The Impudent Cousin Matthew by Penhaligon's
Bottle Design:
Marc Ange, Illustration: Kristjana S Williams
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The Impudent Cousin Matthew 2019

7.8 / 10 135 Ratings
A popular perfume by Penhaligon's for men, released in 2019. The scent is citrusy-fresh. It was last marketed by Puig.
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Main accords

Citrus
Fresh
Green
Floral
Fruity

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes Top Notes
Mandarin orangeMandarin orange
Heart Notes Heart Notes
PetitgrainPetitgrain
Base Notes Base Notes
PatchouliPatchouli

Perfumer

Ratings
Scent
7.8135 Ratings
Longevity
7.0116 Ratings
Sillage
6.6119 Ratings
Bottle
9.0132 Ratings
Value for money
6.057 Ratings
Submitted by Franfan20, last update on 07/03/2024.
Interesting Facts
The fragrance was part of the collection Portraits.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to
Nero70 by Xerjoff
Nero70
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Kologne Shield of Protection
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Echt Kölnisch Wasser (Eau de Cologne) by 4711
Echt Kölnisch Wasser Eau de Cologne
Mugler Cologne by Mugler
Mugler Cologne
Best Citrus Ever by The Dua Brand
Best Citrus Ever

Reviews

5 in-depth fragrance descriptions
LuvScnts

5 Reviews
LuvScnts
LuvScnts
1  
Simple, yet classy.
The Impudent Cousin Matthew has similar characteristics to Castile, another great fragrance from Penhaligon’s. To me, Cousin Matthew is a more refined version of Castile. If Castile were a signature scent worn day to day, Cousin Matthew would be its equivalent for formal situations. It’s less soapy and a little more citrusy than Castile, though not sharp or abrasive whatsoever. Both are linear, clean fragrances that are quite appealing and pleasant. For the price, one can do better in my opinion, especially if looking for a fragrance that’s unique and “stands out”. The current price for 75ml of Cousin Matthew is $310 USD, up $15 from several months ago, while the price for 100ml of Castile has jumped $5 USD to $170 USD. If you can find them for roughly 50% off, then they’re worth it. Otherwise, keep looking.
0 Comments
Parma

277 Reviews
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Parma
Parma
Top Review 35  
Soft aromatic, non-spritz Cologne
A Cologne. Smooth. Aromatic. Flattering. High-quality. Fresh. But not spritz! Reminds me of Guerlain's Cologne du Parfumeur, Givenchy's Gentlemen Givenchy Cologne, and Acqua di Parma's Colonia. Perhaps a blend of these. Both in terms of fragrance characteristics and modernity. And with charm. Compared to the mentioned ones, however, it leans more towards the somewhat reserved, English style.

The individual components are so closely intertwined that I can’t identify any clearly. There is a muted, soft citrus note (mandarin is much clearer in many fragrances), embedded in an aromatic-creamy, slightly powdery spiciness with nuances of barbershop and soap. This note strongly reminds me of Colonia, but feels a bit more modern. A very slight edge is given by a subtly green-bitter touch that really only works on a subconscious level. There is probably also something like rosemary (which would speak for the slight soapiness) included. A small dose of lavender is also conceivable. Patchouli is not recognizable to me; the tone is too little earthy and woody for that. If anything, it is a smoothed-out and very soft variant. I would rather place it towards a non-sweet, slightly powdery tonka bean. Perhaps with a splash of vetiver and probably a creamy-mossy base that blends everything together (without having a musky tone in the nose).
It is possible that the slightly green-bitter, soft aromatic-creamy-soapy spiciness arises completely from the indicated petitgrain.

Overall, the scent feels very rounded, soft, well-groomed, and pleasant. The high-quality ingredients do not develop even a hint of unpleasant aroma chemistry on the test strip over weeks. The fragrance remains consistently dense and compact. The longevity on the skin is unusually high for a cologne, with about 8 hours of good perceptibility. Wearable in any situation and absolutely unisex.

Cologne lovers will find here a non-spritz, soft aromatic edition that moderately modernizes its classic structure. An absolute recommendation for testing.

Addendum from 14.04.:
The "Remix Cologne Anniversary Edition" by 4711 (tested today) is also a good reference scent. The Cologne is a bit more neroli and thus feels a touch more classic. It has a slightly floral component that is missing in Penhaligon's and feels a bit more orange-fruity. Additionally, the 4711 is quite spritz in the fruity note. Otherwise, they are very similar, although the English one lasts significantly longer and appears a bit more high-quality.
19 Comments
Floyd

570 Reviews
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Floyd
Floyd
Top Review 32  
The Problem with Matthew, Time, and the Pressure Pain
"I immediately noticed, this is a pressure pain when you press it." (Lothar Matthäus)
There are truths in life that hardly lack a certain logic. This is often similar with seemingly simply constructed fragrances, like those from the Portraits series: You get what it says on the label, and you can clearly identify the individual components. "I always liked simple songs," I quoted John Lennon for "Radcliff" from the same series. This also partially applies to "Matthew," but when it comes to the logic and recognizability in the composition of the components, and especially its endurance, it somehow fails to truly convince me. It doesn't really touch me. "The problem with Matthew seems to be just a problem of place and time [...]," begins the official characterization at Penhaligon's. I would reduce the sentence to: "The problem with Matthew is time."
The opening is furious. The duet of mandarin and petitgrain is delightful; here, the leaves, twigs, and unripe fruits of the bitter orange seem to be dominant, while the mandarin adds at best a hint of lemon pulp, and the whole thing feels creamy. It's British and noble and indeed a bit youthful nonchalant. Within the first hour, this initially strong citrus impression in terms of sillage turns more into a vetiver-like green. The leaves and twigs seem to take command. Far off, I believe I am hallucinating a slightly leathery hint; I attribute this to a certain similarity to "Agua Fresca Vetiver" in this phase. And then, after about two to three more hours, the boy with the duck head runs out of steam. That is truly cheeky. Wasn't there something with patch as a base? Unfortunately, not at all for me. But even if it was only used as a fixative here, it hasn't done a sustainably good job.
That would all be fine and good, but not for the price. This then triggers a pressure pain every time you press the spray head.
13 Comments
Leimbacher

2871 Reviews
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Leimbacher
Leimbacher
Very helpful Review 13  
You Can't Choose Your Relatives
Cousin Matthew is quite a character - but what a delightful tropical bird he is?! What a not-so-dull duck?!

Okay, essentially this summery-creamy Penhaligon's is just an extended neroli accord and for many, it might seem a bit too simple for the price. But this Petitgrain parade stick came in very handy for me, as it shows that you can conjure a lot from the rather minimal and straightforward neroli/citrus direction. "Matthew" has hints of fluffy lemon cake, very gentle and pleasant. The adjective assigned to him should definitely be enjoyed with a wink. Because at its core, he is a kind of everybody's darling. That can be annoying too. But it feels completely unforced or contrived here, strikingly honest, authentic, and of high quality without limits. 4711 in elegant tweed. Cool. Easily accessible. Always within reach. Patch spreads smooth hugs, mandarin colors yellow-orange from the start. A bit overpriced. Very much so. But that doesn’t detract from the fragrance note.

Bottle: incredibly beautiful, elegant duck
Sillage: neroli & cream in comfort
Longevity: 6-7 hours, rather less if you’re strict

Conclusion: a neroli treat that is always welcome at family gatherings - no matter how outrageous it may be!
2 Comments
Caezar

9 Reviews
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Caezar
Caezar
4  
A Third Cousin
Almost everyone has him in their family: that one cousin whose exact origins are a bit of a mystery - or at least one you want to question his supposed background.
Matthew is definitely a light fragrance. Clean, fresh, and perhaps a bit floral with a splash of citrus - that must be the mandarin. It reminds me of classic colognes that Dad used to apply after shaving in the early 2000s.
I’m not a big fan of Matthew, not to say that it’s inherently a bad fragrance. It just doesn’t suit my taste - certainly also because I don’t understand the scent notes and can’t specifically match them to the descriptions in the fragrance pyramid. He’s just sitting at the table during a big family gathering; the relatives tell you where he’s from, but the story isn’t really convincing.
0 Comments

Statements

44 short views on the fragrance
5
Lovely bright and soapy petitgrain that hints at neroli in the opening, but more metallic in the heart. Very simple, subtle and understated.
0 Comments
3
Such a cool scent! Fresh and Bitter with a creamy-ish base. Quite unique and classy smelling. It’s really dear to me.
0 Comments
16
6
Finally, one from the new line that I like. By my definition, a "black cologne" (see my collection): outrageously good!
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6 Comments
15
12
Matthew du Schlitzohr
You grabbed the Cologne
Mandarin & Patch
squeezed in
On top a new label
For the price? No
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12 Comments
14
5
Fresh, not zesty, citrus note with aromatic-creamy spice. Classic cologne in ultra-smooth and quite modern. Dense and high-quality.
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5 Comments
12
3
Matthew is a bon vivant, always in a good mood and a clever little guy who can smile away difficulties with ease!
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3 Comments
7 years ago
13
3
At home, please practice pronunciation [im-pyuh-duhnt]. Otherwise, you’re close to impotent cousin Matthew. Only a doctor or pharmacist can help with that.
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3 Comments
10
2
Citrusy-soapy mandarin cologne with green notes of patchouli + vetiver
Great bottle
Smells pretty good
Is that enough?
For me, yes ;-))
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2 Comments
8
7
Incredibly beautiful petitgrain underlined with mandarin, and the patchouli lingers on.
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7 Comments
7 years ago
9
"What do you have against me? I look good, I'm intelligent, always impeccably styled, and luck is on my side!" (Gustav Gans)
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0 Comments
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