Skip to main content

Penhaligon's Malabah EDP

Lemon, Earl Grey Tea, Cilantro.
Ginger, Nutmeg, Cardamom, Rose, Iris.
Amber, Sandalwood, Musk.

Reviews for Penhaligon's Malabah are literally all over the map. One common opinion seems to be a lack of satisfactory presence. I concur that Malabah is a bit demure, but that's part of its charm. There's definitely a place for fragrances such as this and close quarter interaction seems to fit the bill just fine.

Malabah definitely leans feminine by design and after wearing it, I would prefer smelling it on the opposite sex. Still, I believe it could be pulled off by men if they saw fit to don it. The 2 dominant notes in Malabah ( on me ) are Iris and Sandalwood.

I especially like the creamy sandalwood note that's apparent from the onset. The feel of Malabah is English and possesses an elegance to it. I find it rich in spite of it wearing rather close to the skin. To me, this is an asset whereas others disagree.

The top is a mild citrus with hints of spice, tea and wood. After a few minutes, the sandalwood becomes more apparent and displays a creamy texture I have come to like. The iris note is right behind it and exhibits powder, but not overtly so. This spicy, powdery wood is at the core of Malabah and lasts the entire ride.

A soft, dusty rose note integrates itself by the time the base arrives. It's barely loud enough to peek over the spices, but it compliments the iris and wood rather nicely. A resin quality also morphs as the base accord wears on, but everything about Malabah is subtle and polite.

I have to say that I find Malabah very likeable with enough presence to justify owning it. It is versatile enough to wear in numerous venues and there's nothing about any part of it that's off putting. Sillage is moderate and longevity is better than most reviews I have read give it credit for. I get 5 hours no problem. I give Malabah a thumbs up with the recommendation to sample first. This is simply a very pleasant fragrance.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Black Suede by Avon

Nutmeg, Clove, Amber, Musk, Moss, Wood Notes. Yes.........I am reviewing one of the Rodney Dangerfield's of fragrance. Black Suede has been gracing medicine cabinets, for better or worse, since 1980 my friends. If you're expecting me to inform you ( like others may have already ) that Black Suede is a nasty scrubber, you will be disappointed. On the other hand, if you're expecting a glowing review claiming it's a diamond in the rough, you won't hear that from me either. I will say though that Black Suede doesn't deserve the hate it's received and most of that is due to snobbery aimed at Avon products in general. I kid you not when I state that a close relative to this fragrance is Cacharel Pour L'Homme. The array of spice in both ensure comparison, but the "smoother" of the two is Black Suede due to its implementation of Amber. While wearing Black Suede, one can detect a hint of "drugstore". That quality doesn't manife...

Chanel copying Guerlain. Why?

                      Last month, I had the pleasure of trying Comète by Chanel, the latest addition to their prestigious Les Exclusifs line. This fragrance follows the release of Le Lion in 2020, another standout in the same collection. Like Le Lion , Comète is a beautiful perfume that captures the essence of Chanel’s refined elegance. However, both fragrances bear a striking resemblance to classic creations by Guerlain, leading me to ponder the direction Chanel is taking. Chanel has a great fragrance history. Not as hallowed and old as Guerlain but for past three decades it has far outshone Guerlain. In my view, no other perfume house has come close to Chanel’s excellence in this century. This makes their recent approach of echoing Guerlain classics somewhat perplexing. Have they run out of fresh ideas? Is Roger Dove at the helm of their fragrance division, or have they perhaps...

Teatro Alla Scala - Krizia

I tried Comete by Chanel today and wanted to write about how Chanel is going by the way of Roger Dove - copying old masterpieces. I did not know where to post that and then I realized I have been neglecting this blog. When I logged in I saw an unfinished post I wrote a year ago about Teatro Alla Scala by Krizia. Teatro is the best full bodied floral - better than any Chanel or Patou. Even better than Gucci L'Arte.  A brief background: Teatro Alla Scala is an Opera theatre in Milan. The bottle's design is an homage to the theatre and the perfume an homage to its sophisticated patrons. I wanted to write a symphony for it. Maybe some day. For now here are few notes I wrote comparing EDT vs EDP.  And if you don't have Teatro, your wardrobe is incomplete Rose, Jasmine, Tuberose. Jammy berries (more in EDP) . Honey note listed is probably the jammy part Vetiver & moss - more in EDT Rose and carnation is more than jasmine and that is what separates it from other florals like J...