A JOURNEY FOR ADVENTUROUS NOSES
Does one's nose fancy a spot of adventure? Journey along the Incense Route with Penhaligon's and discover the decadent Trade Routes collection.
Our founder, William Penhaligon, had a terribly adventurous nose. His very first creation, Hammam Bouquet, was inspired by the Turkish Baths of Mayfair, and since then he endeavoured to create scents to delight and excite the bright young things of London Society. Is it any wonder that the Trade Routes collection was born? Mysterious scents infused with rich, decadent spices that transport you to far-off lands with a mere spritz. Follow us along the Incense Route, won't you?
The Incense Route
Allow Penhaligon’s to acquaint you with the Incense Route. The name is given to a network of extensive trade routes – 2,000 kilometres of sea and land routes, to be exact – that connected places along the Arabian Peninsula with the Mediterranean. These routes allowed the trade of spices such as frankincense and myrrh (and of course, incense) along these routes, connecting civilisations and allowing trade to flourish for around 500 years, between the 3rd century BC and 2nd century AD. And now, many years later, one can be transported along these very same routes by Penhaligon’s fine fragrances!
Penhaligon's AlUla
The newest addition to the Trade Routes collection, Penhaligon's AlUla is a celebration of sand and sky. Inspired by the ancient Arabic oasis city, AlUla, the city marked an important trade post along the Incense Route. Not only was it home to incense and all manner of spices, but a leafy oasis with abundant fruit. Dates, figs, plums, ripened in the heat, traded and sold to passing merchants, now bottled up for the world to sniff. Fancy that.
Halfeti
Ah, Halfeti. The crowning jewel of the Trade Routes collection (just don't tell the Empressa that). One can imagine themselves navigating the vibrant bazaars of Turkey with Halfeti, a rich woody amber scent brimming with oud and Levantine spice. Named after a Turkish town where the rarest of black roses are rumoured to grow along the riverbank, one can also find fruity and floral notes within this deep, captivating fragrance. Now, a trip to the spice market?
Babylon
The mystery of Mesopotamia grows with this fragrant wonder. For 1,500 years, Babylon was a prosperous port city situated along the Euphrates and was the epicentre of an empire. Of course, one would be remiss not to mention the legendary Hanging Gardens of Babylon, a feat of extraordinary design (we can only assume): a verdant oasis in the centre of a desert city, with layers of cascading flora and fauna, as decorative as it was fragrant. And, of course, the inspiration behind Penhaligon’s own scent!
Now, the journey has only just begun. Explore the whole Trades Routes collection and sate one's olfactive appetite for adventure.
Further Reading
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