Patchouli lovers, pay attention - this is a special kind of patchouli scent!
The so-called half-shrub belonging to the mint family plays a not insignificant role in many perfumes, or rather, in quite a few. Patchouli is often found in the base notes, usually in combination with resinous and bitter-mossy notes, and is therefore an integral part of almost every Chypre fragrance, at least of the classic kind.
Sometimes, however, it also pushes to the forefront, especially since the hippie movement in the second half of the 60s discovered raw patchouli oils for itself.
The big perfume houses reacted quite quickly, and the patchouli that had long been used but always remained in the background suddenly became the protagonist in fragrances like 'Gentleman' by Givenchy or 'Aromatics Elixir' by Clinique.
A few years later, this characteristically dry-aromatic-woody smelling leaf was also allowed to shine in oriental contexts: Etro's 'Patchouly' or Mazzolari's eponymous fragrance are representative of the many patchouli soliflores that have adorned almost every extensive fragrance line from various manufacturers since the 70s/80s. Even the big houses eventually joined in and recently came out with two supposed high-end patchoulis: Chanel's 'Coromandel' and Dior's 'Patchouli Imperial'.
The complex scent of this half-shrub native to Asia seems to remain a seemingly permanent source of inspiration even after so many years, despite all the oud hype, continually producing innovative creations.
Santi Burgas' 'Palindrom II' is once again such a patchouli-centered work that I find somewhat novel, even though it nearly explores all the known facets of patchouli: the woody, aromatic, dry-dusty, almost creaky nuances as well as the soft and powdery - it’s all there.
But indeed, it is much more.
As if a (nose) film is playing in my head: from afar, I see/smell the crypt-like earthy patchouli oils of long-gone childhood days (along with the corresponding images), and the closer I get to my arm scented with 'Palindrom II', the more clearly the dark, musty undertone transforms into Chanel's silky-chocolate patchouli confection of today. When I pull my nose away from my arm, I sense the creaky, unrefined notes again, which many find so terribly off-putting. Right on my arm, however, the patchouli smells exceedingly delicate and civilized - very 'Coromandel'-like, accentuated by fine spiciness and subtle sweetness.
But, Rodrigo Flores-Roux would not be himself if he hadn’t added something to this, his work, that he evidently values highly - a distinct, yet for my taste quite subtle animalic note, and above all: leather.
Rodrigo Flores-Roux loves leather. Not just the scent of leather in all its shades, he also enjoys wearing it.
He has laid a softly animalic leather accord beneath this patchouli scent, which does not develop dominance - the patchouli remains the center of the fragrance - but gives it an exceedingly erotic kick.
Perhaps one needs a certain leather fetish (I have one ;-) ...) to enjoy this combination - multifaceted patchouli, leather, and animalic notes are truly not to everyone's taste.
However, there are certainly heftier variants, at least in terms of leather and animalic notes, that even I, as a hardened leather lover, find too much: Montale's 'Oud Cuir d’Arabie' would be one such example.
No, fortunately, 'Palindrom II' is far removed from such coarse goat-like scents: no offensive animalic notes, but rather a sensually erotic aura, at least for me. Sensitive noses might not quite follow me here, but - as I said - I also love leather, with (almost) all its animalistic exhalations.
This sensual twist makes 'Palindrom II' a very special patchouli scent for me - one with such erotic vibes I have never encountered before. And if I wanted to find a comparably erotic-sensual scent, 'Musc Ravageur' would come to mind first - although it does not smell similar in any way, I find it similarly addictively erotic in the base.
What remains to be reported: 'Palindrom II' has good longevity and after an initially loud opening, a rather moderate projection. The development of the fragrance progresses from sharp/bright-spicy to dark-spicy to woody-leathery, without dramatic turns and perfectly blended.
The deep black, round bottle with the large dark wooden cap (from sustainable European forestry, as can be read on the packaging - hear, hear, sustainability is also making its way in here!) fits wonderfully with the content, which I could only label as 'Black' if I had to choose a suitable color to describe the scent.
Oh yes, the leather-wearing, mustachioed Mexican perfumer is said to wear this scent himself:
“Rodrigo Flores-Roux was the most animated and excited when speaking to me about Santi Burgas Palindrome II, the scent he wears most often himself,” Michelyn Camen from 'ÇaFleurBon' reports.
I think that fits.
Updated on 09/26/2019
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