Patchouly

I love the head shop hit as you spray it on and the sexy incense trip once it settles in, but avoid smelling your wrists unless you like the smell of dirty wet straw with a touch of vanilla. It smells much nicer on my clothes than directly on me - patchouli (naturally), orange and bergamot, musk and a bit of sandalwood.

This opinion is for those who think Etro Patchouly is a retro scent. I will play here the advocate of the accused. The fact the Etro patchouli is humid, earthy and vivid does not make it a retro smell. My adoration for this bottle was not love from the first sight. Being a patchouli fan I bought it, on the spur of a moment, not really being crazy about it. And month by month I started to appreciate it. Not sure if it commenced with a lovely wine-supper-evening with my husband and refreshing the fun from the Fatal Attraction film, but that was the moment when I realized this was exactly the scent of this tension on the screen. This fatal sensuality – on one hand so deeply sexy and moving on the other dirty and bad, this embodiment of the evil affair. Is it retro then? Oh no, it is definitely not. They had this romance in 80’s but how many of this difficult relations you can see in modern times? This story is as old as the humanity, and as modern as a fresh spring leaf. So what is Patchouly Etro? On me, this is pepper, natural, dark patchouly with a ray of citrus light. When I wear it, I feel so „comfortably numb”, as would sing Pink Floyd band. The opening gives a very short breeze of noble liquer swiftly coming into green and earthy patchouli. Do you see this shady, mixed wood with a mystery hidden in it? This is pretty much about that. And later on comes a stranger whom you know you should not have an affair with but still it ends up with it. Fancy?

It's a powerful and interesting blend and holds really well over time. It spells more witchcraft than flowerpower.

This patchouli seems to go through few desirable phases. Firstly, it is almost dry, woody and quite aromatic, later it turns more damp, chocolate/truffle-like and earthy. Some medicinal vegetal quality appears somewhere in the background. It's quite complex for a fragrance focusing on one note. That second phase is so beautiful. This leans just a tad more masculine, but very well could be unisex.

Hey man, this stuff is groovy. A very luminous, potent, earthy, spicy, bright patchouli. It's hard to avoid smelling like an old hippy with a patchouli fragrance and this still has all the familiar characteristics we associate with this kind of scent, but it's a good deal brighter and has a more transparent vibe to it. Gosh; it's practically thrown away the Kaftan and is wearing a suit. I just wish it wasn't so expensive. Very impressive... and lasts for days.