Purple Patchouli

Tom Ford Purple Patchouli A vivid, indeed ultra-violet, jammy-plummy, leathery and incensed homage to two vintage fragrance families: purple 80s monsters like Poison (minus its tuberose/orange blossom accord but retaining its spicy jasmine sambac), and amplified-violet leathers a la Jolie Madame. The opening is a spiced fruity plum, with an incense accord straight from Poison's intoxicating drydown; and then a tastefully sweet Parma violet introduces a leather accord, As these elements merge, they coalesce into a unified powerhouse iris perfume, limned with a dark wine-y rose that leads to the perfume’s titular patchouli, which is clean, sweet, and fractionated, without anything dank or hippie about it. I get hints of heliotrope, but no powder. The sweet-tea scent of peru balsam doesn't overwhelm, unless you overspray. Plums, violets, irises, even the deep dark roses—this really sings in the key of purple all the way through. Every shade, from pastel to maroon to royal to the blackish shades suggested by the incense. Tough and sweet at the same time. Some people might not be impressed, but I don't think they've spent much time actually wearing this amethyst jewel. I wish TF would bring back this discontinued beauty. The best of the perfumes from this house resurrect classics from Tom Ford’s youth and early adulthood, especially those ruined by reformulation/regulations or lost to discontinuation altogether. These very modern smelling perfumes are usually classical scents in disguise, with updates in style or ingredients so they appeal to contemporary tastes and fit into 21st century smell-scapes. Purple Patchouli smells like the best of several ages—including our own—and my bottle is one of the jewels in my collection. (Note to the creative team at TF perfumes: why not do a Patchouli for every color of the rainbow, plus the (extant) White and Black, and Silver and Gold, too? I would love a green patchouli along the lines of the marvelous green perfumes the house launched a few years back. I don’t know what yellow or orange patchouli might smell like, but I imagine luxurious fruitchoulis. And I want to see the bottle for Pink Patchouli—I can just imagine how well it would sell, in the same ribbed bottles as White Patch and Black Orchid: people would buy it just for the gorgeous packaging, but of course, the perfume would be great. (I understand some people *hate* pink perfume packaging, but I’m not one of them—sometimes only pink will do, especially matte pink, because it can be so elegant. Wouldn’t these be fun?)

Some people have asked me to do a review on this, since I mentioned it in my Patchouli Absolute review. They suggested that since I brought it up by comparison that it was a disservice not to explain why I think it's so much better. Ok, point taken! The reviews here are so good and in depth, I wouldn't really know what to add, plus this fragrance is extremely hard to find, but I'll tell you why I think its so great. Those of us who like patchouli find it relativley easy to like a scent that is strong with is ingredient. But there are some who, for some reason have very negative association with it. Why, I don't know...maybe someone unshowered, smelly and sweaty decided to rub themselves in patchouli oil and that combo resulted in the most revolting scent and almost made you vomit. I've smelled that tye of thing before, at yoga classes and the around the so called, "dirty hippe" crowd. So I understand that negative experience. Which brings me to Purple Patchouli. If you are one of those people who are anti-patchouli, then let me tell you what your missing, using this fragrance. If there were ever a scent that will/could change that association, this is the one! Unlike many patchouli fragrances, that are earthy smelling, this one is sweet and almost velvety by comparison. Not sweet like candy or chocolate, but more vanilla-ish or like almond and honey, yet it's not foodlike. It's....well sweet, seductive and sensual really. If you can imagine a bed, covered in silky black sheets, blanketed with exotic purple orchids, intoxicating nightblooming jasmine, amber nuggets and some type of honey dust sprinkled on top. Then you find yourself are rolling around in it...imagine that scent, how intoxicating and almost spa like that would be, and then anticipation of someone special about to join you.... It's all very alluring and sensual, the complete opposit of any negative association you may have. The closest thing Tom Ford makes that is in the same category, sensual, mysterious and alluring is "Noir de Noir," and if you've smelled that and like it, then you will like this as well. Purple Patchouli is a unique interpretaion of patchouli and it is like I said before....heavenly! If you can find some, you will be very lucky indeed. And if you have had negative experiences with patchouli, get yourself a sample of this and experience it, you'll see how beautiful a patchouli fragrance can be and it will surely change your mind.

I received a decant of this by pure happenstance, and I keep... coming back to it. It's this rich almost skanky sweet patchouli and balsamic. It's pure sex for me. I get that it has the same primary profile as like, those stronger balsam-leaning perfumes and soaps from the 90's (I'm looking at you White Rain Pine shampoo) but it wraps you in this sweet spiciness that lingers and develops. And you can feel that DNA that lead TF to his Black/Orchid/Noir/etc modern profiles. I'm really surprised folks think this is masculine. This screams sexy goth princess to me. The ebay prices for original are hilarious, so I'm going to pull the trigger on the Dua Intensified dupe and hope for the best. I have nothing else like this perfume in my collection but I can't stop smelling the clothes I spray it on- it's truly divine. Ambrosia of the goth gods I swear. Edit: Just received the DUA dupe Intensified- not the same. The onset has this heavy cedar and soap quality - none of the sweet tang of purple patchouli unfortunately. It's also very masculine. I'm also smelling maybe leather? Ah well. The drydown is very similar- just takes >15 min to get there. I'm going to try Passion by ET next and see what's what.

The patchouli opens very delightfully and delivers it's scent in a very peaceful way. The Peru balsam delivers itself very gently so it is a truly comforting medicinal scent. For a long time, it is very warm and a bit powdery so I can feel it is a unisex fragrance. I can imagine it is the kind of medicine Jesus would use to curse people who stood up after being paralysed, could see the world after being blind. The dry down is the same DNA as the other TF Private Blends with amber and jasmine. I can't get any of the sweetness but that is what the scent is, TF Purple Patchouli. Tom Ford, your work is amazing! A full 50ml bottle from 2008.

The patchouli note opens beautifully, exuding a peaceful scent. Peru balsam adds a comforting touch, creating a warm, slightly powdery fragrance. It's like a luxurious ancient remedy, reminiscent of something Jesus might have used. As it dries down, the scent retains its signature Tom Ford DNA, with hints of amber and jasmine. Despite the subtle sweetness, it's unmistakably TF Purple Patchouli. Revisiting this fragrance 5 years later today, its powerful yet gentle essence remains unchanged, evoking a sense of luxury living. Tom Ford's craftsmanship truly shines through. A timeless classic in a 50ml bottle from 2008.