The Ruthless Countess Dorothea by Penhaligon's

Bottle Design:
Marc Ange, Illustration: Kristjana S Williams

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Portraits

The Ruthless Countess Dorothea Penhaligon's 2017

7.6 / 10 107 Ratings

A popular perfume by Penhaligon's for women, released in 2017. The scent is spicy-sweet. It was last marketed by Puig.
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Main accords

Spicy

Sweet

Creamy

Gourmand

Citrus

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Cinnamon

Bergamot

Red ginger

Heart Notes

Clary sage absolute Beeswax

Beeswax

Maté absolute

Base Notes

Cashmeran

Vanilla absolute Sherry

Sherry

Perfumer

Nathalie Gracia-Cetto

Videos

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Ratings

Scent

7.6107 Ratings

Longevity

7.491 Ratings

Sillage

7.093 Ratings

Bottle

8.8105 Ratings

Value for money

6.436 Ratings

Submitted by OPomone · last update on 05/25/2025.

Source-backed & verified

Interesting Facts

The fragrance was part of the collection Portraits.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to

Chergui Eau de Parfum

Changing Constance

Mandragore

Bal d'Afrique Eau de Parfum

Reviews

5 in-depth fragrance descriptions

08/21/2022

Estbienla
13 Reviews

Estbienla

1

Fierce matriarch

Good manners and appearances. But heart history is never far away. Arranged weddings can be spoiled by a love story.

Countess Dorothea reveals family secrets, she maintains the label at all costs. She has a legendary memory and does not forgive anything. Although lively, his mind is not open and even less with the latest family events.

She holds her revenge with this fragrance with impeccable, refined and reassuring manners. It is comforting like a glass of sherry or a cup of black tea. It is also refreshing, red ginger and cinnamon oil has something to do with it and adds a charming bite to its peremptory tone.

A cunning, dominating woman, as we see many in novel characters or in real life. She is skillful and discreet. She hypnotizes and loves soft and cozy interiors, such as vanilla and cashmere wood.
But beware of deception, you should not trust it because both are misleading. Everything can be held against the one she has in front.

Angelita sees it this way :)

Updated on 08/21/2022

02/01/2025

8.5Scent

DogiCoco
637 Reviews

DogiCoco

1

The countess of gingerbread

Every time I hear the name Dorothea for a glamorous woman, like in the Taylor Swift song, I giggle a little. I have an aunt called Dorothea, who is a nice suburban mom with a townhouse, two adult kids and a big grumpy dog. Quite the opposite of a ruthless countess. Apparently Dorothea is a cooler name in English-speaking countries than it is in Germany.
Once I got over the funny naming, I started to enjoy this scent a lot. What a shame it got discontinued!

It's a gingerbread scent with an emphasis on ginger. It's fresh, zingy and spicy, but also warm and gourmand due to the vanilla, honey and cinnamon. There is also a green, herbal aspect to the scent, thanks to the sage and maté. Despite not being the biggest fan of herbal notes, I think they really work here to make the whole experience less heavy.
Underneath it all lies a clean creaminess that keeps the scent from going too far into novelty gourmand territory. I guess that must be the cashmeran, even though I don't find this to be a typical cashmeran scent.

Usually I would say that perfumes with strong cinnamon and gingerbread notes are most suitable for Christmas time and not very versatile. This one is a bit more multifaceted, so I could see it be worn all of autumn and winter up until early spring. I wouldn't want to use it in summer though.
And it's definitely more cozy than ruthless!

From what I remember (it's been a while since I tested them), I liked Changing Constance and The Bewitching Yasmine from this line even more, but Dorothea is a close third.

08/24/2019

7.5Scent 6Longevity 5Sillage

Stanze
105 Reviews

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Stanze

Top Review 35

The Ruthless Countess Dorothea

Dorothea smells of gingerbread cookies, cinnamon stars (Earl Grey without tea), and vanilla crescents with sherry. How did this slightly plump matron earn the reputation of a ruthless countess? (Cruel Countess sounds much better.) She has introduced the so-called cookie tax, and the poor inhabitants of her county must bake cookies day in and day out. Woe to anyone who cannot present a delicious cookie when her cookie collectors come. (Even the official website states: "Revenge is better than cookie.") Surely there is already a Robin Salad who will eventually put an end to her reign (with cucumber).

But I would gladly accept an invitation from Doro for tea (sherry), I love cookies too.

The Ruthless Countess Dorothea starts off with bergamot, then becomes very ginger-heavy. I think ginger is great, so I like that. The heart note passed me by unnoticed. I found the base with the vanilla crescents very nice again. I like cashmeran.

Sillage is moderate at 30°C. In winter, The Ruthless Countess Dorothea will surely last better than it does today. The perfume is more suitable for the colder season, although I don't find it bothersome right now. It could possibly be worn by men, but due to the sweet base, it is more suited for women. Everyone knows for themselves what they like and what they don't; I won't interfere with that. At work, in the evening, and also for going out, The Ruthless Countess Dorothea will be a lovely companion. As for possible sports, the only thing that comes to mind is competitive baking, maybe also gnome bread or tea bag throwing.

Updated on 08/24/2019

12/05/2020

8Scent 8Longevity 7Sillage

Serenissima
1232 Reviews

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Serenissima

Top Review 19

fine kitchen magic, not ruthless at all

I had a few concerns: what would I encounter with this announcement?
"The Ruthless Countess Dorothea": in my mind's eye, I pictured a stern-looking, loud woman in riding boots, accompanied by a pack of hunting dogs.
The fragrance pyramid promised something different; so I gathered my courage and sprayed: first timidly, then a bit more generously.
How would we correspond?

It became clear right away that I was completely off track: my preconceived notion was quickly banished to a corner of the large airy hall of scents.
I was greeted by a friendly, well-rounded woman in a floral apron, surrounded by the most delicious aromas.
She led me into a cozy kitchen, and I followed a trail of fresh bergamot, sharp red ginger (my nose tingled), and lots of cozy warm cinnamon: a blend that enveloped me invitingly.
Next, I encountered a hint of beeswax; also a symbol of well-kept domesticity.
Beeswax means for me not only fragrant and cozy candlelight but also just as good furniture polish, whose application leaves behind satisfyingly shiny, comfortably sprawled wooden surfaces. Another factor of coziness.
And lo and behold: I also found clary sage; harmoniously leaning into the existing scent fabric and perfectly fitting as a so-called "bee pasture" to the beeswax nuance.
This "ruthless" Countess Dorothea led me into a feel-good world, where, of course, a cup of spicy mate tea must not be missing.
This surprisingly pleasant "kitchen aroma" rounds it all off.
Powdery and soft, cashmeran integrates into the idyllic picture and invites me to linger with its previously present scent and aroma friends.
And of course, where ginger, cinnamon, and perhaps even a hint of anise are gathered, the sensually creamy warmth of vanilla must not be absent.
In this overall balanced fragrant moment, Countess Dorothea pours us a glass of sherry; this noble drink shines golden in the glass.
This friendly gesture also marks the crowning conclusion of the visit to the not-so-ruthless countess: a polite farewell!

Let us leave "The Ruthless Countess Dorothea" to her scent-intensive kitchen and her peculiarities.
Perhaps she will invite us again soon for a fragrant cup of tea with freshly baked ginger cookies. Who knows?

For now, I am enveloped for a pleasant duration by a warm, harmoniously sensual scent of spices and herbs, and a memory of the glass of sherry.
I often find this creation from Penhaligon's fragrances quite entertaining.
They paint a loving picture of English country life with many small facets and unexpected scent developments.

Perhaps the upcoming Christmas baking is the best occasion to surround myself with Countess Dorothea. She fits seamlessly into all the expected aromas.
"The Ruthless Countess Dorothea" is a delightful scent lady that one may like but does not have to!

Updated on 12/05/2020

03/13/2018

7.5Scent

Serafina
479 Reviews

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Serafina

Helpful Review 9

Countess Dorothea enjoys cooking Asian cuisine

With this perfume, I had to think olfactorily of an Asian spice paste at first, as Morgaina also mentions in her statement. However, in Thai cuisine, galangal is preferred over its relative ginger, and cinnamon bark tends to evoke Indian cuisine. Therefore, the classification is not clear for me. Ideally, lime would be more fitting than bergamot, but if you don't know, you could indeed catch a whiff of lime peel. Peppery-spicy and at the same time a little fresh - that’s my first impression. Then, as the sharpness subsides, the scent becomes sweeter - as if the cook has soon arrived at a vanilla-heavy dessert and is treating herself to a sherry. Although the Asian rice wine (not the Japanese one!) also bears a certain resemblance to Spanish sherry, making it quite suitable as a substitute for various marinades and sauces... At the same time, I also feel a bit reminded of vanilla-flavored black tea.

Overall, it is indeed a rather “culinary” scent, but without being a gourmand perfume; it’s too spicy for that. Unusual and interesting, but certainly not to everyone’s taste.

Updated on 03/17/2018