VAN CLEEF & ARPELS Collection Extraordinaire Moonlight Patchouli Eau de Parfum

To my nose more feminine, of Chanel-like silky smooth quality, almost a toned down version of Coromandel with a generous but not overbearing dollop of rose added. It is a peculiar mix of elegant, clean and sexy. Immensely wearable, great longevity, feels skillfully blended with quality ingredients. --After spending another day with it: during the long drydown it becomes cleaner and more unisex, and I am reminded of Egoiste's rosewood but quieter and of smoother texture. It stays similarily lush and sophisticated through all stages, rare and beautiful!

I tried this on at Neiman Marcus and feel in love with it, so much so I tracked it down on line and found a tester at a really reasonable price. Well, after wearing it for a week, my love lessened to a solid like. This is good quality stuff, it just wears odd. As heavy and potent as it starts, it quickly becomes a skin scent. A rich heavy skin scent, but a skin scent none the less, as the projection is minimal. I like my scent to project enough where I can smell it on me, and this fall short.
How does it smell? it starts almost like David Yurman Limited Edition - a heavy leathery rose note. It softens down to a sweet chocolatey concoction, then it dries further to a sweet fruity patchouli that slightly resembles a very tame Black Orchard. A patchouli fan will be left wanting more as the patchouli is soft, very nice, very sophisticated and beautiful, but weak. Expertly blended, expensive smelling and overall very nice, just too tame for me. Also as a side note, this one tilts slightly feminine IMO. Not a good blind buy but an interesting one to check out.

Moonlight Patchouli is a very sensual Patchouli fragrance. It's my second fragrance from the VCnA Niche line after Ambre Imperial and so far 2 for 2. Very nice fragrances. This one starts with a slightly sweetish Patchouli note, the cacoa I am assuming but the Sweetness fades as the Patchouli remains to be joined by a fantastic floral heart. Dry, vibrant rose and a dewey sort of iris. I guess this is the " Moonlight" part. You could visualise walking to meet a lover for a moonlit tryst in a garden grotto with night blooming flowers softly scenting the air. The base is a mild fruity leather note but the fragrance is so weak at that point, it is barely discernable.

Projection on this fragrance is soft, it comes and goes, softly wafting in the air around you just when you think it's gone. Longevity is good, stays on my skin for about 6-7 hours. This is not a attention grabbing , statement frag. This is a slow burn frag ideal for close encounters of the romantic kind or Any occasion where someone, hopefully romantically inclined, is in close proximity to you. So dates and nights out for dinner are good fits. Another winner has gone into my night fragrance rotation. If you want a beautifully done Patchouli, a far cry from the usual Middle eastern Rose Patch blends, look no further. I just went ahead and ordered a Full bottle of this.

I usually don't like patchouli (nauseating), but I love this scent.
It's very familiar. It smells exactly like a person who just came home from the outside (this outdoor air smell) wearing a suede jacket and still smelling just a little bit of a floral fragrance he used in the morning.

Soft, herbal patchouli.

Green & herbal musky patchouli, supported by a soft rose note, & made richer with a lightly-spicy suede/leather accord.

Calm, soft, & charming.

Moonlight Patchouli is an accurate name. This is feels romantic & attractive. It is what you would want to wear on a moonlit walk, on a cool night, in a garden.

Possibly the best patchouli I've smelled, along with Al Jazeera 18K.

"Love"!