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Yuriche – :
Fresh but spicy, very refreshing like a cologne.
My boyfriend describes it “like a knife to the head” so I don’t wear it around him.
It is sharp to me but not THAT sharp.
Way to hyperbolize, babe!
леонтьев – :
It’s a really well done scent. Very dry, I don’t know what note it is that gives it a high desert quality but it is distinctly dry. With its woody and spicy notes, it leans towards the typical masculine side and is very unisex. It sits close to the skin and I find myself reaching for it in the summer months.
Saha1978 – :
Ok, I need to stop blind buying based on notes. It is becoming a serious problem with me …
Does anyone else think this smells exactly like Hermessence Epice Marine? To me they are identical … and now I own both (sigh). The only notes I see in common are cardamom, bergamot and vetiver, and that they’re both fresh spicy and woody, but I swear on my skin they are the same juice. I would class Zizonia as a salty wear-to-the-Beach-on-a-windy-winter-day unisex frag. Unfortunately I am not getting lavender, ginger or Nutmeg (the 3 top reasons I blind bought this).
Don’t get me wrong – it’s a lovely scent, I just didn’t need 2 bottles of Epice Marine.
vakka146 – :
I have a real soft spot for Penhaligon’s. The 150 year old house has deep historical roots and a long connection to British royalty. It’s all very stuffy and dusty and posh — in the best way!
Zizonia (originally created in the 1930s) has a woody edge and spicy zing that I really like. It smells very classic but not dated. It’s quite glamorous and carries a sort of Art Deco meets Old Hollywood vibe. Fur shawls, velvet coats, leather seats, carved cigarette holders — you get the picture.
I love heavy handed ginger notes if done well, and Zizonia does it well. With five other spices in the mix, you’d think this one would pummel you in the face, but it doesn’t. The woody notes soften the edges, and the geranium heart makes it sparkle.
It’s an EDT so I didn’t expect amazing longevity or sillage to begin with — performance is indeed mediocre in those departments. Very little projection and the scent is detectable on the skin for 2-3 hours max. I adore the perfume though, and I got a great deal on price, so I’m very pleased overall with Zizonia.
pavel64 – :
The ginger and cardamom are done really well here – nothing harsh, sour, or acrid about them. Delicate and lovely. Unfortunately, like many Penhaligon’s creations, it barely whispers when it needs to shout, or at least to speak loudly and clearly. After a few minutes, I found myself searching for the scent on my wrist. Nearly gone! Second only to Iris Prima in terms of how barely-there it was. If you’re going to do something well, it should project so that somebody can smell it. What a shame.
Mercx651JeomiWogkig – :
Zizonia is actually a unisex EdT. I picked up a bottle on clearance sale recently, and my GF (who has a very discerning nose for fragrance, and pulls no punches with her opinions on them) positively loved it on me, and added that it smells very masculine with my body chemistry. My own impressions: a nice, well-balanced Fougère with a noticeable Geranium note that is at the same time not overpowering or biting to the nose as in many another Fougère. The assortment of oriental spice notes adds a complex and mysterious layer on top of the woodsy elements. Stays balanced and pleasant all the way through dry-down. Another exquisitely composed olfactory symphony in the classic Penhaligon’s style.
Arsenchik – :
I’ve been coveting a few Penhaligon’s fragrances based on their reviews, namely Elixir and Malabah. I hadn’t smelled them, but thought they seemed like the best fit for me. I ended up winning them inexpensively on eBay, and threw in Zizonia because it was also inexpensive. Elixir is good. Malabah is a little more modern and mainstream than I was looking for. Zizonia? It’s the real gem of the bunch. Classy without being dated. Doesn’t smell synthetic. Nothing dominates. It’s expertly blended. It’s inoffensive, but not boring. Both my husband and I can wear it. I’ve only tried it in cold weather, but it seems like it would wear well in any season. Zizonia was the surprise favorite of my Penhaligan’s purchases, and I’m so grateful I decided to order it.
Gluke 555 – :
I love Zizonia. I was wearing it to dinner with a friend, who said, ‘you smell how I imagine the art deco apartment of a glamorous film star, like Marilyn Monroe to have smelt’. I could smell what he meant , there is something opulent and glamorous about it.
But to me, it smells exactly as Penhaligons describes it themselves. Its freshness conjures rain on desert sands, and satchels filled with dried fruits,and spices swaying from the camel train.
I looooove it!
traltyinhenny – :
This is divine. It’s the best Penhaligons and probably my favourite fragrance overall. Creamy, spicy, fresh. Its light and refreshing.
I like how refined and interesting it is. There are a lot of notes and each is balanced perfectly. Really pleasant to wear.
m7m7m7m7 – :
Love it, beautiful, fresh AND woody, really woody perfume! It is delicate but long-lasting, light and slightly herbal (owing to the wonderful lavender). Perfectly elegant, non-disturbing yet recognizable scent, I wouldn’t hesitate to wear it both for more and less formal occasions.
pro007 – :
This is a good scent. I’m not going to go mad about it, Zizonia is good!
A fresh opening leads into Creamy woods and gentle spice. I get mainly geranium, nutmeg and sandalwood, cardamom (in fact a range of spice) but it’s a mixture of really well blended notes.
That’s the story of Penhaligon’s complex but oh so simple, I wasn’t surprised this was aimed at women because I felt a certain soft, powdered femininity from it… but don’t be fooled I’d wear it.
My girlfriend however thought it was too minimal and didn’t like it…not gonna find it in her christmas stocking then!
It didn’t last on my skin though, and I don’t just mean in the way that many from this house don’t, I mean it’s very soft and close to the skin from the start.
kykarymba – :
This is another of the family that I would call “light woods,” and initially I thought it was going to be very close to their Opus 1870. It’s very subtle right out of the vial, with a similar sweet (but not sweetened?) cedar and some orange. It has just enough of the dry pencil-shavings to be a true, believable wood scent, without going overboard; it feels like the notes stay near the surface but I wouldn’t call it shallow. It’s like a vague shadow of Nicolai New York that has shed the heavier components. There’s maybe a hint of bubblegum (frankincense?) in there but not enough to spoil it. I think that Zizonia retains discretely detectable wood and floral notes, while in Opus everything blends together into a transparent, uniform wall of scent. Unfortunately my nose got stuffed up halfway through this, so I may rewrite it later, but I also know that it’s weak from previous trials, and that it possesses the same soft, powdery vibe that neuters a lot of their “masculine” offerings.
dodegoajord – :
Zizonia is like a niche-version of Cartier Declaration. Very warm, spicy, and mysterious. One of the best from Penhaligon`s! Highly recommended.
-Fragrantica.com should change the title “for women”, because this scent is for both men and women leaning a bit over to the masculine side of the scale.
bookservweb – :
Zizonia starts opulent and spicy but is not long lasting. IMO it is more a male scent. Try before you buy.
serega007 – :
This is a tamed geranium scent, pleasantly spiced but not sharp, and rather balanced – almost tea-like; not that it smells of tea as such, but that’s how I imagine geranium tea might smell like… very lucid for something that contains so many spices. I think it’s the caraway that takes the edge off, so the pepper and the ginger (and the geranium itself) don’t tickle your nose with their sharpness. It’s also pretty dry and a little “dusty”, like Hammam Bouquet, but not as attention-grabbing and opulent. The drydown is more woody than anything else. Overall, it’s neither a strong nor a long-lasting scent. It seems to be the older version of Malabah, which to me is more impressive in all respects.