Description and usage notes:
Manufactured in Indonesia by one of the most respected French producers – Albert Vieille – who describe it like this:
“Patchouli is a tropical subshrub that thrives in Indonesia’s fertile, shady soils, its native land. The legendary fragrance is contained in the broad, velvety leaves running up its stems. The name is a tribute to the imposing, precious foliage: ‘patchouli’ comes from the Tamil patch, meaning ‘green,’ and ilai, ‘leaf.’ The essential oil is produced in the secretory cells of the stems and leaves, with the three youngest leaves having the highest oil content. It is this part of the plant that is harvested and then dried in the shade. The leaves ferment slightly during drying. This process alters the cellular walls of the essential oil glands, which results in better distillation. The ‘light’ quality is from material distilled in stainless-steel stills and therefore colorless. … This material has a cosmopolitan charisma, combining a powerful woody note with a humic, earthy character.”
This batch is from the 2014/15 harvest. It has more patchouli character than the Ultra Light and contains over 30% patchoulol making it excellent value at this price.
DH (verified owner) –
Fairly dry, woody, slightly peppery patchouli. Would have liked a little bit more chocolatey/balsamic/fruity depth, but overall a very nice, clean, well produced oil. Comparing to an older patchouli oil I have, this one is cleaner and fresher; the older one, while a bit deeper and richer, displayed some unpleasant “oxidised” off-notes.
Thomas FRANZETTI (verified owner) –
Not that clean to me. A bit musty. The “ultra light” version seems better to me.
knatesuda (verified owner) –
Not as deep as patchouli essential oil. It has milk chocolate, tree roots, vetiver, but not as seriously as I’m used to. I am happy with this variant of patchouli.
perfume_pervert (verified owner) –
dry, woody, camphoraceous – as others said, not as deep and rich as some patchoulis but still an enjoyable one