Empressa

Empressa, inspired by Penhaligon's Empressa (2014)

Blood orange gives a tangy, red-fruited start, backed by bergamot and mandarin. Peach and cassis bring ripeness, and a candied rose with neroli and geranium forms the floral core, lightly spiced with cardamom and two peppers. As it dries down, patchouli, amber and vanilla take over, with cocoa, frankincense and maltol (a material with a caramelised, candyfloss tone) adding a faint sweetness. It becomes powdery towards the end, though the fruit and patchouli keep it from cloying.

About the original

Penhaligon's launched Empressa in September 2014 as part of its Trade Routes Collection, together with Levantium and Lothair, initially as an eau de toilette. It is now sold as an eau de parfum, which the brand links to pearls, precious silks and fine fabrics. Launch press credits Mike Parrott, while at least one fragrance reference names Christian Provenzano. When the change to eau de parfum happened, and whether the formula changed with it, has not been confirmed by the brand.

Our version

Ours is an independent eau de parfum made to evoke the same character. It is not Penhaligon's stock, not an official relaunch and not the original formula.

Who it suits

Women who like Chanel Coco Mademoiselle are a good starting point: The Candy Perfume Boy compared the two and found Empressa brighter. One UK retailer presents it for both day and evening. The patchouli base and fruity sweetness will not please someone looking for a clean or purely floral rose.

Related scents

• Chanel Coco Mademoiselle
• Penhaligon's Halfeti
• Penhaligon's Luna

Notes of the original fragrance, as given in the launch information.

Top notes: Blood Orange, Bergamot, Mandarin

Heart notes: Peach, Cassis, Dewberry, Rose, Neroli, Geranium, Cardamom, Pink Pepper, Black Pepper

Base notes: Vanilla, Cocoa, Frankincense, Amber, Musk, Woods, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Maltol

First comes blood orange with bergamot and mandarin, then peach, cassis and dewberry bring a tart, ripe fruitiness.

Rose sits at the centre, candied and slightly spiced with cardamom, pink pepper and black pepper, with neroli and geranium alongside.

The base turns to patchouli, amber and vanilla, with cocoa, frankincense, musk and sandalwood giving it a powdery, resinous finish.

Is Empressa an eau de toilette or an eau de parfum?

It launched in 2014 as an eau de toilette and Penhaligon's now sells it as an eau de parfum. We make our version as an eau de parfum, in 50 or 100 ml.

Does Empressa smell like Coco Mademoiselle?

The perfume blogger The Candy Perfume Boy compared them and found Empressa brighter. Empressa is built on blood orange, peach, a candied rose and patchouli.

Inside the EU, delivery is free on orders of €49 or more. Below that it is a flat €4.99. Outside the EU, delivery is a flat €4.99 on every order. We send every order in 1 to 2 working days. It arrives in 3 to 7 days across the EU and in 7 to 14 days outside the EU. You have 14 days to return an unopened bottle.

Penhaligon's and Empressa are trademarks of their respective owners, and all rights remain with them. Parfumour is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or connected to Penhaligon's in any way, and no business relationship of any kind is implied. Our product is an original interpretation created to evoke a similar scent profile, and the trademark names are used purely for honest, descriptive comparison, so that you can quickly identify the style and fragrance family you are looking for. We make no claim to sell the original product, and we do not use the same ingredients or formula. Any similarity lies in the overall impression of the scent as interpreted by our own perfumers, not in the source materials.