Patchouly

My quest to find the ultimate patchouli fragrance brings me to Profumum Roma’s ‘Patchouly’ (an eau de parfum, released in 2004) which is the most luxurious, richest and highest quality blend.

‘Patchouly’ opens as an earthy patchouli that’s sweetened with a chewy caramel undertone. It’s a richly resinous, patchouli that’s intertwined with ambergris’ sweet and salty goldenness. It’s pure fragrance indulgence, that never quite becomes gourmand no matter how much you just want to chew it.

It’s patchouli dominant rather than being a soliflore, since there are many other accords are involved; there’s a strong base of amber that gives it a honeycombed sweetness. Plus I detect spices (like peppery cloves) and a resinous leather. The honeyed, salty, musky, caramel-sweet ambergris is deepened from the dry woody warmth of sandalwood. Luckily I don’t find this to be smoky nor incensy. This isn’t dirty in the sense that it’s ashy, it’s earthy like warm, summer woodland soil.

The blend is a spicy ambergris, earthy patchouli that’s chewy like salty-sweet satin caramel on a base of rich amber. After an hour, the golden, sweet amber takes over from the patchouli, making it musky and almost nutty. This musky, dark amber heaviness in the dry-down makes me yearn for a fresher more herbal and perkier patchouli. If you like your patchouli’s dark, dirty and mysterious, then this is the one for you.

Like every creation from Profumum Roma ‘Patchouly’ is an incredibly rich, luxurious and ultra long-lasting fragrance. I recognise its family bloodline link to ‘Ambra Aurea’ (which could indeed be its cousin) since they share the same amber base.

It’s £225 for a 100ml bottle and is (as far as I’m concerned) one of the greatest patchouli fragrances, if not THE greatest, in terms of boasting the highest parfum oil content to ensure it lasts at least 12 hours.

NOTES - Patchouli, Amber, Sandal, Incense