The Fragrance of Penang’s George Town

  • George Town by Josh Lee.

    George Town by Josh Lee.

  • Available at stores in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and Selangor.

    Available at stores in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and Selangor.

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London by Paul Smith, Paris by YSL, Love from New York by Donna Karan—naming a scent after a city is not exactly a new idea, but when the namesake in question is Penang’s odoriferous state capital, you can expect some olfactory novelty. Thank “fragrance master” and native son Josh Lee for the creation of George Town, a unisex perfume that pays tribute to the former spice-trading port with the citrusy aroma of bergamot and notes of cinnamon, cardamom, sandalwood, and hibiscus. It’s certainly not the priciest perfume out there—US$39 will get you a 50ml bottle—but for a quick spritz of George Town tang, there’s nothing else quite like it.

This article originally appeared in the February/March 2013 issue of DestinAsian (“By George!”)

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