Woody

Imagine walking through damp earth after rain, then crushing dried autumn leaves in your hands. That's patchouli's essence: earthy, almost animalic, with a subtle sweetness lurking underneath. It smells vaguely like rich soil mixed with dried tobacco and a whisper of chocolate. There's a dark, slightly musty quality—think opening an antique wooden chest. It's grounding and intensely aromatic, never delicate. Fresh patchouli has peppery brightness; aged patchouli becomes deeper, warmer, almost leather-like.

Smoky & Earthy

Rotten egg is a deliberately unpleasant, sulphurous smell—imagine the acrid, mineral stench of a badly blocked drain or the sharp, choking odour released when you crack open a genuinely spoiled egg. It's pungent and vaguely metallic, with a burnt, almost industrial edge. In fragrance, it's subtle enough to avoid literal nastiness, instead lending an intriguing, slightly dirty quality—like smoke mixed with something alchemical and vaguely forbidden. It's challenging, not comforting.