PENHALIGON'S ALULA: AN OLFACTIVE INTRODUCTION
Allow us to acquaint you with the notes of one’s newest fragrance: Penhaligon’s AlUla, born of sand and drenched in sky.
Penhaligon’s has long since taken inspiration for its fragrances from stories, nature, and history. Simply marvel at our wondrous British Tales collection, or dive into the life and times of our aristocratic Portraits fragrances. And when it comes to Penhaligon’s Trade Routes collection, we’ve turned to the myraid rich ingredients found along the Incense Route to scent our concoctions for adventurous noses. And so, we find ourself once again along the Incense Route for our newest fragrance. Allow us to introduce Penhaligon’s AlUla, a celebration of sand and sky, ochre and plum, incense and rock.
HEAD NOTE: PLUM
A rich, fruity note, plum adds a sweet facet to Penhaligon’s AlUla. Cultivated the world over for thousands of years, plums were once delicacies reserved for the elite of society and grown in monastic and royal gardens for their aesthetic appeal. The fruit note in Penhaligon’s AlUla alludes to the abundant vibrancy of a desert oasis, where pockets of fertile land bloom into verdant gardens bearing sustenance for settlers and travellers alike. In perfumery, the scent is acquired from the plum fruit or its blossom; the fruit will give off a more fruity scent (as you’d imagine), and the blossom a more floral edge. As the fragrance settles, the sweetness of the plum ripens into something richer, mingling with the heart notes of the fragrance.
HEART NOTE: INCENSE
Now, would a fragrance inspired by the Incense Route be complete without the eponymous ingredient? For thousands of years, incense has been burned for its warm, amber scent. Originating in Mesopotamia and Africa, incense was originally used for all manner of rituals, ceremonies, prayers, occasions, and simply, for smelling wonderful – a practice that has lasted millennia and wafted its way into perfumery. The essence is manufactured from gum resin, extracted from tree trunks in Ethiopia and Somalia, then distilled to obtain the resinoid. Its spicy, balsamic facet complements vanilla accords to evoke a rich aroma, as present in Penhaligon’s AlUla.
BASE NOTE: VANILLA
Vanilla is no stranger to perfumery. A universally adored scent, vanilla can be at once sweet and creamy as well as rich and gourmand – really, it all depends on the other ingredients (much like baking with vanilla, would you agree?). Having been Mexico’s best-kept secret until the Aztecs came along, vanilla is now a seasoned traveller, scenting all manner of marvels. The aroma is known as vanillin, harvested from vanilla pods and processed to create a spice. Now, the demand for vanillin outstrips the supply, and much of the vanilla one consumes is created synthetically – it's all terribly fancy. In Penhaligon’s AlUla, the vanilla takes on a gourmand facet, enriched by tobacco and patchouli to create an earthy, smoky finish.
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