The World According to Arthur Penhaligon's 2021

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.

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.

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

This one carries gravitas.

From the first spray, there’s a darker, resinous tone — incense threaded through warm woods and subtle sweetness. It feels serious, almost ceremonial. Not loud, but definitely present.

The composition stays dense and composed throughout. No sharp edges, no awkward shifts. Just steady, polished depth. The weight is the dividing line. It leans more solemn than dynamic, more regal than textured. I admire the craftsmanship, but the mood feels heavier than what I typically gravitate toward.

Impressive presence. Limited personal pull.

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"