Patchouli
Bourbon French Parfums

PATCHOULI (Bourbon French)

Patchouli is one of those scents that is indelibly impressed into the olfactory experience of anyone coming of age in the 1960s. Young men and women of the era were not into wearing scent, with the one exception of patchouli oil, which seemed to be the universal aroma of head shops, and Asian import emporiums, which supplied the incense sticks, scarves, bracelets and other jewelry worn by the Hippie generation.

Bourbon French's Patchouli opens very green and raw, but quickly quiets down to a scent reminiscent of cedar/pencil shavings and turpentine. The unctuousness of the patchouli oil I am used to is not present here. Although the rawness evolves into a warm, quiet scent, it is very much a singular base note and not enriched with any supporting or expansive fellow notes, such as sandalwood or vanilla, often found in combination with patchouli to soften and round it out.

For purists, this is one-note, but still more reminiscent to my nose of cedar than of patchouli. As such, it is perfectly decent for those who like the scent, but not remarkable in any way.