Tempo Eau de Parfum

All too often, patchouli scents seem to be apologizing for their star ingredient. "It's patchouli, " the refrain goes, "but it's not hippie patchouli." Tempo, the wonderful new patchouli scent from Diptyque, defies such simple-minded rejection- after all, it's explicitly inspired by 60's counterculture- but those fearing unbearably thick earthiness and lack of nuance will surely be delighted by Tempo's complex, gorgeous subtlety, which weds three distinct types of patchouli to a perfectly balanced mix of mate and violet, delivering a scent both unapologetically patchouli-driven, yet undeniably sophisticated. By building around a carefully calibrated mix of three sustainably-sourced, ethically-harvested varieties of Indonesian patchouli, Olivier Pescheux delivers a patchouli accord that celebrates all facets of the material: earthy, woodsy, spicy and sweet, all balanced against one another with subtle elegance. This careful balance is further enhanced with lively, green