Perris Monte Carlo - Gold Collection - Essence de Patchouli

Legend has it that imaginative silk and cashmere producers used to fragrance their precious fabrics and clothes that were destined for export to distant Europe with patchouli oil, the theory being that patchouli repels moths. Thus the most exquisite of all the earthy smells in the entire world made it to the Western world - one sniff and we were hooked. In fact, we wouldn't blame the fine ladies who received their precious silks and satins if they found the aroma of patchouli wafting up from those cloths to be infinitely more alluring than the fabrics themselves. It wasn't long before patchouli filtered through to perfumery, becoming an enormously useful basenote that both extended the longevity and depth of a perfume, and also lent a dark, earthy, chocolate-like note to compositions.

Essence de Patchouli uses a very pure patchouli oil distilled from the leaves of the patchouli plant. The quality of the oil is very pure, quite intense, and enormously persistent.

But when one first smells the fragrance sprayed onto the skin, it is not patchouli that greets the nose but a fruity rose absolute and a leafy, almost minty-green geranium note. This is a flash of momentary floral freshness to enchant the senses, before the fragrance develops into a woody, powdery iris heart. Patchouli, dark, rich, and earthy, bubbles up from the base like a pot of coffee boiling up, bringing with it hints of 80% dark chocolate, rolling tobacco, amber, creamy vanilla, and smoky cedar wood. The base is really where it's at - it is the body of the fragrance, but also its heart and soul. To be enjoyed while lolling on a sheepskin rug in front of a roaring log fire, drinking champagne and cracking jokes with friends.