L’Artisan Parfumeur Patchouli Patch Eau de Toilette Spray (3.4 fl oz) #10066369 L’Artisan Parfumeur

A soulful, bohemian reinterpretation of L’Artisan Parfumeur’s original patchouli fragrance of 1978, Patch reframes its predecessor and the genre of patchouli potions at large. An intimate incarnation of its star ingredient, Patch meaningfully evokes the dried patchouli leaves Chinese silk traders would pack their cloths in during the 18th and 19th centuries, a fragrant source of protection. Patch is both crackly and profound, an ingenious invocation of this practice. Initially patchouli’s smoky sweetness dominates, bringing to mind the ripe, fruity rang of stone fruit. Shortly we experience a sense of familiarity; that deep tang and lilting sweetness, reminiscent of purples and pinks? Why it’s plum, of course, and it is such a fine match for smoldering patchouli we wonder why it’s not used more often. As plum adds some heft to patchouli’s dissipating form, oakmoss emerges beneath both these elements, evoking both the woodsy dark of silk stuffed caskets and the unctuous, supple scent of the material itself. Oakmoss’ porous yet creamy earthiness is a delightful texture, but while it adds body to Patch, its holey nature maintains the evasive slip of this scent. Reminiscent of fall leaves, sweetly burning fires, soft fabrics, and evoking a profound sense of comfort, there’s something beautifully autumnal about this scent, a gestural quality similar to turning around for one last look. An exceptional patchouli in any season, Patch Patchouli reminds us of what’s come before, and inevitably what will soon follow, in fragrance and elsewhere. Notes: Oakmoss, Patchouli, Plum.