Our Heritage

Our founder, William Penhaligon, was an alchemist and an iconoclast. A Wildean, Byronian rebel taking inspiration from unlikely places, mixing together magical vapours to create exclusive scents for discerning ladies and gentlemen of the era. Born in Penzance, he moved to London in the late 1860s and founded a barber shop on Jermyn Street in Piccadilly, London. Witty, eccentric and wildly creative he soon turned his hand to creating exclusive fragrances for his clients.

In 1872 he created his first fragrance, Hammam Bouquet, inspired by the steam and sulphur emitted by the Turkish Baths next door to his shop on Jermyn Street. In 1902 he created Blenheim Bouquet for the Duke of Marlborough. A groundbreaking fragrance, this fresh citrus scent cut through the rich and floral fragrances favoured at the time. Blenheim Bouquet remains our best-selling fragrance to this day, over 100 years since its creation.

By the end of Queen Victoria's reign, William Penhaligon had been appointed Barber and Perfumer to the Royal Court. Over 135 years later and we are proud to hold Royal Warrants from The Prince of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh.

William Penhaligon’s diaries and formulae continue to inspire us in everything we do. We continue his incredible legacy with pride and passion.

Penhaligon's Today

Founded in 1870, Penhaligon’s is one of the few true fragrance houses in the world. We design and make our own exclusive scents in England, going to great lengths to achieve precise effects. Only fine and rare ingredients are used, such as hand-squeezed oil of bergamot and jasmine oil at twice the price of gold. Our 23 fine fragrances each have unique characters; from the beguiling Bluebell to the citrus fizz of Blenheim Bouquet.

Today when you step into a Penhaligon’s boutique you are stepping into a wildly eccentric, darkly mysterious and historical realm. There’s the unmistakable aura of the old-fashioned barber shop with wood and glass cabinets displaying our collection of fine English fragrances, bath and body products, home wares, silver trinkets and leather goods. An eccentric mix of the traditional and the modern, Penhaligon’s is where the aristocratic luxuries of yesteryear become covetable necessities for a modern lifestyle.

You can find Penhaligon’s classic fragrances and accessories in our boutiques across the UK, in Paris and in department stores across the globe.

To find your nearest stockist please visit our Store Locator page.