Endymion

The Sleep of Endymion, Anne-Louis Girodet, 1791

Two springs ago, when the ex went on a business trip to the UK, she took a few extra days to tour London and Edinburgh and another small Scottish town I don't recall the name of. One of the gifts she brought back for me was a bottle of a fragrance called Endymion, made by Penhaligon's, founded in the late 1860s by William Henry Penhaligon, a Cornish barber who moved to London and who became Court Barber and Perfumer to Queen Victoria. 

From Wikipedia regarding Endymion:

"In Greek mythology, Endymion (/ɛnˈdɪmiən/; Ancient Greek: Ἐνδυμίων, gen.: Ἐνδυμίωνος), was variously a handsome Aeolian shepherd, hunter, or king who was said to rule and live at Olympia in Elis, and he was also venerated and said to reside on Mount Latmus in Caria, on the west coast of Asia Minor.

There is confusion over the correct location of Endymion, as some sources suppose that one was, or was related to, the prince of Elis, and the other was a shepherd from Caria— or, a later suggestion, an astronomer: Pliny the Elder mentions Endymion as the first human to observe the movements of the moon, which (according to Pliny) accounts for Endymion's love. As such, there have been two attributed sites of Endymion's burial: the citizens of Heracleia ad Latmo claimed that Endymion's tomb was on Mount Latmus, while the Eleans declared that it was at Olympia.

However, the role of lover of Selene, the moon, is attributed primarily to Endymion who was either a shepherd or an astronomer, either profession providing justification for him to spend time beneath the moon."

If you are interested in this sort of thing, here is the description at Base Notes:

About Endymion
Named after a mythical Greek king.
Endymion fragrance notes: Top Notes: Mandarin, Bergamot, Cardamom, Nutmeg, Black pepper. Heart Notes: Vetiver, Lavender, Sage and Amber. Base Notes: Leather, Musk, Myrrh.

A modern style cologne from the 130 year old perfumery. The range includes Cologne, Shaving Cream, After Shave Balm and Shower Gel.

There are also 316 reviews. 

One of my odd habits is reading negative reviews online, and some of these are great fun:

"Penhaligon’s have some of the most romantic perfume names, all so faery lands forlorn. One feels the appropriate state to be receiving such offerings is on a purple velvet chaise lounge, emerald green cravat at throat fastened with appropriate gem-studded jewel, a tiny crystal glass filled with rare firewater to hand. 

Alas, the perfumes themselves often tend to suffer from overtly synthetic smelling bases, and Endymion is no exception. Here a grating peppery-woody base infused with bilious-making aquatics sinks the enterprise which started pleasantly enough as a fresh musky-powdery barbershop cologne. Call me a snob but that offensive base just shrieks ‘cheap’."

"Another hip, mod, up-to-date, "with it", cutting-edge fragrance that IMHO smells like a little old lady's cedar chest filled with cherished memories, such as doilies, ribbon-wrapped letters, pressed flowers and such. I smell the sweetness and the cedar and all I can think of is knitting and the victrola. Maybe I am too retro to be truly modern, but I would run as fast as I could away from this. As John Wayne might have said, "What'a ya kiddin' me?" Considering everything, this could be the signature fragrance of Quentin Crisp, or his mama."

"The fragrance is nice but a straight copy of a century old cream Boroline.
And Boroline's sillage and longevity is much better than Endymion. And costs 20 times less."

Boroline, eh?

To be fair, I'll paste a positive review that I think captures my character rather nicely also: 

"Endymion is liquid sincerity in a bottle. Something about it just projects virtue, and authenticity. It is subtle, classy, sophisticated and even sexy, but in the least pretentious way possible. I would absolutely recommend a blind-buy if you are considering doing so, especially for any guy out there who considers himself more gentleman than player, and is looking to impress the kind of woman who appreciates the former. This is definitely daily/signature scent-worthy, and I think could be worn for every occasion and in every season. It is unique, but at the same time virtually impossible not to like."

Looking to impress the kind of woman who appreciates more gentleman than player, eh? That must be the problem right there. 

At any rate, the bottle went hastily into the large suitcase into which I crammed as much clothing as I could, as I bailed on the toxic scene at ye olde homestead last Tuesday night. Somehow, of course, it broke in transit-- suffusing about half of all of my clothing with a drench of the scent, woozy and nauseatingly overdone. 

Including the workout shirt that I just wore to put in 3 miles on the treadmill in the hotel fitness room. I went outside for some air afterwards and when I came back in, the acrid smell of sweaty plastic and travelers desperate to offload pounds mixed cloyingly with a cloud of Endymion. No matter how nostalgic the scent itself might have made me for when the ex at least feigned adoration and attraction, the stench laughed my sentiment out of the room.  

A perfect metaphor for Plutonic weeks. Percy approves, gentleman that he is.