Penhaligon's Empressa
- Authentic original perfume
- Try before the full bottle
- Travel-ready 3ml, 10ml, 30ml
- Long-lasting scent
Empressa by Penhaligon's opens on ripe blood orange and peach, brightened by bergamot, mandarin orange and a touch of pepper. Rose and geranium take over next, given texture by dewberry and cassis and lifted with neroli. The base is where it turns rich: patchouli, brown sugar and cacao sit under vanilla, sandalwood, olibanum and amber for a warm, slightly powdery finish. Launched in 2014, it is worn mostly by women who want a fruity floral with real depth rather than something thin. Voters place it in spring and autumn, worn through the day, and it works well for the office. Most wearers vote its longevity moderate, and the sillage vote lands there too, so it stays close rather than filling a room. A 3ml decant is enough to wear it to work for a week and see how it settles.
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Start a discovery set with Empressa
Empressa fills the first vial. Pick 3 more in 3 ml: the cheapest is free, and on your first order we add a 5th as our gift.
Selling out fast
Due to high demand, quantities are limited.
89% sold
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The community verdict
For someone drawn to soft fruit and rose, Empressa opens with blood orange and peach, then settles into brown sugar and patchouli. Most find both its lasting power and projection moderate. Spring days suit it best, including work; autumn is another option, and it can be worn in the evening.
Summarised with AI from perfume-community reviews
- Topfirst impression
- Bergamot
- Blood Orange
- Mandarin Orange
- Peach
- Pink Pepper
- Basewhat lingers
- Amber
- Brown sugar
- Cacao
- Musk
- Olibanum
- Patchouli
- Sandalwood
- Vanilla
- Brand
- Penhaligon's
- Scent profile
- For women
- Launched
- Decant sizes
- 3ml, 10ml, 30ml
We ship across the EU. Orders over €75.00 ship free. Returns are accepted within 30 days of delivery.
Penhaligon's Empressa, hour by hour
How it opens, settles and lingers on skin.
Blood orange juice and brown sugar on a spring picnic rug.
What you smell
First spray0–15 min
- Bergamot
- Blood Orange
- Mandarin Orange
- Peach
- Pink Pepper
Heart15 min – 2 h
Dry-down2 h – 3–6 h
- Amber
- Brown sugar
- Cacao
- Musk
- Olibanum
- Patchouli
- Sandalwood
- Vanilla
- Lasts
- 3–6 h
- Moderate
- Sillage
- Moderate, 2 of 4
What wearers say
Votes from fragrance communities, most-voted answers first.
Longevity
Most voted: 54%Moderate
Sillage
Most voted: 58%Moderate
Season
Most voted: 44%Spring
Time of day
Most voted: 49%Daytime
See all votesHide votes
Longevity, 490 votes
- Very weak4%22 votes
- Weak9%42 votes
- Moderate (Most voted)54%263 votes
- Long lasting28%139 votes
- Eternal5%24 votes
Sillage, 579 votes
- Intimate15%88 votes
- Moderate (Most voted)58%334 votes
- Strong19%109 votes
- Enormous8%48 votes
Season, 490 votes
- Spring (Most voted)44%218 votes
- Summer14%71 votes
- Autumn34%167 votes
- Winter7%34 votes
Time of day, 490 votes
- Daytime (Most voted)49%241 votes
- Office15%73 votes
- Evening25%124 votes
- Night out11%52 votes
Which size is right for you?
Every size is decanted from the same original bottle.
Loved by 50,000+
Why scent lovers try it with us before they buy the bottle.
10ML vs a blind buy
What a decant gives you that a bottle bought unsmelled can’t.
Why 10ML?
Blind buy
Authentic original perfume
Yes
Yes
Smell it on your skin before you buy
Yes
No
Try several scents for one bottle’s price
Yes
No
Travel-ready atomiser
Yes
No
No full bottle wasted if it’s not for you
Yes
No
If you like Penhaligon's Empressa
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More from Penhaligon's
Penhaligon's goes back to 1870 in Britain, when William Henry Penhaligon, a barber from Cornwall, founded the house and later served as perfumer to the court of Queen Victoria.
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Penhaligon's Empressa in plain words
What it smells like, how it wears and who it suits.
What it smells like
Empressa opens juicy and bright, with blood orange and peach over a clean citrus sparkle. The heart is soft and floral, rounded rather than sharp, and it dries down into warm patchouli with a gentle brown sugar sweetness.
How it wears
The perfume community reports moderate staying power and moderate projection, so it sits comfortably around you without announcing itself across a room.
When to wear it
Wearers reach for it most on spring days and at work, with autumn a close second. It can also move into the evening when you want something soft.
Who it suits
Suits women who like soft fruit and a rounded floral with a little spice underneath. Those who prefer drier scents may find the ripe sweetness a touch much.
Similar perfumes at 10ML
- Joy by Dior: shares the peach that gives its opening a juicy, ripe feel
- Valentino Vendetta Donna: shares the blood orange that brightens the start
- Kajal Almaz: shares the brown sugar sweetness that warms the base
Sizes and price per ml
At 10ML, Penhaligon's Empressa comes as 3ml for €12.96 (€4.32/ml), 10ml for €37.26 (€3.73/ml) and 30ml for €91.80 (€3.06/ml).
Frequently asked questions
What does Penhaligon's Empressa smell like?
Penhaligon's Empressa opens with Bergamot, Blood Orange, Mandarin Orange and Peach. The heart brings Cassis, Dewberry, Geranium and Neroli. It dries down to Amber, Brown sugar, Cacao and Musk.
Is Penhaligon's Empressa long lasting?
Shoppers on fragrance communities most often rate its longevity as moderate (54% of votes), and 33% rate it long lasting or eternal. They most often rate its sillage as moderate (58% of votes). How long it lasts on you also depends on your skin and how much you apply.
Is Penhaligon's Empressa good for summer?
Shoppers on fragrance communities rate it mainly for spring; summer takes only 14% of season votes.
Is Penhaligon's Empressa good for winter?
Shoppers on fragrance communities rarely pick it for winter: only 7% of season votes go to winter.
Is Penhaligon's Empressa for day or night?
Shoppers on fragrance communities mostly wear it by day: 64% of time-of-day votes are for daytime or the office, 36% for evenings and nights out.
Can I wear Penhaligon's Empressa to the office?
Shoppers on fragrance communities rarely pick it for the office: only 15% of time-of-day votes go to the office.
Who makes Penhaligon's Empressa?
Empressa is made by Penhaligon's. It was launched in 2014.
How many wears is a 10ml decant of Penhaligon's Empressa?
A 10ml decant of Penhaligon's Empressa holds about 200 sprays, roughly 67 days of wear. The 3ml decant holds about 60 sprays, around 20 days. The 30ml decant holds about 600 sprays, around 200 days.
Which other Penhaligon's perfumes can I try?
Besides Penhaligon's Empressa, 10ML has Halfeti, Changing Constance and The Blazing Mr Sam from Penhaligon's, each decanted from the original bottle.
Is this Penhaligon's Empressa decant the original perfume?
Yes. Every Penhaligon's Empressa decant is filled by hand from an original Penhaligon's bottle, with nothing added or diluted, so it opens, dries down and lasts on your skin the way the bottle does. We sell only authentic originals.
Is Penhaligon's Empressa sweet?
Moderately, yes: ripe peach and brown sugar give it a soft sweetness, but blood orange and a little spice keep it from turning syrupy. Some wearers find it ripe, so it leans sweeter than a classic fresh citrus.
What do people like most about Penhaligon's Empressa?
People praise how soft and rounded it feels, and how well the spice, flowers and citrus balance. Many call it generous and sensuous without being heavy, and rich enough to feel complex.
Where can I buy Penhaligon's Empressa as a decant?
At 10ML: Penhaligon's Empressa comes as a 3ml, 10ml and 30ml decant, filled by hand from an original bottle. The 10ml decant costs €37.26 (€3.73/ml), and 10ML ships across the EU.
What is a decant?
A small amount of a perfume, taken from its original bottle and put into a travel atomiser. You get the real fragrance in a size that lets you live with it for days before you decide on the full bottle.
How does the money-back guarantee work?
If a scent isn’t right for you, get in touch within 30 days of it arriving and we’ll arrange a refund. Terms apply. See our refund policy.