Most days when choosing which perfume to wear I will probably opt for something full of fascinating nuance and multiple levels of development. Then there are the days I want my perfume to just give it to me straight in a smooth progression from top to base notes. There are always a few new perfumes which delight me with a vivid progression of usual ingredients. The latest perfume to keep it simple is Penhaligon’s Bayolea.
Penhaligon’s released Bayolea as a full-service men’s grooming line named The Gentleman’s Grooming Range. The Eau de Toilette is part of a collection that includes shaving products, bath gel, facial scrubs, hair products, and deodorant. Everything carries the basic scent of the EdT. For something which was going to have to be tuned across a number of different uses, perfumer Mike Parrott was smart to keep the construction elementary. Which is not synonymous with boring. At each phase of Bayolea’s development Mr. Parrott adds one ingredient to add some contextual detail. This makes Bayolea’s trip from citrus to spicy floral to a patchouli base; straightforward but with some interesting roadside attractions along the way.
Mike Parrott
Bayolea opens with what at first blush seems like a traditional citrus opening of mandarin, tangerine, and lemon. Except the lemon isn’t lemon as Mr. Parrott chooses to use lemongrass instead. It adds a bit of green and a bit of far eastern exotic character. The heart takes lavender and neroli combined with a green cardamom and black pepper. I have really liked that perfumers have begun to use spices to accentuate the herbal quality of good lavender. That is the case here as the green coriander picks up the green of the lemongrass and transitions to a greener more herbal lavender truer in character to the real thing. A pinch of black pepper keeps it tilted to the herbal side and neroli acts as a balancing note to keep it from going too far that way. The base notes are centered on a rich patchouli framed with cedar and sandalwood. This all eventually concludes with an amber and musk accord.
Bayolea has 10-12 hour longevity and average sillage.
I have to congratulate Mr. Parrot on creating a fragrance which works across so many different uses. I also have samples of the shaving products and face washes. Bayolea works all the way through my morning toilette because Mr. Parrott keeps it simple. Sometimes the simple pleasures are all you need to start your day.
Disclsoure: This review was based on a sample of Bayolea provided by Twisted Lily.
–Mark Behnke
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