Penhaligon's
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
Lavender and bergamot strike first, bright and almost bracing, before sage muscles in with its herbal, slightly camphorous intensity. The mandarin provides just enough sweetness to soften the edges, creating an opening that's aromatic without being predictable, fresh without being aquatic.
Coffee absolute emerges like a plot twist, transforming the composition from polite aromatic into something altogether more intriguing and modern. The suede accord wraps around it, soft yet structured, whilst geranium adds an unexpected metallic-green sharpness that prevents the coffee from becoming gourmand.
Incense and resins dominate, with frankincense and myrrh creating a smoky, resinous haze over sandalwood and cedar. The spices—cardamom, nutmeg, black pepper—pulse gently beneath, whilst vetiver provides earthy grounding and leather whispers of something animalic and ancient, like well-worn books in a gentleman's library.
Endymion is Penhaligon's love letter to the fougère, dressed in a sharp morning suit and carrying a double espresso. The opening salvo of lavender and bergamot might suggest traditional territory, but sage crashes through with green, almost camphorous intensity, whilst mandarin adds a sweet-tart brightness that prevents any descent into barbershop banality. Then the coffee arrives—not the sweetened, vanillic coffee of dessert fragrances, but something darker and more austere, layered with the nap of suede that gives the composition an expensive, tactile quality.
This is where Endymion distinguishes itself: the coffee absolute doesn't merely accent; it fundamentally alters the trajectory of what could have been another aromatic citrus. Geranium adds a peppery, almost metallic facet that sharpens the whole affair, preventing the suede from becoming too plush. The base is a forest of resins and spices—incense smoke curling through cedar and sandalwood, whilst cardamom and nutmeg provide warm, almost narcotic prickles of heat. Black pepper and vetiver keep things from turning soporific, their astringency cutting through the myrrh and frankincense like a knife through honey.
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3.8/5 (287)