Reviews of Racquets Formula (1989)
by Penhaligon's

Penhaligon’s Racquets opens largely herbal with a slightly less emphasis on geranium: It’s retro… there’s something rustic, something charmingly clumsy, about that opening accord – I love it; it has character; and it is just as refreshing as those numberless citruses that are used for sports versions. The middle keeps up the fresh greenness with cedar. There are supposed to be ylang-ylang, rose, and leather in these heart notes but I don’t get them as more than a whisper in the background. Then there’s the traditional drydown that screams the good old days in a wonderfully good and clean way. Soapy is right! Racquets is considerably soapy, but in a delightful and charming way; it has good sillage and its longevity is pretty good.

I'm surprised nobody thus far has picked up Racquets Formula being so similar to Heritage.

When I first went into one of the Penhaligon's stores to try this, the first thing I said when I put some of the EDT on the back of my hand was "I already have a fragrance that smells like this, Guerlain Heritage".

Racquets is a good fragrance if you haven't got Heritage, it shares some of the same qualities - but Heritage is the better of the two.

The_good_life has it pegged -- this is a lovely and expensive English soap. I'm surprised as hell that this fine, soapy chypre came out in only 1989, as it has a distinctly Edwardian feel to it.

Distinctive, crisp, pure class.

Easily the longest lasting (along with Hammam Bouquet) of the Penhaligons frags for men.

If you fashion yourself a prep-master with a Range Rover; a golden retriever; a Ralph Lauren lifestyle, or wish to have such things in the future, Racquets is a better option for a scent than the RL stuff which is too obvious. A wonderful 25-40 year old man's fragrance with all the right connections and associations. Very nice, classy, subtle. Hard to explain.

Citrus-herbacity plus clove (and vetiver?), together with the floral heart, make for a very soapy smell, whch befits the athletic associations of the name Racquets. A quality soap, what the boys shower with after a lawn tennis match at an exclusive club. But soap nonetheless, which is not among my favorites fragrance styles. In these early stages Racquets reminds me of Beene's Bowling Green, a coniferous chypre with a stronger citrus opening, but a similar herbaceous soapy freshness. However, the more pronounced clove in Racquets already announces what is to come. That is what makes this one interesting and somewhat unusual: sporty freshness being blended with spicy oriental components of cedar, moss, amber and frankincense. I would not have payed retail for this, but it is a good one, especially for the inbetween weather of April or October.

Unisex, spicy, sweet, warm, fairly fresh and definitely an oriental of high quality. For anytime wear. NOBOBY will smell the samel as you as its not a bestseller and is extremely unique.

"Indiscribable. Different from anything else.Totally unique.It has a sort of quince freshness about it.A wonderful fragrance for men and women.