Reviews of Purple Patchouli by Tom Ford

My all time favorite fragrance in the world, if anyone has a bottle they’re willing to sell it would mean the world…. On a hunt for a bottle! Childhood scent all in one bottle. Purple jammy pastel type of scent

A gorgeous dark purple gothic fragrance. Imagine the occasion - a night-out in New York, and it's raining. Patchouli with amber and jasmine is what i get basically, and there is lime in the opening. That's exactly the feeling this gives me. I can imagine a vampire in a suit, or a dark haired lady wearing this. It's very mysterious and enchanting. Top 5 from the Private Blend collection in my opinion. This one is sharp and charismatic, so if you don't have any charisma and personality to carry this, it will wear you.

A floral oriental loaded with "wetness" owing to the hesperidium citrus fruits and sweet, green flowery accords that define this hearty EdP.

Purple Patchouli - no longer in production - is a testament to Tom Ford's expert incorporation of different families of notes to create a composite scent that is unlike most niche fragrances out there.

I can understand some who'd call this a strange creation, given its wide array of perceptual elements - oriental, balsamic, green, earthy, spicy - that will be interpreted differently by different reviewers. I applaud its unconventional nature, while others may not necessarily connect with this ode to patchouli.

Sweet, candied violets mixing with grape jelly and cherry syrup over a very fruity patchouli, slightly tempered with a pinch of green (perhaps a hidden chypre skeleton?) and just a hint of oud-ish saffron for goth appeal.

I expected this to follow the usual violet path and end up as a make-up smell, but the sweet fruit and patchouli keep it fairly linear.

In the end, I find the mix of candied fruit and flowers over subtle slashes of darkness just appealing enough to warrant a thumbs up, but it's worth noting that, in the years since Purple Patchouli debuted, this style of "fruitchouli" has become quite ubiquitous and fairly unpopular in the perfumista community. This is a notable early example, and it's well done, but may still turn off people who are simply sick of violet and fruity patchouli...

This is a unique fragrance, at times a bit cloying even in colder temperatures, but at the same time quite interesting. The opening blast is a bit sharp, shrill but dark, with smoky dark floral notes breaking through based on violet with a bit of jasmine and patchouli in the background. It becomes sweet, like overripe bananas, but also acidic with a synthetic note obvious at times initially. Its floral character is always heavy and dark, like violets in a forest without lights. After a few hours this scent mellows and the competing notes merge more convincingly. Silage is big, strong projection and the longevity of nine hours is brillant. Apply sparingly.

This seemed very sweet and somewhat fruity on first application, but after a fairly long drydown, it goes to a very woody-oriental accord which is both warm and soothing. The spices in the heart note boost this effect slightly. The early stages have a lot of sillage, but even after it dries down a while it retains a moderate projection. Maybe not for office wear, but in situations where deeper, firmer scents are welcome, this is nice.

I share the same sentiment with other reviewers of Purple Patchouli that it is a strange and bizarre fragrance. Violet and Patcholi notes come through strongly. The Patchouli is definitely there. I enjoy wearing this fragrance; it is very potent and long lasting (9+ hours) on me through it's various stages - spicy, floral, woody, etc. It's not always the first fragrance I reach for, but I do wear it on occasion and I think it's extremely well crafted. It is definitely a fragrance to try (maybe even twice) before you buy.

Easily the strangest of Tom Ford's Private Blends.Like, White Patchouli (Mr. Ford's mainstream womans fragrance) this scent features very little patchouli and much more bizarre accords. Decomposing fruit, fizzy and sweet violet notes (not barbershop oriented, rather something confectionery). Smell yoursefl one minute and it's dark, brooding and formal. The very next minute, the scent has moved to floral, bright and effervescent. Then, a whiff of woods and patchouli. Slightly chypre-ish in nature. I detect very little sillage from this scent and it has poor longevity. A very fun (and expensive) journey, if you're up for it.

Candied violets and patchouli? Yep, that's what you'll get with Tom Ford's Purple Patchouli! Must say that I love it though, and find the patchouli base to be just the right potency.

I didn't know what to expect when I purchased this, the name just sounded yummy. The opening is something floral and sparkly, which I can only assume is the orchid accord melding sweetly with it citrus counterpart. The two of them linger for 45 minutes or so until succumbing to the amber and Peru balsam. The funny thing I get with this scent is an ever present honey note. It's not, “knock your hat off ninja in the face” like Serge's Miel de bois or anything. It just makes the fragrance surprising and charming in its dry down. I can't say that the fragrance vanishes; more that I forget it's there until I move and catch it by surprise. Make sense? And, that quick hello is soft, human and lovely in its greeting. It's subtle and I think modern, unlike the Peace & Patchouli of Haight and Ashbury, San Francisco.

This one's just bizarre. Fascinating, yes, but definitely bizarre. It is, I imagine, something that a Goth dandy might wear with an Adam Ant-esque outfit, lacy cravat and all. Very sweet at first, with a dark and woody, violet-strewn path to go down after that.As fascinating as I find it, though, I cannot honestly say that I'd pay the price that Ford wants for this little gem. For a complex take on patchouli, I can do far better in terms of cost.

Candied violets (huh? must be the orchid) with some "fresh and clean" hygiene product/men's cologne notes. Where's the patchouli? Where's the skank bloggers are talking about? Nothing at all like the appealing list of notes. Seems faint and fleeting too, not that I mind.