Patchouli perfumes – earthy, dark and irresistible

Few ingredients in perfumery provoke such strong emotions as patchouli. For some it is the smell of the 70s, of incense sticks and bohemian shops; for others, the secret ingredient of the most elegant women's perfumes. The truth is that without patchouli there would be neither Coco Mademoiselle nor Angel. In this guide you will learn exactly what patchouli smells like, how it went from hippie symbol to chic ingredient and which patchouli perfumes – women's, men's and unisex – are worth trying.

Patchouli scent – a description

Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin) is a shrubby plant of the mint family, native to Southeast Asia. Today the largest producer is Indonesia. The essential oil is obtained by steam distillation of the dried and slightly fermented leaves – the fresh leaves themselves barely smell.

What does it smell like? If we break the scent down into layers:

• Earth – damp soil after rain, forest floor, moss.
• Wood – dark, dry, slightly smoky.
• Cocoa and wine – a sweetish, almost chocolatey depth, especially in aged oils.
• Camphor and mint – a cool, slightly medicinal breath at the start.

Interestingly, patchouli oil, like wine, improves with time: the sharp, "green" notes round off, while the sweetness and depth intensify. Modern perfumery also uses so-called "patchouli heart" – fractions from which the heaviest, musty and camphorous nuances have been removed. It is these that give modern perfumes that velvety, clean patchouli that has nothing to do with hippie oil. All the fragrances in our collection patchouli perfumes show how differently this ingredient can sound.

From Indian shawls to the hippie era

Europe got to know patchouli in the 19th century in an unexpected way. Merchants of expensive cashmere shawls from India packed their goods with patchouli leaves to protect them from moths. The scent became so associated with the luxury of the East that European manufacturers began "scenting" their imitations to make them look authentic.

In the 1960s and 70s patchouli became a symbol of the counterculture – the cheap essential oil was worn neat, directly on the skin, often to mask the smell of incense and everything else. Hence its reputation as a "hippie scent", which followed it for a long time.

Its rehabilitation came in the early 90s and 2000s, when the great perfume houses discovered how elegant patchouli could sound combined with flowers, citrus and sweet accords. Today it is one of the most used base notes in the entire world of perfume.

Chic patchouli: the modern chypres

The classic chypre is built on contrast: fresh bergamot on top and a dark, mossy base below. After the use of oakmoss was heavily restricted by regulations, patchouli took over much of its role – and so the style often called "neo-chypre" or patchouli chypre was born.

Chanel Coco Mademoiselle – jasmine and patchouli

Coco Mademoiselle (2001, Jacques Polge) is perhaps the best-known jasmine and patchouli perfume. Fresh orange and bergamot open the composition, rose and jasmine build the heart, and patchouli, vetiver and white musk leave a clean, elegant trail. One of the best-selling women's perfumes of the 21st century. If you love this pair, also explore the collection jasmine perfumes.

Armani Sì

Armani Sì (2013, Christine Nagel) is a modern fruity chypre: blackcurrant, rose, vanilla and patchouli. The patchouli here is the soft, velvety base that makes the sweetness of the blackcurrant more mature and refined.

Creed Aventus For Her

The feminine sister of the famous Aventus combines green apple, citrus and pink pepper with rose, musk and patchouli – a fresh, fruity-chypre fragrance with character.

Sweet patchouli: the birth of the gourmand genre

In 1992 Thierry Mugler launched Angel, created by Olivier Cresp – and perfumery has never been the same. The formula combines a huge dose of patchouli with the scent of candyfloss, caramel, chocolate, honey and vanilla. A combination that seems contradictory on paper turned out to be brilliant: dark, earthy patchouli balances the sugar and keeps it from becoming childish.

Angel started the whole gourmand genre, and patchouli remains its secret support to this day – you will find it in the base of almost every sweet women's perfume. If you are a fan of sweet fragrances, you most likely already love patchouli without knowing it.

Patchouli in the leading role: niche fragrances

Niche houses love to put patchouli at the centre and show its different faces.

Montblanc Patchouli Ink is especially interesting for men looking for patchouli without a bohemian nuance: the ink accord and bergamot make it dry and modern, while vanilla makes it soft. Essential Parfums, for its part, is a brand known for working with leading perfumers and its high content of natural ingredients – Patchouli Mania is a good introduction to "clean" modern patchouli. You will find more ideas among our niche perfumes.

Women's or men's – how to choose

Patchouli in itself is genderless – its character is defined by its neighbours in the composition. Here is a short guide:

• Looking for an elegant women's patchouli perfume for every day? Choose a chypre – Coco Mademoiselle or Armani Sì.
• Want something sweet and memorable? Angel and its gourmand heirs.
• Masculine, dry and modern? Montblanc Patchouli Ink or the peppery niche versions.
• Want to get to know patchouli itself? Patchouli Mania or Patchouli Ardent – patchouli is the star without "hitting" you.

Patchouli is a base note, so all these fragrances are long-lasting and show their best face after the first hour. Wear them in autumn and winter, and the chypres on cool spring days too.

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