Bottle Design:
Marc Ange, Illustration: Kristjana S Williams

See Prices

More

We may earn a commission when you buy from links on our site, including the eBay Partner Network and Amazon.

Portraits

The Blazing Mister Sam Penhaligon's 2018

8.2 / 10 616 Ratings

A popular perfume by Penhaligon's for men, released in 2018. The scent is spicy-sweet. It is being marketed by Puig.
Pronunciation Compare

More

We may earn a commission when you buy from links on our site, including the eBay Partner Network and Amazon.

Main accords

Spicy

Sweet

Woody

Oriental

Resinous

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Cardamom

Cinnamon

Heart Notes

Saffron

Black pepper Cumin

Cumin

Base Notes

Vanilla

Cedarwood

Tobacco

Patchouli

Perfumer

Christophe Raynaud

Ratings

Scent

8.2616 Ratings

Longevity

7.6532 Ratings

Sillage

7.4530 Ratings

Bottle

9.0541 Ratings

Value for money

6.6418 Ratings

Submitted by Cincy, last update on 10/27/2025.

Interesting Facts

The fragrance is part of the Portraits collection.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to

Halfeti

Papilefiko

Oud Malaki

Reserved Black Cedar

Apex

Gris Charnel Eau de Parfum

Reviews

27 in-depth fragrance descriptions

05/16/2024

10Scent 7Longevity 7Sillage

Shuun
4 Reviews

Shuun

Helpful Review 3

When I grow up I wanna be like Mr Sam

Definitely a perfect fragrance to start your journey in the niche/luxury world. One of the least “British style” of the Portrait’s collection. I feel like the story telling (go check it out if you’re interested, it’s a marketing masterpiece) is spot on. Fresh and warm spicy goodness. Tobacco and vanilla. Patchouli (wet wood) and cedar wood (dry wood). Mr Sam really is a fragrance of contrasts with a double personality. I won’t get in too much detail, but a barista chased me down the street at night to ask me the name of this fragrance. Then, it happened again with a girl in university. And then it happened again. It’s truly “blazing”. Not a masterpiece, it’s a people pleaser, Parfums de Marly style. I’ll always be grateful for the confidence boost it gave me when I was feeling down and for the great conversation starting power it had when people smelled it on me. My first niche/luxury purchase ever, thank you for the memories. When I grow up, I wanna be like Mr Sam.

06/06/2024

9Scent 8Longevity 7Sillage

7aywan
4 Reviews

7aywan

Helpful Review 4

Blazing?

To me, this fragrance is very... round? Does that make any sense? Looking through the notes, you see tobacco, cardamom, black pepper, saffron, cinnamon... it looks like it could be a beast, punchy, and sharp. It isnt. It is so pleasantly rounded. The blend is smooth, and it is so easily wearable and enjoyable to all.
My fiance doesn't enjoy smelling smokey and tobacco-ish scents on me, but this is her favourite fragrance on me. Because it is so wonderfully comforting. As time goes on, it becomes sweeter, and the spices begin to fade. The opening hour to my nose is filled with cardamom, tobacco and a little bit of vanilla and cinnamon. Its a very inviting and inoffensive scent. Projection is pretty good, and fades to a skin scent in around 2-3 hours for me. But i almost feel as if it being an intimate scent is appropriate. It feels like an elegant, more so masculine scent.
I cant see anyone disliking it! im a fan!!

10/29/2023

9Scent

ScentStudio
156 Reviews

ScentStudio

Helpful Review 2

Finally a fragrance from the portraits set that I absolutely adore!

First of, I have learned not to be too excited about the notes in Penhaligon's before trying them (*cough* Changing Constance), however, Mr Sam is promising something very nice! Hot and cold spices, patchouli and creamy cedar... I might even hope that I can try it on skin, but alas, we've been here before...

Just seeing the notes of cardamom, cinnamon, saffron and vanilla makes my mouth water.
So, Mr Sam, on paper... Yes, yes, absolutely yes! Warm and sweet. Masculine, but not far from unisex. After dry down Mr Sam... Dries down! The fragrance is less sweet and more of a spicy, dry perfume. Still very warm and ambery - I absolutely adore it!

Honestly, I cannot stop smelling it. I've been through a couple Penhaligon's fragrances now that I really dislike and my nose finally feels at ease! It is perfect for this season, the spicy cardamom and cinnamon allude to walking down cobblestone streets during Christmas. It is cold, the air is crisp and the small booths filled with Christmas delights like roasted almond fill the air with wonderful spices.

05/20/2022

9Scent 7Longevity 7Sillage

Razvanyke
215 Reviews

Razvanyke

Helpful Review 2

I think we met before, mister

You know that nice feeling which we have sometimes for a few minutes when something seems familiar to us but we do not know from where and what is it?

This is how Mr. Sam started the acquaintance with me, leaving me confused for a few minutes .. but then, I realized that we met before, in another context - I will explain.

Penhaligon´s, which is a company owned by PUIG is one that can be called many names but for sure not boring or bland -> they have the lovely portraits collection with esquisite bottles, they have the history and they have an interactive website which can take you to the history of the brand.

Mr. Sam here is the twin brother of Halfeti, also created by Penhaligons under the crafted hand of Mr. Provenzano, I would not wonder if Mr. Sam is also his creation, even if the perfumer´s name is not present here nor on Fragrantica.

If you know and like the spicy character of Halfeti, with its notes - then Mr. Sam is the same, and if you do not know them, I can tell you that they start very strong with cardamom and almost cake like cinnamon, followed by a peppery feel and then they follow into a goodness of sandalwood with aromatic notes.

And the longevity is better on Halfeti, for some reason. Enjoy my long video :) !

06/02/2024

10Scent 8Longevity 8Sillage

Scrubhelmet
10 Reviews

Scrubhelmet

Helpful Review 1

Fougere with hints of vanilla, tobacco, and oud

A green spicy fougere, almost aromatic, is the frontman of this scent, with a backdrop of vanilla sweetness, and inoffensive drop of tobacco and oud. After the projection fades, only vanilla remains on skin. Sillage and longevity are above average. Like other Penhaligon's fragrances, this is super wearable.

I don't love it but close enough. I might gift this to my father.

More reviews