Velvet Black Patchouli

The most unique vanilla scent I've smelled. The patchouli in this is not very dirty like other patchoulis out there - it's smooth, and with the vanilla, it becomes delectable and creamy The whole Velvet Collection has impressed me so far (I recently got the discovery set)

It’s not similar to 1 Million Golden Oud at all. Not even a whiff. No oud in this scent. The scent quality is much better too. So ridiculous.

It’s an aromatic and spicy patchouli which I like, but which doesn’t perform as well as I need or want it to. It verges on masculine because of the citrus spiciness - there’s minimal rounding out with vanilla or sweetness here. All in all, I’m glad I sampled it and it’s a nice first blast, but it doesn’t last long enough at a high enough volume for me, especially for this price bracket.

Aromatic woody powdery herbal slightly bitter smokey leathery earthy patchouli with blood orange citrusy bright fruity opening. Can't really detect the tonka bean and vanilla. Gentle sillage and projection.

Continuing my journey with the iconic house of Dolce & Gabbana, today I'm taking a look at a different line of their fragrances: The Velvet Collection. My first introduction to this exclusive line came when someone mentioned Velvet Exotic Leather as one of their all-time favorite leather fragrances. While I do have that one slated for a future review, today we're going to begin with the fragrance that Stefano Gabbana himself claims to be his personal scent: Velvet Black Patchouli. Let's get into it. Opening The opening is a sophisticated symphony of spice, woodiness, and smokiness. The primary notes that immediately register are papyrus, blood orange, clary sage, and patchouli, with papyrus and blood orange standing out as the most prominent. The first note to greet my nose after application was the papyrus. It presents as a dry, woody, and smoky accord with distinctly spicy undertones, lending an air of ancient refinement. Trailing closely behind the papyrus is the blood orange, imbuing the opening with a bright, citrusy accord accentuated by a touch of fruity sweetness. Next, clary sage and patchouli weave into the composition. The clary sage offers an aromatic freshness, helping to gracefully offset the intensity of the papyrus while remaining in a supporting role. Lastly, the patchouli grounds the opening by providing some foundational earthy and green tones. Dry Down The dry down transforms, settling into a rich blend of gourmand sweetness, continued woodiness, and inviting warmth. The primary notes I discern are vanilla, caramel, papyrus, and patchouli, with vanilla and caramel now being the most prominent. The vanilla has emerged as a highlighted note, presenting as a rich, creamy, and natural sweetness reminiscent of fresh vanilla beans. This is followed by the caramel, adding an opulent and sticky sweetness. Together, these two notes lend the dry down a very delicious, almost gourmand feel. This decadent core is then joined by papyrus and patchouli. The papyrus has receded to a supporting role, providing a similar woodiness to the opening but in a more subtle manner and without the inherent smokiness. Lastly, the patchouli still lingers in the background, but it has morphed from an earthy and green note into a darker, more chocolatey variety of patchouli, complementing the gourmand notes perfectly. Performance The initial projection is remarkably strong, effortlessly filling a room. Sillage matches that intensity, leaving a heavy and noticeable scent trail. After approximately three to four hours, the projection had softened slightly but still reached out at least six feet. Likewise, the scent trail was a little quieter, but remained easily perceptible. When I checked again at the seven to eight-hour mark, the fragrance had surprisingly already become a skin scent, indicating that the last of the projection and sillage likely dissipated around the five to six-hour mark. When to Wear Velvet Black Patchouli is an exquisite fall and winter fragrance, ideally suited for evening wear. Its rich and elegant character makes it a perfect selection for special occasions or formal events. For that same refined and opulent character, however, I would not typically choose it for casual wear or a professional office setting. Blind Buy This fragrance is not what I would consider a safe blind buy. While its name prominently features "patchouli," I never found that note to be a true focal point; therefore, someone purchasing it based on the name alone might be disappointed. However, if you enjoy sweet and woody fragrances, this might be a very worthwhile discovery for you. Final Verdict I find Black Patchouli to be a very fine fragrance, but its naming convention left me a bit puzzled. For a scent with "patchouli" right in the name, you would naturally expect that note to be a central character. To my nose, however, it never played more than a supporting role. What I got instead was a composition of prominent woods, spice, and sweetness in the dry down. Patchouli was present from opening to dry down, but it consistently lingered in the background, offering a quiet, grounding presence. Performance was respectable, projecting and leaving a nice scent trail for the first few hours. I will also note that this fragrance is very easy to go nose-blind to; within an hour of applying it, I couldn't smell it anymore, but my wife confirmed it was still performing strongly. All things considered, this isn't a fragrance I'll be adding to my personal collection, but it has certainly piqued my curiosity about what the rest of the line has to offer. Scent: 7/10 Longevity: 6/10 Sillage: 7/10 Versatility: Low Mass Appeal: Average Gender: Unisex Value: Overpriced