The Impudent Cousin Matthew Penhaligon's 2019

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.