Best Elixir by Penhaligon's Alternatives & Similar Perfumes
Elixir by Penhaligon's is an oriental spicy fragrance featuring a complex blend of eucalyptus, cardamom, cinnamon, rose, incense, and warm woods like cedarwood, rosewood, and sandalwood. Its rich composition is softened by notes of vanilla, tonka beans, and benzoin, creating a smoky, sensual, and slightly sweet aura. Those drawn to Elixir will appreciate fragrances combining aromatic spices with resinous incense and a woody base.
Dirty Gold Digger by Raconteur £129.17
- Key notes:
- amyris
- cardamom
- eucalyptus
- yuzu
- Aromagroups:
- aromatic
- citrusy
- woody
Dirty gold digger is a literal reference to a Victorian character who arrived in Australia for the 1850’s gold rush. While digging for gold men at some point have become aware of a divine fresh aroma covering their hands and clothes. They were working underneath eucalyptus trees and the oils from the leaves would settle on the prospectors. In search for gold, they found eucalyptus.
Dirty Gold Digger, the perfume, gives you that airy elusive and pleasant aroma of the eucalyptus tree as if your right under one. It’s is refreshing and sunny.
1850’s CENTRAL VICTORIA
DISCOVERY
World’s largest solid gold rush
BIRTHPLACE
Australia’s Liquid Gold, Eucalyptus Oil
PIONEERS
Adventurers, Prospectors
DREAM CHASERS
Risk Takers, Destiny Shapers
WILD SPIRITS
Stoic Souls, Resilient Hearts
Scent: Fresh, Citrus, Minty, Woody (soft), Spicy, Gourmand
Apothéose by Oriza L. Legrand £129.17
- Key notes:
- benzoin
- eucalyptus
- rose
- Aromagroups:
- vintage/old school
- woody
An enigmatic white floral that flickers between vintage and futuristic. Sky-high aldehydes on the opening thicken with the bracing effect of eucalyptus and pepper. Ylang-ylang and rose beckon the nose closer, the plushness enhanced with get-with-me benzoin and musk.
Perfumer: Hugo Lambert
Lü Bu by Sora Dora £141.67
- Key notes:
- benzoin
- cedarwood
- gaiac / guaiac wood
- gun powder
- incense
- metallic notes
- orris (iris root)
- smoke
- vanilla
- Aromagroups:
- edible
- spicy
- woody
Lü Bu is a formidable Chinese warlord, tiger-fierce but volatile. At the end of his last battle he is a folded shadow. The once most-feared man of the Empire, son of iron and fire, is devoured by his own legend. This olfactory scar of a perfume opens with vivid, tannic clove, like the acridity of blood on a still-warm blade. On a forgotten altar smoulders the benzoin beauty of papier d'Arménie, while iris, noble and powdery, whispers the hero's solitude. More than glory and power, Lü Bu speaks of sacrifice and memory. Loyal to all those who wear their shadows with pride.
701 Eau de Cyprès by Bon Parfumeur £45.83
- Key notes:
- black pepper
- eucalyptus
- grapefruit
- incense
- nutmeg
- Aromagroups:
- aromatic
- spicy
- transparent
A fresh herbaceous blend with a sunny grapefruit at the center of the composition.
Bon Parfumeur open olfactive dimensions and invite you to add your own story. Try 701 if you like cool spices such as cardamom, sunny citrus nuances and refreshing greenness of eucalyptus.
Perfumer: Benoist Lapouza.
Sand by And Fragrance £104.17
- Key notes:
- banana
- benzoin
- cardamom
- incense
- labdanum
- sandalwood
- Aromagroups:
- woody
Cigar boxes. Camden market bong shops reeking of joss sticks. Old lady soap. Sandalwood sometimes gets a bit of a bad rap. Undaunted, we’ve taken the dependable old fave and turned it on its head.
We’ve tracked down a unique Australian sandalwood versatile enough to handle hints of outlandish but ethically and sustainably sourced banana, cardamom, black pepper with weird and wonderful Labdanum and Benzoin resin. Which all means that this is sandalwood unlike anything you’ve experienced before.
So, unlike the bong shop, it won’t make your hair stink for weeks.
Nightfall in the City of Kings by Mystikum £158.33
- Key notes:
- amber
- carrot seeds
- cedarwood
- cinnamon
- incense
- sandalwood
- Aromagroups:
- vintage/old school
- woody
Twilight to moonlight in an ancient city. Cumin, peach and cedarwood in an intimate embrace, summoning the smell of skin seasoned by passion.Turkish rose surrenders to a velvety bed of amber, patchouli and sandalwood. For lovers of Féminité du Bois, the groundbreaking niche perfume created by Christopher Sheldrake with Pierre Bourdon.
Perfumer: Mark Buxton
Tonkade by Laboratorio Olfattivo £100.00
- Key notes:
- cardamom
- incense
- tonka beans
- vanilla
- Aromagroups:
- woody
A beautifully calibrated vanilla fragrance perfectly poised between woody and sweet, huggable and lickable. The vanilla here suggests milky skin, made more velvety with cashmeran, and more mouth-watering with candied fruit. Cardamom, cedarwood, patchouli and incense add spice and shade.
Moth by Zoologist £166.67
- Key notes:
- ambergris
- cinnamon
- gaiac / guaiac wood
- heliotrope
- honey
- incense
- orris (iris root)
- rose
- saffron
- smoke
- Aromagroups:
- woody
Perfumer: Tomoo Inaba
Rich and gothic Moth starts with a heavy dose of dark spices to jolt your senses before settling into a dusting of honey-sweet rose and powdery florals. Slowly, it tests its wings, taking flight on an exotic journey of nagarmotha, guaiac wood and patchouli. Beneath it all lingers a smoky undertone that serves as a constant reminder to fluttering creatures of the danger in the tantalizing flame.
- Key notes:
- cinnamon
- frankincense
- gaiac / guaiac wood
- incense
- myrrh
- Aromagroups:
- woody
An intense incense that shapeshifts between cold/smoky and warm/creamy. This dream belongs to the mythological Irish warrior poet Ossian, who inspired the Romantic literary movement across 18th century Europe. Rêve d'Ossian conjures misty midnight forests with smouldering notes of pine, frankincense and myrrh, before calling forth the benevolence of Celtic fairies with mellow tonka bean and vanillic benzoin.
Perfumer: Hugo Lambert
195 A.C. by Agatho £254.17
- Key notes:
- cardamom
- cedarwood
- fig
- incense
- mint
- pomegranate
- Aromagroups:
- fruity
- green
- woody
Rest in the blissful shade of an orchard in the humming city of Pompeii: the year is 195 BC. Inhale the sweet aroma of ripe figs and the local pomegranate leaves heated by the sun; these entine spicy incense being smoked in the nearby temple. So anciently refreshing!
About Elixir by Penhaligon's
- What makes Elixir by Penhaligon's unique compared to these fragrances?
- Elixir combines aromatic spices like eucalyptus and cardamom with a complex floral heart of turkey red rose and jasmine, layered over rich woods and sweet notes such as vanilla and tonka beans. This multifaceted composition blends fresh, spicy, floral, resinous, and sweet elements more intricately than many similar fragrances.
- Are these fragrances suitable for both day and evening wear?
- Many of the fragrances listed offer versatility, with fresher compositions like Dirty Gold Digger and 701 Eau de Cyprès suited to daytime, while richer, smokier scents such as Lü Bu and Moth tend to be more appropriate for evening occasions.
- Do these fragrances have similar longevity and sillage to Elixir?
- Longevity and sillage vary across these fragrances due to differences in concentration and note composition. Fragrances with heavy incense, woods, and resins like Lü Bu and Nightfall in the City of Kings typically have stronger projection and longer wear, whereas fresher or lighter scents may have more moderate performance.









