Collection Extraordinaire

Moonlight Patchouli Van Cleef & Arpels 2016

Moonlight Patchouli by Van Cleef & Arpels

Bottle Design Carré Basset

See Prices

We may earn a commission when you buy from links on our site, including the eBay Partner Network and Amazon.

See Prices

8.1 / 10 406 Ratings

A popular perfume by Van Cleef & Arpels for women and men, released in 2016. The scent is floral-earthy. It is being marketed by Inter Parfums.
Pronunciation

We may earn a commission when you buy from links on our site, including the eBay Partner Network and Amazon.

Main accords

Floral

Earthy

Leathery

Woody

Spicy

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Pink pepper

Bergamot

Heart Notes

Rose

Iris

Base Notes

Patchouli

Suede

Perfumer

Sonia Constant

Ratings

Scent

8.1406 Ratings

Longevity

7.7342 Ratings

Sillage

7.1342 Ratings

Bottle

8.2333 Ratings

Value for money

7.3111 Ratings

Submitted by OPomone, last update on 25.04.2024.

Interesting Facts

The fragrance is part of the "Collection Extraordinaire" collection.

Reviews

19 in-depth fragrance descriptions

12/28/2020

9
Bottle 7
Sillage 8
Longevity 8.5
Scent

Pollita
224 Reviews

Translated Show original

Pollita

Top Review 58

Delicate elegance

She's so different from the others. Yes, she likes to dig in the ground, but she plants beautiful flowers all the time. Instead of a self-batiked cotton dress, she prefers to wear an elegant little black dress in her hippie commune, even if she sometimes gets funny looks. And whenever she's out with her friends from the goth scene, she always stands out from the black coats as if she were a motley dog.

This is Moonlight Patchouli. So very different from anything I've sniffed so far in the context of patch scents. The earthy patchouli note is so subtly integrated into the dark red rose and the dry, very slightly powdery iris, that it is actually only to be guessed. If the name wasn't emblazoned boldly on the bottle (or in my case, on the sample), I wouldn't have believed this was supposed to be a patchouli scent at first. And even one that has patchouli in the name. Unbelievable! I was expecting a delicate frankincense or myrrh scent with beautifully incorporated floral notes and a hint of leather. But patchouli? BUT PATCHOULI? Patchouli I am only able to recognize when I know it, what we are dealing with here.

To all of you who can't stand patchouli at all because it's too earthy, too goth, or too hippie-esque. You absolutely have to try Moonlight Patchouli! Here you'll get to know a patch scent (or at least the inkling of a patch scent) that might even win you over. To patchouli lovers in the classic sense. Hands off! You will certainly find it awful.

Patchouli or not. This is a very fine fragrance. For my nose next to my Bois d'Iris one of the most beautiful of the brand. He is delicate, elegant, refined and I see him, especially by the intense rose note, a bit more on the feminine side. I think of a little black dress or other more dressy wardrobe with this fragrance and can imagine it wonderful for going out. Since it's not an intrusive, loudly roaring sillage monster, I'm sure it would fit nicely in a business setting in subtle doses. Classically in a suit or pantsuit and a touch of Moonlight Patchouli. Why not?

For myself, he is eliminated due to the quite dominant rose notes, yet I sniff him really very much.

Many thanks to the dear MadameLegras for the test opportunity.

04/05/2019

7
Bottle 6
Sillage 7
Longevity 7.5
Scent

Meggi
212 Reviews

Translated Show original

Meggi

Top Review 32

You poor girl from the choir

"Hupfdohle" - a rather spiteful expression, especially since those who are disparagingly mistaken often enough "can" much more (at least rarely less!) than the star they accompany. With "Du armes Girl vom Chor" the Comedian Harmonists have set a sounding monument for all of them, which I unfortunately only found online in a strangely reverberant, apparently unhappily reworked version (youtube.com/watch?v=NqOPgta_bNk). There is possibly an even more beautiful, melancholic and intimate version of the King's Singers on their record "A Tribute to the Comedian Harmonists" (youtube.com/watch?v=tJdHiCfgzk0), a celebration for friends of the - or the! - legendary ensembles.

Patchouli must feel like a honking jackdaw in this fragrance. Already the prelude is very rosy. The patchouli just grounds a bit and is allowed to polish the spines of the queen of flowers. And although the indications no. 2 and 3 of the top note could offer a formal reinforcement, because they simply name further, quite perceptible aspects of Patchouli, it remains a minor role. A leather appearance - again from the patchouli corner, of course - appears within a few minutes. It is helped by an oily-tarry rose twist of the kind that also unfolds a closeness to leather in other fragrances. The star introduces the dancers? Again nothing with the first row.

Soon it will be possible to diagnose "fruits" as dutifully as possible, at any rate there is a mild, obscene mixture. I can first fantasize into red berries and apricots. A little later, I think about banana, then starfruit. New Caledonian Fur-Flabuttts and Hudsonbay-Knickapfel could be mentioned. In other words: The aforementioned mixture does not give the impression of a diffuse general fruit mix, but I imagine a multitude of picturesque, small spots of individual aroma nuances. In front, however, there is a dark, lush, still almost tarry rose. The Patcholi hands her servil a light leather glove.

The progress is - not surprisingly - clearly dominated by floral elements. The rose has become softer. Iris is ventilation rather than an independent component. Much more urgent is a thought of jasmine, supposedly a common addition to rose scents of a more classic cut anyway.

Well, I inevitably end up with the rose. The Patchouli has tried it with wood, leather, Meinetwegen cocoa and finally even Ansatz-Erdigem. And yet the audience stares (and smells) only at the main actress.

Some hours later, it has become quieter, the girl from the choir enters the stage again - alone. The first steps are hesitant, playful, finally they become more courageous: an elegant, soft leather. Gently breathed by a floral memory, just as the aura of a celebrated diva can be felt long after the last curtain has fallen in the hall.

I thank Ergoproxy for the sample.

10/13/2018

8
Bottle 7
Sillage 8
Longevity 8.5
Scent

Serenissima
608 Reviews

Translated Show original

Serenissima

Top Review 28

the magic of the moon

After all the not very pleasant experiences with Patchouli fragrances (I already reported about it), I only dared carefully to try "Moonlight Patchouli".
What would expect me here again?

Van Cleef & Arpels didn't disappoint me this time either!
With "Moonlight Patchouli" from the "Collection Extraordinaire", a fragrance matching the name was created.
Only a few scents were necessary; the beauty of minimalism can also be seen here.
Here was a woman at work, you can tell!

"Moonlight Patchouli" unfolds its magic immediately: Patchouli and some exquisite woods enter into a harmonious liaison.
From these woods the spice of the cedar is clearly released; cedar and patchouli are a dream couple for my senses. The other woods step back a bit; I can't determine them, but I'm sure that every nuance has been set consciously here.
So also cocoa, the earthy depth of the this time silver shining Patchoulis still underlines.
Iris and Rose enter the night stage now - two beauties from the world of flowers that have no equal.
Even if Iris irritates me sometimes, she is here, against this woody-earthy background, brilliantly dosed and cleverly interwoven with the magic of roses.
Already now "Moonlight Patchouli" captivates by a rare grace; even if it has not played out its complete charm yet.
This unfolds through a leather combination of extraordinary elegance.
The fineness of the noble suede leather gains a little in strength by an added coarser leather note.
This means that this fragrance is no longer quite as fragile, as transparent as it would be without this addition.
A fruit cocktail, which I don't want to define exactly, but which contains exactly what is missing now, puts the "icing on the cake" on this fragrance that has become a dream.
An elegant fragrance is self-confident.

Durability and fragrance are so skilfully combined that wonderful subtle changes occur as time goes on. Usually you will find a delicate floral-spicy touch even after hours, sometimes even the next morning.

"Moonlight Patchouli" contains all the magic of the moon in its classic bottle.
It is a walk in a velvety night marked by earthy spice and flowery elegance.
The moon stands full and shining over powerfully fragrant coniferous woods. A broad path of silver light leads to the earth.
Gleißend and vibrant, the power of the moon is transmitted to the rhythm of life as a whole.
His mysterious and clearly perceptible pulse has guided the tidal changes of the oceans, the cycle of life and not least that of us women for ages.
It is not without reason that the days around the full moon are called "bitch days"; in us women this magical power is very present.

And please don't forget: "La Luna" is a woman, a goddess!
Van Cleef & Arpels pay homage to her with "Moonlight Patchouli"!

03/08/2020

9
Bottle 7
Sillage 8
Longevity 8.5
Scent

TruuMax
69 Reviews

Translated Show original

TruuMax

Top Review 21

Harry Potter

My first reaction to Moonlight Patchouli was "Wow."

I am anyway a fan of Van Cleef and Arpels fragrances, which in my opinion almost without exception release super unique and yet not negatively rated fragrances with predominantly good performance...

Just my favorite fragrance Midnight in Paris was a prime example during my lifetime.

But now for my evaluation...

The smell makes me think of Harry Potter all the time. A nice, friendly, almost fresh and fruity start, beautifully floral bergamot underlined by very gentle peppercorns and a nice portion of mysticism is spread by the patchouli and the soft, clean leather... So beautifully pure, innocent and charming is the fragrance. Almost like the first Harry Potter pieces. Not serious and grown up to the blood, but young and yet not immature
After about 1 1/2 hours the whole thing continues with a flowery green appearance. Well perceptible, more grown up and still so beautiful dreamy. A lot of tea-like powdery iris with some wood, light moss associations and a rising rose.

So it stays for 3-4 hours until the roses, leather, patchouli mixture slowly takes the stage. The one between the stages is the best for me. It reminds me of the Order of the Phoenix, when everyone is not quite grown up yet but also no longer children. The first disappointments and experiences have taken away their youthful naivety, without taking away their lightness. After all, the fragrance does not obsessively scream for attention or need to show off. It is more like lying on the garage roof on a clear summer night with your first love and looking at the stars. So banal and yet so irreplaceable.

After about 8 hours patchouli and leather have completely taken over the field... Not quite so clean, light and young is the whole thing. The so far so constant perceptible sillage is slowly getting very close. Just the final alone could be a leather scent of its own, that's how great the real thing looks. Almost melancholically grown up everything passes you by shortly before disappearing and you only see the credits or lines from the last Harry Potter part in front of you, in which Harry takes his own child to the train on track 9 3/4 towards Hogwarts and can look his old acquaintances from former times after an eternity again in the eyes.
I can only recommend everyone to generally rummage through the Van Cleef and Arpels fragrances. All the ones I had in my hand so far would have been worth their money and often you don't smell them either, strangely enough
Only men with very masculine preferences could have a problem with this. Despite the leather, it's more of a feminine soft scent, which many men will find to be super standing but rather too soft.

The flacons are in a class of their own and definitely do not need to hide anywhere.

Durability is around 8-10 hours, the Sillage never screams, but should be at least 4 hours with everyone still pleasant and clearly perceptible in the room. More would also be absolutely unsuitable for this scent.

12/01/2018

9
Bottle 8
Sillage 4
Longevity 8.5
Scent

UhrMensch
12 Reviews

Translated Show original

UhrMensch

Top Review 22

The finest patchouli this side of the Himalayas

The recipe is simple:
You take
- the finest patchouli you can find, picked at full moon at the foot of the Himalay on a rainy day at exactly 3,5 degrees Celsius
- half a pot full of powder, fine-nosed and noble
- a small pinch of green knife, fresh and only very slightly stabbing
- half a knife tip acidic, please dose with caution
- a glass full of moonlight so that the bearer of this essence may be surrounded by it
- and at the end a touch of sweet, so little that it only flashes lightly in between.

The whole thing is cooked on a low flame in a new moon in a kettle, stirred with a unicorn horn and filled.

The result is a fine, noble, gentle fragrance that caresses its wearer. An exotic, green-powdery symphony that tells the wearer's fellow men about style, charm and charisma on soft soles.

Oh sorceress or magician who knows you are brewing this: the fragrance sells to noble beings, to elves or fairies, male or female.

Thanks for reading,
so that we always smell good.
Lars

More reviews