I won't be easily discouraged. Even though my first attempt to find a good patch for autumn with Alyssha Ashley's Essence de Patchouli was unfortunately a flop. There are countless patch scents waiting to be discovered by me. For instance, Patchouli N' Roses by Reminiscence, which I keep coming across in my research - until I finally order it blindly.
I admit, I already like its appealing packaging - the image of pink-gray-violet rose petals on a white background that seem to explode. The elegantly concave bottle with the spring water-clear perfume confirms that we are dealing with something refreshingly trendy here.
And this time, everything is completely different. Right upon opening the cellophane wrapping, a patch scent greets me that is truly exceptional. Earthy and natural, yet refined, not musty, distinct but not overpowering - top quality!
I admit, the combination with rose is not new, but it convinces through an extraordinary composition. Everything is as it should be, but not in the familiar sense, rather surprisingly current. Besides, I wanted a patch en rose.
I can hardly wait to spray the EdP. The Rosa Rossa by Guerlain that I’m wearing that day immediately retreats in fright and hides until it’s barely perceptible, which it doesn’t need much help with due to its low sillage and longevity.
I feel the scent throughout the room. Not overwhelming, but pleasant, inspiring.
A touch of Halloween is already present. No question about it. I stand as the only one left among us in front of our family grave at the Vienna Central Cemetery, next to the beautiful Art Nouveau church of St. Borromeo. In Vienna, it is only called Luegerkirche, as Karl Lueger, the very popular mayor of Vienna at the time, is buried in its crypt. - It is All Saints' Day. The graves are freshly decorated. Candles flicker everywhere. It is cold. But the old rose bush still bears one last pale pink bud. It will not open again. The frost has already kissed it to death. It has died in beauty. An allegory of transience. My grandmother planted the rose bush next to the gravestone after my grandfather passed away. That was a long time ago. It’s time for the gardener to trim it back a bit before winter and protect it from the cold.
If anyone understands patch, it’s Reminiscence. The Parisian brand offers surprisingly many patch perfumes, one for every taste, so to speak. Allegedly, they even created the original patch that the hippies loved in the 70s - and they still sell it.
I find it somewhat unusual that this patch actually starts with patch and the rose only quietly makes its presence known in the heart note - soft, gentle, comforting, with a delicate, wistful sweetness. Patchouli continues to play the leading role, remaining omnipresent but lovely. The well-known scent combination usually starts elsewhere with a strong rose overture.
The last rose and the patch understand each other well.
I am convinced by this scent. This is autumn in its most beautiful form. Melancholic, restrained, warming, easy to wear, even during the day, without being too conventional. Powerful, modern, fresh-spicy, floral-earthy - and always elegant.
What makes the scent so special are the many ingredients beyond rose and patchouli. Fabrice Pellegrin skillfully paired the patch with centifolia, damask rose, pepper, iris, cedarwood, vanilla, oakmoss, vetiver, and musk. These nuances make the chypre interesting and lively. So, it remains exciting.
The top note begins fresh with a Provence rose that is so delicate it’s barely noticeable. Only the patchouli in the heart note, together with the rich scent of a fully bloomed damask rose, which I can almost see in its round, multi-bloomed compactness, draws attention. But iris and pepper are also lingering around, adding interesting accents. Thus, this EdP remains varied.
The damask rose now makes the scent powdery, which lends it elegance.
Finally, the cedarwood makes its somewhat harsh appearance, accompanied by plenty, but never too much, oakmoss, vetiver, and still iris root. However, to ensure that the autumn forest walk doesn’t lean too much towards the earthy, spicy, powerfully masculine, vanilla and musk provide a very feminine, lovely happy ending that takes its time. The scent is long-lasting - especially on textiles, it seems to me. In my scarf, I can sense it for days to weeks - pleasantly like an old friend, without it becoming musty.
The secret of the scent may lie in the fact that the patch does not come across as too dark. It is earthy, as it should be, but not crypt-like or gloomy, rather bright, fresh, and clean. I would call it white patchouli. Elegy with charm. A certain wistful heaviness is already present, but it doesn’t have the last word, it doesn’t pull you down into melancholy. The scent is simply too beautiful, too much rose, too sensual. Because that it absolutely is. At times, I perceive a fine, oriental oud warmth, which, however, remains subtle.
The scent is not exactly cheap. The price for 100 ml is around 50 to 100 euros or even more. But for that, you get a very carefully composed patch that has retained a quiet mystique without being “gothic.”
The scent has now been on the market for over 3 years. I am surprised that there are neither comments nor photos of Patchouli N' Roses here so far. This stepmotherly treatment, in my opinion, is not deserved by a scent that I wouldn’t necessarily classify as a “niche fragrance.” Anyone who can appreciate patch and likes soft, velvety rose scents will surely love this noble, varied, and refined women’s fragrance, which I find particularly suitable for autumn.
Top Notes 
Rose
Lychee
Heart Notes 
Damask rose
Rosa centifolia
Base Notes 
Patchouli
Cedarwood
Vanilla
Theris
Gschpusi
Pluto
Honk1510
Incense
Frauduftet
RossiFee
Profuma
Clarissa
Mattih
