How many people know what REAL patchouli smells like? It seems fewer and fewer perfumistas have smelled “dirty” natural patchouli. The patchouli most used in perfumes these days is clean and crease-less, its damp/dank, earthy/root-y character has been dimmed or eliminated. Brutish, chest-thumping patchouli has been replaced in designer fragrances with patchouli that could be characterized as either an elegant lady or a freshly laundered, cuddly teddy bear who has cocoa-scented breath, with a dab of vanilla extract behind each ear.
Tom Ford Patchouli Absolu doesn't go the ladylike or gourmand routes; its patchouli retains a natural “edge.” If real patchouli is Homo neanderthalensis and contemporary patchouli is Homo Catherine Deneuve, Tom Ford Patchouli (Absolu) is...Tom Ford himself (mature and well-groomed, certainly, but with a stubbled chin, and proudly displayed hairy chest and shirt unbuttoned to, almost, his bellybutton).
Patchouli Absolu goes on smelling like — natural patchouli (but dialed down a notch, and with, perhaps, a touch of moss). As the patchouli recedes, smokiness arrives (smelling of leather and charred spices and herb bundles). Under the smoke lies a sweet undercurrent of mildly vanillic amber notes and woods (gaiac with a touch of…cedar? I’m not quite sure). Cypriol is a listed note1 of Patchouli Absolu and it seems to play a major role in the composition with its woody-smoky-leather facets.
Unlike some other Tom Ford Private Blends, Patchouli Absolu smells “finished,” complete. It has no “fresh” element of Axe-type scents, the sea or ozone, so it may be a hard sell to younger men. When I tried Patchouli Absolu on paper I didn't like it much and it fell flat; on my skin, it came alive and smelled great. So: don’t judge it by a sniff on paper at the perfume counter. For all my appreciation of Patchouli Absolu, its price seems absolu(tely) extreme. In character, Patchouli Absolu reminds me of Bel Ami by Hermès, so you may want to compare these two perfumes before making a purchase (especially if you've never smelled Bel Ami).
Tom Ford Patchouli Absolu is available in 50 ml ($215), 100 ml ($295), and 250 ml ($525) Eau de Parfum.
1. I’m unsure of the “official” list of Patchouli Absolu fragrance notes; the best I've come up with, using numerous sources, is bay leaf, rosemary, patchouli, moss, cypriol/nagarmotha, gaiac and cashmere woods, musk, leather, tonka bean and amber.
Note: top left image of Catherine Deneuve [cropped] and top right image of Neanderthal man via Wikimedia Commons.
“Homo Catherine Denuve” had me spitting my drink! Long time no post, but I really want to test this on one arm and with Zegna Essenza patchouli on the other.
Cb: that would be a great comparison…haven’t smelled the EZ yet.
Love the illustrations, great review! This sounds wonderful until you get to the price – youch! Glad I already have my modestly priced but richly aromatic PG Cozé.
Noz: Coze is nice!
Questions, questions, questions:
Did you ever get a sniff of Le Labo’s Ylang 49? If so, how does it compare patchouli-wise?
What does “Absolu” signify in perfumeland? Is it a higher concentration edp, or just a name thing like Noir?
And, weirdly, I dated (polite word insert here) a guy in college who could accurately be described as a teddy bear with cocoa-scented breath. I am delighted to have that recollection enhanced by the reference to Homo Catherine Deneuve–not how I thought of him, but interesting!
Oakland: Nope, still have not sniffed Ylang 49…and probably never will since I never come across it! “Absolu” is simply the name in this case I believe, has nothing to do with concentration (this is EdP).
I will try this just to smell the raw material described here but I loathe patchouli. Hence I most probably won’t be able to say if it’s a good fragrance or not as for my tasted, I wouldn’t be the right person to judge it.
eaudemale: well, you will get a good whiff of patchouli, at least
Ditto me. I generally do not like the more natural “as is” patchouli, which makes me either think of hippy throwbacks from college, or Beck’s Nightmare Hippy Girl. So if TF has figured out how to manage this commanding aroma, I am impressed. But I don’t think this will go on my to-sniff list. I like only a hint of it’s dirt. I do like quite a few of the defanged patchouli base fragrances that have come out recently, Bottega Veneta coming to mind particularly. I did like TF White Patchouli, but not enough to buy a bottle. White Patchouli still has a little scratch in it. I think my fav patch is Jessica Simpson’s Fancy Nights, which wears to me like a Coromandel light.
Anns…and I keep forgetting to say…Patchouli Absolu has amazing lasting power…which adds another layer of oompf to the mix.
For 40 years I only knew of hippie-armpit, nose-singeing, office-clearing patchouli.
Then I found my way to Patchouli Patch and CdG Patchouli, both of which I quite like.
I want to try this. I think with patchouli the scent and not the wearer holds the cards.
juicejones: especially when people say “hippie” and “patchouli” in the same sentence. HA!
This sounds tempting, in spite of the price, but I’m thinking I’m one of those who doesn’t know what real patchouli smells like. Is there anything out there that smells like the real neanderthal? I’d like to sniff it, if only to have as a future reference point.
jirish: surely there’s neanderthalish patchouli in the natural perfumery realm (that’s not my realm). You can always buy a few drops of high quality pure/natural patchouli oil. After you’ve sniffed it, put it on some cotton balls for good moth protection in drawers/closets.
Kevin, I tried this with a few drops of patchouli and vetiver EO’s, and my sweaters came out after their summer hibernation smelling divine!
Ann, I bet…a nice combo!
That really is a great idea – I wonder how it will go with the cedar blocks I keep there.
jirish: a classic scent combo….
Probably an aged patchouli oil will give you a better idea… I bought just a plain patchouli EO from the same brand where I get my lavender EO and the patchouli is quite bitter. Can’t say I enjoy it.
Merlin…lots of patchouli essential oils have a bitter vibe to me…”botanical”/leafy in nature. But I actually like that aspect myself.
In my opinion, Tom Ford’s fragrances are unique and “conversation starters”. I am always excited to try one of his new fragrances. My favorite TF fragrance is Santal Blush. Both men and women comment on how good I smell. I love you, Mr. Ford.
Scent…well, he up and discontinued my favorite, Purple Patchouli…so I ain’t happy with him! Ha!
Lol! So sorry your favorite got axed. Been there, done that. Hopefully Mr. Ford can one day redeem himself with you.
Envoyage’s Go Ask Alice is a lovely natural patchouli even if it is named after a novel that was pretty confronting during my teenage years.
I immediately thought of the Jefferson Airplane song, which would fit in with patchouli = 60’s.
AnnieA: it would indeed
Cockatoo…wow…En Voyage Perfumes, another company that I have never heard of (just looked them up online)! HA! There are just too many perfumes out there!
I am interested to try this – as I suspect I don’t actually know what real patchouli smells like. I was thinking just yesterday that a smell that makes me feel quite unwell in Angel, Coco Mademoiselle and, to a lesser extent, Allure, is the sweet patch combo (I know many love these and I do initially but then something just goes wrong on my skin/for me).
That said, I adore Voleur de Roses and happily wear Mistral Patchouli so would be keen to know whether I do or don’t like this – and hence what patch I should or shouldn’t avoid. Thanks for a great review. And love the Catherine Deneuve ref!
Sophie: HA! Deneuve was on my mind since I just watched “On My Way.”
Really cannot STAND dirty natural patchouli. Cannot. And cannot really comprehend the stance of “Oh no, they’ve cleaned up the patchouli, what’s the world coming to,” that I’ve seen among hardcore fumeheads over the past couple of years. Although I admit I don’t really care for the cleaned-up, lab-pared “heart note patchouli” we’ve been seeing, particularly in floral fragrances recently, either.
I do okay with it once it’s aged several years to smell less dirty, more herbal-green, but you can freakin’ KEEP the old school stuff, thanks. I like a nicely hairy man, but not a hairy patchouli.
Ha! Wonderful observation
mals: well, chemical companies have cleaned up so much: musks, patchouli…most jasmine, I guess I feel it’s nice to shock the old nose every now and again with “endangered perfume notes.” So no need for you to try this one! HA!
This makes ELO’s Nombril Immense look like a stunner of a bargain at $80/50ml. I never thought I would buy an patchouli perfume, but here I am with the NI…
AA: interesting…Etat Libre d’Orange has Nombril Immense at 80 EUROS…more like $102, but still a huge bargain! Luckyscent does have it listed for 80 bucks…so buy away quickly, fans. I’ve not tried that one but the ingredients sound great….
Oh no! I just heard how I think J. Crew had hit the UK and was charging the same amount for their clothes in pounds as they were for dollars. Iniquitous!
Pure and real patchouli is… no! Sweaty and bitter?!
If you want a blast of a good patchouli, I recommend Frederic Malles Portrait of a Lady. Rose and Patchouli to die for, but really not wearable (too strong, too longlasting, too overpowering).
I wonder how it happens that patchouli is fashonable right now? I rather take the “modern, clean” fanatsy note of patchouli then the oud thing. Boy, I am happy we are over with oud!
Can I have vetiver as the next trend, please?