This is a stunningly beautiful man-scent, and is not as heavy or girly as the note-list might make you think. The spices, woods and florals blend into a sublime scent that is as intriguing as it is smooth and charismatic. The drydown includes three of my absolute favorite aromatics: styrax, ambrette and labdanum, resulting in a sweet, musky, woody accord, and warms them with benzoin and amber’s resinous haze resulting in a rich and sultry oriental scent balanced by heavenly sandalwood and bitter cassis. Opulent, yet down to earth. This is by far the best natural perfume I have ever smelled.
Sillage: great
Longevity: out of this world
Overall: 5/5 A Work of Art!
—John Reasinger of Ca Fleure Bon, regarding Heracles
You thought out the essences for your perfume in a very considered and thorough manner and the final perfume shows a lot of attention to evolution and structure.
–Mandy Aftel, of Aftelier, regarding a first perfume that would become Selene CDP
I have been on an endless quest to find a jasmine perfume like this. This is the Holy Grail for jasmine lovers. I am one of them. Its solid form makes it all the more tangible and stunning! It’s linear, yet that makes it all the better. This is a most precious substance in my collection. Its humble container gives me great pride.
—KR Marich on Fragrantica, regarding Anthea
Daphne is a very sexy femme fatale fragrance that is surprising too…not at all what you’d expect from a perfume that includes such lovelies as grapefruit, jasmine, rose and frangipani. When I put it on the scent was immediately lovely and then I found myself completely intrigued. I couldn’t escape the leathery sweet and subtly smoky base and I was reminded immediately of one of the men in my past.
—Beth of Perfume Smellin’ Things, regarding Daphne
I personally love dark and robust scents so I was very happy about this but after several hours of wear, it simmers down to a dainty mist. The top notes of tangerine and mandarin fade into a sweet sensation that lasts all day. The fragrance is sensual with masculine overtones, so that is why it is considered a unisex fragrance. Daphne Eau de Toilette is Mr. Gottschalk’s legacy and crowning achievement.
—Felicia Hazzard of Fragrance Belles Lettres
It begins brightly with citruses and linden blossom and is very green. Marigolds add a spicy dryness that balances the brightness. As it develops, warmer more summery floral notes appear. Rose gallica, mimosa, ylang ylang and orange flower dance and create a more sensual aspect. In the final dry down, Gaia is slightly animalic, warmer and more earthy. Labdanum, ambrette, pine needles and Africa stone (hyrax) create the perfect equivalent to a passionate embrace and is just delightful! Equal parts fresh, floral, spicy, woody and musky; this fragrance is a fitting homage to Gaia herself… yet is utterly unisex. Sillage: good (for an EDC). Longevity: above average.
—John Reasinger of Ca Fleure Bon, regarding Gaia
This is heavenly. There is an ethereal cool quality to this perfume. As in many of Lord’s Jester scents, the florals are plush and comfy. There is a lifting quality to this fragrance, and yet something earthy and grounding. It gives me the feeling of laying on a billowy cloud, without ever leaving the surroundings of my natural environment. If I were to smell this on a woman on a hot summer night, it might very well weave a spell.
—John Holland, on Fragrantica, regarding Helios
This blows out of the sprayer like a warm summer wind, bringing with it greens, warm spices and blossoms. The heart is floral indeed but more like the wind has blown the scent of the flowers all around you; as opposed to, someone hitting you in the face with a full bouquet. The subtle beauty of the flowers in this amaze me! The ylang and hibiscus give it a warm tropical vibe and the other flowers support them. A leather doppleganger–this has no leather or birch tar note but smells amazingly like REAL leather. On drying down the ambergris, ambrette, styrax and tobacco give it a very masculine woody lightly resinous feel, but not so much that a woman could not wear it, as it is lightened by the orris/violet and sandalwood notes, giving it an overall genderless feel and despite all 19 notes in the formula it stays light and airy with a cool leathery finish.
–John Reasinger of Ca Fleure Bon, regarding Zephyr
Ares starts all citronella-spicy, befitting the god of manly strength. A deliciously dry yet warm amber drops in later, melding to the spices and adding quite a bit of smoky zing. It also has great lasting power, especially considering that it’s an Eau de Cologne.
–Tom Pease of Perfume-Smellin’ Things
One thing I found to be true of them all was that after about five minutes or so of applying them, they created a subtle sweetness in the air around me that was mysterious yet simple, like the aroma of summer morning air warmed by the sun. This would suddenly appear and disappear, in and out, on the edge of sensory consciousness, as if a fragrant breeze was passing through.
–Lucy Raubertas, of indieperfumes
There is nothing timid about this perfume. It is fleshy & raw and develops into something sweet & balsamic (peru balsam?), yet still very primal. There’s something floral but I can’t pinpoint what it is. Dionysus gave me at least 2.5 hrs of its time and the spiciness lasted the duration, albeit on a softer scale. This perfume is pure heat. One word: sex.
–Lisa A, of Blossoming Tree, regarding Dionysus
The perfumer Adam Gottschalk has developed this fragrance very close to the true nature of ancient wines. It is smooth and sexy in its subtlety with a really nice staying power. Dionysus lingers on the skin like the afterglow of a night filled with passion.
–Rodney Hughes, of Therapeutate, regarding Dionysus
