Patchouli Eau de Toilette
Molinard (1993)

Sour patch, kids. I had a 2000 edition bottle, the clear glass with the smoky central label. Though undeniably good value and solidly constructed (like all Molinard scents), the dry, almost bitter herbalcy of Patchouli EDT always smelled ‘old mannish’ to me. This dusty air of decrepitude stopped me from luxuriating in the minty patchouli that lay at its core (there’s a process of one’s own skin becoming one with patchouli as the day wears on, and that didn’t occur for me here). It is a solid, unadorned patchouli for those of you who don’t want the distraction of rich ambers, chocolate, or vanilla. Unfortunately, for me, once these things are stripped away, all I smell is neglect.

This fragrance is a perfect 5 out of 5 for me, and I can't believe I discovered it so late in my fragrance journey. Unlike other popular patchouli scents such as Aromatics Elixir or Jovoy Psychedelique, this fragrance features straight up patchouli. While there are some slight citrusy nuances in the opening, I mainly get a clean, earthy, green, and slightly watery patchouli. The drydown reminds me of petrichor and captures the essence of water hitting the soil.

The performance of this fragrance is surprisingly good. It lasts throughout the work day with just 2-3 sprays. The sillage and projection are moderate but strong enough to get a whiff throughout the day. Some people might not enjoy this fragrance as much because they only get patchouli, but for me, that's exactly what I was looking for. There are no additional notes to sweeten things up or turn it floral or citrusy - just a simple and authentic patchouli scent.

Very strong, with only two little sprays from a decant. Patchouli is here straight away - in your face, so to speak. It is dark, earthy. It is almost animalic. Almost like tobacco. There is a woodiness like mahogany or polished, old oak. I believe geranium adds these characteristics. There is another, vague floral note here.

The patchouli here isn't covered or masked with any sweetness. Frankly, it stands on its own. It is the star.

Me, personally, I need a little sweetness to go with my patchouli fragrances. This Molinard reminds me a lot of Patchouly Indonesiano by Farmacia SS. Annunziata.

Becomes a bit woody-er as it wears.

While I could concoct a few paragraphs to introduce and set the stage for my appraisal of Molinard's Patchouli (don't believe me? Read my other reviews), I actually think it best to keep this one brief and to the point--just like this perfume. I have a complicated relationship with patchouli; sometimes I'm a total phobe (I blame overexposure after years and years in the hippie capitals of Austin and San Francisco), sometimes I'm patch-curious, and sometimes--as in right now--I'm mad for the stuff. My folie a patch stems from the fact that I get migraines, and they are frequent and usually crippling. For some reason that I don't completely understand, patchouli works wonders on the pain and all its accompanying symptoms--nausea, disorientation, praying for death--and, moreover, when I'm in the middle of a serious migraine, I become unusually fond of the dirty/swampy/mossy aspects of patchouli that make the less refined versions mostly a no-go for me. I have no idea why this works--it's more than aromatherapy, because it's a very specific answer to a very specific problem.

So I'm writing this review from the depths of a migraine hole, and I'm wearing a generous coating of Molinard Patchouli. As implied above, I've tried more refined patchoulis that minimize or completely excise the dirty bits that conjure images of pond scum, tree moss, and other funky green stuff; I also love rose/patch combinations of all kinds because I'm a rose ho and that's just how I roll. But when I'm visited by the Migraine Fairy, I need cooling but pungent aromatics--menthol, camphor, mint, ginger and yes, patchouli. Something about all of these these smells pulls me out of the dark pit, and in the right doses they can begin to break up the solid ball of pain that parks behind my eyes, sometimes just enough to get a little relief before the curtain comes down again, and sometimes so effectively that I can return to the land of the living.

Molinard's patchouli fits right in the pocket--no distracting elements of powder, vanilla, rose, or much else seem to be in the mix here. I don't notice any citrus in the opening of my EdT, but I do get a giant blast of alcohol that's probably not intentional, but which works for my own quasi-medicinal uses. After that, something slightly floral seems to bloom out before an undressed green patchoui barrels on through, with plenty of eau de headshop along for the ride. Neverthesless, it's a more carefully calibrated wear than essential oil--it turns cool and dry as it develops, and it sits lightly on the skin and keeps its sillage mostly to itself. Is there amber in the drydown? Maybe something warm and still funky is anchoring this, but I usually reapply (or I am granted the mercy of a nap) before the drydown really kicks in.

I have the EdT version of this--the one that comes in the cheap bottle with sloped shoulders that I think Molinard is trying to phase out. I haven't tried the EdP, so I can't speak to its relative strength or value-added features. It appears that Molinard is trying a bit of repositioning with the new nichey packaging and the patch-vanilla options and whatnot, and that's great for them. I only hope they keep making this version, because it's more than just perfume to me--it's a medical necessity, especially at its price point. The only patch I've found that hits on the same cylinders is Farmacia Ss Annunziata's Patchouly Indonesiano, which is similarly straight-no-chaser. albeit more dense and commesurately expensive. I would love to have both, and I probably will at some point. But if you want a true patchouli perfume, without any bells and whistles, Molinard's uplifting little perfume delivers.

I like patchouli, but this is the dirtiest, greenest patchouli that I have ever smelled. Too much patchouli and very little else.

This is a middleweight patchouli fragrance. There is a citrus aroma initially (mostly orange), followed by a patchouli dominated fragrance with green elements. The patchouli note is clean, transparent, but a trifle hefty. There's nothing smoky or edgy or animalic in here. This patchouli accord endures till the end, where one finds some amber-y elements and a hint of sweetness. The sillage is moderate at first before being quite muted (especially considering the category), and duration is around six to seven hours - based on about 10 sprays from a sample (emptied out approx. close to 1 ml of it).

The best aspect of this one is good balance between the different elements, and how it distinguishes itself from patchouli EO because of the unmistakable note of citrus initially. Quite unisex IMO. It loses me after the first two hours as it becomes too sparse for my tastes, and the base is reasonably straightforward and disengaging. Worth trying, but far from the bee's knees - easy to wear and easy to forget. Relative to other popular patchouli fragrances, perhaps closest to Zegna's Javanese Patchouli (though still much different).

3/5 (neutral)

P.S. After a brief and brisk online investigation it appears that this particular fragrance I had a sample of happens to be the one that comes in the hideous purple bottle.