Reviews of Castile (1998)
by Penhaligon's

Castile is extremely similar to Aqua di Parma. There’s not much more I can add to that, I’m afraid…

A wonderful neroli offering, and I completely agree that it is also somewhat reminiscent of Aqua di Parma Colonia. Very streamlined in its blend, other notes sluiced together to make a very classy and clean fragrance.
Longevity is not bad, I'd say the neroli top notes last between one hour and two on me, upon which time a light musky wood base carries the scent to completion.
Overall, worth every penny, and if it ever leaves my top ten, it is only whim and circumstance which keeps it away for long.

O, the pity of it!
It does starts out with a wonderfully enchanting accord of high grade neroli which is both masculine and understated.
Hey, this is made a by one of the old-fashioned Brit houses, so you can bet your tweeds and your pipe it's going to be understated, you Platinum Egoiste mod freaks, so there!

But then the musk notes kick in and unless you're caught in a rainstorm in London or better still, in an Artic expedition, the heat transforms the whole thing into something rather vile and violent. The notes start fighting each other rather than harmonizing and---well, suffice it to say I'd rather wear Kouros. Honestly, It would smell far better in the heat than Castile.

I wear several scents which are classified as feminine, namely Y, Bandit, Cuir de Russie (Chanel), and "Tabac Blonde;" yet for a so-called masculine scent, Castille smells too much of a feminine floral on my skin for me to enjoy it. It also smells to my nose somewhat synthetic and tends to give me a headache. Sorry, but this one may be well made and all, but I just can't bring myself to like it as much as I have tried.

Sharp as a knife citrus opening that is very ADP, but better and quite beautiful. It then brings in some floral notes quite quickly and that's it. It then remains very linear for the duration. No problems with longevity or sillage. If you like the opening 5-10 minutes--buy it, as you won't find a better rendition.

Smells like roses! Then something else, like a musk. Then more roses! It's really neroli no wait it's citrus rose. Wow! Interesting. Very classy and beautiful.

Well, hirsch_duckfinder said just about everything I was going to say.

Simple (I could pick off all the five notes that are supposed to be there, even with my unsophisticated nose) but elegant and classy. It combines the freshness of a good eau de cologne with longevity and sillage. Kind of similar to AdP Colonia, I think, but more intense, vivid and colorful.

This immediately reminds me of a classic Eau, particularly Villoresi colonia. All the notes are somewhat detectable right from the start but the balance changes as it develops. It starts with lovely limey citrus like a high quality edc, light but very present neroli with the dark, heavy aspects chopped out maybe mingled with a light rose. While never overbearing, the neroli retains some indolic qualities. This sits with a clear and very excellent bergamot note which reminds me of the divine one in Patou pour Homme. Finally a very pleasant musk, with the sharp points smoothed off .The musk-neroli blend is absolutely outstanding, warm with soft spikes like a hedgehog polished by a disc sander.

Beautifully blended and balanced this is an outstanding fragrance.

OMG, I cannot believe what some of the reviews here have said.

This is a spectacular fragrance. The neroli opening is a magnificent opening to an orange blossom heart. Quite simply this is a lovely floral yet curiously masculine scent.

This is like many great masculine scents, effortlessly so. This projects the levels of refinement you would expect of Heritage yet with a much fresher, livelier feel. It is what Chanel Monsieur would aspire to. This is a fresh citrussy (but not lemony) fragrance that has both longevity and sillage for a long time.

I disagree also that there are no crisp notes here, yes there are! (Although I accept that is going to depend on skin type.)

Creed lovers should take time out to consider this. It is a classic, elegant, fresh and articulate fragrance that any man who considers himself knowledgeable about fragrance should have as a de rigeur purchase.

This is the purchase that the real man should consider when faced with a choice between Blenheim Bouquet and Endymion. I would buy this every time. It carries more class, more elegance and more savoir faire than either of them.

Highly rated? You bet!

I didn't catch the rose notes at all...to me it simply smelled like soap. Not cheap soap mind you, but still soap nonetheless. Clean and fresh best describes this fragrance.

A rose heavy (but not rose dominant) frag for those who generally hate rose heavy frags. No, the emphasis here is a clean and fresh neroli that bursts out of the bottle and puts a smile on your face. This is sunny Spain, soft and warm and romantic -- don't go in expecting Catholic gloom and doom in the Escorial.

n.b.: This one wears very close to the skin and produces relatively low sillage; furthermore, its longevity is lower than that of other Penhaligons frags. Still, a big thumbs up for classic, balanced composition.

Absolutely superb - the best neroli I've encountered (including my former favorite Floris #127). It is a superb balance of neroli, rose, clove and bergamot - sweet floral yet masculine and sophisticated as well. This has to be experienced to be bellieved. Highly recommended.

5 notes:

Top: Neroli, Petitgrain
Middle: Bergamot, Neroli, Rose
Base: Musk

Boring? Just because there's Schoenberg or John Zorn, does that make Mozart or Benny Goodman boring? Perfume should not just be measured by our consumer society's hysterical demands for relentless innovation and ever greater excess (required apparently to pierce through its proportionally increasing jaded numbness), but by an appreciation of craft and beauty proud of linking up to traditions worthy of preservation. This is one of the handful of fragrances presented in 1998 that embodies quality and impeccable craftsmanship and the result is absolutely beautiful. Scentemental, foetidus and others have given excellent accounts that require no addition, merely a footnote: it's not all that close to Cologne Sologne, which is de Nicolai's take on the classic Eau de Cologne recipe (bergamot-citrus-neroli-rosemary-restrained wood). Here, it is indeed the perfect harmony of neroli and rose that stands at the center of attention, making this a neroli variant of Acqua di Parma (where the rose intertwines with agrumes). This is not a scent for hard partying or steamy sex, it is a proposition for gentlemen who can also appreciate the quieter subtleties of life. If you prefer a frail pinot noir to oak- drenched CabSauv, this might be a scent for you.

Well made but exceedingly boring.

For another tedious affair of the same sort, try Patricia de Nicolai's well made but entirely disposable Cologne Sologne.

Czech & Speake Neroli is much edgier, though this citrus subgenre in general is usually not far from full blown impotence.

Regarding neroli, I prefer the more substantial L'Occitane Neroli EDP.

Beautiful neroli opening. Refreshing, vibrant and natural smelling. Like lying under a tree on the Costa de Azahar.

Penhaligon’s Castile is an incredibly beautiful, truly lovely scent. It is a bouquet of blossoms (orange, rose): floral but not excessively sweet. There is a high degree of rose here, somewhat unusual in a man’s fragrance. This is rich and verges on luxury, but remains balanced and is even ‘restrained’ compared to the opulent Hammam Bouquet. No crisp notes here, all is soft and lovely. Woody musky notes emerge and the drydown is very satisfying. I would not call this a compelling scent, but it is very enjoyable.

Agree with the reviews that mention that the rose notes almost seem folded into the 'cologne' scents of Castile - kind of like a mild afterthought. I didn't detect the nose until after the more crisp aromas had faded and when it made its appearance, it was welcomed.

It smells like a light fresh summer scent that I'd recommend to a newbie, however one that I'd feel more comfortable being dressed a little more formal.

This scent is just too classy smelling for flip flops and wrinkled clothes.

Smells to me like Versace's The Dreamer touched with citrus. I believe I prefer this to Dreamer though. The citrus touch doesn't make a big difference but just enough.

Opens with an excellent neroli accord—a charming feeling to it—wistful, clean, and comforting. In the mid notes, the citruses turn lighter and balance the rose which is darkening and deepening the fragrance, bringing the necessary tension that is demanded of an excellent fragrance. There’s a point in this tension when the accord—the orange blossom and the rose—is an almost overwhelmingly beautiful olfactory experience. The woods and musk dry down is a major disappointment because of its lack of projection and longevity but the citruses and rose on top earn a thumb’s up for this fragrance.

I also purchased this blind and my reaction upon first smelling it was "Oh c**p! This is waaaaaaaay too flowery for me". However, I thought I'd give it the benefit of the doubt and now I'm starting to change my opinion. My nose really picks up on the rose in this scent and I'm not a huge fan of rose. However, after the initial strong blast, it really dries down to a much lighter, sweeter odor which is the orange & neroli. It's a little on the perfumy side but has a strange quality that seems to make it a perfectly acceptable men's cologne, most probably the base notes of wood and musk, although IMO these are very muted. Still, an interesting fragrance and one I would recommend those willing to try something a little different.

A very straightforward neroli/rose combo that is perfectly unisex IMO. A bit linear and one-dimensional but nevertheless great for refreshing summer usage. Great flacon like always from this house.

A fine, fresh, and true neroli fragrance in which the neroli note is not cloying nor sickly-sweet dominant as it can be in many neroli-based scents. It has the freshness and lightness of orange flower water, which is one of its middle-note ingredients. The other middle note, rose, makes its appearance very quickly into the drydown but remains muted and is integrated well with the predominant neroli accord, which, interestingly enough, once the top notes have dissipated, begins to smell sweet like orange blossom honey. The base notes of Woods and Musk remain very muted as the top and middle notes work themselves out well into the drydown. The heavy bloom in May, white-blossom brides among the fragrant groves warmed by a honeyed light.

Castile is a very nice and well made fragrance. I think the success/failure of Castile with your personality type is huge here. Castile IMO teters on being exclusively feminine. The house of Penhaligon has not let me down yet with a truly impressive smelling scent. But i think this scent is more geared toward a woman. Again i place this as neutral because it is not to my liking, but well made nonetheless.

The best men's perfume I've ever come across, no doubt. I own several of Penhaligon's scents, all of which are good. However, this one is the top of the crop. It's the smell of cleanliness, intoxicating citrus blossom at first. The drydown leaves a more sophisticated touch of exquisite neroli. I wish more people wore this perfume instead of the foul chemical scents that get so much attention and hype. It's a unique triumph that has no parallel.

I bought Castile blind and I am glad I did. It starts with a little citrus, but not too much and then goes into the Orange flower and Rose that is to die for. Not too much, but enough catch a wiff every now and then. The Rose.Orange flower stays as the Woods and musk emerge on the final dry down. This is a fantastic scent and a MUST own for me.

I recently just purchased this and my first initial reaction was "Acqua Di Parma" but after letting it cool down abit, it seems as though i just stepped out of the shower, smelling clean and refreshed. My girlfriend truly loves this scent, she says that it reminds her of a babies clean soft skin. Although I'll admit the staying power isn't much to brag about, but it's truly worth a great scent even if it only lasts about 2 hours.