Arthes Essential Patchouli Sumatra

Recently, I found my old sample still containing a couple of drops and it filled me with nostalgia. It was the first "mature" perfume that I got and my introduction to patchouli. I initially got Rose Damascus, but this line had samples of two other scents in every box, so I tried them out. The first sniffs gave me the "old lady" vibe, but the longer I sniffed, the more intrigued I was, it seemed very addictive, so I quickly understood that I was in need of a full bottle. Many people compare it to Patchouli by Reminiscence which I also own, but I find it earthy and leaning masculine a bit. This one, on the contrary, is not earthy on my skin, it's very balsamic, feels pretty resinous and a tad medicinal. Very smooth, more feminine, but could well be unisex. Not particularly long lasting, but still well blended, rich and had a good quality for the price, sadly, the whole line is discontinued now.

I suppose this could be unisex, but to me, it's really more feminine sweet and powdery. If you don't like powdery scents, you might not enjoy this one. Patchouli Sumatra is a truly beautiful powdery feminine sweet patchouli scent. It's very smooth, silky, earthy, not bitter at all. Exotic, warm, comforting, it feels like velvet on skin. First spray offers a dark, deep, herbal aged patchouli. As it warms with my skin, I detect touches of cardamom, light sweet amber, soft cocoa powder and sweet sandalwood blended to give this fragrance a powdery texture. This blend is very rich, deep, soothing, comforting and very pleasant. Earthy, but NO sharp edges or bitterness here at all. This heavenly beauty lasts on my skin easily for 10 hours, projecting about 12 inches consistently. A very pleasing exotic treasure that rivals the most expensive perfumes on the market. I LOVE it !

ETA: as I have upgraded my original "like" to "love", I thought I should search out a back up bottle. No luck! If anyone spots some for sale online, please PM me. An addition to my previous review... It's cold, damp, grey and overcast today in Essex. Just the sort of day I hate; it makes me miserable. I also have a very sore throat, so am feeling particularly sorry for myself. I sprayed this on a whim. I am getting a really chocolatey vibe from Patchouli Sumatra. It has made me smile and has cheered me up. There is definitely more than *just* patchouli in this. Patchouli, amber and vanilla, I think. It really is lovely!

Arthes Essential Patchouli Sumatra reminds me of Berdoues Vanille Patchouli, which I do love. The initial spray of Patchouli Sumatra is like a shot of warm bourbon. That vanishes quickly to reveal a wild green patchouli with an earthy backdrop and an amber & vanilla finish. This isn't as strong as Berdoues, nor is it as long lasting. In fact, Arthes is a bit fleeting by comparison. Lasts a few good hours on my skin. I think it's a beauty. I will stock up. Great layering fragrance. As another reviewer said, I find this very comforting.

Today I discovered an oil available at Whole Foods and Wild Oats (from Kuumba? ) called 'Amber Paste'. Oddly, this unappealingly named, wee fragrance oil has a scent very close to Jeanne Arthes' Patchouli! Lots of patchouli melded with sweet/herbal amber. Either Amber Paste OR Patchouli Sumatra are - IMHO - essential for the patch lovers among us to try. Unisex, strong, and long lasting, I feel that both fragrances are equally good. It's just a matter of which suits YOU best! Oh, and Testers are available in store for the oil. :D