Elixir

What can I say? What laud can I bring? What praise of note can I add to what I believe must be a cherished, truly ambrosian elixir indeed to so many others? So aptly named, this eau pushes all the right buttons for me. From the packaging to the red ribbon to the comforting yet exciting first sniff, which despite the years of enjoyment exhilarates as if for the first time always. Some are reminded of Mass, some of Count Dracula's castle, others sacred & profane music & mirth. I say yes and all of the above. Elixir calls for candlelight. I find it quite regal, sophisticated, and yet quite carnal & softly wild... something distantly pagan perhaps? When the first frost kisses the dwindling light of Autumn I reach for this and fabulous, fantastic, dusty, rich, mystic fairy tales come back to comfort & caress my senses like Christmas stories or Turkish Delight from the sleigh of the Snow Queen. Captivating & liberating, the spirit soars. Perhaps I'm getting a bit carried away but that's what this elixir does... it carries me away. Absolutely gutted to hear of its discontinuation. Why oh why?? I've 3 bottles at present which I will cherish like so many sweet memories. If you come across it don't hesitate to make it your own if only to then pass it on to someone under its spell. What a star you'll be in their eyes! Criticisms? Only its fleeting nature & lightness. I want it to last for days! Beautiful packaging (current). Beautiful Penhaligon's bottle. Skews a touch "masculine" for me. Worth every penny. ★★★★★

Well...I'm shocked that the town I live in has a Penhaligon's boutique and I must say it's one of the most beautiful shops I've ever been in, like a victorian chemists or something? Anyway...When I asked the lady at the counter how long it had been there she said "...around 12....(she paused as I thought she'd say months) she turned to her colleague and said "Is it 12? Yeah 12 YEARS we've been here!" It's very small and tucked away so easily missed but I still can't believe it's been there for 12 years and I've only just found it! So Elixir? I'd asked this question before of other Penhaligon suppliers "Do you have anything with incense in an eau de parfum?" and they always come up with Elixir. I've tried it a couple of times now and I must say I really enjoy it, like many from this house it's very well blended indeed. For me though although it has some smoke and spice to it the main player is rose and it's a very nice rose the spice is subtle, with a gentle incense running through it. This is actually one of my favourites and that's saying something too as I do like a lot of their creations. Difficult to pick apart the notes like penhaligon's Sartorial, Opus 1870 etc it's complex and well done. The main reason I was interested in this one was the concentration, as my main gripe with this house is the longevity. Elixir is better but still not good for the price and if you're looking for a powerhouse this isn't it. I really like this one though and may add it to my collection in future.

I adore this fragrance and this fragrance adores me. It's mysterious, powerful and intoxicating yet not overbearing. It's difficult not to repeat what some reviewers have already mentioned about it's potency and evocative abilities but for me, this fragrance... ...sets my imagination racing and transports me to places of days gone by. It evokes childhood memories of me walking through York Minster after a festive Midnight Mass with the incense-kick: incense-soaked masonry, the smell of polished wooden pews, old leather-bound prayer books and dusty stained glass. Ghosts of Christmases past. This fragrance yearns for something that can not be replaced, only remembered. I have to wear this in cold winter weather when the streets are dimly lit and fog and mist cloud your vision alongside icy breath. It's warming, soothing and luxurious - a tincture for inclement weather, melting the sharpness of frosted paths. I get very minimum eucalyptus on my skin but lots of wood smells and benzoin; a slight whiff of rose with hints of myrrh (despite it not being noted). The jasmine and orange are very subtle and present a balancing undercurrent. It's an astonishing fragrance, essentially appropriate for long winter nights (IMO). I applied some this afternoon (English summer-time, August) and although the smell was still divine, it felt almost criminal to expose its beauty to the sun. A must-have in my collection. 10/10.

MyFragranceSamples.com included this as one of two freebies in my order. Merry Christmas to me! The opening is just like the sweet, earthy ginger taste of Blenheim Ginger Beer. There's also a bit of spiciness and eucalyptus like I've smelled in an arts and crafts store where they have dried eucalyptus with their silk flowers and some potpourri somewhere with cinnamon in it to greet you at the door. The drydown is why I'm going to buy a full bottle. I own a mesh bag of rock-like bits of frankincense that I like to keep around as reference (I hope my memory serves me well because I have a similar bag of myrrh and they've both lost their original scent). When I crush that bag in my hands, to release the pure frankincense fragrance, put my nose to it and inhale deeply, there's something special about it to me. Elixir smells exactly like this; dry, dusty, oriental and deeply aromatic frankincense! Absolutely amazing stuff! I'll be ordering a bottle of this for sure and hope it arrives before Christmas for the perfect occasion to wear it. There's absolutely nothing in this that strikes me as synthetic. An absolute gem I can't believe I've never heard of nor the house.

Certainly Elixir is an incense-type fragrance, but even through the wood, resins and smoky aspects it manages to convey a rich spiciness that has thrilled me from the very first instant it met my nose. Add to the spices and incense the presence of rose and the effect is quite pleasing. Early on, though, I was troubled by the fact that the staying power was minimal on me, but I've hit upon the perfect combination to achieve longevity with this fragrance: layering. To be sure, a person could reapply this fragrance later on, but I find the fragrance is best pronounced and most intense when I've used Elixir Exfoliating Body Scrub in the shower prior to application of the fragrance. This seems to be key in greater longevity of this wondrously beautiful fragrance. Elixir is hypnotic and beautiful, and seems unisex to my sensibilities. This is gorgeous, mysterious and enchanting. I also have seen Elixir mentioned as a good cold-weather fragrance, but I've been wearing this in Texas 110 degree F heat lately, and it's rich, beautiful and yet not overpowering. This is an exotic beauty for year around, in my opinion.

For me Elixir is a fragrance full of nostalgia. It's like somebody tried to capture something from their childhood, but I'll be darned if I can work out what it was! Certainly the opening is fiery. I think the eucalyptus comes out more to me on certain days and actually clears the sinuses a bit like Vicks or Tiger Balm! It's a very stimulating intro. I don't know why but after that all I can smell is a very true to life sandalwood and a touch of incense. There is a hint of something floral for sure, maybe the Turkish rose, but for me this is a spicy woody through and through. The memories evoked are of an old library, the antique books, the solid wood of the bookshelves and tables as sunlight streams in and catches dust particles in the air. It's a place where you can relax in quiet contemplation, read or study, but above all it is comforting. Others may be reminded of a church or museum or somesuch place. Elixir therefore is not a modern smell and all the better for it. If you want something different with a touch of English charm, this is the one! For me it has Holy Grail fragrance written all over it!

This is the heaviest perfume I have in my collection to date, and I absolutely adore this concoction that Penhaligon's created. When I first evaluated this in store, I was mesmerised and had a really hard time trying to unwrap the layers this fragrance offered. So I decided to get it without a second thought. This is a Unisex fragrance leaning towards the Female side with the rich Rose Otto, skillfully balanced with warm smoky woods. The spicy top gives a good initial impact, the base didn't last as long as I'd hope, but compared with other Penhaligon's offerings, this is considered very long lasting in that respect. For me this is a really British fragrance, where it matches very well with the cold wet winters I so fondly remember from my yesteryear. It is a shame that Elixir has been discontinued and will join many other fragrances becoming a collectible item.

I bought this scent today from the store on Regent Street. Upon first smell I conjured up pictures of a journey through India and the East; of far off exotic lands full of mystery, heritage and intrigue - alien to my British temperament, yet all the more intriguing as a result. Previous reviewers have likened this scent to that of 'Opium' which I almost purchased earlier in the day, but held off in case I found something less attainable (I can buy Opium from a multitude of stores, not so quirky niche fragrances). Images of the East complement the references to Opium, however, for me I can honestly say that this scent evokes my upbringing as a Roman Catholic; the church incense, the religious-mysticism of its incense notes and warm, spicy top notes. Comforting, warm, mysterious and definitely not run-of-the mill. An elixir indeed.

Cardamom, cedar, notes of incense, and benzoin, I'm immediately reminded of Baume du Dodge from Eau D'Itale by Bertrand Duchaufor. It's as though he and Olivia Giacobetti carried out a side-by-side exercise in creating the same fragrance with slightly different supporting notes. Woods, spice and incense are most prominent in Elixir, contrasted in balance with clean notes of subtle eucalyptus that is presented as an herbal nuance and without it's mentholated facet. The flowers are subtle and provide beauty and balance, nestled warmly in a sandalwood base. I find Elixir a very full and accomplished fragrance that many fans of dry, complex incense fragrances would enjoy, especially those who love Tauer's L'Air du Desert Marocain. A very well executed perfume evoking mystery and travel to an exotic night-time desert.

A menthol-like cold, dry incense... Such an interesting one. It reminds me of incense sticks and so many other things. It has a dry, smoky incense made of jasmine, rose, sandalwood. The cinnamon and mace mix with the eucalyptus to bring about the aroma of cold candle smoke, like you would find in a church or some such place. It opens up loud but settles to a skin scent. It's an unusual one but it is worth trying. I think it would be a good choice for those looking for a mystical incense like perfume. Olivia Giacobetti has done a great job of capturing this smell. I can't see anything bad about it for what you get for the price. Definitely one to try at least.

It is a real pity that this fragrance was discontinued. I still have half a bottle and I enjoy it every time. This is an incense and rose fragrance like no other, unbelievably light and still having enough body. Eucalyptus, without being over-mentholated, connects the light facets of incense and the fresh parts of the rose, indeed creating the impression of steam instead of smoke. And then, as also mentioned by others, I can swear I smell a honey note or something like it. It underlines the lushness of incense and thikness of Turkish rose without making them heavy. They float in the air around you. A revelation, really.

Magical! Elixir is such a right name for this ancient-incensy-dry-dusty potion! My most favourite notes in one bottle, - can't be better, really. So its a strong love from me. It is much like an old abandoned haunted wooden Church, lost somewhere in forest and then someone have found it, took the webs away and lightened frankincense candles all way down the squeaky ancient stairs! The quality is so good, as it evokes images after images, I loved people's reviews on this one – glad that many got church-ghosts-oak cork-old closet vibe as well, as myself! Well done, Olivia Giacobetti.

This is darkness! is like walking through the streets of a castle at night,with the wind that touches your skin .. the cold air, a few candles lit, some off .. and continuing your journey to the castle you realize that this is the Dracula's castle! Some of the notes listed I can hardly hear them, but this is a unique scent, and certainly unusual! _not suitable for everyone, but it's worth trying this.. it's well done! Incense here is very powerful.... I like. The sillage is moderate, and longevity good (6-7 hours). Sillage: 6/10 Longevity: 7/10 Scent: 8.5/10 Overall: 8/10

I bought this in the xmas sales for a song. Im so glad I did. I am perplexed how someone thinks its similar to Jacomo #8 which I also have. J8 is much sweeter. Yes, they are both spicey but PE has that unique kick from the eucalyptus. There is a load more incense for one thing and gaiac wood which make it quite dry and smoky which I love. Its very spicey with the cinnamon and cardamom very evident but also resinous from the benzoin. The poor rose and vanilla notes dont get much of a look in. The dry down is all about incense. Moderate sillage and moderate longevity.

I really love this fragrance. The rose and incense are the main players but the eucalyptus is not far behind and the whole thing blends nicely to (what I find to be) a rather comforting smell. It's a very dry smell and works wonderfully in the cold weather. Has a lovely vintage feel to it and I can imagine gentleman in turkish baths circa 1900 smelling like this (I also get the gothic feel that many have mentioned). Lasts for most of the day but it does turn into a skin scent. Well worth GBP40 in TK Maxx

Elixir is most definitely a unisex scent, vaguely reminiscent of Opium. At first spritz I got pepper and cinnamon and thought it was too masculine and sharp. But shortly thereafter, the scent became much more woodsy and unisex. This scent very much made me think of linen-clad Brits riding elephants in India during the 1930's. About an hour later, the fragrance became rather subdued--very different from that first whiff of sharp spice. Elixir would smell lovely on a man or a woman.

Elixir is a very refined spicy/oriental fragrance for men. It gives a very warm and cozy aura. If you like scents like Gucci Pour homme, you will love Elixir, because this is like the refined "niche" vesrion of that one. Sillage and longevity are above average, and the best season for this one is autumn and winter. Elixir is a must try if you like warm, "hot" spicy scents. One of the best from Penhaligon`s. Highly recommended!

bella composizione creata da olivia giacobetti che mette in primo piano una eccellente combinazione di rosa ed incenso, supportata da note speziate e da un fondo legnoso di eucalipto. benchè il risultato sia piuttosto complesso con tasselli odorosi tipicamente invernali, l'impressione generale non è pesante ma, anzi, è morbida e indossabile anche con il caldo. molto buono.

For anyone interested in purchasing this scent who thought it was discontinued, it is currently available in the Penhaligon's summer sale ($64 for 100 ml) on their U.S. website. I don't think I am allowed to post a direct link as part of this comment, but feel free to send me a private message if you can't find it when searching online.

I have been wearing this for about three hours at this point, and will possibly edit this later. it smells exactly like copal incense. I assume this is the smoky incense, the eucalyptus, and the cedar all coming together. It's beautiful and I'm thrilled. I might buy it just for this aspect.