Fragrance Review: The Dandy by Penhaligon's

Golden brown liquid flows from a bottle behind the counter into a crystal clear glass. The bartender lays down a napkin on the granite bartop in front of you then places the glass on top. You wrap your hand around the glass and bring it up to your lips. Before taking a sip, you get a whiff of smooth aged whiskey; Life is good.This is The Dandy.

An ode to the roaring 30's, Penhaligon's attempts to bottle the vision of jazz-filled speakeasies and bootleggers with their 2024 release, The Dandy.

Established in the 1870's, Penhaligon's has gained a reputation for creating high-quality fragrances. With two Royal Warrants, they are one of the most prestigious brands in the United Kingdom. Penhaligon's repertoire is strong. With over 100 fragrances in their catalogue, there is something for everyone.

Who Is Behind It? 

The Dandy was created by French perfumer, Fabrice Pellegrin. Named 'Perfumer of the Year 2017' by Cosmetique Magazine, Mr. Pellegrin is known for his artistic abilities to capture emotion in bottles.

Mr. Pellegrin has released over 260 fragrances at the time this article was published. Some of his most famous creations include 'Wanted by Azzaro', the original 'Scandal (and many of its flankers) by Jean Paul Gaultier' and several releases for 'Diptyque includine L'Eau Papier', 'Eau Duelle' and 'Do Son'.

Note Breakdown:

The Dandy by Penhaligon's is an eau de parfum.

Top notes: Bergamot, citron, raspberry

Middle notes: Cedar, whiskey, oak

Base notes: Amber, cedarwood, patchouli

"The Dandy is a homage to endless night. Vintage whisky from the oak barrel swims above a fruity finish of bergamot and raspberry. A woody celebration blended with mischief"

- Penhaligon's

Packaging: 

The Dandy comes in a matte black, rectangular box decorated with gold geometric patterns echoing the art deco style that was popular in the 1920s and 30s. The front of the box displays the name of the fragrance ala marquee style with the name of the fragrance house and concentration below it.

The art deco pattern is repeated on all four sides of the box (minus the names). The top of the box has the name of the fragrance house and the bottom has the ingredients, bar code and company information.

The top of the box lifts up, revealing the bottle of The Dandy neatly nested inside a foam insert glued into the bottom part of the box.

The Dandy, like other Penhaligon's fragrances from the British Tales and Trade Routes line, features a decorative clear sphere and bow tie on the cap. The bow tie on The Dandy is black with a gold border.

The bottle of The Dandy is rectangular with rounded edges. The sticker on the front of the bottle is the same as the front of the box. The back of the bottle has the words "Penhaligon's London" imprinted right in to the glass.

Opening:

The Dandy opens with a mix of sweet, juicy raspberry and a splash of lemony citrus zest. Within seconds, cedar woods and smooth whiskey begin to appear. They quickly overtake the raspberry/lemon opening and become the most dominant notes in the scent.

The cedar note in this fragrance reminds me of Christmas trees and the whiskey is delicate, silky and slightly floral, like an Irish whiskey.

Development:

Cedar moves over and oak becomes the prominent woody note in the scent. These two wood notes mingle well with the whiskey, making me wonder if this is what the inside of a spent whiskey cask smells like. The whiskey note is still very smooth although developing a touch of earthiness and grit.

The floral notes are still there but waning. I also pick up on a very faint scent of vanilla. I wonder if that is from the oak and cedar.

Drydown: 

The Dandy remains rather linear throughout the drydown. The oak and other woody notes maintain dominance along with the whiskey accord. The whiskey is still smooth but now the fruity sweetness has completely disappeared, overtaken by the mossy/earth scent that began developing earlier.

Performance:

I applied 3 sprays of The Dandy directly to my chest right after a shower. It was noticeable beyond an arm's length for about half an hour then died down to an elbows length scent. It remained an elbows length scent for about an hour or two before transitioning to a near-skin scent.

As a near-skin scent, it did not project much, but it did remain noticeable for about 8 hours before becoming completely unnoticeable.

When To Wear The Dandy by Penhaligon's 

The Dandy is a great fragrance to wear during autumn, winter, and on cooler days in spring. It is warm, cozy and welcoming without being too heavy or stuffy. It can work as a daytime scent but the prominent whiskey note makes it feel more at home in the evening.

This is a great scent to wear if you want to spend your night sipping cocktails and tapping your toes to a jazz quintet in a dimly lit speakeasy or dressing up with your sweetheart and enjoying a nice romantic candlelit dinner while soft piano plays in the background.

Who Is This Fragrance For?

The Dandy is a fragrance that can appeal to almost any age. The brighter opening gives it a youthful feel then it dries down to something more mature and sophisticated. At no point does it ever come across as 'vintage' or 'dated' like some fragrances with similar notes do.

Although the notes in the fragrance may lean more masculine, the overall scent profile is perfectly unisex. Anyone could pull this scent off although we recommend testing it first before purchasing a full bottle (it is a bit pricey).

Overall Thoughts On The Dandy by Penhaligon's

Like-prohibition era speakeasies, The Dandy does not try to advertise itself to everyone. Only those 'in the know' are aware it exists and those are the people who appreciate it. It does not need to project across a room to get noticed, just enough to pull you in when you are close.

If you like other booze-forward fragrances like Jazz Club by Maison Margiela, Angels' Share by Kilian, or Naxos by Xerjoff, then you will like The Dandy.

If you like boozy fragrances, here are some other fragrances we have reviewed and recommend:

51 by Copper Still Fragrances – Bottled moonshine straight from Kentucky. Perfect for sunny summer days on the patio.

Don by Xerjoff - Smells like what you would expect a mafia boss to smell like.

Fan Your Flames by Nishane - Spiced rum, sweet pipe tobacco, and deep vanilla. A classy boozy fragrance perfect for many occasions.

Liqueur BPM by L'Orchestre Parfum - Imagine walking into a fine cigar humidor with a cognac based cocktail in hand.

Speakeasy by Frapin - Fizzy mojito with smooth leather and sweet pipe tobacco with resinous honey.

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