Farmacia S.S Annunziata Patchouly Indonesiano

Following on from my previous post, another patchouli perfume sample I ordered fairly recently is Patchouly Indonesiano. I know next to nothing about Farmacia S.S Annunziata and the name is so long-winded that this is the last time I will type it!

The notes, according to Luckyscent, include patchouli from Indonesia. Yip, that's it, although I expect there is other stuff in there, of course. Because I wore this at the same time as Patchouli Noir, I couldn't help but compare the two fragrances. The opening is startlingly different to any other patchouli fragrance I have encountered. The first time I wore it, I kept on thinking I could smell some sort of bug spray or insecticide, so strong and camphorous was this. The patchouli is bone dry, with an initial smell of rum or cognac. I wouldn't say that it starts intense, but it leaves, as I said, a very austere smell in its wake, and I can see what Luckyscent mean when they say it smells medicinal.

The heart continues in much the same vein. At one point the intensity of that camphorous note comes across like eacalyptus, resinous even. This fragrance does not sweeten at all and remains somewhat aloof. In the dry down Patchouly Indonesiano does lose its intensity and becomes milder, but at no point can I say it is an accommodating perfume. Kudos to it - it is unlike any other patchouli fragrance I have tried, and I have tried a good few. However, it is close to off putting to me, but like a lot of good perfumes, it teeters on the line between compelling and repulsive, leaving you wanting to discover just that little bit more about it.

I find Patchouli Noir a more wearable fragrance and I could see myself reaching for it more often were I to own a bottle, but Patchouly Indonesiano wins hands down for originality.

Image credit - http://www.luckyscent.com/