Cairo Penhaligon's for women and men

Cairo Penhaligon's for women and men

main accords
woody
warm spicy
rose
vanilla
earthy
powdery
amber
balsamic
patchouli
metallic

Perfume rating 4.21 out of 5 with 721 votes

Cairo by Penhaligon's is a Amber Floral fragrance for women and men. Cairo was launched in 2019. The nose behind this fragrance is Christophe Raynaud. Top notes are Damask Rose and Saffron; middle notes are Vanilla, Cypriol Oil or Nagarmotha and Labdanum; base notes are Sandalwood, Patchouli and Cedar.

"Inspired by the rising sun over the ancient city, the Cairo eau de parfum by Penhaligon's boasts exquisite Damascan Rose, macerated in an abundance of woods and spices. An ornate and sumptuous fragrance that echoes with saffron and incense, said to be the perfume of the gods, the scent finishes with patchouli and vanilla at its base for a familiar reassurance of dusk." - a note from the brand.

Read about this perfume in other languages: Deutsch, Español, Français, Čeština, Italiano, Русский, Polski, Português, Ελληνικά, 汉语, Nederlands, Srpski, Română, العربية, Українська, Монгол, עברית.

Pros

Pros

37
1
Spicy, incensey, vanillary, rosey, woody scent
31
0
Ideal for fall/winter evenings
31
2
Suitable for both genders
17
1
Great longevity
15
3
Stunning and a great wardrobe addition
13
2
Heavy projection in the first 2 hours, moderate projection thereafter
10
3
Suitable for casual and occasion wear
0
8
Comparable to Guerlain Santal Royal
Cons

Cons

16
7
May not suit those who dislike damask rose or saffron
8
19
Difficult to pick up rose notes under the spice
4
19
Medicinal note may be overpowering for some
3
19
Very dry feel on opening
1
20
May be too masculine for some
2
23
May smell old fashioned
0
20
Strong and cloying scent

Note: The pros and cons listed on this page have been generated using the artificial intelligence system, which analyzes product reviews submitted by our members. While we strive to provide accurate and helpful information, we cannot guarantee the complete accuracy or reliability of the AI-generated pros and cons. Please read the full reviews and consider your own needs and preferences before making a purchasing decision.

Fragram Photos
Perfume Pyramid

Top Notes

Damask Rose
Saffron

Middle Notes

Vanilla
Cypriol Oil or Nagarmotha
Labdanum

Base Notes

Sandalwood
Patchouli
Cedar

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All Reviews By Date

Labwuh

Penhaligons - Cairo

A spicy incense amber rose scent.

I've noticed that Penhaligon's oriental perfumes have an aura of poshness to them making them very refine.

This is the female version of Halfeti with a touch of Oud Palao due to it being slightly herbal.

An exquisite Perfume...

astralmonad870

I have smelled this Penhaligon’s DNA in dozens of their other perfumes. Babylon, Mister Sam, Beauregard, etc. A male-leaning unisex, well blended spiced woody vanilla. Nice but not needed for my collection. My sinuses are sick of smelling the same thing.

jckl

Very sweet from the damask rose, powdery & woody dry-down, with decent performance. For me this is initially super sharp reminiscent of something like lychee fruit, but I find it develops and mellows down beautifully over the first hour.

To me, no amber notes as others mentioned, and the spicy notes are woody yet not dark, and definitely not fresh or green. Lasts an age on clothes, and can still detect after ~10 hours on the wrists & neck. Projection is not overbearing and leaves a trail in your wake for the first 2-4 hours.

Perfect for autumn, winter nights, and feels a little gentlemanly on first spray, but dries down into something more unisex. That being said, a safe blind buy for both men and women, unless you're expecting floral, fresh scents.

Lunele

Way more powdery than I like on the opening, to the point where I was sneezy. The vestiges are pleasantly sweet-smelling but not unique. It's a no for me, especially with that price tag. Sample first!

Cashimir

This is the first time in my ~50 fragrance collection where I find that what I smell on the perfume and how I perceive it (in terms of season and day/night) completely contradicts what the vast majority of people here seem to get from it. To me it smells woody and sweet, dare I say almost fresh. Smells like it could work in summertime, not to mention spring. I do not get “spicy”, thick, old-school or heavy from Cairo at all.

Makes me wonder whether my batch has strayed from the “regular” formulation somewhat, since my perception of this scent is so different from what people report here.

Also makes me wary of wearing this during spring/summer. Might choke others out around me 😄

Kustomeyez

Was in the middle of writing a detailed lengthy review and this damn page re loaded itself and all my time writing the review lost, just gone, pooof !! Anyway this stuff is AMAZING to my nose. BUT & a BIG BUT.. PSA NOT FOR EVERYONE’S LIKING. Not blind buy safe unless you know you like a wide variety of scents in your collection. 10/10 Stunner ✅ beautiful fragrance. The End

Retro_Futurista

@charmedbymeghan.
I’m very aware of what the reminds me of means, but unfortunately it influences people to not even give something that in my opinion is radically different a chance. And if you think people don’t use that tool to avoid or try other fragrances I mean you’re wrong but who cares. At the end of the day it does not remind me of Oud Satin Mood in the slightest. And that’s all I meant by that.

KenanC_C

spicy rose fragrance. I don't get the wood note at all... Nothing special. 6/10

Fragaddict123

A pleasant fragrance I’d say ok at best
Rose and sandalwood that is combined in a way that neither overpowers the other
It’s mainly spicy ambery
It reminds me in the dry down of both Layton and red tobacco
It’s definitely closer to mainstream scents than artistic work
Performance was good projection and is ok
I wasn’t impressed by it and to me it doesn’t qualify to be in my collection

aertz

pulls sweet and a little citrus(?) on me. delicious

freepalestine

Beatiful and versatile woody scent

LxRusso

It's not bad. Smells just like Tom Ford's Sahara Noir but it's not quite as pleasant as that one.

colorfulmess

Thick and heady, Cairo doesn't disappoint. It starts off heavy on the earth and resins; incense takes a while to warm up on the skin. It is meditative - not as formal or suit-and-tie as I thought it would be - which I like. There's almost a burnt coffee quality to it as well.

Ninamariah

When thinking about popular notes combined with Rose you find all of them in this scent except Oud.

In Cairo - there are Saffron and Rose, Cypriol Oil, Patchouli and Labdanum blended nicely with Vanilla in a woody base. This is very balanced scent what comes to those notes and none of them is actually dominant. This is not overly sweet, it’s not so “jammy” like those ones with just Rose with Vanilla. It’s not dark scent either. Cairo is as well somewhat restrained if thinking the performance and comparing for example with gorgeous beast Radical Rose which fills the room immediately (I love it a lot). It’s not weak, don’t get me wrong, but it just doesn’t scream to get attention and the notes are in a perfect harmony with each others.

Different combinations of the notes mentioned above has been done hundreds of times and considering uniqueness, it’s not found here. Anyway while searching the scent with all these notes in one I found this one being the best. The blend is not complex, nor difficult to understand which makes it very versatile and safe to wear. The longevity is great.

Wonderful scent for everyday wear during autumn and winter. I can wear even a dense ouds during summertime but I think it’s leather which makes this too heavy for hot days imo.

fvnaticbychoice

it’s really nice but definitely masculine leaning. I would prefer to smell it on a man rather than myself.

Charmedbymeghan

Just commenting for Retro_ a few comments down (and for whoever else needs to see this 😅)...

The "This Perfume Reminds Me Of" section above does not mean that the fragrance smells exactly like it. Or that they have the same notes. Or are dupes of eachother. It just means that it "reminds you of" another fragrance, for whatever reason.

🫳
🎤

Royal12

Penhaligon's Cairo
عطر خشبي فانلا ايرثي
عطر شتوي جميل تقييمي له
8/10

Katchke

Very VERY smoky on me. I got a sample of this because my ears perked up at the rose notes, and unfortunately, not a lot of the rose got to shine through the smoky, earthy, spicy patchouli. After a couple hours the incense notes start to come through a lot more. Not a bad smell, but definitely errs on the side of masculine. I dont think this scent is for me personally, but I imagined being a heroine in a film noir movie when I put this on. Something like a sweet spicy woody perfume layered with the smell of cigar smoke and leather like I had just stepped out of a seedy bar in the underbelly of a busy city. Kind of a cool character perfume, but theres the slight untertone of the same kind of synthetic/plasticy smell that I got when I tried Penhaligon's Artemisia. I might just be identifying a note wrong, but theres something stinky here too....

Retro_Futurista

Not sure why people think this smells like oud satin mood. That is such a powdery oud rose because of the violet.
Cairo on the other hand is a Saffron/rose with a Cypriol note that creates this medicinal mentholated smooth undercurrent. There’s a sweetness that for me makes it lean Feminine. This fragrance really does evoke Death on the Nile, Cleopatra, even Evelyn from The mummy. I could imagine her smelling like this. Overall this was a love for me. Better than the ever popular halfeti

Whateverwhocares

Sweet and spicy, vanilla and rose incense. Masculine, gentlemanly lean. Dressed up. Musky toward dry-down, and in hot weather. Has Penhaligon’s trademark “this should be aftershave” vibe. Stands out amongst similar scent profiles. Very harmonic blend, considering the wood accord is quite synthetic. The spices don’t suffocate the nuance, which is rare. The harmonics can be detected in passing and not just up-close examination. On that note, excellent sillage and longevity. Good projection. Not over the top. One of my favorite from the house.

RawSmells

I owned this and for some obscure reason sold it, then acquired it again, and in my second acquisition was perplexed as to why on Gods's earth would I have gotten rid of this in the first place! Anyway, this makes me appreciate the fragrance much more, as well as understand it even more. This is perfectly blended and probably my favourite rose scent. I love rose, but find it extremely hard to find a rose fragrance for me that does not lean all the way feminine. The rose is blended so brilliantly with the Vanilla and spice, that it makes it feel like a hybrid accord of all 3, this is not a rose fragrance, but to me it's quite rose dominant with the vanilla and spice.

I can probably wear this fragrance all the year round, night or day, but it would be a little bit too eccentric for the office for a man, I don’t think it would be for a woman, I'd wear it in all occasion otherwise and in all climates unless it was a blisteringly hot day. It has Penhaligon's exquisite DNA, luxurious, delicate, and akin to all other Penhaligon's it's a decent projection and longevity, a tad better than most Penhaligon's. It's very round with no sharp edges and creamy smooth. I'd buy this again, and it sits in my staple collection, alongside a handful of Creeds, PdMs and Initios. It's my number 1 Penhaligon out of approximately 21 bottles, followed by Babylon, Sartorial and Savoy Steam, when/if I acquire Lord George, it might overtake Savoy Steam :)

I'd highly suggest it, it's blind buy and FB worthy, inoffensive and highly versatile.

Enjoy, and God bless :)

tecfield

Smells good and strong. Learning masculine. On me smells very similar to FM Promise. It's a more wearable version of it. Longevity and silage are over average. I enjoy it quite a lot TBH. I really like FM Promise but it's super strong and won't come off of my skin. This is much better for me to enjoy and not choke others around me 😅

tessture

Wood and spices are murdered by a high screechy alcohol/wood note. I didn't realize Penhaligon was using that aromachemical. I'm very disappointed.

Koummya

At first, this leaned quite masculine to me. Like old-school men's barbershop soap, but blended with a lot of spices and a little rose. Heavy and humid. I haven't been to Egypt yet, but I'm half Moroccan and this vaguely brought up connotations of hammam visits. There really is a palpable humidity to this, a kind of musky mustiness - but not icky, just a little old-fashioned. In The Mummy (1999), they stay in a hotel just after halfway through the movie, and that's the kind of imagery in my mind.

I love that film. I really should stop adding how much I love the bottle on my negative reviews, but... I mean, look at it. I don't love this scent though, and after a couple of hours, it began to turn into MFK Oud Satin Mood. And, just like OSM, it won't get off my skin.

It won't get off my skin.

Hojubaby

I was wondering why i found this familair, yup, it smells very much like oud satin mood from mfk, but its smoother and doesnt have that harsh metallic note.
Overall its not my taste but for those mfk lovers i think this is the less loud and smooth, better version of that scent profile.

Smart&Final

I sampled this one at Saks last year and after a few tries I bought it but it’s honestly not working. Looking to get rid of a 95% full bottle for $150. If interested let me know [email protected]. Thanks!

Fazh97

I hate halfeti, but although this is similar its much better.

I think the opening is my favourite part as its very dry, smells like a spice market with indian incense in the background.

Soon enough the sweetness picks up, it's not bad but I prefer the earlier stage. I didn't realise this was vanilla until seeing the note on here. Its a strange incense smoky sweetness. Its unique but a little too unusual for my taste.

Warm saffron and a tiny touch of rose make an appearance early on but quickly become background notes. Theres also a strong oud note throughout, funky but not dirty.

I like it but don't love it. Its the nicest penhaligons scent I've tried so far, the rest are not my thing. Id say the performance is at a good level for this type of fragrance- not close to a monster but noticeable as you pass.

M.Valle

Very creamy scent, you can cleary smell a bit of oud in the dry down. If halfeti is dry, harsher, more leathery and spicy, Cairo is sweeter, rounder, little less sillage and less longevity. I can't define Cairo as a gourmand but the vanilla and the saffron makes it powdery, warm, with a touch of sweet and in the background you catch a glimpse of something dirty/animalic. I really like it, it's very oriental and it smell luxorious, unisex and it is suitable almost for all the season, btw i recommend it in the colder seasons. It's a safe scent with a touch of twist, all the people I've had smelling it they've appreciated it. 8/10

MysticalArugula

For some reason, I'm getting a bit of MFK Oud with a dryer spiced opening. However, I would have to say the dry down turns more into a vanilla musk, which is quite nice. She is rich, but the scent feels sticky and clinging onto my skin. I'm getting Kim K in a white suit drinking champagne not giving a care in the world, while also having the potential to be the pettiest of the smallest things🤣🥂 Sillage is moderate and longevity is there. I feel there are better perfumes, I dont see much of the hype out of the Penhaligon's collection.

Zodiac
⬆️Leo ☀️Virgo 🌜Cancer

Mina Abdo

Very solid woody spicy vanilla perfume.
Great performance and projection.
The bottle cant get better.

mejohann

This is very nice - one of my favorite Penhaligon's of all. The packaging makes me so happy. As a child I was obsessed with ancient Egypt and ancient art featuring lotus and papyrus flowers just get me every time! The only drawbacks of this scent is a synthetic note somewhere, similar to ambroxan which is like a cheese grater on my sinuses. That keeps this from being a holy grail product and FBW for me. It's also a sillage monster, so keep that in mind and use extremely sparingly because it also seems to last forever and is very difficult to scrub away once it's on something, skin included. That said, I smell oud despite not being listed in the notes, and the cypriol and labdanum are especially noticable to me. It dries down to a warm, soft vanillic powder on me which leaned surprisingly feminine. It's worth a shot if you like the brand.

derby2169

As I thoroughly explained in my review for Halfeti, i am not a fan of the entire line or of the structure behind Halfeti, essentially a cloying linear pastry type formula that triggers nausea every time i smell it.
I was very reluctant to smell the other rose orientals of this house, but indeed Cairo is much more pleasing to my nose. Vivid spices and a large rose accord over big and deep musky woody compounds in the base. Overall not as piercing, nor as insufferably dense and pungent as Halfeti. If I were to recommend one oriental from this house it would definitely be this one.

u24masonl

Oof. This is strong and cloying! It's personal preference of course, but the sweet powdery rose and the very strong patchouli mingle on my skin to smell musty, overly sweet and old fashioned. I was hoping for something slightly more unusual and exotic...

Evenlesscreative

I bought the Penhaligon Sampler sets due to many glowing reviews for a number of their scents. Have loved some of the others, but this one just smells like a number of other scents I have tried before. It smells kind of like spicebomb extreme but not as good. Quieter. I don't get saffron, wish I did. Might be more interesting if I did. It's just fine, nothing special though, unlike Lord George, the Duke, or Duchess Rose. All three of those are far more interesting and unique.

milaminkowski

I like this fragrance very much. My nose picks up instantly the saffron and then the rose, declined in a sweet, feminine way. I don't think it's too much for people who dislike sweet perfumes, because it's subtle and the spices tone it down. It's not one of those perfumes that leave a cloud of scent when you walk, but on my skin it's very persistent, while delicate. It reminds me of an old adventure movie set in a pyramid, or Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie. I would say it smells more like the idea of Egypt we have in the west than an actual oriental fragrance, but in a good, golden age Hollywood, nostalgic way.

Vesperexa

I think I just don't like damask rose, even though I love other kinds of rose. It's a really oily type of rose and together with a really in-your-face patchouli, I can't wear this. I love rose and patchouli together usually (love Eau Capitale by Diptyque) but this particular one is just too sharp, sour and oily. Maybe I also don't like the saffron, I don't know.

Tman98

My mate wears this, and sprays a lot of it on, and I don’t enjoy it. Need to find a way to tell him it’s not good

8:30pm @ Dorsia

This seems very nice when it first goes on.

Rose, Saffron and Sandalwood seem to be the main players here.

Unfortunately over time it is just one of those fragrances that wears me down, after a couple of hours I grow tired of it, and feel like I want to wash it off.

I think the Saffron is the cause of this, I am not a huge fan of Saffron in fragrances, I can handle it when it is used very lightly, but in Cairo it seems to be a main component. This is rather unfortunate, because Cairo is a very well crafted and high quality fragrance, I just can't wear it comfortably.

From the trade routes line I personally enjoy Constantinople the most, it has similarities to Cairo, but forgoes the Saffron for more Vanilla, which I prefer.

6/10

lct

a gorgeous sweet, spicy, deep, and warm oriental gourmand which captures the essence of the egypt

KingerFD

Oud satin mood but turned down just a bit. It smells very similar to me. I’d buy this one instead as it’s a little more niche and I believe you get more juice for your money here.

OudLover94

I got this perfume just last week. Prior to my purchase about 2 months back, the saleslady sprayed this perfume all over my shirt since they ran out of stocks at that time. The perfume could be smelt till today in my wardrobe and it caught onto my other shirts. The longevity for this perfume is insane and the sillage is relatively good. My girlfriend liked this perfume on me. It has the right balance of woody, rosy and sweetness. The dry down is great too! This is a unique scent to me and definitely a must buy for all sweet wood lovers! There is a hint of grainy scents towards the end which actually is what Cairo is all about since you can find abundance of sand in Cairo, Egypt. 10/10 for me :D

ozgurakpinar

I am 100% sure this has oud in it. In the later drydown it starts to smell like you haven’t showered for ages.

Please don’t use it for close encounters. This is dirty oud.

On the air 8/10

hsiangchi.huang

Cairo is a refined (somewhat airy) rose-oud combo that's similar to Jo Malone's Velvet Rose & Oud. This combo generally gives out an ambery, smokey, middle eastern vibe. The most prominent notes are saffron, rose, and oud (even thought not listed above). You can also get a hint of vanilla and leather-like labdanum that wrap all the notes together, as a supporting backbone.

malikun

I would recommend trying a sample of this, OSM by MFK, Extase Rose Absolue by Nina Ricci(also created by MFK) as well as Velvet Rose and Our by Jo Malone since they have same DNA. Please see if the difference vs. price tag will be worth it and decide. Cairo seems slightly overpriced but it is definitely beautiful.

saccitygrl01

This would be a lovely fragrance but on me all I get is this medicinal note that overpowers everything else. It reminds me of mentholatum. Wondering if that is the cypriol oil note.
I can smell the lovely rose, patch and spice beneath it, but that note smothers everything else. Its a bit nauseating on me.

SilkyWoods

I adore this one so so so much. I wear it in every weather and at any given time. It’s seems to adjust to the temperature outside and turn into something different every time I use it. Never gonna be without this one lol.

aweso10

i really do adore a creamy, sultry rose!! the woody cedar and sandalwood help to really mesh all of the different notes together, and the cypirol makes this scent really rounds it out with an earthy, hearty, spicy heart. it smells a bit like zara magnificent dubai, but more on the rose/floral side. also reminds me of oud in acacia by scents of wood. so elegant, would be gorgeous for a special occasion or just a day at work when you're feelin extra posh!<3

BlackWolf6420

A beautiful rose 🌹 / oud 🪵 fragrance. It’s been done before but Penhaligons had a summer sale so it was too tempting not to give it a go. A blind buy that turned out to be a hit!
I am even wearing it on sunny, hot days. It blooms beautifully while working with your body heat. Quite masculine and Arabic in nature. Really pleased I got it! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤🤎🤍

Federica76

I love Cairo. Rose but spicy, opulent, long lasting, exotic. Delicious, rich, opulent overpowering in a gorgeous kind of way. Nice all winter and autumn, stunning in summer, like oud, without that yucky feeling. Gorgeous, one of the few fragrances from the house with longevity: I have a Gucci cardigan which I wear maybe once a year. When I decide to wear it, navy and gold, I spray Cairo all over me. At the end of the evening, I pack away my precious Gucci cardigan in its paper and box. When I open the box after 6 to 9, sometimes 12 months, I can smell Cairo on the cardigan. Absolutely gorgeous 😍

scholar1

ohhhhh on first sniff its a heady dry spice with saffron and a bit of rose that i smell...like an old spice cupboard in your granny's house. but this is not old/mature smelling. This leaves an intoxicating smell on my skin where i keep sniffing myself all day. the woody notes combine with the spicy notes to make the wearer feel exotic, sexy, powerful, beautiful and confident all at the same time.
I went to purchase Halfeti for my guy, but ended up getting this one for me after spraying this on in store...i guess hubby will have to wait haha. while Halfeti is definitely a stronger punchier fragrance, Cairo is softer (but still complex) enough that women can wear without being intimidated by it. LOVE

vulcano

This is the most wonderful blend of spicy, sweet and sour. It's deep and mysterious and promising. Introspective and intricately nourishing. The only rose perfume I've tried that smells like actual roses and not soap. This is my favourite perfume, yet it's not an everyday scent for me, it's too substantial.

SANDYDE

Nice vanilla/rose/oud combo, but ultimately the vanilla makes the whole thing come across as synthetic. I purchased this bottle about a year ago, and while it’s nice smelling, the sweetness was always off putting to me and I couldn’t quite place why…but def could barely bring myself to wear it. Reminds me slightly of a better version of Trance by JF Schwarzlose. After more experiences with vanilla in perfume, I can now pick up that it was the vanillin note all along that was bothering me about this. It cheapens the otherwise beautiful composition to me. Still a pleasant scent over all- especially the rose. I keep this now in my work locker, so I can get some use out of it. If you’re not turned off by vanillin, this may not bother you. Beautiful bottle. Good projection. Safe, easy pleasant scent.

silthrill

This definitely leans masculine IMO. It’s the masculine version of JM Velvet Rose & Oud. Well blended, fresh, spicy.

fpih

Beautiful rose fragrance, a bit tart. Nice but not great for me. Great lasting power though.

Update: I ended up with a FB and the more I wear it, the more I love it. It's exactly what I expected Halfeti to be, middle eastern rose, somewhat dark, somewhat comforting, completely mesmerizing. It's not very loud but it's not a perfume for people looking for a clean, fresh scent. There's just enough mystery in it to make it exotic, yet not unpalatable or baffling to the masses.
It lasts 10 hours on me and reaches those who come near me for the first couple of hours; then it's mostly a skin scent. I have received numerous compliments on it and I'm starting to feel like I've found my holy grail at last!

Glyph

Rose and saffron form a wonderfully tart combination; underneath this has vanilla for sweetness and cypriol oil and sandalwood for earthiness. This does smell Middle Eastern, although I could not sense any oud in here (despite what others have posted below).

This is pretty and potent simultaneously--had I not known this was from the old British company Penhaligon's, I would have been surprised to learn it, since I would have guessed it was actually from the Middle East. It's very nice.

*loves_shoes*

At first this is a bit strong and sickly, I had to wait a good 5 minutes for it to be bearable on my skin.
It’s quite the mix of spicy ingredients with only a tiny bit of sweetness (I can’t smell vanilla at all), and although it doesn’t smell identical (and is definitely not as sweet) it reminds me of Kenzo Jungle Elephant, in that it has the same feeling of a complete mix of spicy notes that can feel a bit sour at first.
Once settled it becomes warmer, and smells a bit like an old spice cupboard.
I’ve been to Cairo, as well as other areas of Egypt, and I worked in Tunisia, and this does remind me a bit of the spice stalls you’d find in the medinas. It has the dry, spicy feel of a country that doesn’t get much rainfall, where everywhere is dusty, and you can smell the baked earth in the air when you get off the plane; if you’ve never been to Northern Africa then it has a smell all of its own. That smell isn’t this fragrance, but it’s warm, dry and spicy, and the Rose isn’t too overpowering but you can tell it’s a ‘rose-spicy wood’ fragrance.
Totally unisex.
By total chance I popped a spray of Lady Blanche on top, and wow, such an amazing combination!
This is a great base layer fragrance to spice up plain fragrances.

penny4urthoughts

Very expensive but there is nothing like it. Smells powerful and sophisticated, and near perfectly unisex. The rose scent isn't overpowered by either overwhelming sweetness or a scent of alcohol, which tends to be rare even among high end perfumes. I would recommend this to any man looking for a softer, but still very clean fragrance.

stalal

Rose and Oud, since humanity needed yet another 'avante garde' combination of those two. I would roll eyes but I gotta dis some more perfumes.

Kaylovely

Oud Satin + Muse= Voila!

rmanukya

Strong, wood-rose fragrance. Even thought the market is crowded with these, I think this one is a stand-out.

Michael16

Sweet sticky floral, almost resinous in profile. Then it’s your bog standard vanilla rose sweet combo, creamy and safe.
I can see the MFK OSM comparison but it steers into a whole other direction.
It’s almost OSM oud without the note oud, but the other notes play so differently.
7/10
Btw this projects but nothing like OSM

emilyjxne

I had a 2ml sample of Cairo & it lasted me so, SO many wears as it’s so potent.
For me the most prominent notes are rose & saffron. The feel of this fragrance is an earthy, spicy, rose & as the name suggests it’s definitely Arabic in its profile. A very sweet, soapy jammy rose.
I to-ed and fro-ed on whether to buy a full bottle but they only seems to do 100ml & that would last me FOREVER and I can imagine it being too sickly & going off it. Great scent but perhaps not for me.
Also NOT like MFK - Oud Satin Mood as that smelt like baby wipes/powder and I don’t like it.

Speed of Life

Smells like a less fruity version of Byredo Bibliotheque, which I also found underwhelming.

sadeakinsanya

Beautifully blended spicy rose (it reminds me of MFK OSM - I have both, but not quite).

Controlledbyscent31

As a francis kurkdijan oud satin mood die hard fan I wanted to try other rose + oud combos so asked for recommendations based on that for a forum post and I was recommended this a few times.
I'll start by saying this did remind me instantly of osm by mfk but tarter, fresher and more clean and spicy, it is a lot less potent or maybe the sample I have it is all big & loud in the opening then dries down really really fast to a soft spicy not very sweet vanilla scent.
For a niche I expected it to stay beastly for longer on me I tested fabric, card and skin and it last longer on the fabric but still a mere few hours this is a nice fragrance and I'm glad I tested it but it's earthy cedar & patchouli base is not my favorite and is not sweet enough for my taste so for that reason I won't be buying it.

Shadow_Slammer

I really love Cairo by Penhaligon’s. The rose and saffron is beautifully blended with vanilla and woody/oudy notes. It’s a slightly spicy and warm, with a chewy gourmand quality. The vanilla really comes alive through the dry down. If I had to compare, Cairo is a more gourmand version of something like “More than Words” by Xerjoff. Cairo is fabulous, one of my favorite openings of all time. Definitely signature scent worthy and very unisex. 10/10

JHart

God I love this fragrance. The dry down is gorgeous!

MaquiLab

Now that's what I'd call a true Oriental scent - despite the recent controversy surrounding the term, I still find it describes the vibe correctly. The initial rose blast quickly succumbs to the spices and as it undoflds, a slightly medicinal tinge comes forward (cypriol/labdanum?). It's a perfume for strong personalities, fierce even. To be honest, if I have to think of a country it wouldn't be Egypt, but rather Turkey during the Ottoman Empire.

Fay@30

It’s more like oud satin mood by MFK ❤️

gleeeeen

This is a particular fragrance that is not too loved in the beginning for those that dislike very potent scents, so waiting for it to dry down is ideal if you would like to smell the heart essence of this scent. However, I myself fell in love with this fragrance immediately. Be careful this is a boss fragrance has a very strong projection on the rose and vanilla. This fragrance can be worn throughout the day, and any kind of climate

Faellen

Lots of rose, and cedar.

Smells really, really similar to Oud de Nil. Although there's no oud here it's still woody enough to be far too similar, so no point owning both.

fragrantbaker

This is very seductive. The quality of the ingredients in this are clearly elite. It’s just so lovely. The top notes of rose and saffron last for ages and begin to warm and sweeten with the vanilla heart which then also lasts all the way alongside the base notes of cedar and sandalwood which again are just divine. It’s rare I can smell every individual note so clearly in a fragrance and yet it be so perfectly blended at the same time. Absolutely top notch stuff. Although generally definitely for the colder weather there’s something about this on a warm late evening that just works very well, especially if you’re dressed up and not around food.

BlueMoon

EGYPT

For many of us, Egypt conjures up mystery, antiquity, pharaohs and Cleopatra. Cairo by Penhaligon captures it all in a beautiful (yet powerful) unisex fragrance.

It's a destination fragrance, for sure.

mosseluke

No joke this smells like a really posh version of Lynx/Axe 'Africa'.

I was struggling for ages to think what it reminded me of, and it's that. (BTW I'm not a fragrance noob, own about 150 fragrances).

The notes are actually really similar - vanilla and cedar heavy, and 'Egyptian balsam' you'll find in the bodyspray.

Damned good fragrance this.

Nebularonic

I'd drink that if I could. Love every note, so well blended.

LordZoot

I've literally joined fragrantica to write this...this perfume smells absoloutely nothing like Oud Ispahan or Monotheme Black Oud! For a start...guess what...there's no oud in it.

I own Cairo and know it like the back of my hand. The base is a combination of patchouli, cypriol and vanilla. Monotheme and Oud Ispahan rely on oud to create the base. In the case of the Monotheme, that oud note is quite medicinal and not wholly pleasant. It's actually close to a knock-off Oud Palao by Diptytique.

Cairo is superb - a real earthy, sweet, and oud-like (...but not oud!) fragrance. Accept no substitute.

penguinrabbit

I bought two Penhaligon's sample sets (so I'll be reviewing a lot of their stuff) and got this as an additional free sample. Musky, warm, rose. Something one of the rich ladies on a Nile cruise would wear in an Agatha Christie novel would be wearing in the night of the murder. Beautiful but for the price I might look to see if I can find something cheaper.

tashwakefield

God I love this fragrance. The only problem is, I already have it! It is almost a twin sister, nay an identical doppelganger of Juliette Has A Gun's Vengeance Extreme. The twin sister position is then filled by Costume National's 'I'. It is itself a glorious, long lasting and classy concoction. But if you already own a bottle of either of its twins, I would warn you not to pay the hefty sum for this one as you will be forking out a fortune for something which is more of the same. On its own however, a beautiful creation and worthy of much praise.

jero

Finally... found you. Talking about the rose, this is the female version of Halfeti. For the oud, this is the missing link between delicious Oud Satin Mood and flowery Oud Ispahan 2018. More of the oud, Oud Ispahan 2012 is the idea behind Oud Palao, Indonesian Oud then 17 Oud Mosaic, finally back to Uncompromising Sohan of Penhaligon<3

Lizzyob

This is glorious! Spicy, warm, rosey, deep. So inviting and warming. This is literally what I’ve been looking for as a deep rose lover. I would feel very confident wearing this as a woman compared to halfeti which I feel leans far more masculine. Probably because this is more sweet whilst still being spicy and deep. Agree with rose/oud comparisons below, but this is done very well. I will be purchasing a full bottle v shortly

aaronmilic

Couple things surprising me here. One I thought this was a rose/oud combo and that's how it was described to me by the seller at Sak's. Two, I hate labdanum so I'm surprised I like this so much.

Typically I don't have much nice to say about Penhaligon's as I feel they are up there with Byredo in making very weak, generic fragrances and charging WAY too much. However, this is the one exception to my rule. This one is nice.

On first spray it reminds me of Satin Mood from MFK, which is definitely a rose/oud but this settles down fairly quickly into a more earthy rose scent.

It might actually be Penhaligon's weakness that becomes the strength here. Most rose fragrances like this are very strong but mix that with Penhaligon's barely there approach to fragrances, this one balances out nicely to being just right and nicely balanced. It's there but not overpowering the room.

Arguably, this is sexier than Satin Mood and Velvet Rose & Oud from Jo Malone. I'm currently wearing this indoors in March and that is definitely not the right place or time. Where I always say Rose/Oud's are best in cooler weather, this would actually be one I'd wear in the summer in a semi formal setting. Even though I've never been to Cairo, this definitely transports you to somewhere exotic.

One thing to note, if you sometimes have allergic reactions to fragrances, you may want to avoid this one. I wore this sample around a scent sensitive person and she had an immediate and bad reaction to it, I had to try and wash it off.

I currently only have a 10ml sample of this I received at Sak's when I purchased something else. I feel this scent is covered in my collection but I do like it enough that I may pick up a bottle.

Quick note, Saks Sherway is no longer carrying Penhaligon's. I can't say I'm surprised.

max_fumehead

This perfume is pure romance. Sensual rose on a soft base of spice and wood. The feminine to Eight & Bob Egypt's masculine; both fragrances conjure up such a specific person and place in my mind. Classically lovely, without feeling stodgy or old.

Belovedme

What a masterpiece! Smoky, woody, I can smell rose and saffron too. Reminds me of Lancome l’autre oud (older verion) and TF noir pour femme. Sexy scent ❤️ 100% unisex. Cant stop sniffing my wrist, it is that well done. Fits perfectly on both genders. Excellent done 🥂

Perfume Beginners

It is more like a rose-oud combo to me rather than rose and saffron.

Frigga

Received a sample with my order, thanks God I did! Love this perfume, perfection on Middle East motifs. Will definitely add a bottle to my collection. It's similar to Rose Arabie Armani (own and wear it) but has touch of vanilla that makes it more sensual.

Samh1992

When I first smelt this in a penhaligon’s store it instantly reminded me of that name, Cairo. This juice is amazing, I got a sample of this and decided to put it on for a night out at dinner and I had 6 people all say how amazing it smells.

This projects across the room and lasts, it’s such a pleasant scent that I’ll be amazed to find someone that finds this offensive.

It is very much a night time/fall fragrance suited for a date night and not too much for an office environment.

Another masterpiece from the house of Penhaligon’s

Wildflower1

I came across Penhaligon's website and did a little test where they recommended me a sample of Cairo.
Ah, the excitement! I expected a sweet, slightly woody scent with a chic hint of vanilla, evoquing warm, sumptuous nights in a posh establishment at Cairo... I wanted it to smell rich and opulent, like some Arabian women.

At first sniff, the image that came to my mind is a middle-aged man.
He is wearing jeans, a striped white and brown polo t-shirt, dark-framed glasses. His dark hair is parted in the middle and secured with strong hold gel. He wears brown suede mocassins. He is in India. He was inside an incense shop for hours, choosing the best incense for his Pooja rituals. The scent has impregnated in his clothes. He then walks through a flower market for some time and ends up in the food stalls. Curry and rice is what he chooses. After lunch he walks around the city of Mumbai, browsing the shops. A sweaty train trip and he arrives home, greeted by his wife. Penhaligon Cairo is what this men smells like at the end of such day. Unfortunately this scent is not for me. It suits an incense shop better.

Frangipanilove

This is quite a masculine scent. Hard to even pick up the rose under the spice. Very dry feel to this one on the opening, wood and vanilla there also. Not a bad scent in itself, just not for me. Too much spice as in if you were cooking and accidentally too much fell in so now you can only taste saffron in your dish, nothing else. Over a while, hour or so, the sweetness/vanilla comes out more but the sharpness of spice stays on top. Meh.

fragranceguru

Prior to Cairo being released, Duchess Rose was my favorite scent from Penhaligons, but now I think Cairo is. It is magnificent!!

I'm glad it is not as heavy as Halfeti.

Start to finish, it is a uniquely, well-balanced, well blended scent - no one note overpowers another.

AMajeedQT

Magnificent rosey oud.

Cairo is a beautiful creation from Penhaligon.

It is made up of rose, with oudy-&-herbal nagarmotha/patchouli combo. There a slight touch of sweet spiciness with saffron, vanilla, and sandalwood.

Quite oriental, quiet beautiful! Woody, warm, spicy, and only slightly sweet. Warm as the embrace of a hug. It does indeed smell like Armani Privé Rose d'Arabie as "Blacktundras" have mentioned below. However, Cario is woodier and less sweet, which I honestly prefer.

This gorgeous gem is a mature cool weather wear for both sexes.

I really love Cairo but that price tag ~$235 is a turnoff, especially since I already have Rose d'Arabie.

"Love"

pommelo

to be honest, I don’t like this scent at all. It smelled so green and fresh in the store, but now that bought it and am wearing it, I’m disappointed, it just smells like the most common middle eastern perfume, all sweet and oudh-like, even though there actually no oudh in it. The saffron is almost overpowering, and the initial green burst I thought I smelt, that made me think it was unique has disappeared. It does smell like Cairo, and Dubai, and every other place that produces oud. To be fair, it does smell like quality ingredients. Just disappointed by the lack of complexity

sam.newman

Cairo is my most complimented fragrance from both people I know and people in the street. Someone serving me at Starbucks just the other day was amazed by it.
It’s hard to explain the scent, it’s a sweet spice that last a good 6+ hours.
It probably tends to be more of a night time fragrance, but it isn’t too dark and moody to be warn in the day though.
It’s in my top 5 fragrances.

disastervongerald

The smell reminds ne the holy city of Mecca during pilgrimage season!

Scent: 4.5/5
Projection: 4/5
Longevity: 3/5

Voice-Of-God

Two things immediately came to mind on smelling Cairo...

1: It smells (to my nose) like a weaker, watered down version of Dior's Oud Ispahan. It seems almost 95% similar but unfortunately it doesn't project or last as long as Oud Ispahan. And...

2: I concur with dr.astrov's review below. At the opening, Cairo smells like a very close twin of Monotheme's Black Oud but at 10 times the price. I'd go as far as to say that MBO is actually nicer in the dry down as...

A: It's got much better longevity, and...

B: It's a bit darker and moodier, and much closer to Guerlain's Oud Essentiel, whereas Cairo on it's own gets a bit sweet/powdery on the dry down for me.

As nice as Cairo is, whatever end you approach it from financially, I don't think it offers particularly good value for money.

I'd rather wear Dior's Oud Ispahan as it's only a few quid more expensive and performs much better than Cairo or, If I only wanted to spend £22.00, I'd buy Monotheme's Black Oud, which also performs better.

That (for me) leaves Cairo between a rock and a very hard place, but Monotheme's Black Oud in a very good place!

Tatley1

This was bought for me by my brother who has no sense of smell(!) but cleverly consulted with the perfume outlet.

I have to say that he has unwittingly struck gold as this takes me straight back to my days in the Sultanate of Oman where incense was burnt in The Al Bustan Hotel lobby and is a reminder that the Omani ladies hang their abayas over burning bakhoor to infuse their clothes with an amazing fragrance.

I love this fragrance - it is spicy, woody, warm and deeply enjoyable to wear. I just hope it will give others as much pleasure to inhale as it is me (birthday gift only received yesterday so haven't been out in the big, wide world with it yet!!)

nhaji

This is a FABULOUS scent. If you like Middle Eastern notes, I’m sure you’ll love this. It’s smokey, rich and hedonistic. Every time I spray it I have visions of the gold souks and a feeling of grandeur as if I was sitting next to the pharaoh himself. It doesn’t last quite as long as Halfeti sadly but it still lasts for hours and I always get many compliments about it wherever I go. I pair with some Oud oil to add a little extra depth but it works just as well on its own.

Naomi’s I

I adore this fragrance and yet was a little disappointed as I hoped for the strength of Halfeti.
It reminded me of one of my favourites, Lancôme’s Oud Bouquet, even though the description does not mention oud, however I found it lacking the longevity or sillage. Overall a lovely fragrance with multiple layers, warm and gentle to wear after dry down with an unobtrusive presence.

NickZee

Agree with comments below comparing it to MFK Oud Satin Mood. There’s a bit more saffron and cypriol but that vanilla-oud-rose accord is here as it is in Satin Mood. Not a bad thing since Oud Satin Mood is gorgeous. And the Packaging here is fantastic.

SpiritOfPoison

I very much wanted to love this perfume. I adore patchouli and spice. Based on the notes listed I was excited to get a spicy, incense, woody smell with a touch of rose or vanilla. Sadly it does not work with my chemistry at all. It comes across almost sickeningly sweet on me in a purple fruit/ berry kind of way. The saffron takes over any hope of spices coming through and I'm left smelling of fruity potpourri. It does last forever though. One spray was still detected at the end of my day.

rosequeen

Excellent, and Penhaligon's has finally gotten the message and is selling 10ml cylinders of the stuff under their own label, although strangely not on their websites. I seldom go into stores anymore, so I don't know if they're selling them there if you beg the salespeople to dredge one out of the back of a drawer. (Oh please, oh please, I won't tell; I'll make everyone think I had to drop $200+ at this very counter.) How many million decants sold by other people did it take them to figure it out?

I wanted Cairo when it first came out, but I was really hesitant. The list of notes could go any way, and I was afraid it would just be weird. Penhaligon's has crossed the line from unusual to weird way too often in the last 20 years, in my opinion. And I swore I wouldn't buy another $50+ bottle of anything before I bought a decant first. (This is Fragrantica; most people here know what I mean.)

So far anyway, I think Cairo is the best of their Trade Routes Line. For once, Penhaligon has produced a scent that smells like it might have come from Middle East and/or specifically Egypt. It's not DSH's Antiu; that's the gold standard for me on Egyptian motif fragrances. But Cairo is worthwhile and I'd buy a full bottle if I felt flush.

Love the spices and patchouli. So far it's lasted about 6 hours on my skin, just from a quick squirt when it first arrived.

btpaulen

I find this quite similar to MFK Oud Satin Mood. The dry-down is maybe not 10/10, but overall a very nice composition. The opening is stunning!

shrekspeare

LOVE this. Have worn Shalimar for near fifteen years now, but was looking to upgrade as Shalimar has gone quite powdery on me since the reformulation. I think this is it. The saffron is lovely with the rose, and the patchouli and vanilla really tie everything together. It reminds me of the vintage Shalimar my grandmother used to wear. So lovely. Will spring for a bottle of this one.

Blacktundras

It does remind me of a mildly, more spicy Armani Privé Rose d'Arabie without the strong rose scent. I own Rose d'Arbie and I'd rather just keep that since the spice is so weak in Cairo and its doesn't really add anything new or special to my collection. To say that this is a similar smell to MFK Aoud Satin Mood is just disrespectful, there's just no other words for that.

Michelle12345678

I wouldn't buy this, there's something in here that is pungent and oud-like.

Manuscoronum

This is a beautiful fragrance! Notes of sweet labdanum, rose and saffron give it an amber edge!

This represents an Attar of great beauty and it could easily be mistaken for have been created in the United Arab Emirates.

It has a boozy warmth through the heart notes, hints of Mount Gay spiced rum with vanilla.

The sillage is not as strong as I would appreciate, but the fragrances endurance are quite kind. This is a great combination with your natural sweats. It's almost a bit dirty in that sense.

jroyogi

Wow, just got sample, lush jammy rose, fantastic opening

toushiroumimi

I am so happy. As an Egyptian getting this was a MUST and my family kindly got it for me on my birthday (yaaaaaaaay!). If you like Saffron and Oud YOU'LL LOVE THIS. I dont get alot of rose yes its there but it almost balances the Saffron.

The Vanilla gives this some sort of elegant weight and sweetness.

Basically, I dont enjoy heavy perfumes but the patchouli and rose in this balances everything. The Oudy sort of scent that it gives is a combo of the Saffron and Vanilla which (if you live in the Middle East) is very elegant and sophisticated. It kinda smells like honey as well

Cherry_Darling

I was really excited to test this as I generally really enjoy woody oriental spicy fragrances. Unfortunately the rose and the papyrus are challenging notes for me. They are a bit more overwhelming in this scent than I like, but rose lovers may enjoy this a lot and overall is a great perfume, the saffron and spices are delicious.

Andy the Frenchy

At the top, you'll get a strong spicy cypriol note.
The heart is a close relative of Guerlain Santal Royal.
The base is a rose & dirty patch dance.
I also suspect their is more than that (cumin, incense, pepper, cinnamon) but it's impossible to individually spot... all is part of a majestic blend.
Heavy projection in the first 2 hours, moderate for another 1-2 hours. Great longevity.

Spectacular! The newest and in my top 3 from Penhaligon's! Still, I'd wait for it to show at discounter's, as the retail price tag is a bit high imo.

Fall/Winter evenings, 30+

shiprat

Spicy incensey vanillary rosey woody thing. Possibly oud in there but subtle. Absolutely unisex and suitable for casual and occasion - I will wear this loads. Stunning and a great wardrobe addition.

Oslo-fjord

Tested it today at Dubai airport. Very nice! Spicy, rosy and smokey. The Trade Routes collection is quite underrated.

 
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