Penhaligon’s The Omniscient Mr Thompson
24 August, 2023
There’s nothing more I love about fragrance, than a scent with a story behind it. I was first introduced to Penhaligon’s Portraits collection back in 2017 with the beautiful Clandestine Clara scent – when the collection only comprised of six fragrances. For those not familiar, each Portraits fragrance represents a fictional character from British aristocracy, and each character has a story attached.
The collection now has 18 fragrances, with a few that have already been discontinued.
The latest Portraits addition is The Omniscient Mr Thompson. This fragrance is based on the idea of ‘what the butler saw’ and the choice of bottle design represents ‘the elephant in the room’ – I love this!
Penhaligon’s paints the picture of Mr Thompson – always there but never seen, hidden in the shadows but knows all, and sees all. A master of the art of discrete observation. What he sees he never forgets. All the best butlers keep your secrets…
‘Only he has the key to a secret box, filled with a unique & eccentric concoction. You might need only a few drops, that will soon turn into a never-ending addiction. An infusion of soft yet sparkling spices opens this captivating fragrance. The addictive trail of a sumptuous powdery orris leads you to a velvety sesame milk, while a rich and sweet vanilla bean reveals with subtlety its spellbinding sensuality. Leave the room but don’t you worry, this trail will sign your invisible presence..’
I really wan’t sure what to expect with this fragrance, but I was very pleasantly surprised with Mr Thompson! This is a warm floral amber fragrance that opens with pink pepper, sesame milk and lavender, and despite the pepper, the opening feels smooth and warm. The heart soon comes through and the fragrance starts to feel powdery, soft and creamy. The overall mood of the fragrance is smooth, calm and serene. This isn’t an ‘in your face’ scent in any way, but saying that it does project really nicely. This is a scent that’s creamy rather than sweet, but the sweetness does seem to increase the longer you wear it – it’s lovely experiencing the vanilla come through in the dry down.
This scent is completely unisex – don’t be fooled into thinking this is a masculine scent by the name! And it’s quite ‘safe’ in the sense that many will enjoy it, however it doesn’t feel generic in any way. I’m really impressed with Mr Thompson. I can’t wait to see what’s next in store for the Portraits line!
- Top Notes: Pink Pepper, Lavender & Elemi
- Heart Notes: Orris, Geranium & Black Pepper
- Base Notes: Sesame Seeds, Oak & Vanilla
The Omniscient Mr Thompson is available now at Penhaligon’s
New customers can get 10% off their first order with code WELCOME, or receive a bundle of complimentary gifts worth £70, including 3 x10ml boxed fragrances (The Favourite, Halfeti and Endymion EDC) and 1 x 35g candle with pouch when you spend £160 with code AUTUMNGIFT.
