Quercus

Quercus by Penhaligon's is an unisex eau de cologne from 1996 in the premium price tier. It opens with lemon, lime, mandarin and bergamot, moves into jasmine, lily of the valley and cardamom and dries down to oakmoss, sandalwood, galbanum, musk and amber. Expect around 4 hours of wear, and it projects softly.

Notes, explained

Opening

Lemon Clean, sour, instantly recognisable. Bright but burns off fast.
Lime Sharper and greener than lemon. Reads a bit tropical, a bit barbershop.
Mandarin Soft, sweet, almost powdery citrus. Gentler than orange.
Bergamot Sharp citrus with a faint bitter edge. The opening of about half of all men's fragrances.

Heart

Jasmine Heady, sweet and slightly animal underneath. Rarely subtle.
Lily of the Valley Clean, green, dewy floral. Reads as 'fresh laundry' to most people.
Cardamom Cool, aromatic spice with a eucalyptus lift. Smells expensive.

Dry-down

Oakmoss Damp forest floor. Bitter, green and the backbone of every chypre.
Sandalwood Creamy, milky wood. Soft and almost edible.
Galbanum Intensely green resin. Smells like snapping a plant stem in half.
Musk Warm, skin-like and slightly sweet. Makes a fragrance feel like you.
Amber Warm, golden and resinous. Not a real material — a blend that glows.

Smells like this

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