It has the impetuousness of a sparkling wine, the elegance of a festive decoration, the savours of a well-filled table. It is the promise of a festive Christmas, a happy end to the year. It all begins with top citrus notes and the sparkle of grapefruit zest. Then, the floral heart of rose and lily-of-the-valley blossoms, subtly stirred by the sweetness of patchouli. Lastly, the finale: the effervescence of an exquisite nectar, the passion of a mellow musk. The sparkle is created by the contrast between the zesty notes and the sweet notes, but it is patchouli which gives it this festive heart. A plant originating from Indonesia, patchouli was introduced into perfumes in the middle of the 19th century. It suffered for a long time from the nefarious reputation of the fake social elite, who particularly loved it for its mellowness. It was much later, in the 1960s/1970s, that patchouli, acclaimed by the hippies, was raised to the status of an olfactory icon and has since symbolised exoticism, liberty and sensuality!