Penhaligon's: where to start? 8 perfumes to discover the house

Penhaligon's is the British house with the very long perfume names. Its range goes from very classic colognes to the "Portraits", a series of colourful characters. It's easy to get a bit lost at first.

Good news: you don't need to smell everything. Here are eight perfumes to understand the house, from the freshest to the warmest. The notes we quote are the ones on our pages, nothing more.

The classic: Blenheim Bouquet

Blenheim Bouquet dates from 1902. It's an eau de toilette with lemon, lavender and pine. Fresh, clean, a little aromatic: the scent of a freshly shaved gentleman. If you want to smell the house's history, start here. See Blenheim Bouquet.

The green cologne: Quercus

Quercus (2000) is a cologne pairing basil, lemon and jasmine. The basil makes it green and aromatic, the jasmine softens it. A light cologne, ideal for summer mornings. See Quercus.

Gin in a bottle: Juniper Sling

Juniper Sling (2011) is an eau de toilette built on juniper, angelica and black pepper. Juniper is the berry behind gin, and you can tell: dry, fresh and a little peppery. A unisex scent that works very well by day. See Juniper Sling.

The soft cologne: Endymion

Endymion (2003) is a cologne with bergamot, suede, coffee and geranium. Bergamot and geranium keep it fresh, suede and coffee give it a muted softness. A cologne with more wrap than the others. See Endymion.

The floral woody: Halfeti

Halfeti (2015) opens on bergamot, grapefruit and cardamom. The heart pairs rose and jasmine, then the base brings oud, sandalwood, leather and vanilla. It's the richest Penhaligon's on this list, between flowers, woods and leather. Perfect for autumn evenings. See Halfeti.

The gourmand portrait: The Tragedy of Lord George

The Tragedy of Lord George (2016) is one of the Portraits. It brings together ambrox, rum and tonka bean. Rum and tonka make it warm and a little boozy, ambrox gives it lift. A comforting scent for winter. See The Tragedy of Lord George.

The Portraits rose: The Coveted Duchess Rose

The Coveted Duchess Rose brings together mandarin, centifolia rose and vanilla. Mandarin adds light, vanilla rounds off the rose. A fresh, soft rose that's easy to wear every day. See The Coveted Duchess Rose.

The tender fruity: Artemisia

Artemisia pairs nectarine, jasmine tea and vanilla. Nectarine brings juicy fruit, jasmine tea a light floral touch, vanilla a soft base. A tender, bright scent for sunny days. See Artemisia.

Which one should you pick?

• You want a fresh great classic: Blenheim Bouquet.
• You're after a light cologne: Quercus or Endymion.
• You like dry, peppery scents: Juniper Sling.
• You want the richest of the house: Halfeti.
• You love warm, gourmand perfumes: The Tragedy of Lord George.
• You prefer soft florals: The Coveted Duchess Rose or Artemisia.

One tip: a cologne is usually lighter than an eau de parfum like Halfeti. Try them on your skin before you choose, and compare prices on Fragist before you buy.