Like so many people I have HATED patchouli in my time.
But then, as with so many things, quality plays an important part and I came to realize that there is patchouli & PATCHOULI. Depending upon its age, variety & origin, patchouli can be astonishingly subtle, rich & beautiful.
I also discovered that Patchouli first came to the attention of the western world during one of my favorite periods of history the Regency/Empire era of the early nineteenth century. The cashmere shawls made so fashionable by the Empress Josephine & the heroines of Jane Austen novels arrived in Europe rolled in patchouli leaves. This protected the delicate fabric from being devoured by moths on the long sea voyage from India. The scent of the leaves was so pervasive that for a very long time afterward, a faint exotic perfume still wafted from these popular wraps. My inspiration for Patchouli EMPIRE is that subtle scent the Empress Josephine might have smelled when she first opened a teak box of cashmere shawls sent to her from India.