“Patchouli is a material of great importance in the perfumer's palette. It plays as first violin in the orchestra. Among all the woody notes, it is the most sensuous. Patchouli evokes richness”, writes Patricia de Nicolaï. With Patchouli Homme, the perfumer wanted to compose a woody oriental for men, but she ended up selling it to women too (which is why it will soon be renamed Patchouli Intense). And why not? This distinctly un-hippie patchouli straddles both sides of the olfactory gender spectrum, with Patricia de Nicolaï signature candied orange opening, sprinkled with cinnamon, sweetening the wedding of a deep, dark, earthy patch and its natural partner, rose. A passing quote of the fougère family – lavender and geranium – lightens the heart of this heady blend before it subsides into an incense-laden, almost tarry leather drydown that plays up the smokier facets of vanilla. A sophisticated patchouli for dandies (both male and female) who aren't afraid of snagging a sleeve on a rose bush when they go out in the garden to pick their boutonnière.