Penhaligon's · 2021
The World According to Arthur EDP
Longevity
2–6 h60% of 22 people
Projection
Variesreports split · 76 people
Season
Cooler monthsmost worn
gourmand
smoky
intimate
smoky sweet vanilla tonka cream with citrus tang
Scent Notes
Woody / Smoky
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What the community says
Often worn in cooler months
Scendira's summary of what people post on perfume review sites and Reddit, updated 25 Oct 2026: 89 describe how long it lasts, 76 how far it projects and 63 how it smells. Most other posts only name The World According to Arthur.
Sample first: opinions on this one are split.
How long it lasts
2–6 h
for 60% of people
0 h3 h6 h9 h12+ h
60% of people get 2–6 hours. From 22 people who said how many hours. The dot is the middle answer (3.5 h).
How far it projects76 people
Mixed reports on projection
about half say it stays close to the skin
about 2 in 5 say it projects moderately
In words
No single story here: about half say it stays close to the skin, while about 2 in 5 say it projects moderately.
When people wear it
Cooler months
most worn
Cooler months
Also worth knowing
Compliments
1%
1% of people who wear it get compliments (104).
Typical perfume we track: 8%.
Creators on The World According to Arthur2 videos
Read what people say
Reddit threads about it
Similar perfumes
Closest first, by how many people say they smell alike. Never ranked by price or commission.
Summary in words
Penhaligon's The World According to Arthur: what people say about it.
In short: Often worn in cooler months.
Most often worn by men.
60% of people get 2–6 hours of wear (22 people who said how many hours; the middle answer is 3.5 hours).
Mixed reports on projection (76 people): No single story here: about half say it stays close to the skin, while about 2 in 5 say it projects moderately.
People wear it most for: cooler months.
1% of people who wear it get compliments (104).
Perfumes people say smell alike: Firestorm Extrait by French Avenue (61% of voters).
Sample first: opinions on this one are split.
Each person counts once per topic. Reported experiences, not verified purchases; skin, climate and batch change how a scent wears.
Community data through .
How we count
- It sums up what 200+ people have said about this perfume in community discussions and perfume reviews, up to 25 Oct 2026.
- Each person counts once per topic, however often they posted. A count or bar only appears once enough people have described that topic.
- These are reported experiences, not verified-purchase reviews or a rating. Skin, climate and batch all change how a scent wears.
- Scendira’s AI reads each review and post and tags what it says (how long it lasts, how far it projects, how it smells). We count each person once per topic; the sentences here are written from those counts.
- Matches with 100+ voters come first; early reads have fewer votes.
Snapshot
The full profile.
About This Perfume
Penhaligon's The World According to Arthur comes across as smoky sweet vanilla tonka cream with citrus tang. It opens with frankincense, Tahitian vanilla and grapefruit, moves into ambrette and clary sage absolute and settles on tonka bean absolute. It leans masculine, though anyone can wear it.
This eau de parfum is best in spring, fall and winter and is easy to wear day or night. Reach for it for date nights. Released in 2021.
In the community's experience it lasts roughly a working morning or afternoon, and projects to about arm's length.
Is it right for you?
- Best for: anyone after something gourmand and smoky for date nights.
- Sample first if: sweet is new territory for you.
- Skip if: you dislike spicy fragrances.
Around $350.
Explore more: More from Penhaligon's · Gourmand perfumes · Frankincense perfumes · Grapefruit perfumes
Concentration
EDP
Occasion
Date
Projection
Moderate
Gender lean
Leans masculine
The verdict
Best for
Best for
- Date
The Brand
Penhaligon's
Penhaligon's is an English niche perfumery founded in 1870, known for the Portraits line, narrative scents named after a fictional family, plus the Halfeti, Babylon and Trade Routes ranges. Scendira has 92 Penhaligon's listings, which run from around $48 to $485. Penhaligon's Halfeti leads the community mentions, followed by Penhaligon's Luna and Penhaligon's Sartorial.
How the top picks smell
Penhaligon's Halfeti (Eau de Parfum, 2015) opens with green notes and mugwort and ends on resins, cedarwood and patchouli; overall it reads as smoky amber leather over spiced rose. For Penhaligon's Luna (Eau de Toilette, 2016), expect bright citrus and green berries with soft rose: primofiore lemon and bitter orange up top, fir balsam, musk and ambergris underneath. Penhaligon's Sartorial (2010) comes across as tailored leather with honeyed spice and violet, with cardamom and metallic notes at the start and honey, oakmoss and tonka bean at the base.
See warm & amber perfumes and floral perfumes for scents in the same families, or the Scendira brands page to switch houses.
More from Penhaligon's
Vendor: Penhaligon's
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FAQ
Common questions.
It smells like smoky sweet vanilla tonka cream with citrus tang. It opens with frankincense, Tahitian vanilla and grapefruit, moves into ambrette and clary sage absolute and settles on tonka bean absolute.
In the community's experience it lasts roughly a working morning or afternoon, and projects to about arm's length.
It is best in spring, fall and winter. It is easy to wear day or night. It suits date nights.
It leans masculine, though anyone can wear it.
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