A JOURNEY FOR ADVENTUROUS NOSES: PENHALIGON'S ALULA
Nestled between sand and sky sits an oasis town of historic import. Welcome to AlUla, the inspiration behind Penhaligon’s newest fragrance. Let’s explore, shall we?
Even back in 1870, William Penhaligon was one for adventure. Rumour has it he travelled by hot air balloon, no less, seeking inspiration for his fragrant concoction. So, is it any wonder we followed in his footsteps with our latest creation, Penhaligon’s AlUla? The fragrance, a celebration of sand and sky, is also a tribute to the Incense Route and the ancient Arabic oasis of AlUla itself. It’s time to be acquainted, don’t you think?
Monoliths of Man
A place where civilisations converged, AlUla is a city made of ochre sandstone on one side and black basalt sand in the distance. These contrasts – light and dark, sky and sand – culminate in man and nature, and the magnificent monoliths carved from stone that make AlUla so spectacular. Huge pillars of rock rise into the sky, having been carved with the same level of intricacy and detail as you’d find in Petra. Penhaligon’s have tried to capture the magnitude of these historic monuments, these artefacts of the past, in the new scent, with an ever-changing profile ending in deep, earthy base notes that endure on one’s skin. How delightful.
A Verdant Oasis
As much as AlUla is an open-air library, it is also a garden. Life in the desert rises like a mirage to the scent of oranges, lemons and mint. Refreshing, just as the bounty would have refreshed travellers and merchants from a bygone age. The oasis remains, of course, and produces some astounding 90,000 tonnes of dates each year. One needn’t travel as far as the desert to imagine such a miraculous sight, however: Penhaligon’s AlUla captures the lightness with top notes of ripe plum, bursting with sweetness to welcome you to the oasis that is AlUla.
An Ode to Incense
Of course, no tribute to AlUla would be complete without a nod to incense. AlUla has a long history as a commercial hub – 2,000 years, to be exact. All manner of spices, silks, and wares were traded including incense, which usually took the form of herbal and wood powders binded to a bamboo stick or moulded into cones. Its fragrant, smoky allure has captivated civilisations for millennia and forms the base note of Penhaligon’s AlUla, enhancing the woody amber facets within the fragrance. This deep note lingers on the skin all day, transporting one to a sanctuary-like desert.
Culture & Creativity
Not only has AlUla thrived as a commercial hub, but its cultural and creative scene is flourishing at present. The city is home to an annual Arts Festival, which showcases local craftsmanship throughout February each year. As a place where history meets modernity, you can also find the impressive Maraya Concert Hall, the world’s largest structure made from mirrors – which leaves the landscape beautifully untouched. AlUla has over 7,000 years of history to draw upon as inspiration for its art and stories, retold through a modern lens, that make the city such a captivating contradiction of contrasts. It’s well worth exploring, would you agree?
Further Reading
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