Patchouli Absolu opens with wave upon wave of refined patchouli that coats your skin like dark brown velvet glittering with gold. Spicy sweetness fuses with multi-faceted woods and smokiness to create a lush, deeply sensual mix with enormous warmth. Tom Ford goes beyond the dusty earthiness and blackened camphor of many traditional patchouli fragrances, opting instead for subtle hints of green mosses and a wisp of fresh herbs, all wrapped up with dark woods and golden amber. In the drydown, the spicy, smoky woods turn creamy and soft with a touch of leather that feels like suede. The end result is not only plush, bold, and elegant from start to finish, but a far cry from the dirty, raw scent of the patchouli oils from the 1970s. In short, this is a patchouli fragrance for the 21st century, darkly sensual, luxurious, and sophisticated.