British Tales

Sartorial 2010

Sartorial by Penhaligon's
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8.0 / 10 695 Ratings
A popular perfume by Penhaligon's for men, released in 2010. The scent is spicy-woody. It is still in production.
Pronunciation
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Main accords

Spicy
Woody
Fougère
Fresh
Sweet

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes Top Notes
CardamomCardamom Metallic notesMetallic notes AldehydesAldehydes Black pepperBlack pepper GingerGinger Ozonic notesOzonic notes Violet leafViolet leaf NeroliNeroli
Heart Notes Heart Notes
LavenderLavender BeeswaxBeeswax CyclamenCyclamen LeatherLeather Linden blossomLinden blossom
Base Notes Base Notes
HoneyHoney AmberAmber CedarwoodCedarwood MyrrhMyrrh OakmossOakmoss PatchouliPatchouli Tonka beanTonka bean VanillaVanilla White muskWhite musk WoodsWoods Gurjum wood

Perfumer

Videos
Ratings
Scent
8.0695 Ratings
Longevity
7.6545 Ratings
Sillage
6.9538 Ratings
Bottle
8.2512 Ratings
Value for money
7.3202 Ratings
Submitted by DeGe53, last update on 07/28/2025.
Interesting Facts
The fragrance is part of the "British Tales" collection.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to
Moonstone Bleu by French Avenue
Moonstone Bleu
Brut (Eau de Toilette) by Brut (Unilever)
Brut Eau de Toilette
Invasion Barbare by Parfums MDCI
Invasion Barbare
Naxos by Xerjoff
Naxos
Bogart pour Homme (Eau de Toilette) by Jacques Bogart
Bogart pour Homme Eau de Toilette
1725 by Histoires de Parfums
1725

Reviews

23 in-depth fragrance descriptions
jtd

484 Reviews
jtd
jtd
Top Review 10  
pretentious review of an affected fragrance
Sartorial demonstrates the difficulty of story-telling in perfume. Penhaligon’s own press, and a number of reviews popose that Sartorial paints a picture of the British bespoke tailor’s shop in the 21st century. Take apart a well know reference, reinterpret it with a contemporary smirk, change the context---classic postmodernism. The equation of tailor’s shop with fougère is understandable. The late 19th century was the era of the fern and the Victorian gentleman’s tailor. Then to fuse the fougère with scents one might find in a tailor’s workroom is a more tenuous step. To my mind the story of the tailor’s shop is a bit of schtick. It also serves to create an expectation that can’t help but be frustrated.

Perfume can conjure and it can evoke, two words I’ve read about Sartorial. But it simply can’t tell over the lengths of paragraphs the same narrative to each person who wears it. Truthfully, marketing department, full paragraphs aren’t needed. In this case the fiction is told with very few words. Simply to mention a British bespoke tailor’s shop ties together fantasy, aspiration and fetish in a few short words. But then to tell us about the cloth, the cabinetry, the wax, the thread… Oy gevalt. It’s like Ralph Lauren / GQ porn from the 1980s.

All the above would matter less if the fragrance told me its own actual story, or took me a on bit of a journey. But I find Sartorial an unpleasant fragrance. The starch-and-steam-iron-like note up top can be an attempt to elicit the image of a steam iron in use, but it smells out of place and metallically flat in its floral/spicy setting. As Sartorial progresses the sweet overlap of notes of patchouli, waxy honey, and caramelized lavender (all long-lasting) turn it into a bland gourmand-like fragrance. Pardon my blunt, rather lacking description, but I don’t get much more from Sartorial. I’m a great fan of Bertrand Duchaufour, but to me, Sartorial is the latest cut of the emperor’s clothes.

The fragrances of Etat Libre d’Orange share the conceit of fantasy-narrative, but their approach of story or hint of portraiture are more successful than Sartorial’s full-blown Victorian fantasy. (To be fair, ELdO’s laughably pretentious, simply bad text is far worse than Penhaligon’s here. Enough so that maybe it’s easier to dismiss.) But Tom of Finland gives you a loaded, iconic image and a fragrance. Rossy de Palma gives you an actor and a fragrance. The rest is up to you and the perfume.

Please measure the above with the fact that the fantasy that Sartorial wants to give you, that of a 21st century world of people who frequent tailors, has no appeal for me. Maybe if it did I might enjoy Sartorial. Who knows?
1 Comment
MasterLi

375 Reviews
MasterLi
MasterLi
Very helpful Review 5  
Clean and beautifully made...
This is a fragrance which I have no problem loving. As soon as I smelled it I realised it pleased me. For me it's honey and beeswax and lavender, surrounded by green herbs and mossy woods. A very grown up, very "gentleman" like fragrance.

This one gives me the impression of being clean and groomed, like trying on a brand new suit in a shop, which I guess was the intention, given the brief and description of the fragrance (ie that it should smell like a tailor's workshop). I would happily wear this formally. I find nothing wrong with it whatsoever in terms of style and character. It gives me a good feeling to wear. The feeling it gives is gender neutral. Just a lovely, impressive aroma of brand new fabric and of wearing nice clothes. I do find it would suit a well dressed man perfectly, but a woman could pull this off too.

Some people say the smell is old fashioned. I don't. I think it's quite modern. The use of aromachemicals here is very cleverly done, and by a very talented perfumer (Bertrand Duchaufour). I would recommend this one to gentlemen for formal wear, and for anyone who not only likes to be well dressed, but who would like to smell like that too. Very well made. Impressive.
0 Comments
5
Bottle
5
Sillage
7.5
Longevity
10
Scent
Miaw2

339 Reviews
Miaw2
Miaw2
Helpful Review 4  
Outstanding!
At first i didnt like Sartorial. But after wearing it some times now i do love this scent because it shows newer facets while i wear it.

Very complex and well balanced, i smell different notes each time i wear it, and always with a decent level of sweetness.

Smells old and modern at the same time, this one of my most loved scents ever.

It has a nice barbershop vibe that makes it very masculine.

Longevity, lasting power and sillage are medium-high.

If you like Rive Gauche, you'll enjoy Sartorial. If you like Brut, you'll fall in love for Sartorial.

Updated January 2014
0 Comments
9
Bottle
8
Sillage
8
Longevity
8.5
Scent
Smora

155 Reviews
Smora
Smora
Very helpful Review 5  
Brut-ish Gentleman
Scentrack
Variety Lab – London in the Rain

When I visited tailor workshop for the first time I was totally shocked by its spectrum of smells. Metal, textile, wax, steam... Very unique smell. Master Duchaufour perfectly translated it into perfume.
Sartorial is complicated and masculine scent that reminds of Brut. But it takes the best of Brut and amplify it on the whole new level. Interplay of notes is incredible, unreal and so incompatible and cacophony expected, but eventually perfectly mashed. Metallic notes, aldehydes, wax, honey, Proustian linden blossom, lavender, flowers... perfection.
Fantastic, formal, masculine, regal, dignified, well mannered. The essence of Britain. A work of a genius.

Rating: 8.5/10

More on Scentimental Words
0 Comments
7.5
Bottle
5
Sillage
5
Longevity
6
Scent
Drseid

821 Reviews
Drseid
Drseid
Helpful Review 4  
Penhaligon's Best, But Only Just Good Enough...
A mild thumbs up from me for Sartorial. I like its opening that really is a nice aromatic blend of citrus and spice, but then the scent calms down to a kind of barbershop fresh vibe at its heart that stays for the rest of its duration that I feel like I have smelled before. A well done scent to be sure, but a somewhat sub-par effort from a great nose like Duchaufour who has created so many truly outstanding scents. From almost anyone else I might call myself impressed with the results. 3 to 3.5 stars out of 5.
0 Comments
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Statements

25 short views on the fragrance
HajuvanaHajuvana 9 years ago
A post-structuralist take on the early 20th century fougère. Brilliant stuff!
0 Comments
GianScent83GianScent83 2 years ago
9
Bottle
7
Sillage
7
Longevity
9
Scent
This is a must have in every man's collection.Elegant, not intrusive, it conveys a sensation of cleanliness, refinement and confidence
0 Comments
Lfc1892Lfc1892 3 years ago
6.5
Scent
Great opening. But dries down to something a little too generic for me.
0 Comments
LourencoreisLourencoreis 8 months ago
10
Bottle
7
Sillage
7
Longevity
10
Scent
The art of tailoring translated on a 100ml bottle! A well blended scent for a well tailored suit! Modern fougere done for a classic men!
0 Comments
BertolucciKBertolucciK 5 years ago
8
Bottle
7
Sillage
8
Longevity
7.5
Scent
Very manly scent, a barbershop that starts fresh and metallic. The lavender and the patchouli are well blended. But it is too earthy for me.
0 Comments
Q8baggioQ8baggio 9 years ago
10
Bottle
8
Sillage
7
Longevity
8
Scent
A classic yet modern..sweet and spicy..a perfect Gentleman scent.
0 Comments
ScottMcArronScottMcArron 1 year ago
Douchaufour is a genius. I love the warm, spicy, beeswaxy, metallic-ness of this. BUT it’s a skin scent. 2-inch projection. Kills it for me.
0 Comments
GreMuserGreMuser 4 years ago
9
Bottle
7
Sillage
7
Longevity
8
Scent
A freshly ironed white shirt, steam of the iron mixed with lavender, wax and honey. It's pure classy and very unisex to me. Not for kids ;)
0 Comments
HejaHeja 10 years ago
10
Bottle
8
Scent
If there is a very masculine scent, this would be it. Even though I like the uniqueness, it's hard to find a good occasion to wear it.
0 Comments
KyanitoKyanito 8 months ago
8
Bottle
6
Sillage
5
Longevity
8
Scent
Loved the warm lavender-honey drydown, but my nose keeps lamenting its aldehyde notes, so this one's a skip after a few stubborn attempts.
0 Comments
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