Day 24 ~ One Year, One Nose

It has crossed my mind a time or two that I may run out of things to smell in the studio
because I haven't lately done a count of how many natural raw materials that might be available ~ I hope there are more than 365, but in case there are not, I'm going to talk scent no matter what it is (cupcakes, maracons, weather) as I've been doing, and even on a few natural isolates and perhaps a synthetic or two. You'll understand what I'm talking about more as the Year in the Nose progresses.


Patchouli ~ A Show Down


I love patchouli. There is something about its earthy quality that I am wholeheartedly (wholenosedly?) attracted to. Even the skankiest, dirtiest, most unsophisticated patchouli gets a nod from me because no matter where she's come from, whether the dirt be certified organic or certified fertilizer dump, she's beautiful to me.

Patchouli absolute, 10% dilution -- she is dark green and fruity with smoky, woody, earthy and sweet tones, smells fig-like (osmanthus?), a bit like penuchi and dates and molasses. There is a floral quality in patchouli absolute that is missing from most other patchoulis -- that osmanthus and linden blossom tonality that sets this one apart. This patchouli would work beautifully in a composition in which the earthier and dryer tones of patchouli are not wanted. While this isn't a 'juicy' patchouli, it is definitely a syrupy one. I don't know that I've ever smelled a juicy patchouli, actually. So if you're looking for sweet floral and dried fruit/syrupy notes in your composition with just a touch of that hippy dirtiness, patch abs is your lady.


Organic Indonesian Patchouli also at 10% -- let me preface this eval by saying that this is the first blond patchouli I've encountered -- ever. Most patchouli's are brunettes, and in rare instances, even redheads, but this one is a blond. I don't know if that means she has more fun, but she definitely stands out. This patchouli is full of honey notes, sweet golden honey notes with dry, woody, leafy tones layering throughout. As she dries, she picks up more green/leafy tones, yet manages to hold onto those golden blond streaks. It seems the more this patchouli is diluted, the more of those golden notes are released, becoming very sweet. Lovely, lovely patchouli this. Perfect in a composition where those honey blond notes would be appreciated, an amber composition, an incense composition, even a bouquet/floral composition. This seems to lend more of a heart note effect than a base.

So who won? Both, of course. There are no losers in the patchouli game.