Much Ado About The Duke Penhaligon's for men

Much Ado About The Duke Penhaligon's for men

main accords
woody
rose
fresh spicy
aromatic
leather
warm spicy
floral
herbal

Perfume rating 4.06 out of 5 with 656 votes

Much Ado About The Duke by Penhaligon's is a Leather fragrance for men. Much Ado About The Duke was launched in 2016. The nose behind this fragrance is Daphné Bugey.

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

24
1
Unexpected and unique scent
17
0
Transparent and woody/spicy
15
1
Likeable and pleasant
15
2
Balanced gin, cumin, and rose notes
14
1
Fresh and elegant with a sexy touch
14
4
Unisex or leans masculine
6
1
Nostalgic and on-trend
2
11
Church incense vibe
Cons

Cons

15
8
Low longevity and sillage
13
4
Lacks projection
14
6
Disappointing for rose lovers expecting more prominence
5
8
Not bottle-worthy compared to other rose scents
3
8
Strong gin and pepper notes overpower the rose
1
9
Slight lemon opening may not appeal to all
2
12
Unpleasant sweaty or hairy ball smell to some noses
0
9
Leather note dominates on some skin

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

Fragrance Notes


Rose
Pepper
Gin
Woody Notes
Leather

Fragrantica® Trends is a relative value that shows the interest of Fragrantica members in this fragrance over time.

Much Ado About The Duke News
The Omniscient Mr Thompson: A Murder? The Butler Did It!

The Omniscient Mr Thompson: A Murder? The Butler Did It!

by Alex (Sane-Witch) Osipov

01/14/24 16:40
12
Helen, Teddy, and Mr. Harrod: Keeping Up Appearances

Helen, Teddy, and Mr. Harrod: Keeping Up Appearances

by Alex (Sane-Witch) Osipov

10/01/19 11:30
16
Alcohol in Fragrance: For Those Who Like it Stronger 32
Virginia Woolf's ORLANDO: A Biography in Fragrances

Virginia Woolf's ORLANDO: A Biography in Fragrances

by Alex (Sane-Witch) Osipov

03/05/19 18:27
19
Penhaligon's Roaring Radcliff: The Lion's Share 3
Penhaligon's London: The Revenge of Lady Blanche

Penhaligon's London: The Revenge of Lady Blanche

by Eugeniya Chudakova

03/06/17 10:39
4

Perfume longevity:2.99 out of5.

Perfume sillage:2.22 out of4.

Become a member of this online perfume community and you will be able to add your own reviews.

All Reviews By Date

WildCalifornia

The Pros at the top of the page are not wrong. "Unexpected and unique" hits the nail right on the head. I was expecting the rose to come on strong and floral like the others in this collection. Yes the rose is there but the pepper packs a strong punch. I don't like how rose in fragrances really dominates but the pepper ,gin , woods and leather stay pretty balanced with the rose . I will say that as this does dry down the powdery of the rose does come out a bit more but only if you have your nose right on the skin. Smelling it from an inch or 2 away still gives you a bunch of the wood gin and pepper notes. This is something different and I really like that . A little more pepper and gin and this would have been a mega banger . But it's still very good. This works year round night and day. Performance , it will stick on the skin for a solid 5 to 6 hours . Projection 2 to 3 hours .
This is not a good blind buy . The pepper will throw people off. It's strong like cracked pepper at first then mellows out to whole fresh black pepper . I'd say it's pretty unisex for a rose forward fragrance

cpsottak

I may enjoy many fragrances over this one, but nothing is a more fitting choice for a charcoal grey suit. This fragrance is perfect for the dapper gentleman, and in penhaligons style, it’s not obnoxiously strong. You will certainly be making the statement of how distinguished you are by wearing this fragrance

xvxmatthewxvx

starts off woody then becomes fruity candied orange rose with musk & amber, the late dry down is the booze & sweaty skin animalic musk of Idole by Lubin. It’s mostly a skin scent until you move around and it projects a bit more but overall it’s mostly soft to medium projection. It’s a nice scent but I’m not sure it’s worth what they’re asking.

smelling.sniffing.swan

Lots of pepper and juniper in the opening, maybe even a hint of eucalyptus.
It packs a pretty boozy punch at first which many will find unpleasant.

There's spicy woodiness, maybe some cumin or cardamom in the base that feels vaguely christmassy to me.

There's a note that I can't quite distinguish in the dry-down that I'm finding quite sickening. It's a soapy quality that feels like it exists to hold the abundance of pepper together, but it has a 'herbal medicine' effect on me. I can't help but think of a soothing ointment for insect bites.

The dry-down to me is worse than the opening. It's like a monotone, droning, buzzing noise. A throat-catching concoction of spice, botanicals and bar-soap.

This is faux gentlemanly. Annoying dinner party guest, weird uncle, creepy co-worker.
Call HR if you smell this in the workplace.

VERDICT: In terms of gender profile. This is unisex, as in, both genders should avoid it.
Luckily the sillage is low or this would be getting washed off.

Tee22

Very woody, and peppery. Masculine

Toobhai

Another one Cant's judge the note but better than what you best when you sniff !

Beauty with the brain and the Man who is unique and does everything like he wanted!
For me on me 10/10 (my signature)

Toyboy38

Purchased Penhaligon's Portraits Scent Library Discovery Set recently and what a true treasure of a house. After having smelled Duke this time. It reminded me of an interesting soap. Something definitely I've smelled before in the past, but my memory doesn't serve me at this point. But think of an older barbershop/shaving cream and an extremely masculine scent.

After initial spray. OMG NO! was my reaction. That is because I didn't test this properly. I was spraying the scents on strips one after another and sniffing frantically to quench my thirst for finding a new signature scent to add to my 50+ collection....

After I became conscience of my actions, I decided to just take a shower and give this a full wearing as I did the groceries.

This is a mature scent. My 0/10 score suddenly changed to more of a 7/10. I like it. Don't love it.
It's dry, woody, commanding, comforting and clean with a big touch of 'old smelling'. It smells dated, but in a good way.

Any season, any reason. But this shines best in colder weather. Both day or night.

For me it's an 7/10 on the drydown (about 30 mins in)
Another scent I appreciate, but also recognise it's not for me.

To my nose it's masculine, even though there is a rose note.

Deelecto

A wisp of sweaty rose. A rose that went for a run, realized it forgot deodorant and snuck off embarrassed, leaving just a whiff behind.

cpsottak

The gin accord makes this quite fresh, the leather is smooth and supple, it has a very regal smell to it! Signature scent worthy for a bespoke gentleman

jessica_chinos

Quite prefer Le Labo Rose 31 on a man. So much better than this one, deeper and sexy.
This one smells quite faint and synthetic, not the quality you should expect from the price. The gin & tonic note is quite noticeable, and the leather is there, it's a classy men's scent...
I quite dislike the synthetic aftersmell of this...

moyashi

Opens with peppery fresh and spicy juniper/gin note
As it dries i can sense a strong rose note but it's not overwhelming it blends quite nicely with gin
Thwre are some dry woody notes in the base

judiejudie

Completely unisex rose. Reminds me of three bottles already in my stash, so I don't need a FB of this. I like it, but because of the last sentence I cannot justify another purchase. Glad that I have a sample of this though.

lmnsvgz

EXTREMELY PEPPERY - BEWARE! It's very very spicy to the point that it makes me sneeze!

Lord Lucan

A very standard floral scent, definitely for men not women, did not think much of it, just the usual run of the mill floral bouquet type of fragrance.

MagicBez

This feels like a traditional "manly floral" scent to me - it lasts well but on my skin ages poorly, after a few hours it starts to get less floral and more leathery/woody but in a way that gives me a faint body odour vibe.

If you're after a classic "manly" scent Penhaligons offers some much better options to my mind, first and foremost 'The Inimitable William Penhaligon'

Whateverwhocares

Very airy. Almost like it’s not there at all. Rose based. It’s either very complicated, or not complicated at all. I can’t tell. On paper; on skin; it’s barely there. Mild woody…essence? Mild is the keyword here. I like subtlety but come on… this thing is a ghost 👻.

Seems like a nice scent lol. Multi-faceted in that no one will ever know you’re wearing it. This could be your thing if you’re looking to keep a low profile. If you want to disappear into the phantom level, wear this fragrance.

theryanfrank

Le Labo Rose 31 but more expensive with none of the projection or sillage. It's also missing some of the character... the nuclear rose of the Le Labo iteration makes it alien and desirable for the rose-wary like me.

It's possible the less in-your-face presence might be desirable to some, but I suspect many are justifying their purchases. I'd rather just walk through a mist of Rose 31.

Mdk

A gentle manly scent.
The combination of rose, spice and wood is interesting. Yes, it has pepper - it tickles my nose a little.
There is also a change in the scent, and it is one of the portrait collection that I liked.

feuermaiden

Such a regal, gentlemanly fragrance and that's no surprise considering this is Penhaligon's.

It's a pleasant rosy scent with slight aromatic woods in the background. I get a lot of the spicy pepper in the opening as well. So warm and cozy and luxury clean. Like a rich person’s soap you use in their super ornate, 19th century bathroom.

It leans masculine to me, but can definitely be a unisex fragrance! I think I'll give this sample to my husband.

JmThms

Well British houses do typically reflect that characteristic English cultural trait of understatement. Part and parcel of their concept of the gentleman ideal. Penhaligon and Floris are known for understated performance. And Much Ado About the Duke is understated in performance all right. As far as scent profile, I don't know, it sort of reminds me of a toned down Maison Martin Margiela Soul of the Forest with some D.S & Durga Radio Bombay mixed in, which is great because I have bottles of both and hold them in high regard. It achieves that similarity with different notes than those two, and with the fir, maple, and incense of the Margiela toned way down and the sandalwood of Radio Bombay turned way down, and with gin added, but that's about the overall effect with much subdued performance. Oh, and the rose accord should not be listed as the second most prominent accord as it is here as it is very subdued. But at any rate, Much Ado about the Duke is a great scent profile, enough so it's one of my full bottle buys. With its pleasant scent profile and understated performance it'll be a great addition to my "Office Scent" collection.

Hojubaby

This is indeed a very nice gentlemanly scent, its very sophisticated and great smelling, wish it was more unisex to be fair.
9/10

leto

This is basically Le Labo Rose31 with cumin toned down and juniper amped up. No surprise, both have the same perfumer.

Of course smells great. Choose this one if Rose31's cumin upsets you.

The Wolf

This smells like like a quintessential British gentleman's fragrance. I don't recall trying a lot of others with gin besides Rake and Ruin and Bond No 9 Brooklyn, and this is much better than those imo.

The rose isn't prominent but it's there, and it has a green streak that is more apparent. Smells like a well groomed and well dressed man on Savile Row. But it's also not so astute that I feel I'd feel awkward wearing it casually.

Scent 8/10
Performance TBD

MysticalArugula

The duke has got me on a choke holdddd. This is such a great unisex fragrance. This blend with the peppery yet fresh spice mixed with the rose somehow brings out this unique grounding white musk scent. I have never smelled anything quite like it. This perfume reminds me of a single vibing and thriving parent who owns a white yacht in Croatia. They also are the type to empower you with the most wittiest and mindblowing affirmations. Literally feels like a royal scent.

Zodiac Trio

⬆️Libra ☀️Capricorn 🌜Scorpio

asiu

Finding a fragrance that is both beautiful and unique can be a challenging task, but this one seems to tick all the right boxes. Despite being categorized as a male fragrance, I find it to be feminine, with a simple and beautiful scent pyramid. The combination of rose and gin creates a delightful aroma that's not overpowering but lingers just enough to leave a lasting impression. While the performance could be better for the price, it's by no means the worst, and the overall quality of the fragrance makes it worth the investment. All in all, it's a stunning fragrance that I would recommend to anyone looking for a unique and elegant scent.

Lukasssss

Clean, sharp, refreshing peppery rose with a smooth woody backbone.
Apparently, there is also some leather in here. In that case, the leather is very clean and subtle.
It is marketed towards men but it is pretty unisex if you ask me.
I like the fragrance, but It is not my favorite from the Portraits series. 7/10.

peergynt

oh my! it is so delightful. A versatile, bright rose with a metallic touch. As a rose fan it is instant love for me.
i am not the kind of person who is looking at beast mode perfumes but longevity and sillage should be better with this price tag.
this reminds me of something, some other perfume, but I could not recall. i am sure I would say "yes that one" if I saw it but no one mentioned it in the similar perfume section. They even voted for toy boy but not the perfume that lingering on my mind.

edit: is it escentric 02?

SNKIOP

Spring Scent: 6/10 Opens with pepper and rose, get small hints of the gin. The rose makes it a bit unisex but it leans masculine. The gin sets the scent apart from other scents and makes it a little bit harsh but also modern, its good for spring time imo as it still is fresh. Silage: 3,5/10 Longevity 3/10

SweetBriar

Lemony opening mixed with rose and a slight cumin- strong lemon continues with rose and a musk comes out Very unisex Maybe leaning more masculine Very likeable and pleasant but not a love

ckorp8

Nice fragrance but just mediocre longevity and silage. A peppery rose that smelled more like vetiver at times. Not bad but not great either.

Victor Lahovary

I detect some wood and some pepper, and that's about it. It's too good a chance to miss, so I'd say it's rather much ado about nothing, and the poor duke is rather poorly served. Not as badly as "Endymion", but still, he deserved better. And so did all of us who bought this for the hope of a good scent, and not just an elegant bottle.

violeteme

Similar to Rose 31, but not quite. I would still take the Rose 31 since it smells a bit softer, there are no irritating notes. And this one has a stronger beginning, also Rose 31 edges are more rounded.

Bettybotox

I agree with @Happypiggy84 it is unisex, though I find most )if not all) of Penhaligon's scents lean unisex.
This one is very wearable and suitable for any occasion. Has plenty of zing which I love.
The only problem I have is a lack of longevity, but the bottle is to die for.
The Duke is fine and dandy. Big love for me.

Happypiggy84

Woody, spicy, fresh rose. Very aromatic and refreshing - must be the gin.
I'd say this is a unisex scent.
Very understated.

Celestya

For rose lovers, in fact Rose is the star of this perfume.. A natural rose, unisex. I can smell rose, wood and pepper. More for fall and winter. Not sweet, but not too floral. If you like rose ardoise or Rose 31, you need to try.
7/10

For winter, for myself, in this brand: Yasmine (cardamon, vanilla, coffee) > Constance (caramel & cardamon) > Duke (rose, wood, pepper).

Omiyuu

A relatively overlooked perfume from the Portraits Collection. Those that overlook this are not missing out on much. This perfume is not very exciting, seductive or captivating - but, it is appealing.

It starts of with a lot of gin and rose, and a faint bit of leather. There may be some woody notes but deep in there, so much so that you have to whiff extra hard for it to be noticeable. The dry down involves the aforementioned strong notes fading to a harmonious balance with the rest. It then lasts about 7hours or so before fading away. The projection is moderate provided you spray more than a few times.

Nothing too noteworthy about this scent, and for most people it would definitely not be something worth spending £200+ on. Nevertheless, it is one of those nice, clean smells that sits close to the skin, where you would be happy knowing that you got it on you. Perfect for a relaxing Sunday at home.

Vincents1278

This I have in a sample atomizer. Dirty rose is what I think of when I think about this fragrance. I get incense, not sure about “pepper”, but okay. Pepper. Dirty spicy rose.
I get some musk or maybe agar. Dirty. In a good way. Love the dirty and the musty dark rose. Smells like an affair, a tryst, in a closet during a party. Filthy filthy rose.
Also, if you like this, a slightly less dirty rose is Halfetti. Also Penhaligons but less expensive than this.

Josu01

I like this. Starts with a (very pleasant) big dose of Rose and pepper, with the gin in the back, and the woody notes even further back. I don't get the leather note. Nicely done.

I don't care to much about beast mode scents, and this is perfect, but I do care about longevity, and MAATD doesn't last on my skin for more than a couple of hours. With a better staying power, maybe I'd consider a FB.

lovlust

I bought a sample of this (which I accidentally spilled all over my desk, oops), and I think the alcoholic smell and some of the pepper were so strong to me that they blinded my nose to the rose notes. I love rose, it's one of my favorite scents and even flavors, but I could barely smell it here over the gin. The projection wasn't great, though now that I'm sitting at my desk the next day I can unfortunately still smell it wafting up from its surface. As a lover of rose and also as someone looking for a masculine scent, I was disappointed that this one didn't live up to my excitement.

gotoperfume

Not fan of this one from the portraits collection if I'm honest. I had a brand new bottle but sold it immediately after. It comes across way too peppery and heavy on the leather to the point where it has too much of a 'dirty' feel to it. It may even come across as smelling like sweat because the pepper combined with the leather and gin are extremely heavy hitting especially in the opening. I sprayed on my jumper and didn't get any rose or sweetness from the rose until it completely dried down after many hours. The rose was nice, but I didn't see myself using this at all as I couldn't stand the strong dirty vibe that it had.

Scent: 3/10
Projection: 5/10
Longevity: 5/10

Overall a 4/10 from me, wouldn't recommend it or wear it if I'm honest. That's just my personal opinion and I know that others might love it, but for it's a No-Go.

Daisy_D

Peppery! Spicy! Getting the gin and almost a bit cardamom..It's much less formal than the Lord George, but more like a man at an after-party..Could definitely be used as an office fragrance.. Reminds me of the Tuxedo of YSL..

sisina96rv

A true beauty. In fact, I can wear it as a woman, no problem. Longevity is somewhere up to 7-8 hours. The projection is noticable, first. Later it turns into the skin scent.

At first, you truly get that pepper and rose, but in the most delicate way. After an hour, it turns and stays fainted rose with some milky, face creamy, jasmine facet, which gives it a depth and roundness. Somewhere in the background some green notes play their music. The whole composition is an art and I find it very appropriate counterpart to the Duchess. Which is more effervescent and sweeter. This is one of those fragrances that make you feel happy and sophisticated at the same time. It's just lovely.

arvisk

This gives me ambiguous feelings. Maybe it's just the batch I got (it was a blind buy so I don't know if this is how it has to be) but the silage is some half a meter for the first hour or so. Later it settles down to become a skin scent and after some 5 hours it's basically gone. Maybe I should spray more? I usually do a couple of puffs on my forearm. As a side note, the atomizer is really nice and feels very soft while pressing it.
As for the scent, I feel rose all the way through. Leather? Maybe but it is well hidden not to be too noticeable. Gin? Depends. Sometimes it's there, but more often it doesn't show up on my skin. In a drydown, I get a hint of honey but no idea why.
In sum, scent is unisex and gorgeous but the fact that it is so weak kinda upsets me. On the other hand, real gentleman doesn't scream with his perfume, right?

Update: sniffed a tester from "Scent library" - much stronger initial smell and the peppery is very much present for the first 5-10 minutes. Hmmm 🤔

teh

Not sure why Daphne Bugey would wanna make another Rose 31 but without the Le Labo signature musky base and with so much poorer performance 😅

Miguel Vella

This was my first leather fragrance. It has a delightful mix between spicy and woody and a more fresh and fruity scent.

Upon applying it the top notes of rose and pepper have a strong yet pleasing scent, which quickly starts showing traces of gin. It finishes off with a strong woody, leathery scent with a hint of cumin to top it all off.

I prefer to wear this during the day although I have worn it at night on more than one occasion. I bought this specifically to be used during the Fall / Winter / Spring Seasons.

It has a moderate sillage with a long lasting smell. Price is on the high side but this is applicable to all Penhaligons scents (especially the Portrait Collection), although I can honestly say it is worth the money.

derby2169

There is something about the Penhaligon's way of making fragrance that has always stood out to me, but has also kind of bothered me in some offerings and you can absolutely find it here (as well as Savoy steam, roaring radcliff, juniper sling etc.) There is a certain syrupy weight to the scent, like all notes cling together almost like one single accord with top heart and base marinating together. A testament to the blending skills of the perfumer, but at the same time it sacrifices expansion and elevation and evolution in the final product.

In this case I find the gin the nicest facet, it feels limey and fresh, but also woody and green. There is also a powerful thick sweet powdery rose accord mixing and sweetening the gin. What i cannot stand here is the pepper and it is because of the way Penhaligon's fragrances present. Instead of being a pleasant top note it sticks throughout the duration and ruins the harmony for me like accidentally biting a peppercorn during an otherwise delicious meal.

Edit: As a great masculine-lining alternative is Frapin l'Humaniste, an interesting gin composition with an interesting peony accord and nutmeg instead of pepper. Much more radiant, smooth, but also more masculine-leaning.

Suavis

I have a sample of this gorgeous fragrance... what can I say, I am totally smitten, in love, in heaven. For me this is unisex and timeless.
I can definitely smell gin, pepper, rose and some woody notes. So so delightful. I can't stop sniffing my wrist as I type and the more I sniff the more I convince myself of buying the full bottle.
This fragrance is so well balanced; spicy, warm and very slightly sweet.
I would say I can wear this throughout the year, day and night... yup, I love it that much!.

User123

A lot, but really a lot of pepper upon spraying this. Later on it blends nicely with the rose.

cocofluff

Alcoholic woody rose. Smells a little oudy and powdery.
Obviously masculine but women could definitely rock this.
Sampling from a sample set.

BlueMoon

PEPPERED ROSE

One of the better Rose fragrances for men. Especially if you enjoy a more subtle, restrained rose that can be worn during the day, even to the office. It has that kind of versatility.

Another nice offering, Penhaligon.

Chelsey325

I love rose scents and was excited for my husband to try this. An immediate NO. It smells like rose and BO to me. I’m not sure which note is throwing me off, but unfortunately not something that I like.

paycrchf

I didn't know I would wear a rose-based fragrance until this one. Masculine and super wearable.

amatuerfraghead

Before i begin, i must state that i already own Rose 31 and bought the Duke blindly. If you dont tell me which is which, i would think i have smelled Rose 31, and i cant stress enough how similar they are. The only differences i can find, which i must dig my norse really close in order to find, is that the spice comes from pepper rather than cummins, and the duke is a tad sweeter. I get no gin in this. Otherwise, there is no discernible different, and that there is no point having them both in your collection. I myself prefer Rose 31 for better performance, but do yourself justice and get the one with the lower price. While the dog-head bottle cap is amazing, the label here is poorly made. Maybe they spent all the money on the cap and didnt spent enough on the label, which will peel off in no time.

penguinrabbit

Way too peppery. I like a lot of spicy masculine scents but this is just overpowering one note. I get a bit of leather but not much rose and the rose I get disappears quickly.

J350

As one have said in an earlier review, this smells like hairy sweaty balls and the longevity is very good. The rose is too weak and the pepper and gin are very prominent. There are other rose based perfume I'd rather own and wear. If you like gin, I suggest getting Juniper Sling.

redkettle

This review is based on a sample from the official Penhaigons 'Portraits Scent Library'.

Much Ado evokes thoughts of the Shakespearean play and the Elizabethan/early Stuart period that obsesses some people. Elizabeth I was a Tudor. The Tudors were Welsh and claimed the English throne through war. Elizabeth died childless and her English (and Welsh) throne was inherited by the King of Scotland, James VI. James became James I of England. As king of two countries, his political task was preventing hostility between his subjects. James' courtiers invented a concept of a 'United Kingdom' and this developed into 'Britishness' as the United Kingdom increased its world empire. Shakespeare created plays which helped Elizabeth and her Court build up the fantasy of 'England' and suppress the Welsh identity of Elizabeth and the Tudors. He then helped James and his Court invent the fantasy of the 'United Kingdom' and suppress the Scottish identity of James and the Stuarts. On these fantasy 'national identities' the bigger fantasy of 'Britishness' (which also appropriated and then disavowed all identities from across the Empire while valorising a supposedly unchanging unchangable 'Englishness') was constructed. In case you are wondering, England has not had an English monarch since before 1066. These issues of identity, sovereignity, nationhood are hot political topics today. Calling a perfume 'Much Ado' is knowingly stirring this pot. I call that risky.

Just in case nationalism were not controversial enough for you, Much Ado is also a play that focuses on gender identity, the fluidity of gender, and the social conflicts, dangers, and comedy that gender issues can bring.

And so to the fragrance - Much Ado opens with a blast of rose-scented vinegar and cedar-wood shavings. It then quickly cools to a salty, papery, peppery, vague, confused swirl of notes. I have two mental images - the first is of an Elizabethan pomander (a citrus fruit such as an orange or bergamot stuffed with cloves and other spices and carried about in the hand to be sniffed at for the fragrance and to protect the health - disease was thought at that time to be spread by inhaling foul odours thus inhaling sweet odours was a kind of 'vaccination'). But there is no citrus in this perfume (maybe some mouldy old orange peel in the waste basket with the cedar wood pencil shavings?) so it is a pomander without its fruit - just old spices then. The second mental image is of the British street food 'fish n chips' where hot fried potatoes and fish were liberally sprinkled with salt and malt vinegar and eaten from paper wrappings by the seaside and in other holiday locations. But in this perfume the chips are of cedar wood, the vinegar is made from roses, and the seasonings include sea salt and - I cannot identify the exact spices but something like - cloves, cumin, cinnamon? The impression of cold, salty seaside and dry, papery newsprint is quite strong.

The marketing blurb suggests this perfume is about some kind of conflict between the desirable (to whom?) Duke and his indifferent (because?) Duchess. The hint is towards Virginia Woolf and 'Orlando' and gender-bending bed-hopping through the Ages. But what I get is not romance or plain sex but a confused olfactory portrait of 'England'. Much Ado evokes the nostalgic olfactory experiences of 'English' Elizabethan pomander or 'English' 1930s seaside holiday food but mixes them up together into an Elizabethan holiday or seaside pomander. I get the impression this fragrance pretends to say something but it over-reaches itself, has lost the plot, and just settles for a vague mess because the designer ran out of time and ideas before reaching any real conclusion. A confused mess is actually a pretty good portrait of both 'Englishness' and 'gender' in contemporary Britain. Maybe I am disappointed with this fragrance because it fails to resolve the contradictions. But if politicians and theorists and activists and everyone else cannot sort out our mess why should I expect a perfume to do so?

Verdict: decent quality, uses the same old notes, breaks no new ground, feels generic although I cannot identify a perfume it reminds me of. Unisex. Not sexy - this Duke keeps his socks on. Long-lasting, low silage. It is worth sampling. Not sure it is worth a full bottle as it is just a 'work in progress'. Or, if you are intrigued by the politics of identity, gender and nationhood, this might be a fragrance to wear while you think through the enigma. It does not offer answers but at least it poses some questions. If you go to see Shakespeare at the theatre or go to one of those outside events where people dress up to re-enact Elizabethan times then this would be the ideal fragrance to wear. Unless you have some sort of season ticket, a sample will be enough for those uses.

ehsankasiri

یک رز بسیااااار با طرافت و با کیفیت
ساقه تا گل
برای طرفداران رز تازه و غیر گلابگون انتخاب بسیااار ارزشمندیست
-----------
Scent & Quality: 10/10
Longevity: 8/10
Sillage: 7/10
Creativity & Uniqueness: 8/10
Affordability: 2/10
-----------
Overall: 7/10

Sam Calone

One of my favorite rose fragrances so far! A must try for all rose lovers. Very masculine and very unisex. I blind bought this and I'm so happy I did!

Cheessey

A nice spring scent. The pepper and Gin are the most noticeable notes on me. However, the wood adds a nice twist which keeps it interesting. It does have a tendency to bring out allergies when applies and it makes me sneeze when I put it on.
Overall, I like it a lot because it stands out, but not in a bad way. The spice is great during a warm spring day and makes me feel like I am outside even when sitting in front of a screen in the office. It is also one of my dog's favorite scents which makes the dog topper quite fitting.

corinmelody

Daphne makes the best perfume. The first sniff of Rose 31 was so surprising and Tonka 25 was a love at first sniff.

And now it's the Duke.

It wasn't quite pleasant to my nose with gin among as its top notes, but after it dries down, a subtle, non-disturbing, non-flamboyant rose emerges, together with calming woody notes (only detected on my skin, not so much on the testing strips/ Penhaligons handkerchief), it becomes a magic moment.

It smells very much like Rose 31 in the dry down, both subtle floral and mild woody. Even it is marketed to be a male fragrance, it's great for both genders. But if you ask me which one I prefer between this and Rose 31, I'd pick 31 to avoid the gin note and it's also less rosey.

RottigrlNYC

All I get is a nasty leather, nothing else. But that’s on my skin. Everyone is different

echo4kilo

Much Ado About The Duke is a really nice smelling fragrance. I'm a big fan of the rose note and this does it well. It opens up with a very strong floral/rose smell. Very strong. To the amount that at first I would say this is a feminine fragrance. After an hour the rose note has dissipated and the wood and pepper are what remains. Really nice and good longevity. I could still smell glimpses of it 8 hours later.

Finished my sample. Sad. It is an extremely nice fragrance.

Michelle12345678

I get honeyed roses from this. I know there's no honey note listed.

istara

I love this. It's church incense with a good bit of rose, but it's not at all oud-y.

It looks like it's positioned as a male cologne but it seemed more like a traditional female perfume to me.

Bbjr

Great stuff. Le Labo Rose 31 in its original formulation.

reubengod

I love this. It's so comforting to wear and so unusual that it has quickly become my everyday signature scent - when people get close they realise that the fragrance is coming from me, not a room filler by any means, more of a fragrance aura

tinyhedgehog

Oooooh, what a surprise that perfume turned out to be. On paper I got a cold, crisp rose with animalic undertones - not bad, but not very interesting either. Then I sprayed it on my skin. Immediately I got a blast of piney, boozy, aromatic notes that are pretty obviously gin-inspired, followed by an immediate wave of cumin. After a handful of minutes, the perfume settled on my skin; the cumin became less obvious, the gin notes more balanced, and the rose started peaking through. Cumin, rose and juniper doesn't sound like a combination that should work, but somehow it really, really does: the rose acts like a bridge between the vegetal-bitter and sweaty-animalic facets of this perfume, but without losing its own floral identity. I can't tell if I'm pulling it off - you do need to be a certain type of person for this to really work on you, and I don't think I'm it - but I think as a perfume this is a resounding success.
I find it interesting that the gin note seems to be mostly absent from other reviews; in my opinion they are what truly distinguishes this perfume from Le Labo Rose 31, and also justify the price difference between the two. I assume their unfolding is probably very dependent on your personal chemistry and the local weather, so definitely get a sample before buying to see if you'll get them or not.

spumyland

This is difficult to describe ... The pepper is there and it feels good,
the rose is there but it is unusual, sweet but not too much. The woody notes are firm, austere and sober.
Because of a hangover I hate gin but it does not bother me here and it sounds good to give a fresh edge to the leather goods. As for the sex I changed my mind three times so in summary I think it is unisex.We are in August and on my skin dries quickly and accentuates dusty and masculine. On the other hand, the whistles I take at a distance are mostly animal , feminine, almost fruity. I saw the price, I would say that it is suitable for a couple's use.
All in all it is versatile in quality and leaves a good memory. Nice portrait!

Suitable for day, evening, summer, winter, indoors, outdoors, elegant, sports tonic, etc.
This has character!But I prefer others in this line.

wxmath

Rose and pepper for sure but low longevity and sillage. Not bottle worthy for me as I have other rose scents that are better.

Tomelise

If you are looking for an unusual rose fragrance, that's it! Need to admit I don't like Penhaligon`s at all. This one, however, is real beauty. Rose, heady sexy rose! With nothing waxy or overly balsamic. It's spicy, cool with heady alcohol touch. First time I've tested it I smelled something boozy and that was quite unexpected, so I immediately went on fragrantica to see the notes and yes!Gin is there. Cool, a bit piny and seducing. Love it! And it is very special indeed. I honestly can't think of any other rose scent that would be as fresh and elegant but at the same time as sexy as this one!Oh, and absolutely unisex. I find that men and women would love to smell it of opposite sex. I am judging a sample. The projection is quite moderate. It's noticeable but not too much. Best Penhaligon for me:)

sophywt

Much Ado About The Duke is an interesting rose scent.

I tested it on my wrist yesterday and was a bit disappointed because of the initial peppery note(more like cumin, and cumin always smells ampit to my nose, sadly). It reminds me of Rose Poivree from The Different Company, lighter though. Anyway, not my cup of tea, and I could only comfort myself that my money ($200+) was not a waste because the bottle looks great and forget all about the scent...

And 10 min later, I got a whiff of airy floral scent. It's not typical rose, more like a combination of various light florals with rose as main actor, a little powdery, but not loud. At first I thought someone was applying rose hand cream, then I remembered The Duke. It was lovely if you kept certain distance, and once you got close, it becames a cumin beast. Tested it on my friend, the same - I could smell nice floral scents when she walked by, once I got sniff her wrist, not lovely anymore.

It suprises me that the Duke is marketed as male scent, I admit that I have a hard time to imagine what kind of man or in what kind of occassion this scent would suit.

OmarAladdin

Layer this with Amouage Lyric Man!
You’re welcome.

Clive Brass

Just a beautiful scent but performance varies between poor and very poor. Unacceptable for a frag priced at niche levels.

shopkw

I love this scent. I am not going to act like I have nose the detects the individual ingredients in these fragrances. First this is a sweet scent but never goes femine on my skin. It is headie but doesnt hurt my sinuses. Its linear, and I like it smells the same through the entire experience. Though sweet its not soft, and I would wear this in the fall and winter. I believe thats why this scent is wonderful. Its a contradiction. Your past experience with this type of scent will say for women. But it goes no where near that line. Its sweet but not fruity. Its floral, but not soft. Its heady but doesnt hurt. Strong but no detection of anything synthetic. Its blended well. Its scary good to me.

shopkw

I love this scent. I am not going to act like I have nose the detects the individual ingredients in these fragrances. First this is a sweet scent but never goes femine on my skin. It is headie but doesnt hurt my sinuses. Its linear, and I like it smells the same through the entire experience. Though sweet its not soft, and I would wear this in the fall and winter. I believe thats why this scent is wonderful. Its a contradiction. Your past experience with this type of scent will say for women. But it goes now near that line. Its sweet but not fruit. Its floral, but not soft. Its heady but doesnt hurt. Strong but no detection of anything synthetic. Its blended well. Its scary good to me.

Wooster97

Starts of very fresh and sharp !,lovely peppery aroma but then on my skin turns into a very very sweet rose with leathery hues,too sugary sweet on my skin but amazing natural rose smell coming off this fragrance !

zesty_calco

Received a sample of this the last time I was at Saks. At the very opening I picked up some citrus. Rose and woods are the most prominent. Pepper adds another dimension to the woods. Interestingly, I do smell the gin. I have a few bars of Le Labo's Rose 31 soap and while the Duke is similar Rose 31 is drier with a definite oud note.

This is a nice unisex composition that leans masculine. Sillage and projection feel about average. Lasts five hours tops. Seems appropriate for any occasion; all seasons aside from summer. The bottle is cool looking. While I enjoy this it doesn't interest me enough to justify the cost. The quality of the scent is apparent but it should last longer at this price point. I'm sure I could find something comparable that is much cheaper.

mohsen95

4/10

originaldeftom

A really beautifully dandified Anglosaxon Cool Britannia Rose! This Rose is definitely pre-Brexit and celebrates the good olden and golden days!

I am thinking 60ies and 70ies, either 20th or 19th century.

Very nuveau-retro, very wearable, vey ON TREND and very good indeed!

Reminds me a bit of Czech & Speake 88 but more emphasis on the rose.

The story-telling of this collection within the brand is very much an homage to L'etat libre d'orange, mixed with that crazy brand of the many thousand plus Tuesdays.....

Let's make Britain great again with outstanding perfumes instead of Brexit!

Verdict: Good! 7/10

hesione

I hate le labo 31 but I really love Duke. They are not similar in character at all to me. Duke is sort of straightforward, the pepperish and woody note open to your face without reserve. Le Labo is a scent which is sophisticated, a little dirty and a lot more masculine.

gtabasso

Very soft skin scent: citrus in the top very prominent but combined (gin) with rose and a woody/soft oud note. This reminds of some of the rose ouds on the market but not as sweet. This has the soft creaminess like a Jul et Mad Amour de Palazzo. A nuzzling scent. I love it but expected more from the Duke.

antonpan

From the first sight you could suggest The Duke is a Le Labo Rose 31 clone. In fact, it's not.
I compared them on both of my hands and came to the conclusion the cumin part is the only one that make them similar. Rose 31 smells drier, with a notable oudy vibe and a very little rose. The Duke is sour, with a prominent rose and a boozy accord of red fruits (berries) that you will not find in Rose 31.

As a verdict, the fragrances smell to me as yin-yang: Rose 31 will better suit men, The Duke is better for women. However, that's all depends on the taste - I enjoy wearing both of fragrances.

StellaDiverFlynn

Much Ado About The Duke opens with brief fresh citrus, and immediately reveals a tart, red rose, covered with fiery, woody black pepper and cumin. The cumin here adds an earthy warmth, but doesn't appear explicitly sweaty or too sharp to my nose.

The fragrance doesn't undergo any dramatic change. The ruby rose and woody pepper are always the dominant forces, and they interlock even more with time. The rose develops a dry texture by absorbing the woody pepper, while the cumin gradually recedes into the background. While undeniably woody and spicy, the fragrance maintains a certain transparency, modern and slick in style.

The far dry down about 8 hours in, even the woody pepper disappears, leaving only a faint, clean, musky wine-y rose skin scent behind. The sillage is relatively close, and the longevity is close to 12 hours on my skin.

Much Ado About The Duke is a lovely woody spicy rose fragrance, and I'd recommend giving it a try if you happen to looking for a streamlined, modern take in this genre. However, I do find it very similar to Le Labo Rose 31. The main differences that I can perceive, are that, in comparison, Much Ado About The Duke feels a bit brighter and fresher, with the rose being slightly more prominent than woody pepper (this aspect sometimes makes me think of Iso E Super), while Rose 31 has more emphasis on woody elements with the addition of vetiver and guaiac. But overall, they're quite close in scent to my nose. Therefore, I'd also suggest giving Rose 31 or other similar and less expensive options as well, before committing a full bottle splurge.

chillzz1230

Smells close to Hermes. Very nice fragrance.

Houdini4

Really interesting set of releases from Penhaligon's this one having a similar nature to the feminine focused rose one but in truth I think all four are unisex.
This is due to the careful blending of notes in each composition and it's no mistake that Penhaligon's fragrances have this quality across the board, regardless of perfumer. Another thing I've noticed is that all of these four have an explosive opening the Duke being no exception. I really like the smell, it's kinda got a vibe of Dior's sublime Amber nuit about it, a kind of fresh, clean but still warm balsamic rose. The key difference is rather than amber you get pepper, woods, leather coming across but with that quenching vibe of a G&T. This also gives it nods to the Liquides Imaginaires line in that there's a boozy champagne/wine sort of quality to these four creations too. It reminds me of Bloody wood a touch also.
The drydown of this is a sensual woody rose which is top quality and although not massive in silage and I thought at first longevity either ...this quietly lasted.
I never actually asked how much this was but without hesitation or the usual rigmarole of begging, I was furnished with some samples, Thanks to my local Penhaligon's shop for that. I believe further wears are necessary but I doubt I will be buying for this price.
Despite all the positives I see in this fragrance as a novelty stopper or bottle at best but despite the comparisons to great fragrances I own, I think Duke would still have a place because it's refined and different enough in it's own way.
The only restriction for me is price and the fact that if I had to own one of these it would be Lord George because of the amazing stag head stopper...The fragrances are both very enjoyable.

 
Perfume Encyclopedia
Perfumes: 89,664
Fragrance Reviews: 1,700,922
Perfume lovers: 1,185,489
Online right now: 2,245
Register
Perfume Reviews
Alain Delon
Iquitos
by SirMasterpiece
New Reviews
Article Comments
Springtime in a Bottle by Raadyrihagen
Guess Iconic by Yellowmoon
Amouage Interlude 53: A Review by satishkumarchoudary
Most Popular Perfumes
Most Popular Brands
Jump to the top

Fragrantica in your language:
| Deutsch | Español | Français | Čeština | Italiano | Русский | Polski | Português | Ελληνικά | 汉语 | Nederlands | Srpski | Română | العربية | Українська | Монгол | עברית |

Copyrights © 2006-2022 Fragrantica.com perfumes magazine - All Rights Reserved - do not copy anything without prior written permission. Please read the Terms of Service and Privacy policy.
Fragrantica® Inc, United States