Fortuitous Finley Penhaligon's 2025

I always get confused by the names of these Penhaligon’s bottles. It’s a horses head, what the heck was its name again? At least Zoologist has got their animal names straight.

Aaaaaanyway we’re not here to talk about the name of a freaking perfume are we? We want to know what it smells like. And you wouldn’t believe it but it smells pretty darn nice. First time I saw this bottle in the store it was brand new. Sprayed it on a paper strip and left it in the car. It smelled so nice, definitely flowers but none of that rose, jasmine or lavender you’ve smelled 1000 times before. Definitely unique and not per se feminine, as a matter of fact I find it leaning masculine.

In my car this smell was pretty straightforward, but now I’ve tested it on skin a couple of times and it’s a different story. The flowery bit stays for a good part of the starting phase. But it retreats a bit after that and what stays is a very creamy woody base that’s not bad either. I don’t know if you know the smell of this cod liver oil ointment, but it reminds me a bit of it. And it gives me this feeling of being nurtured.

I’ve gotten quite a good performance out of it. I could smell it myself pretty good even after 8 to 10 hours. As such I’d say it’s a great perfume for relaxing, lazy weekends, but it would definitely work in the office as well.

This latest addition to the Penhaligon's Portraits line was a Fortnum & Mason exclusive for only a week, but was thankfully released officially by Penhaligon's on April 1st, 2025.

From the moment I tried it on paper for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised by its fresh, green notes of matcha and cardamom and the subtle pistachio, balanced by calm earthiness from the black pepper. During the drydown I noticed the saltiness from the pistachio coming out more, almost like a marine oceanic note, and the subtle suede leather note becoming stronger. The gourmand note from the pistachio could also be interpreted as ice cream or coconut.

When I tried this on skin the same note progression as above resulted. Overall though, since the leather is not dominant, this perfume can appeal to both genders. Never trust anyone who says that a Penhaligon's scent is "masculine" as most scents that this brand releases are intended as unisex scents.
Considering the overwhelming amount of sticky sweet, overtly gourmand cake pistachios that have been released in 2024 (looking at you, Theodoros Kalotinis Pistachio Latte), this perfume is fairly unique as a fresh, balanced gourmand.

Others have noted with concern that the projection or longevity is not great. For me personally, I get at least 4-5 hours on skin with a moderate sillage.

The overall impression is nothing you would get from Finley the stable boy. Nothing at all that is dusty, oudy or animalic. Luckily for me, I did not have to hold onto my 5 ml decant for long. I found a bargain on a new bottle on Vinted and added it to my collection!

i love this fragrance its the one and only pistacho for men and that isnt tryna be an amalfi coast pistachio cream liqeur or pistachio ice cream down your local kaspas

its a great pistachio and airy green tea fragrance thats daily but coulr also be for a casual summer night

truly isnt much like it and its the only penhaligons i like… true hidden gem for guys 18 and above 10/10 would recommend…..

My fiancé doesn't know it yet, but this will be his wedding cologne. To my nose, this is actually a gourmand, spring-friendly men's fragrance (though could lean unisex). The pistachio, violet leaf, and salt shine here, being the three most prominent notes that made me go "WOW". I have never smelled anything like this before in a mens cologne, and it is addictive. Pretty long lasting with moderate sillage. I don't get the leather in this (as I normally don't like leather), but I do get the tea and cardamom, though both take a backseat to the three earlier mentions. Super unique and versatile. Let's hope he likes it too!

Penhaligon’s once again does what the house does best - it creates a fragrance with history, character, and British charm. Fortuitous Finley sounds noble and understated, like a true gentleman in a pristine suit.

For me, it is clearly a masculine scent. It speaks of inner strength without any aggression: cleanly composed woody and spicy accents, a slightly bitter freshness, a hint of leather, and velvety depth. The composition is strict, controlled, but not without a certain irony - as if the fragrance is smiling at you with a wink under an English hat.

On my skin, it unfolds dry, almost crispy, without any excessive sweetness. It is not a universal scent - it demands a certain style, a mood, a personality. But therein lies its character.

For lovers of distinctly masculine notes and perfumery intelligence: definitely worth trying.