Parfum Couture - Denis Durand for M. Micallef M. Micallef 2013

I have a very divided relationship with patchouli. The rather negative memories stem from my apprenticeship as a druggist. Back then, I had to fill the open dry herbs from huge barrels into the drawers for the shop. Even today, I can still feel the bitter and musty taste of the inevitable dust on my tongue and the itch in my nose. The herb didn't become much more likable to me when it was disguised as patchouli scent during the hippie era, surrounding everyone who wanted to belong to the scene.

As with so many things, it’s all about the dosage and especially the context. Similar to perfumes with patchouli, I feel the same way about garlic in the kitchen. I steer clear of it in its pure form, but a cheese fondue without a hint of the spicy bulb is a sad affair.

Fragrances that have patchouli as the main theme and treat all other notes as mere accessories cannot score points with me. However, it is indeed the case that some base notes only gain their mysterious character through it. So I have learned to live with patchouli and to accept it as an important and enriching note.

With Parfum Couture, I find that patchouli even excites me, which initially confuses me. It hides behind dark notes, incredibly soft beeswax, and a rather shy rose. I cannot detect cinnamon, and if it was indeed used here, it only contributes to a comforting warmth.

The black tip of the bottle, through which it shimmers golden, is a very good visual representation of the aura that Parfum Couture radiates. It is feminine, delicate, and refined. And so refined, a patchouli note makes itself known in the dry down, which I have never experienced so clean, soft, and gentle. There is nothing musty, nothing dusty; instead, Parfum Couture becomes silky and velvety. Mind you, this is not a heavy portière velvet from which clouds of dust arise because one wants to wash the good piece as rarely as possible. It is a light, flattering fabric that caresses the skin, and now I even find patchouli sensual. Whether this is due to the animalistic notes that remain very subtle in the background and of which no one needs to be afraid, I cannot judge.

The fact is that the perfume strangely moves me, and I will test it again in winter. Who knows, maybe it will even end up on my wish list.