Patchouli: assertive, truly;
Maligned by associations
With a few contexts unruly.
This cousin of mint, with patience,
Has scented shawls and repelled bugs.
It’s earned its license to smell smug.
A base note commonly employed
In snug fitting with rose and woods,
By all genders it’s been enjoyed.
To like it raw, I wish I could.
Between inky and powdery
Facets, it smells tonic to me.
Patchouli seems to be a note that smells better when mixed with others. I’m not keen on it by itself, but sometimes I’ll sniff something new and be drawn to it, only to find out it’s a rose-patchouli perfume. Like Diptyque Eau Capitale. The note is quite inky and dominant in L’Artisan Parfumeur Voleur de Roses, with nary a drop of real rose, and in Nomenclature holy_wood, via the synthetic patchouli replacer Clearwood®.
Which patchouli perfumes do you prefer?
Nose Prose 
P is for perfect prose. Love your work! Both Eau Capitale and Portrait of a Lady are rose-patchouli favourites of mine. Diptyque Tempo is a great patchouli scent.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much! I admire yours as well. The first time I smelled Eau Capitale, it reminded me of Le Labo Ylang 49, which seems to be a rose-patchouli despite its name.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. That’s most kind of you. I will need to smell that one.
LikeLike
Portrait of a Lady is one of my strong favorites. But, in general, I prefer patchouli in a supporting role.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mmm yes I love patchouli. My favorite one is one I wrote about – Bulgari Gyan. A little more soapy of a patchouli with the Jasmine.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am not very much into patchouli, but I think Portrait of a Lady contains it. The only real patchouli scent I liked was Psychedelique.
LikeLike
Yes, and I love Portrait of a Lady! Psychedelique was interesting and when I wore it some time ago, a coworker liked the patchouli so much that I gave my sample to him. ☺
LikeLike