalk in the air and old paper patterns vanilla with age (from Penhaligon’s website).
Head Notes:
Aldehydes, Ozonic Effect, Metallic Effect, Violet Leaf, Neroli, Cardamom, Black Pepper, Fresh Ginger
Heart Notes:
Beeswax, Cyclamen, Linden Blossom, Lavender, Leather
Base Notes:
Gurgum Wood, Patchouli, Myrrh, Cedarwood, Tonka Bean, Oakmoss, White Musk, Honey Effect, Old Wood Effect, Vanilla, Amber
Sartorial (2010) is one of Penhaligon’s newer fragrances for men (despite their lack of gender specific branding, I think this is definitely aimed at males) and aims to conjure up an olfactory image of a tailor’s workroom. At first, it’s very fresh and gleams rather metallically (neroli commonly adds a metallic note) but this soon calms down, thanks to a carefully blended mixture of lavender, violet leaf and a hint of black pepper (although this is by no means a peppery or spicy scent).
During it’s middle phase, it smells more akin to a barber’s shop as opposed to a tailor’s workroom – slightly soapy, rather like some of the shaving balms that old fashioned barbers apply after a cut throat razor shave, although there are still nods to it’s sartorial background, beeswax being one of the most prominent. Why beeswax, you might ask? Good one. Beeswax is commonly used to coat sewing thread, in order to reduce tangling and knotting. Leather and vanilla also play their part, making the dry down a real Proustian journey of images (although not memories). Silage (how it trails behind you, for those who don’t know) is rather good, as is longevity - If you apply it correctly (pulse points, back of the neck etc) then you should get a good six or seven hours out of it, but it depends on your own body chemistry.
So, what do I think? Glad you asked me that. Well, Sartorial is at heart a standard fougère fragrance, but a delightful one. The individual ingredients are nicely reminiscent of a tailor’s fitting room, although the scent as a whole, understandably doesn’t smell much like a Saville Row workshop. What I do like is that it is different enough from other fougère fragrances (think Paco Rabanne Pour Homme) to make it stand out. I was able to choose a perfume out of the 34 available to me (and trust me, Penhaligon’s scent library is full of exquisite choices) and chose Sartorial over all the others.
Who would wear it? Hmm. It’s not quite one for a “Burlington Bertie”, as such a character would choose something far more ostentatious (interestingly enough, I picked this up at Penhaligon’s in Burlington Arcade, off Piccadilly), but it’s certainly one for a ‘gentleman’. Since I’ve owned it, I worn it has been a reliable partner in court (for the day job), to the opera, the ballet and two Proms concerts. On at least three of those occasions, I’m happy to say it has been remarked upon and in a most complimentary fashion too. Interestingly enough, the tailor’s workroom they refer to is that of Norton & Sons of Saville Row, whose shirt can be seen in the photograph above.
Sartorial reminds me of the age of Edwardian elegance, a period of reflection between the grandiose pomp of Victoriana, before the political and social turbulence of the First World War. A time where great minds flourished; Somerset Maugham, Edward Elgar and George Bernard Shaw spring to mind. A time of great political orators - Britain has not since known leaders of the calibre or Lloyd-George or Joseph Chamberlain. It was a time defined by endless afternoons in the garden, underneath a sun which never set upon the British Empire.
Disclaimer: A gentleman must always disclose - Sartorial was one of two scents provided to me gratis by Penhaligons after a fragrance profiling session. Rest assured, this did not impact upon the review. Veritas omnia vincit.
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