What Is French Avenue Iris Patchouli a Dupe Of?

Iris Patchouli is a clone of Iris Empire

French Avenue Iris Patchouli is a clone of Carolina Herrera Iris Empire. Both profiles bring together cinnamon and davana, iris and violet, then leather and patchouli. It's a pretty specific match on paper, with warm spice and a darker base around the flowers.

We rate the similarity at 82%. That's enough of a connection for us to put it on the shortlist if Iris Empire is the fragrance you're looking to explore through an alternative.

The shared notes go beyond iris

Iris Patchouli follows the same broad structure as Iris Empire: cinnamon and davana at the top, then iris and violet at the heart. That combination is the place we'd start a comparison. Give each sample a little time, then notice how much of the opening spice stays around the flowers.

Iris Empire's description puts orris alongside violet before moving into leather and patchouli. French Avenue lists iris and violet in the same part of its pyramid. If you like iris with some warmth and depth behind it, those shared details explain why this pair is worth a look.

Leather, patchouli and resins underneath

Both catalog bases include leather, patchouli, benzoin and olibanum. Iris Empire also names chocolate. That extra note is worth keeping in mind, though a note list alone doesn't tell us how sweet either fragrance will smell or how strongly one detail will come through.

We'd compare the balance as the samples settle: how much attention do the flowers get, and how much goes to the leather and resins? If one part of Iris Empire is your favorite, that's the part to focus on when deciding whether Iris Patchouli works for you.

Who should try Iris Patchouli?

Our 82% rating makes this a reasonable starting point for an Iris Empire alternative. We'd also consider it if the combination of iris, cinnamon, leather and patchouli appeals to you in its own right.

Both note profiles are below, along with the exact product pages and eligible retailer offers. Keep the full Iris Patchouli name in view when shopping; French Avenue has plenty of other bottles with very different reference scents.