Patchouli Picks theme
You can order all perfumes featured in this theme as a pack of samples.
In this theme
Patchouli is one of the most versatile and shape-shifting materials in all of perfumery. Its natural character is complex: rich and woody, with nuances of dried dark fruits, spicy resins, smoky leather, powdery amber, and rain-kissed earth with a kick of camphor. Pretty good for an unassuming Southeast Asian shrub related to the mint family! Perfumery’s love affair with patchouli began when the French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte first brought cashmere and silks back from Egypt, which were protected from moths by patchouli leaves. Not only were 19th century aristocrats and fancy folk entranced by the aroma of these exotic luxury items, but the balsamic, almost syrupy richness of the fragrance itself signified wealth and status. In short order, bohemians and the demi-monde adopted the style of wearing patchouli-scented shawls, which in turn rebranded patchouli as decadent and rebellious. That one scent came to embody glamour both high and low is part of its timeless allure.
And just when you think you “know” what patchouli smells like, the chemists who devise aroma molecules of the future have a few more tricks up their lab coat sleeves. Manipulated patchouli can reference chocolate or fruit, or a “clean” version of its riper origins, editing out the earth, menthol and leather. “Patchouli heart” is the industry term for these tweaked iterations, which presents a sweeter, softer and more focused scent. Akigalawood is another synthetic fragrance ingredient — a captive molecule derived from the upcycling of waste from patchouli manufacturing. It’s an enhancement of the butcher side of patchouli, zeroing in on the peppery, dark and leather.
With this theme, it’s your chance to put some “grrr” in your purr with patchouli.
This patchouli stages a dance-off between the dirty indoles of jasmine and the peppery incense of akigalawood, a lab-created patchouli byproduct. Severe, triumphant, powerful.
A moonlit patchouli leather layered with cool violet leaves and powdery orris, all studded with cardamom, dry cedar and earthy cypriol. The butchest patchouli.
Patchouli Nosy Be shines a light on the smokier side of this tropical shade-loving plant. The balsamic, creamy-sour twang of patchouli is enhanced here with dense vanilla, dusty schinus molle and dry sandalwood. But it’s the smoky haze that elevates this edp into a comforting, wraparound experience.
Opulence is the theme here: roses and jasmine with dashes of orange blossom and spice launch this patchouli with floral abundance. A big-hearted amber molecule whispers “ahhhhhhh” underneath it all, turning Ambre Royal into a silk velvet patchouli.
This is a patchouli that skews fruity, thanks to Pomme Amoris’ dreamy davana and apple blend. Rose beefs up the glamour, while a peachy-pretty osmanthus turns this into a voluptuous sophisticate.
This is an insinuating patchouli that weaves smoke through the earthiness, like the fur of a feral animal that’s crept in from the cold to warm itself by the fire. A fragrance brimming with resins & dark intentions.
Sumatran patchouli in loving combat with oud, summoning a dark green forest with tangled secrets. Undertones of mushroom and raw chocolate add grit.
As a material, patchouli is earthy and dry, its initial hit of deep fruitiness billowing out to a dark, leathery haze tinged with chocolate. In Double Patchouli, these attributes are heightened by the use of Indonesian patchouli harvested from two different terroirs, resulting in a surround sound effect infused with amber and musk. Double Patchouli’s journey on the skin has many stops, from hot buttered rum, to warm leather, to herbaceous dust, before arriving at its destination of enveloping mystery.
