Earthy familyBase note
Patchouli
Patchouli is a base note from the earthy family: dark, slightly sweet cellar warmth, the most recognisable earthy note.
- 01Family
- Earthy
- 02Pyramid
- Base
- 03Best seasons
- Autumn, Winter
- 04Type
- Note
What does patchouli smell like?
Patchouli: dark, slightly sweet cellar warmth, the most recognisable earthy note.
From our page: Earthy fragrance familyIs patchouli a top, heart or base note?
Patchouli is a base note.
- Top15 minutes to 2 hours
- HeartHour 1 to hour 5
- Base4 to 12+ hours
Earthy fragrances are among the longest lasting of any family because oakmoss, patchouli, and vetiver are heavy base materials that cling to skin and fabric.
From our page: Earthy fragrance familyBase notes are the memory: they are what lingers on a coat hours after you took it off.
From our page: Top, Middle, Base: How the Notes Pyramid Actually WorksWhat does patchouli pair with?
Cocoa and chocolate pair naturally with patchouli and red fruits.
Named partners
Also in the earthy family
The earthy family bridges to
Read more about patchouli
EducationThe Fragrance Families, Decoded: From Chypre to GourmandA complete guide to the eight fragrance families with named examples from Tom Ford, Mancera, and Diptyque. For fragrance buyers who want clarity, not poetry.
Discovery20 Best Winter Perfumes for Women (2026)The best winter perfumes for women: 20 amber, gourmand, smoky and warm floral picks, from Baccarat Rouge 540 to Mon Guerlain, with notes from each house.
Find the perfumes built around patchouli.
Fragnatique reads every perfume down to its notes and scores it against your own taste, with the reason behind each match written out. Start from a note you love and let the app do the narrowing.