Elixir by Penhaligon's, 2008

The opening eucalyptus/mint reminds me of the nose of a particular wine I once tasted. It was a bottle of 1974 Heitz Martha's Vineyard Cabernet, but E;oxor os without the fruit of the wine. I detect a bit of mace also. The overall opening effect is one of a well crafted fragrance in the Penhaligon tradition, not totally unlike their Hamman Bouquet, and invites continuous sniffing..it is that good!. Middle notes continue the eucalyptus/mint framework adding a rose floral note with a muted cinnamon present as if braided skillfully throughout. Basenotes include a gentle slide into Tonka, Sandalwood and an intriguing background of incense. Again, all notes are carried along by the opening Eucalyptus/mint. Strangely now the captivating Eucalyptus/mint radiance that carries all the other notes is experienced as much in memory as in the fragrance itself and I have to re-sniff closely to distinguish it. Beautiful. Enchanting. Mesmerizing. I fell in love with this scent a few seconds after I spritzed it for the first time this morning. The love story is continuing as I continue to sniff its development. Definitely Bottle Worthy. This is one Penhaligon fragrance I will be adding to my wardrobe in the future.

I love hot, spicy fragrances, particularly those along the lines of Givenchy's Xeryus Rouge with its fiery chilli notes and its raw sexuality. Elixir opens a little similar to Xeryus Rouge with a fiery burst of spices, however it soon settles, like a fire that's beginning to burn out. It had the potential to be a smoking hot fragrance, yet it has left me slightly underwhelmed, which is a massive shame. It's too light and polite on the skin for my tastes. During the opening notes, I can smell the cinnamon, cardamom and what appears to be hot peppers. The scent rapidly cools down into a pleasant, subtly spiced floral with a slightly soapy quality. The fragrance chops and changes, one minute it's spicy the next it's soft and flowery. The drydown shows some signs of the scent heating up again, but it never seems to reach boiling point. Rich woods and resins tend to dominate in the drydown, with the incense and vanilla being barely detectable to my nose. I guess I'm still on the hunt for something similar to Xeryus Rouge for women. For those not expecting a hot fragrance for passionate wear, Elixir would most likely pass as an interesting, soft and wearable spicy oriental, yet for me this just couldn't make the mark.

Rather than repeat what's already been said in droves about the composition of the fragrance -- it's clearly something about which you have strong feelings -- I'd much rather focus on what this particular fragrance is and is not. It IS rather nice. They've done a wonderful job on combining the components into a very nice melange that blends well and seamlessly transitions through the various elements. Incense, sandalwood, tonk a, all blend well in a surprising way with the eucalyptus and florals, striking a very god balance with a refined scent that is charming, alluring, and very pleasant to wear. It IS NOT durable. Being an EDT, it's among the weakest EDT's I've tried. Within 2 hours, it's vanished such that you actually wish that it were a more cloying experience. To quote Harold Melvyn, "The love I lost was a sweet one," and this would be the fragrance that I'd certainly love if it had better longevity. The notes are all there, but they play in too subtle a manner for anyone but the wearer to enjoy, and only then for the shortest of duration. This is a fragrance my wife had gotten, noting the presence of incense, and recognizing her deep hatred of TFPC Amber Absolute. This was olfactory pleasing for the all too brief time slice it lingers, but it's too fleeting. If only this could have been done in an EDP strength versus a concentration that's barely EDT, they'd have a keeper for me.

The opening, and heart, remind me of a specific scent memory. On a visit to California, I was fortunate enough to enjoy a convertible drive from Sonoma to the coast on a beautiful, sunny spring day. We traveled along a two lane back road, and found ourselves driving between two rows of eucalyptus trees lining the road. It was a wonderful smell that I remember to this day. Elixir brings that smell alive. It opens with an airy, rough bark smell of eucalyptus! It is the smell of the peeling bark, and not like any other fragrance that I have smelled. There is a small shift towards the heart by introducing the cinnamon aroma of the bark spice. This is not ground cinnamon, and certainly not the sweet candy smell. It is rough, barky, woody cinnamon. This is a beautiful transition that keeps the faint woody trend alive, but adds the spiciness that keeps this novel. The theme is continued throughout the heart as a rosewood note is introduced. Now, this is the only fault I see in the composition. The rosewood stands out too much, and there is not another note to play off of. It is pleasant, but I think could have been used to better effect by being used as a basis for lifting another note. In any event, it didn't really detract from the scent, but was just possibly a lost opportunity to raise the bar even higher. The base adds the faintest of vanilla to this rosewood note, but does not transition after this point. This is a soft, somewhat faint, fragrance. It never overwhelms, as many "orientals" can do. Some will find it too faint, but if you allow the fragrance to envelope you with it's breezy, airy mood, you will find a novel tale of oriental opulence tamed, and with unique notes. Let it take you where you will, or let it remind you of a great drive to the coast. Either way, it is worth a sniff!