Le Patchouli

Le Patchouli by the French house Reminiscence, released in 2024, is a woody fragrance by every account, with about half of wearers also calling it gourmand and musky. A quarter find it resinous or ambered. It is patchouli made soft and sweet rather than dark and earthy.

Patchouli leads, with its earthy, slightly camphorous, woody depth, but it is quickly cushioned. Cedar and sandalwood add a dry and a creamy wood respectively, and vetiver a rooty dryness. The sweetness comes from vanilla and tonka bean, which give a warm, nutty, slightly boozy richness, and from tolu balsam and labdanum, which add a resinous, cinnamon-tinged, ambered warmth. White musk and musk give the drydown a clean, soft, skin-like finish that keeps the patchouli from feeling heavy.

Le Patchouli is a shared fragrance, worn by anyone. Patchouli with vanilla and balsam suits autumn and winter and works in daytime as well as evening, and it should appeal to people who like patchouli but want it smooth, sweet and wearable.

Le Patchouli — unisex fragrance by Reminiscence (released 2024). Notes: Cedar, Labdanum, Musk, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Tolu Balsam, Tonka Bean, Vanilla, Vetiver, White Musk. — Parfica open fragrance database