Endymion Penhaligon`s for men

Out of the bottle, Endymion smells fresh and clean. When you put it on, several scents hit you in succession: the fresh soapy smell, followed by something musky, and then the scent of smoke. The smoke only lasts long enough to give birth to incense, and for a while the incense mingles with something other to become a sweet incense barbershop scent (definitely not my favorite part in this journey).

In time, this fragrance deepens into a musky incense that is simply to die for. It is at once, innocent and earthy, pure and strong. The projection is moderate -- you can smell it on yourself with three dabs or so. Unfortunately, it lasts only three hours. Sigh.

The musky-incense drydown makes this my favorite incense scent yet, but it's not worth a full bottle because of the shockingly short duration.

UPDATE: If you can try this as a decant first, I highly recommend it. As a decant (as opposed to a sample), it is very well blended and quite luxurious in its aroma, and even brings compliments from the opposite sex. Also, with repeated wearings (even with the sample), the weird barbershop scent phase no longer happens.

Endymion, fair Endymion...one of the very FEW mortals blessed enough to know the love of one of the gods, (and live!) who received immortality, eternal youth and a peaceful fate of eternal slumber. Endymion was a shepherd on the slopes of Mt Latmos (on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey across the Bosphorus from Greece, near the mouth of the river Meander). Selene, who drove the chariot of the moon across the night sky, saw him and fell in love with his beauty. She bore him no less than 50 daughters (the Menae) and so hated the idea of him dying, that she asked a boon of Zeus: to keep him eternally young and make him immortal. It is said he is not dead, but eternally resting, beautiful as ever, in a cave on Mt Latmos; and it is here that Selene still visits him nightly embracing him with her soft silvery beams...

I can see why this scent was named Endymion. It is one of the most beautiful man scents I have ever smelled and a fitting homage to the beauty of a young man who captured the heart of not only a goddess, but a daughter of Titans. The opening is stunning, the bright sweetness of the bergamot and mandarin are like a disarming grin that makes you like this guy on first meeting him. The sexy spicy cardamom, smooth nutmeg and peppercorns add a bit of the "wild" edge to him. (He was a shepherd who lived on a mountain, after all). There is something here that reminds me a bit of LALIQUE's Le Faune; only it is much more elegant, almost royal, and still quite "down to earth" but not as lewd or brash as a satyr (or faun) would be. Here, is a son of royalty, who just happens to prefer to be out of doors, living under the starry skies and free. The "heart" of this (amber, lavender, sage and vetiver) give this a very masculine air, yet are combined so very beautifully it is hard not to love it on first meeting it. Warm and sweet, clean and smooth, sharp yet not "biting" and smoky but clean...if a goddess fell in love; what chance do we mere mortals have? *sighs* In the cool recesses of his cave, we are wrapped in animal skins (leather), the warmth of his embrace (myrrh) and can smell a divine musk. The scent of his skin, washed in mountain streams, smelling of earth, man and nature. Adrogyny was considered the ultimate beauty in ancient Greece, and that is truly what Endymion is...softly (almost femininely) stunning while maintaining a quiet strength that is at once elegant and powerful. Penhaligon's, you have outdone yourselves!!

Sillage: good but tender
Longevity: impressive
Overall: 5/5 (Who am I to argue with the Gods?)

Though Endymion is marketed (and constructed) for men. I see no problem with women wearing this stunning creation. Though it lacks fruits and flowers, it has a definite sweetness, a subtle (very SEXY) smooth spiciness and a "to die for" drydown. Many people (non-perfumisti types) that I know would ROLL THEIR EYES at paying close to 100 USD for a 50 ml perfume...I just roll my eyes at THEM, sniff my wrists, sigh DEEPLY and walk away. Penhaligon's may cost more but it is definitely worth it here, and for this scent...I would pay more, if need be. Guys, do yourselves a favor: if you want ONE cologne that is spicy, sexy and just a tad bit sweet...but you do NOT want to smell like all the rest of "those dudes"-invest in a bottle of ENDYMION. You'll understand when you sniff it, trust me!

There are many accounts of Endymion's birth and his "story". Almost as many stories as there were storytellers, but ONE thing they all agree on was his beauty, quiet strength and his absolute charisma and charm. For once, the perfume really does match the name...

Got a sample and tried it today.
Must be something wrong with my nose going by the reviews i am reading.I get a bit of citrus and maybe 1 or 2 spices for about 30 sec then its gone.
I will have to give it another chance someday

This is a very classy scent indeed .

warm, sensuous and gentle. The main characteristics for me being amber, musk and pepper with an initial opening of spicy orange. Truly lovely and enveloping in its attractiveness.

Wow, this is elegant and sweet, almost elusive but very present at the same time. Perfect for guys who sometimes envy the girls who can choose within a wide range of sweet and warm scents. The word "lovely" describes it best.

Another genteel fragrance along the lines of OPUS 1870, Penhaligon ENDYMION, too, opens slightly masculine but then quickly transforms into a warm woody quasi-tobacco/liatrix delight.

The opening here is aromatic, too, but equally shortlived. The dominant floral is lavender, which might still seem masculine to some, but to my nose the drydown of ENDYMION is like a cross between Trussardi JEANS and BELLE EN RYKIEL, featuring a lovely texture of some tobacco leaf- or coffee- or patchouli-like base--or reasonable facsimile--mingling with lavender. I like this a lot and would consider adding a bottle to my collection.

Anyone--of any gender or persuasion--who likes BELLE EN RYKIEL would like this as well. Those who harbor ill-will toward lavender frags should stay away. But this is not a heavy-leather-nutmeg-cardamom disaster, as one might fear from the listed notes. None of those typically strong and loud components dominates here.

I bought this on the notes, hoping it would work for me without being too obviously masculine. Alas, it is 100% masculine, but it's a very good fragrance nonetheless. Bergamot and vetiver make it very same-y to standard men's scents when it first goes on, but that mellows as tobacco notes and smooth woods creep in. Very nice. I need to spray it on my husband and try it again!

The last thing I was expecting to find in a Penhaligon's scent was a warm, sweet Lynx deoderant, but on first sniff, that's what flooded my nostrils!

Luckily, before I became too disgruntled, Endymion started to unfurl & turn into something far more special.

The nutmeg & white spices create a lot of air-space around what is, essentially, a warm, creamy leather & coffee scent. The leather here is very old & well-kept, the type found on antique writing desks, oxblood buttoned armchairs or within a Morgan car.

With frankinsence, myrrh & insence there is a deep & delicious resinous quality to Endymion that softens the vetiver & woods & creates a very romantic scent. Not too sweet, not too spicey - very well-blended.

Is it ground-breaking or modern? Is it dated? Is it for young cads? Or better suited to dads in slippers? To me, it is none of those things. Here, I found a scent with a timeless, ageless quality & with a very understated voice.

It has great lasting power & my favourite stage is when the basenotes are in full control. In Greek mythology Endymion was said to be a handsome astronomer so loved by Selene (the moon) that she put him into an eternal sleep so she could visit him every time the sun went down & the stars shone brightly. Endymion literally means "to dive in"....a long plunge into the setting sun. Indeed, for me it is a seductive end-of-the day type scent.....enjoyed with a large brandy & an autumn glow. Simply lovely.

The one things I absolutely love about Endyminon is how well it lasts throughout the entire day. I apply one splash on my chest in the morning before I go to work, and eleven hours later when I go to exercise and get warm the thing responds to a degree that almost embarrasses me (people might think I just put it on for the exercise).

It is firm and masculine in a traditional way, secure and unobtrusive, but still (when the temperature rises) spicy and romantic.

Bought this based on the previous review, and I must say that I regrettably disagree. All I get from this is generic men's cologne - like one of those Axe sprays, though I can't recall just which. I get spicy citrus, like every other drugstore scent for men. Not a fan.