parfums*PARFUMS Luxe: Patchouli (2007)
by Comme des Garçons

Strangely enough this is the one scent that really stands out from the CdG line. Patchouli like no other. Or not? I am 100% with Trebor in that it shares a lot with Borneo 1834. Probably the same origin of patchouli. The greatest differences are the incredibly strong immortelle note in the opening of Patchouli which is replaced by the light camphore note in Borneo. In fact it is immortelle/fenugreek/curry/basturma all mixed together and only for the brave. The topnotes also have an increddible texture, thick, resinous and salty.You can almost feel the scent in your nostrils. If you don't enjoy the initial shock and awe of the opening this will equal an assault with gas. But if you like immortelle and shocking scents you will be rewarded by smoky heartnotes and the driest illusion of chocolate. The chocolate notes with a hint of smoke stay on the skin for a good 24 hours.
Well let's get to the point: is it worth the money? If you are looking for a patchouli signature scent that you are going to wear every day, then probably yes. And you will get your money's worth because it will stay on you for the whole 24 hours. This is parfum strength.It is stunning. Drier and more commanding than Patchouli Leaves. In any other case probably not. But if you are patchouli fan try to find a sample of it.

Patchouli is a favorite ingredient of mine without a doubt, but I don't consider this a patchouli fragrance necessarily. That is, I guess, by the name, it would be hard for someone to imagine what this fragrance will be like. Patchouli as an ingredient brings many other fragrances to mind such as Borneo 1834, Givenchy Gentleman, Patchouli Leaves, or Real Patchouly among others. But I don't see Luxe: Patchouli belonging in that group... Where I do see it belonging is with the immortelle fragrances which I love so much including Sables, Eau Noir, and I suppose I'll include the over the top and slightly messy Fougere Bengale. Ok, so in this case the sensation is fenugreek and not immortelle, but the sensation is similar -- the golden, richness that is like being surrounded by a thick syrup, dark ambery golden brown in color, and very very warm but with fenugreek, the sensation is more on the side of sweet hay.

So yes, the patchouli is there, always. But it so well blended that it adds a hue to every other ingredient rather than sitting on top of the composition supported by the other notes. To my nose, the fenugreek sensation (that syrup mixed with curry and hay, sprinkled with a .05 mm layer, just the smallest hint of a dusting of anise) is the star, and it paints a picture in my mind of a flowing river of golden syrup with ribbons of purple and green silk (the green is the leafy patchouli sensation, the purple, the curried anise impression). The great thing about this is that it's all countered by some real grit... a wonderful earthy, woody, herbal texture that ends up being enveloped by the dense, dark, syrupy sweet curried elements of the fragrance and brings it into perfect balance.

The luxe nature of Luxe: Patchouli comes from the opulence of textures and sensations. There isn't a bright, whimsical, crisp or lightly textured moment in the fragrance journey, which incidentally lasts a full day. That said, there is nothing unbalanced, aloof, or over-the-top about it either. It's a baroque painting: dark, rich hues of brown, gold, dark, earthy greens, rich dark reds and purples and so in a way, that to me explains this uber luxurious feel. It's tone is gothic yet modern.

A very powerful angelica root note overpowers this fragrance - almost like a homemade perfume which uses too much of it. Underneath that lies a sweet violet note which seems to be some sort of synthetic irones (the "violet" component of orris). If you are looking for a true patchouli, you won't find it here. I would vote neutral, but for the $200 per ounce price, this imbalance is inexcusable.

Thick tar like patchouli. Herbal and far from the headshop patchouli however still makes you think of that style of patchouli. Long lasting. Too rich for my blood in both price and scent.

What a fantastic opening -- I almost fainted -- thick and resinous patchouli, woods and opoponax assault your senses - point blank! I think this must be some special type of patchouli as I haven't experienced anything like it before -- I mean AG's Sables version is practically unwearable. I also don't get any chocolate either -- what you do get apart from the patchouli is a lot of luscious and slightly smoke tinged woods, mainly oak, cedar and sandalwood touched with CDG's nearly ever present spicy peppers and vanilla to quite it. She ain't pretty though -- this is a really dark scent. Sillage and longevity are both superb. The price is outrageous, but 'what's mine is mine'. Where do you go from here though?

Thick and rich chocolatey patchouli. Oh YES. Price is absurd, but that is not the fragrance so thumbs up.