Photo:  Halfeti Rose Susie

 Halfeti is the latest release from Penhaligon's Trade Routes collection, and is a celebration of all the exotic goods that were  shipped from Turkey. Composed by Perfumer Christian Provenzano, imagine heaps of flowers, towering displays of spices and incense, supple leather hides and lustrous fabrics, all displayed to entice foreign traders into parting with their gold. The fragrance itself is named after a very rare type of black rose that grows on the banks of the Euphrates River in the small village of Halfeti. So deep red that they appear almost burnt, these roses are the heart around which the fifth Trade Routes perfume is built.

~Top Notes: Grapefruit, Bergamot, Green Notes, Armoise (wormwood, used in absinthe.), Heart Notes: Cardamom, Cumin, Nutmeg, Saffron, Cinnamon, Rose, Violet, Jasmine, Cypress, Muguet, Lavender., Base Notes: Leather, Oud, Amber, Resins, Cedarwood, Patchouli heart, Tonka, Vanilla, Sandalwood, Musk. ~

 Victorian Turkish Bazaar collage by Susie

Halfeti smells exactly as you would imagine it to from the note listing. It is an entirely self explanatory fragrance, but then, with such a vivid back story, it would have to be wouldn't it? It does indeed evoke some lovely imagery of picturesque river banks and crowded bazaars, opening with crisp freshness, immediately tempered with spices. The floral accord is herbal and dry, rose, violet and jasmine being only an accompaniment to the main players. The focus and heft of this perfume comes from a very prominent leather/Oud/wood accord that strides out across the fresh opening and settles in for the long haul. The florals almost disappear beneath it (apart from lavender, which is present throughout) and only appear again in the very last drifts of the perfume's life. As an Eau de Parfum, Halfeti boasts some fairly tenacious longevity, with rather impressive sillage, considering Penhaligon's fragrances are usually rather restrained.

 Victorian Orientalist Room (photographer unknown) circa 1870s

If you read my review of Atelier Cologne Oud Saphir, you will know that I have a bit of a problem with the huge over-use of aoud in recent years. I'm a total Oud-a-phobe and in Halfeti it has been used in a familiar way: next to leather with a sprinkling of spice and some rose for good measure. The element that I enjoy most about the fragrance is the dry, herbal quality throughout, which reminds me of old apothecary chests filled with lavender sachets. There is nothing truly unique about the way in which Halfeti has been composed, yet there is no disputing its quality and rich texture. Penhaligon's scents are always beautifully composed, and Halfeti is no exception, although it is a bit predictable oud/rose/ wood perfume. With that being said,  it is sure to have great appeal to those  who love and never tire of this genre.

Pandora's Box John Williams Waterhouse

I would recommend Halfeti to those of you who like their Ouds dry and spiced. This is not a humid, overly animalic scent, it's more like climbing into an empty rosewood chest that was used to ship resins and spices across the seas to England. Warm, dusty and wrapped in cracked old leather, Helfeti might be named for a rose in full bloom but I found dry, faded petals worn with time.

Disclaimer- sample my own, as are all my opinions.

Susie Baird- Editor and editor of Epiphany.

 Thanks to Penhaligon’s have a bottle of 100 ml bottle Halfeti for a registered CaFleureBon reader in the USA, EU or Canada. To be eligible, please leave a comment with your feeling on oud and rose scents, why you would like to win and where you live and if you have a favorite Penhaligon’s Perfume. Draw closes 6/12/205

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