Top notes: Calabrian bergamot, Sicilian mandarin. Heart notes: coriander, Indonesian patchouli, cedar. Base notes: Indian sandalwood, New Caledonian sandalwood. Perfumer: François Demachy. Year of release: 2011. Patchouli Imperial is patchouli in its most aristocratic manifestation: not dark and damp, but dry, spicy and refined. The citrus flash of bergamot and mandarin quickly gives way to the heart, where coriander adds a dry, almost bready warmth to the composition, and cedar outlines its clear woody frame. Patchouli here does not shout but holds the whole structure — restrained, confident, elegantly in the Dior manner. In the base, Indian and New Caledonian sandalwood soften the spicy dryness, adding a creamy depth to the scent without sweetness. It is a scent from the La Collection Privée line — the prestigious line of the house of Dior, created for those who value perfumery as art, not as an accessory. It sounds equally fitting on both men's and women's skin, while remaining strict and composed.