The World According to Arthur by Penhaligon's

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Portraits

The World According to Arthur Penhaligon's 2021

8.0 / 10 296 Ratings

A popular perfume by Penhaligon's for men, released in 2021. The scent is sweet-spicy. It is being marketed by Puig.
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Main accords

Sweet

Spicy

Smoky

Woody

Oriental

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Frankincense

Tahitian vanilla

Grapefruit

Heart Notes

Ambrette

Clary sage absolute

Base Notes

Frankincense

Tonka bean absolute

Perfumer

Fabrice Pellegrin

Ratings

Scent

8.0296 Ratings

Longevity

7.3241 Ratings

Sillage

6.7241 Ratings

Bottle

9.1253 Ratings

Value for money

6.1191 Ratings

Submitted by Essy07 · last update on 12/09/2025.

Source-backed & verified

Interesting Facts

The fragrance is part of the Portraits collection.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to

Babycat

Firestorm

Bois d'Argent Eau de Parfum

Vanagloria

Bois d'Iris

Black Tie Eau de Parfum

Reviews

11 in-depth fragrance descriptions

05/22/2025

ClaireV
969 Reviews

ClaireV

2

Rich, caramelized woody vanilla

The World According to Arthur is the rare pleasant surprise lurking in the current Penhaligon's niche-for-niche-sakes line up. Pairing a rich, toffee-ish vanilla (mostly the beige, tobacco creaminess of tonka) with a seriously good incense note and a pink grapefruit note, this is the improved version of something like Eau Duelle, Spiritueuse Double Vanille, or even Eau de Baux. I say improved because the World According to Arthur is much stronger and richer than those perfumes without ever once tripping over the line into 'too dense' or 'too synthy' like many strong, rich perfumes do these days (in the name of longevity or projection), and also because there is a point in the perfume's development when it smells like winey earth or grape mold, which gives it a point of interest. If you're looking for a good incense-vanilla-tobacco thing and you don't have one just yet, then you could do much worse than the World According to Arthur.

04/03/2024

Hairburrito
7 Reviews

Hairburrito

1

All sweet, no smoke?

Full disclosure, all I have is a Lucky scent sample, but this reads as only cloyingly sweet for me. I was really excited for a sweet incense-y fragrance with more frankincense and less "oh my God I'm getting a headache now".

I want to like it though. I want the incense to come through, I want to smell the sweet smoke of a church and sense a sweet, distant grapefruit. I want it to 'click' for me like scents can for people.

I will keep sampling and sniffing and hope that I can appreciate it someday.

08/21/2023

7.5Scent 8Longevity 7Sillage

Shemsmeller
213 Reviews

Shemsmeller

1

Between bois d argent and babycat

tested in May at the Printemps store on Boulevard Haussmann in Paris.

this collection being difficult to access in Lyon, I took advantage of this trip to discover as many fragrances as possible from this brand on site.

the ambassador welcomed me very well, and I was able to discover this perfume.

it is more of a masculine and a strong fragrance that will be more suitable for winter. on the top notes I find that there is a strong resemblance to bois d'argent by dior then as it evolves it has the same smell as the top notes of babycat by ysl.

nothing new for me who already have this type of fragrance in my collection. nevertheless it can be interesting for someone who wants to smell these 2 different smells the same day by buying a single perfume.

Hope this review was helpful to you

11/21/2023

9.5Scent 9Longevity 8Sillage

JustusSaid
10 Reviews

Translated · Show original

JustusSaid

10

Royal British Christmas

Noble muscatel sage meets ecclesiastically delicious incense. A grapefruit in the background provides a British sharpness, while a refined bourbon vanilla and a prominent tonka bean add the necessary warmth!

It is December and a snowstorm sweeps over the royal Windsor Castle in Berkshire. The fine society has gathered in the grand salon, sitting around the crackling fireplace. Lord Arthur regales everyone with his legendary stories, a piano plays soft melodies in the background, and the children decorate the Christmas tree with colorful baubles and red beeswax candles. The essential oils of the pine needles, the crackling beech wood, and the scent of freshly baked cake blend into an unmistakably nostalgic aroma: "Royal British Christmas"

07/12/2025

8Scent 7Longevity 6Sillage

Yuuki
45 Reviews

Translated · Show original

Yuuki

5

Arthur? You don't come across as that masculine at all...

A little review after all...

First of all, a really nice start with a soft incense and vanilla with a good fruity note that is rather sweet and rounded, and not, like with other fragrances, where the grapefruit comes off very fresh and sour.
At first, it gives a very unisex impression, and I must say, this is a first-timer.
Then the heart note soon comes in with beautiful ambrette seeds and a slightly masculine-sounding clary sage. For about half an hour to an hour, it gives a somewhat more masculine impression.
However, this changes again in the drydown, as a distinct sweet tonka bean emerges, gently supported by incense. This slightly more masculine aspect is then pushed so far into the background that I can no longer see any reason to market it as masculine.
For me, it's more unisex, but certainly great on a man.
Unfortunately, it's a bit weak on projection with a reserved sillage.
This tonka drydown is also quite familiar.

But what the Babycat comparison is supposed to mean? That is completely unclear to me... with all due respect, no.

All in all, a good, rounded, pleasing fragrance that holds back a bit.

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