Patchouli Ink

Montblanc breaks Patchouli Ink down into three stages: bergamot at the top, an ink accord at the center, patchouli at the base. The house pairs it with a white musk and vanilla.

What the perfumer says

Fabrice Pellegrin considers ink an entirely abstract scent, made of animalic and mineral notes. He says he built his accord by combining cool, dark mineral notes with animalic, honeyed notes.

He adds that the velvety feel of the paper comes through floral notes of violet wood and mimosa, and that he wanted to convey the pure elegance of calligraphy in ink.

What the label declares

Behind the alcohol, fragrance and water, the ingredient list names alpha-isomethyl ionone, linalool, limonene, cinnamyl alcohol, isoeugenol, citral and eugenol.

It also names two ultraviolet filters, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate and butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane, three colorants, yellow CI 19140, red CI 14700 and violet CI 60730, and an antioxidant, BHT.

What the list adds

The three colorants tint the juice. Alpha-isomethyl ionone, with its powdery violet smell, echoes the violet wood the perfumer cites, and eugenol and isoeugenol add a spicy nuance. The patchouli, the vanilla and the ink accord remain blended under the word fragrance.