Penhaligon’s Lothair
Inspired by the famous Tea Clipper Ships that navigated the globe to bring exotic wares to British shores, Lothair opens with the salty tang of grapefruit and juniper, and a brilliant green sensation from fig leaf. The smoky heart of black tea is softened by fig milk and magnolia, sailing into an ambergris, cedar and wenge woods base, reminiscent of the varnished decks of these elegant ships.
Notes
Head Notes: Red Berries, Juniper Berry, Cardamom, Bergamot, Grapefruit, Fig Leaf
Heart Notes: Fig Milk, Lavender, Magnolia, Geranium, Black Tea
Base Notes: Vanilla, Musks, Cedarwood, Ambergris, Wenge, Oakmoss
Perfumer: Bertrand Duchaufour
My Thoughts
I am a huge fan of the Penhaligon’s ‘Trade Routes Collection’, As Sawira is one of my all-time favourite perfumes and Empressa is one of the prettiest perfumes I have ever smelt, filled with dusty florals, soft roses and silk accords. Each one is inspired by major ports of the world and the goods they imported and exported. I have had Penhaligon’s Lothair on my wish list for a while now, it takes it’s inspiration from tea ships which bought the precious tea leaves to our shores. Lothair is a complex fragrance and whilst it is inspired by tea, it doesn’t have the strong earl grey or black tea accords which you might expect, instead it is more awash with green notes, herbs, spices and berries for fruit teas. It opens with a freshness of citrus and berries along with a wonderful green hit of fresh fig. The heart also contains fig, along with florals such a geranium and lavender as well as dark, smoky black tea. At the base of the fragrance, there is sensual vanilla, musk, oakmoss and cedarwood. Throughout the fragrance you find trails of soft spices mixing into the fragrance along with slight aquatic notes. I love Lothair for it’s fresh green notes mixed with slightly translucent citrus, smoky tea and florals, it doesn’t have quite the same intensity of As Sawira, but it’s definitely got a good punch to it. I’m obsessed with fig-based perfumes, but this one is super special as it is so much more complex and sophisticated then most. I really hope in the future they release it as a candle and a body and body collection, as I want to experience it in so many more capacities than just a personal fragrance. Love it!
Penhaligon’s Lothair is available from Penhaligon’s, Selfridges and Feel Unique.
