East African Black Patchouli

[boomtownrat]

Smokier and woodier than her Red cousin, East African Black Patchouli is rich, passionate, and earthy, possessing a unique, distinctive elegance.

East African Black Patchouli makes me feel like writing more poetry and drinking more hot tea instead of coffee and shopping at farmer's markets more often and burning candles every night. It will be perfect for layering with all sorts of things, but wear it alone and you can have that alluring yet unassuming world-traveler vibe. No head shop patchouli could hope to compare.

In the bottle and when it's wet on my skin, East African Black Patchouli smells like a less sweet #occupywallstreet, which itself is practically a single note on me. As it dries, East African Black Patchouli softens into a more subtle patch that I believe to be the same as the one that's in Banshee Beat and Feed Me and Fill Me with Pleasure.

This is indeed smokier and woodsier than Sumatran Red Patchouli, and considerably more intense on me. I have a sensory impression of Black as earth after a rain, whereas Red is dry like the bark of a cedar tree. Yeah, I just said Black is woodsier, but this is more of a synaesthesia effect. Red is the sister who likes the sun and Black is the sister who would rather spend her time in autumnal, darkly overcast days.

This was already a thick, rich, almost sweet patchouli on the same day it arrived, so I know it's going to be phenomenal as it ages. It's certainly hoard-worthy if you're so inclined and able. Edited August 2, 2013 by cupide430

[ladymeag]

Oh, my. This is very sexy as far as I'm concerned.

 

In the bottle: Very deep, earthy patchouli. But not sharp like the Sumatran Red.

 

On Me: Wet it's very strong and very woodsy. As it dries, it picks up more woods and a little pepper. My spouse described this as a "peppered whiskey barrel." At full dry-down it's very earthy and woodsy patchouli. No sharpness at any point, which is usually where patchouli fails me. I would also highly recommend layering this with French Tobacco Single Note, if you have it - it's an amazing combination.

 

On My Spouse: Wet it's very peppery and earthy. As it dries down it picks up a little more woods but it also picks up a sweetness. At full dry down it's like sweet woodsmokey peppery patchouli. My spouse described full dry down as "patchouli-scented heavily peppered mango chutney but in the most fantastic way."

 

I'm glad I bought two bottles - if it's this good fresh, I can only imagine what it will be like months or years from now, as it should age about the same way the patchouli in Sin does.

[Poenari]

After my Sumatran Red Patchoulipaloozapurchasing I had to limit myself to buying two bottles of this, but they will have to suffice. I had no choice but to order East African Black Patchouli because I'm a patchouli ho, as you all know, and as it turns out, I'm thrilled that it ended up this way!

 

 

This is definitely the patchouli that is in #occupy, no doubt about it. This patchouli is dark, woodsy, very earthy, and a great substitute for when I finally run out of #ows. I also think this is the patchouli that is used in Samhain and I also feel like this is the one in my beloved Tricksy (but OctoberGwen may disagree with me on this point .) To me, it isn't the same patch as in Banshee Beat, although perhaps that is because the vanilla sweetens BB up on me. This definitely lacks the sweetness of the Sumatran Red Patchouli on my skin. I am glad I got two bottles, but even more glad that I went bottle-crazy on Sumatran Red Patchouli, as that one is absolute perfection. This one is a great patchouli that will layer well with other scents, but is not as special to me. It's more like the typical patchouli essential oil that you can buy. I am happy with it because I love all patchoulis, but this one doesn't surpass Sumatran Red.

 

edited to add something else I forgot: This oil is pale yellow, does not leave a stain.

Edited August 3, 2013 by Poenari

[mymymai]

ITB: The patchouli here is smoky and reminds me a bit of coffee. It's much more pleasant than I had anticipated.

 

Wet: Yes, that's nice. It's smoky as before, but now with a luscious earthiness.

 

Dry: The scent is now earthy and black with a touch of resin. It's nice and would be great layered with a rose single note.

[VioletChaos]

In The Bottle: Yes, definitely more smoky and woodsy than the Red. I concure that this is the same Patch that was in #occupywallstreet. I love that scent, but frequently have found myself feeling disappointed when wearing it because what I *really* wanted was THIS. Just pure, unadulterated deep, black patchouli.

 

 

Wet On Skin: That dirt-after-the-rains thing that bootownrat described? Oh YEAH. Like, in SPADES. Very rich, very earthy. Still smoky and just...

 

Dry Down: Agreed: This isn't hippy/ trustafarian/ head shop patchouli. This is deep and primal and haunting. I might trade all my other bottles of patchouli EVER just to get some more of this- because clearly, ONE back up bottle will *not* be enough.

 

In All: Years and years ago, I had a box of dried patchouli. It was a combination of leaves and roots twisted together into little bundles. The idea was that you could take a bundle and, say, put it in your sock drawer or a special trunk. Everything within the same area would gets it's beautiful, loam-y, dark-rich scent. That's what this is. Like distilling every summer and autumn rainstorm- the wind, the wet, the mineral-rich ground- and bottling it.

 

I can't even imagine how this can improve with age.

 

:wub:

Edited August 9, 2013 by VioletChaos

[HerbGirl]

Just got mine in the mail today...divine. I love the red but this is my patchouli. This must be the patch that's in Goblin and #ows. Love.

 

ETA: I was surprised at how thin this oil is.

Edited August 10, 2013 by Herb Girl

[Jennifurious]

Oh my word. This is EXACTLY what I want from patchouli. If you were in love with Feed Me and Fill Me with Pleasure, you will be head over heels for this as well. I have never been a multiple bottle purchaser, but I don't want to live in a world where running out of this gorgeousness is a possibility. Sexy, sophisticated, and totally hoard-worthy.

[JazzieCazzie]

Got myself a decant in the most recent decantapalooza.

 

IN THE IMP: It's times like these that I realize that words I use to describe scents are probably YMMV. And times like these I wish, again, that BPAL would create some awesome weekend-long "fantasy camp" where we could learn to sniff and define and make blends. But I digress ... To ME, the word that came to mind was "sharp." Yet the true patchouli experts on this thread are all saying that it's not sharp, but rather smoky and woody. ... *sigh* ... my words that came to mind were "sharp," "powerful" and then slightly foody.

 

Dabbed on one wrist and into the crook of one arm (double-barreled with another scent on the other arm).

 

WET: REALLY strong. Very true patchouli, though slightly less "nursery school paste" (disclaimer: I LIKE nursery school paste scent). In fact, when first applied, I assumed I'd put this in the swap pile because it was SO strong and sharp.

 

DRYDOWN: It dried quickly and really mellowed out to more headshop (disclaimer: I also REALLY LIKE headshop scent). So to me, the best way I could describe this is a nice, mellow, headshoppy woodsy scent.

 

OVERALL: I think what I have learned from getting the SNs of this and the Sumatran Red (why do I feel like I'm talking about ... something else from my youth ... when I use these terms?) is that I love patchouli as a note in a blend but not as much alone. I don't think I'd wear this alone. And I don't think I'd buy a big bottle. But it's NOT going into the swap pile ... rather, it's something I'd use to layer/blend/offset some other scents that might play nicely with the patchouli.

 

On a scale of 1-5, a 3.5

[milo]

Earthy and gritty. Not as smooth as the red one. This one is a more dirty Tricksy to me. I like to try the SN's but prefer my patch blended. This is the same patch as in OWS.

[livingdead71]

Ok, this is the patchouli that works on me. The Sumatran Red does not. It's super smoky in the imp. Wet on the skin, I recognize it as that smooth, dark note that blends really well with sweet notes that I love. I'm not always great at picking out notes, but I think this is the patchouli used in two favorites of mine, Haute Macabre and Goblin Sack. This is becoming very cola like on my skin as it dries. I will definitely treasure my imp, and might even track down a bottle.

[sunshinedaisybliss]

First up - thank you to the very lovely bheansidhe for picking up a bottle of this for me at Dragon*Con

 

So as some of you may know, I am a big fan of patchouli. When the Sumatran Red Patchouli SN came out, I was more excited than Charlie Sheen at a strip club.. and I bought - err - a few bottles. Then lo and behold out comes East African Black! So of course, I had to give this one a try as well

 

In my experience with various patchouli oils - both BPAL and not - the black variety is not really my favourite, it usually goes a tad bitter on my skin. And so it is with this one - when I first slapped it on, I leaned in for a big whiff and got a nose full of sharp, bitter patchouli fumes. So I left it alone for a while... half an hour later, the acrid tones have mellowed out but the smokiness definitely remains and a nice earthy/woodsy vibe has developed. It's good, but I'm not loving it, and it lacks the impact that the Red has on me... this has far less throw. I do recognise this black patchouli from #OWS, and Goblin, and a couple of other blends too - and I loved it in the mix with those, but it's not so great on its own for me... it needs something to sweeten it up a bit. I know it's kind of unfair to compare the Red to the Black, since they're.. you know.. different and all - but I'm doing it anyway

 

For me, the Sumatran Red wins this race hands down - it's kickass but also warm and cuddly and voluptuous and smooth, where this East African Black is kickass in a slap-your-face harsh and sharp way. And whilst they definitely both have my beloved stinky hippy thing going on... Sumatran Red is the kind of hippy who takes you back to his cosy cabin in the forest to smoke some bowls, listen to Pink Floyd and make pancakes - East African Black is the kind of hippy who takes you back to his van in the trailer park, puts LSD in your hot chocolate and makes you listen to all his Beatles records played backwards.

[violetblue]

For me, the Sumatran Red wins this race hands down - it's kickass but also warm and cuddly and voluptuous and smooth, where this East African Black is kickass in a slap-your-face harsh and sharp way. And whilst they definitely both have my beloved stinky hippy thing going on... Sumatran Red is the kind of hippy who takes you back to his cosy cabin in the forest to smoke some bowls, listen to Pink Floyd and make pancakes - East African Black is the kind of hippy who takes you back to his van in the trailer park, puts LSD in your hot chocolate and makes you listen to all his Beatles records played backwards.

So much this, lol!!!

[zankoku_zen]

Deep, earthy, gritty patchouli.

[waternight]

Yup - deep, earthy, gritty, rooty, dry. Loooooooooove. This puppy sticks around for a good while, too, and without morphing. Some days I just want to huff straight-up patchouli, and this is perfect for that. I will definitely use my decant, and may even have to track down a bottle.

[symbiosis]

Definitely has a smoky quality to it until about an hour into the drydown, when it mellows out. It's like storing a bunch of earth in a cigar box, but once you dump the dirt out and leave it in the air for several minutes, the smoke smell goes away and you're left with something woody and rich and deep and dark. Oh, it's definitely dark, and gorgeous.

 

I haven't tried the Red Patch (but I think I will have to hunt down a bottle now) but I LOVE layering with this patch. If I have a blend that's just a little too sweet or floral on me, I'll layer it with an equal amount of East African Black Patchouli and it'll turn into the most awesome, mellowed-out blend. Definitely a hoardable scent for layering.

[porcelina]

i was worried that i'd ruined east african black patchouli for myself, because one day i spilled about 1/4 of the bottle all over me and, as i was already running late, did not have time to properly wash it all off (i did what i could with hand sanitizer in the car ). BUT! i shouldn't have worried because this is a gorgeous patchouli. there is a smoky tinge to it and this is one of the darkest, deepest, earthiest patchoulis i have ever smelled. it is really something else. i agree with the reviewers above me that this is the patchouli in #occupywallstreet, which i am very happy about because i LOVE that particular blend (i have two bottles). this could be amazing for layering but also smells fantastic on its own, and i think it would be a nice patchouli for a guy, too (i may have to try it on my husband!).

[Aveya]

This is God. This is like, patchouli dreams. I can't believe I haven't reviewed it yet.

 

My bottles (Yeah maybe I hoarded these a tad!) have aged a touch, and the caps are getting thick and sticky. Which is exactly how this smells. Wet, rich, deep, gritty, pungent. This is Depraved's patchouli. Almost every amazing BPAL patch scent is in this bottle. NOM.

 

This has throw, staying power, it gets almost spicy on my skin. I'm constantly trying to re-create "Depraved" versions with creams and fruits. Gonna be trying this and Bitches Love Unicorns soon. Yeah. That'll be a disaster or amazing.

 

In any case - this is thick, sweet, dirty, sexy patchouli.

Edited December 15, 2018 by Aveya

[Lucchesa]

When I started out with BPAL, patchouli was a note I rigorously avoided. Now I've come to love it. And thanks to hugely generous frimpage from a forumite who will remain nameless but is right above me in this thread, I get to try out both East African black and Sumatran red patch, straight up. This is the one that scares me more. It's deep, dark, primal, earthy. Not for the faint of heart. If you're patchouli-avoidant, this is not going to be your gateway patch. There's a bitterness on initial application, but after an hour or so it softens into something rich and almost, but not quite, sweet. It's amazing, and I am so glad, and grateful, to have my decant.