Top 12 Best Parfums de Marly for Men RANKED

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What are the best Parfums de Marly for men? Well, my friend, the results are now in! Know this…

PDM have no shortage of awesome-smelling niche fragrances for men, but we wanted to separate the wheat from the chaff and give you the absolute “cream of the crop.” So…

We FULLY tested them ALL — and then brutally ranked them. (Revealed below. 🧐)

Yep, we tried and tested 7 from their Les Signatures collection; 3 from their Les Premiers collection; 4 from their Les Exclusifs collection; 3 from their Les Eaux Intenses collection; and 3 from their new Les Extraits collection. And…

For months on end, our diverse panel of testers have collectively worn all 20 of these scents in all sorts of situations, seasons and temperatures.

And then they scored and ranked them according to specified criteria:

• We looked at how good they smelled
• We looked at what season & situation each scent works best in
• We looked at the projection and scent life of each scent
• Oh, and of course — we even looked at the compliment factor! 😎

And finally, we handpicked 12 of the very best and ranked and reviewed them below — all to help you easily discover the best PDM fragrance (and the longest lasting), and to help you find one you will really love.

Allow me to reveal the rankings: (Drumroll, please!)

In a hurry?

Our Top 3 Picks:

• 1. Parfums de Marly Layton
• 2. Parfums de Marly Althair
• 3. Parfums de Marly Sedley

Jump Links

• 11. Parfums de Marly Kalan
• 10. Parfums de Marly Pegasus
• 9. Parfums de Marly Galloway
• 8. Parfums de Marly Godolphin
• 7. Parfums de Marly Oajan
• 6. Parfums de Marly Greenley
• 5. Parfums de Marly Herod
• 4. Parfums de Marly Carlisle
• 3. Parfums de Marly Sedley
• 2. Parfums de Marly Althair
• 1. Parfums de Marly Layton
• Bonus: Parfums de Marly Layton Exclusif
• Layton vs Layton Exclusif
• Who are Parfums de Marly?
• Where to find PDM batch codes

#11 Parfums de Marly Kalan

A Unique, Manly Spicy-Woody Scent

I’ll be straight with you…

PDM Kalan is quite polarizing. So to most people, this is either a love-it or hate-it fragrance. How so? Well, it starts off, how shall I put it, a little challenging.

HOWEVER — it does get better!

You see, this is a complex niche scent, and if you are new to niche perfumery, Kalan will smell unlike any other mass-appealing designer fragrances that you may be familiar with.

So for this reason, my friend, I would highly suggest that you do NOT blind buy Kalan (even though that bright-red matte-finished bottle looks awesome, right?).

My Advice?

Definitely get yourself a sample before you commit to a full bottle, and then try a few FULL wearings to get a “true feel” for the scent. Because once you’re past that divisive opening, you may end up ABSOLUTELY loving Kalan! Like a LOT of other niche fragrance lovers.

With that said, let me quickly break the scent down for you…

Bold & Daring

Kalan opens up loud — with a strong blast of spicy black pepper mixed with a slightly sweet blood orange citrus and an earthy, green undertone.

But before you judge it, my friend, please give it time…

Because after about 15 minutes, it starts to smooth out, and then some woody notes appear with some lavender and a hint of orange blossom sweetness.

And as it develops on your skin, some creamy tonka bean shows up, which adds some more sweetness. (It’s sweet but never overly sweet.)

The end result?

All these notes combine beautifully to give you a bold, manly, sweet-spicy-woody aroma with an earthy, green undertone. And know this…

Mature & Manly

Kalan is a manly scent, so it’s more suited to the mature 30-up crowd. And it can work in all seasons — except in the high summer heat, that is.

And it’s quite versatile, too: Formal, casual, work, dates, special occasions, nights out. And so on. Yeah, but does it last long? Yes, my friend, a LONG time! You see…

Kalan comes as an EDP concentration. And it pushes out for the first 2–3+ hours (so be careful with the sprayer — especially for the office), and then it sits closer to the skin for about 7–10+ hours. No complaints there!

Bottom line:

This is a unique, complex “niche scent” that will NOT be for everyone, so TRY before you buy! (Don’t be saying I never warned you, my friend. 🙂)

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#10 Parfums de Marly Pegasus

Almonds & Vanilla

First things first…

Pegasus is a bittersweet almond fragrance. So if you don’t like the smell of bitter almonds, this is definitely not for you, my friend.

Let’s take a quick smell:

Pegasus opens with a strong blast of sweet vanilla mixed with spicy bitter almond. The result?

This gives you a unique-smelling, slightly powdery, bittersweet creamy almond aroma that has a “metallic-like” quality. And…

As it starts to settle, you get hints of jasmine and lavender creep into the background — adding a gentle clean-airy quality.

And finally…

Delicious Aroma

Some soft creamy sandalwood shows up and joins forces with the vanilla and almond. And the longer it sits on your skin, the fragrance gets deliciously sweeter, warmer, and creamier.

And, unsurprisingly, this delicious aroma racks-up a LOT of random compliments. 😎

The beautiful part?

Pegasus is unisex, so both you AND your significant other can smell delicious!

For Cool Weather

Now, I would say this scent is more suited for the mature 20-up crowd and best worn only in the cooler weather: fall/winter (even cool spring nights). Because, trust me, this gets extremely cloying in the high summer heat — so beware!

And you can rock this dressed up, dressed down, for special occasions, dates, nights out, clubbing (this is where it shines).

And it works GREAT. 🙂

Beautiful Scent Trail

Pegasus is an EDP and projects just more than arm’s length (it’s not a room filler) for the first 3–4 hours — leaving a beautiful scent trail behind you.

After that, it becomes more subtle; creating your own delicious-smelling, personal scent bubble that performs for about 8–10+hours.

Now, just some friendly advice:

My friend, please don’t go crazy with the trigger because if you overspray this, it could become headache-inducing. So if you want to truly enjoy it (and for the other people around you to enjoy it, too) — then less is definitely more!

1–3 sprays MAX, and you’re golden (a few extra for clubbing, of course 🥳).

Oh, and I must add: the chrome, silver-colored bottle looks awesome!

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#9 Parfums de Marly Galloway

An Elegant Fresh & Clean Scent

Galloway is a lighter, fresher offering from the house of Parfum de Marly. But one that is, surprisingly, so slept on!

Let’s take a quick look…

Fresh Peppery Citruses

Galloway opens up with a fresh blast of peppery citruses mixed with a splash of orange blossom sweetness.

Nice.

Now, as it settles… the citruses quickly fade into the background and are replaced with some soft powdery iris and a dose of clean musk and amber.

Put simply, this gives you a sophisticated, fresh spicy and clean musky scent with a powdery woody undertone (even though wood is not an official listed note!). It’s simple — yet elegant!

And the good news…

Super Versatile

Galloway is super versatile: it’s unisex (leaning masculine), and it works in all seasons for all occasions (though, for outdoor use, it performs its best in the spring/summer).

And I would say, this elegant composition is more geared for the mature 20-up crowd. Oh, and by the way, it makes for a GREAT office/work scent (as it’s quite subtle).

And lucky for you:

Great Lasting Power!

Galloway has great lasting power for being a fresh, clean scent. It’s an EDP and projects about an arm’s length for up to the first 2.5 hours. It then sits politely closer to your skin, so if you’re looking for a projection monster, this is not it.

Mind you, it may be subtle, but in our tests, it sometimes lasted up to 8+ hours!

PS: I’m liking that white matte-finished bottle — it looks and feels high-end.

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#8 Parfums de Marly Godolphin

A Fruity Leather Scent

Here’s something curious, my friend:

Godolphin smells very similar to Tom Ford’s Tuscan Leather (which, in itself, smells awesome).

(Isn’t that curious? Hmmm.)

To be clear, though, they are NOT exactly the same. But it’s VERY close.

In fact, so much so that if you already own Tuscan Leather, you do NOT need this.

Now, having said all that, let me say this:

Godolphin vs Tuscan Leather

Godolphin is smoother, sweeter, fruitier, and more herbaceous smelling than Tuscan Leather.

Plus:

Godolphin has some added light floral notes, and it’s not as dark or as loud — making it easier to wear.

Oh, and it’s more affordable, too!

And let’s be honest, that shiny gold-colored Godolphin bottle looks WAY cooler than the TL bottle, right? 🙂

But of course, if you’re not familiar with TF’s Tuscan Leather, then all of this makes no sense! 🤷‍♂️

So let me quickly tell you how Godolphin smells:

Dark Rich Leather

Godolphin opens with a blast of saffron mixed with a sweet candied fruity vibe. And sitting under these notes is a dark, rich leather accord and whispers of green herbal notes.

And as it develops on your skin, you get some hints of soft floral notes. And then, slowly, the leather becomes more pronounced and is joined with a subtle woody undertone.

And finally, you’re left with a spicy woody and smooth-leather scent with sweet fruity nuances in the background.

And make no mistake…

Head Turner

When you rock this in public, people will want to know what you are wearing — it screams quality. Watch heads turn. 🙂

This is unisex (but leans masculine) and more suited for the mature 20-up crowd. And with its deep fruity leather aroma, is best worn in the cooler weather: fall/winter (and VERY cool spring days/nights).

Oh, a quick tip: do NOT rock this is the high summer heat, or you WILL choke people out. Trust me. 🤦‍♂️🤣

Anyways, this is more of a nighttime type of scent: formal, casual, special occasions, upscale events, dates, nights out, clubbing. How long does it last?

Well, Godolphin is an EDP and we found it to project just over arm’s length for the first 2 hours. It then, of course, becomes more subtle but can last up to 8+ hours.

Now, a quick word of caution, my friend:

Less is More

If you overspray this, it will end up wearing YOU. 🤣

Seriously though, I would stick with 1–3 sprays (especially if it’s getting warm outside). As it has the potential to go into the “cloying territory” if you go nuts with the sprayer.

Bottom line:

If you love leather fragrances and/or you want a more affordable, smoother version of Tuscan Leather — then do not sleep on Godolphin.

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#7 Parfums de Marly Oajan

Luscious Cinnamon Apple Pie!

Oajan is a gourmand lover’s dream.

In case you don’t know, “gourmand” is just a genre of fragrances that have an edible-smelling scent profile. Case in point:

Oajan, literally, smells just like a luscious, warm cinnamon apple pie. Yummy!

So needless to say, my friend, if you don’t enjoy edible-smelling scents, then give this a WIDE berth. But if that’s you’re thing, then read on because it doesn’t get much better than this…

Update: Oajan used to be part of PDM’s exclusive, higher-priced Arabian Breed collection. However, the brand recently discontinued that collection. The good news?

Well, I’m happy to report that Oajan, quite rightly, survived and is now in the brand’s Les Signatures collection — so now it’s more affordable!

Note, though: Oajan no longer comes in the big, fancy premium presentation box. And also the brand changed the bottle’s gold-colored cap to a silver-colored cap. (Those gold-colored cap bottles command more money as they are now collectors items.)

Anyway, enough backstory! Let’s take a sniff:

Warm, Sweet Cinnamon & Honey

Oajan opens with a blast of warm cinnamon mixed with a sweet, fruity honey accord.

Now, as it starts to dry down… some creamy vanilla and a touch of powdery tonka bean join the party and all the notes morph beautifully.

The result?

You get that cinnamon apple pie vibe — it’s warm, sweet, rich, dark, and dense.

And, quite simply, it smells mouth-wateringly DELICIOUS!

But be careful, my friend…

Your significant other may want to eat you. 🤣

Warm, Sexy & Sophisticated

Anyways, as it develops, you get a hint of patchouli and some musk, which add some depth and balance the fragrance out — stopping it from becoming overly sweet.

And to be clear, my friend:

It’s NOT a juvenile type of sweetness — it’s dark, complex, and sophisticated. People WILL want to know what you’re wearing. And, as cliche as it sounds, you WILL get noticed.

Complex

Oajan is unisex but leans masculine and will be more appreciated by the mature 20-up crowd. And you can wear this dressed up, dressed down, for dates, parties, nights out, clubbing, romantic situations… you get the idea. 🙂

Oh, and if you want to go to the office smelling of delicious sweet apple pie, then more power to you!

Now, because of Oajan’s rich sweetness, I would politely recommend that you strictly only wear it in cool weather: fall/winter (and very, VERY cool spring nights).

Know this, if you wear this in the high heat, you WILL choke people out (and yourself, too!).

The good news:

A Little Goes a LONG Way

Oajan is an EDP and packs a punch! Trust me, a little goes a LONG way, so be careful not to overspray.

1–3 sprays MAX and you’re good to go!

And I can report, for the first 3 hours it has good projection (but it’s not a room filler), and it leaves a gorgeous scent trail. It then slowly becomes more subtle over time; lasting around a delicious 7–8+ hours.

Bottom line?

If you love deep, sweet complex gourmand scents, then do NOT sleep on Oajan, my friend!

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#6 Parfums de Marly Greenley

Sneaky Good!

I will be straight with you, my friend:

When I first tested Greenley, it left me deeply unimpressed. How so?

Well, for the price, I just found it to be a little bit too simplistic — so I immediately (and foolishly) disregarded it and traded it for another scent. But don’t let this put you off because listen to this…

Fast forward a few months after I traded it, and I’m at a fragrance event and smell something awesome lingering in the air. Hmmm, WHAT is that!?! 🧐

The hunt was on!

Because like a bloodhound, I searched for the source, zig-zagging back and forth in the scent plume of many other competing aromas at the event.

But with determination, I quickly tracked the delightful target odor down to a well-dressed guy standing at a fragrance booth, smelling some paper test strips.

And, of course, I just had to ask, “Excuse me, Sir, what is it you’re wearing? It smells awesome!”

“Oh, thanks! It’s Greenley,” he cheerfully answered.

Huh? Can’t be! Mind.Blown.

Moral of the story:

My friend, please don’t repeat my blunder; give Greenley a few FULL wearings on your skin before you make your final judgement because, although it may be simplistic, it’s sneaky good!

It’s one of those scents that grows on you, leaving you yearning for more.

Case in point:

Here we are, today, and it’s deservingly on this list!

OK, enough backstory.

Clean Woody-Apple Aroma

Like I said, Greenley is pretty straightforward. In fact, the quickest and easiest way I can describe it to you is:

Imagine a delightfully smelling luxury body wash with a manly, fresh and clean woody-apple aroma. That’s Greenley. Huh? OK, OK…

Let me quickly break it down for you:

Greenley opens with a prominent crisp, tart and sweet green-apple accord… that is mixed with a fresh splash of bergamot and mandarin orange citruses.

And sitting underneath this clean, effervescent fruity-apple layer are some green vegetal, grassy, earthy, mossy, and woody notes — aka a green “piney” forest-like aroma.

Effervescent Fruity Apple

And the combination of all these notes evokes what I described above: a masculine woody-apple body wash or even an apple-shampoo-like aroma — albeit a luxurious one!

And finally, as Greenley dries down on your skin, it warms up a little. And it becomes less “body washy” as the apple tones down and oakmoss and cedarwood creep in with some slightly powdery soft musk.

The end result?

You’re left with a faintly sweet fruity-apple scent sitting on top of a green woody forest-floor-like aroma.

In fact, this image nails it:

Does it have the brand’s usual signature complexity and depth? No.

That said, it may be simplistic, but it smells unique and high-quality.

But let’s be honest, my friend:

If you smell and feel GREAT, then that’s all that matters, right?

And yes, if you’re wondering, Greenley does attract a LOT of positive feedback and compliments. So other people seem to enjoy it, too!

Not gonna lie, though:

For Greenley being a fairly simplistic composition, it is pricey (very pricey) — that’s the drawback.

So for a LOT of people, the price may be a hard pill to swallow comparing it to other highly complex PDM scents on this list.

So needless to say, if you ARE looking for something highly complex and/or highly naturally smelling, then you may want to skip this one.

Oh, and before I forget..

Sutton?

Just to clear any confusion, you may have seen people online discussing Greenley alongside a mysterious scent called “Sutton”. Well, they are the SAME scent.

You see, when PDM first released this scent, it was originally called “Sutton” for a short while. Then, as far as I remember, it was briefly renamed to “Epson” before the brand finally settled on “Greenley.”

Are they playing “Musical Scent Names”? 🤷‍♂️🤣

Seriously though, off the top of my head, I think the name changes were due to some trademark naming issues with another certain fragrance house. Anyway…

IMO, the final name is the MOST fitting name as it describes the scent perfectly! And it also comes in an appropriately green-colored transparent glass bottle (so you can see how much juice you have left).

Daytime Casual — Office

Greenley is unisex leaning masculine (especially as it dries down) and will be more appreciated by the mature 20+ crowd. And it makes for a perfect daytime casual/office type scent.

But if I had to pigeonhole this, I would say it’s absolutely tailor-made for the spring. Because when it’s mild and crisp outside, the green notes absolutely “come to life”!

But, of course, you can realistically wear this whenever (the warmer — the better, though), especially for office/work use.

However, this is NOT something I would personally reach for on a screaming-hot summer’s day. Or say, for example, for a day at the beach. Also, it’s not something I would reach for nights out or clubbing etc.

Pleasing Wafts

Greenley is an EDP, so you only need a couple of sprays. And off my skin, it projects around an arm’s length for up to 2 hours. It then sits closer to the skin — giving off constant pleasing wafts.

And depending on the temperature, on skin, I get around 5–8+ hours of total scent life before it’s reduced to a faint skin scent. Our testers also reported similar results.

The long and short of it is:

If you’re looking for a high-quality, easy-to-wear green scent…. Or if you want to break through the clutter of generic “blue” scents — then one way to do so is to try Greenley! 💚🍏🌲

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#5 Parfums de Marly Herod

Sweet Spicy Tobacco

Tobacco. Vanilla. Cinnamon.

Herod is a manly tobacco based scent, and is part of the brand’s Les Premiers collection. Oh, and it also just happens to be a top pick on our best tobacco fragrances list. For good reason!

Let me break it down for you:

Herod opens up with a blast of rich, sweet pipe tobacco mixed with warm spicy cinnamon. And these are warm, spicy notes are sitting on a smoky vanilla base.

And as it dries down… the fragrance starts to smooth out, and you get a beautiful sweet cherry tobacco vibe mixed with the creamy smoky vanilla.

It’s sweet (but not overly sweet).

Warm, Comforting & Luxurious

Eventually, you get some woody notes and a hint of vetiver and musk. These add a slightly earthy depth.

It’s warm, comforting and smells incredibly luxurious.

You might be wondering…

Does it smell like Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille?

It has some slight similarities, as in they both feature tobacco and vanilla, but it ends there. They are different fragrances; none are a replacement for each other. And both are awesome. 🙂

Anyway…

Cool Weather

Herod is unisex but leans masculine and is best worn in the fall and winter (cool spring nights). Avoid the summer as this gets cloying in the high heat.

More suited for the mature 20-up crowd. Dressed up, dressed down, work, casual, dates, special occasions, nights out.

Now, to be clear:

Herod is not a scent that screams out for attention. If you’re looking for a powerhouse, this is not it.

This is an EDP and projects just more than an arm’s length for the first few hours, and then sits close to the skin for about 7–10+ hours.

Bottom line:

If you love tobacco scents… don’t sleep on this.

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#4 Parfums de Marly Carlisle

A Warm Dark-Chocolatey Woody Scent

Carlisle was first an exclusive release — and ONLY available to Harrods of London.

The good news?

PdM have now made it widely available — so now everyone can smell amazing. 🙂

So how does Carlisle smell?

Carlisle opens up sweet, spicy, and fruity; with a blast of green apple mixed with pops of saffron and nutmeg.

And as it dries down, some patchouli, tonka bean, and rich creamy smoky vanilla make an appearance. And sitting under all these is some woody notes and hints of florals.

It’s perfectly blended and smooth. And the beautiful part:

This blend of patchouli, vanilla, and the spices gives you a beautiful dark-chocolatey vibe.

Dark-Chocolatey Vibe

It’s warm, rich, and sweet — and smells incredibly luxurious.

Needless to say, but I’ll say it anyway:

This rich dark-chocolate-like aroma garners a LOT of compliments. Seriously.

Not complaining, though 🙂

Carlisle is unisex but leans heavily masculine, and is suited for just about any occasion in cool weather: fall/winter (cool spring days). Maybe not the gym, though.

Oh, and I would avoid wearing this in the summer as it will get extremely cloying. Anyway, it’s perfect for…

Formal, casual, dates, nights out, outdoor events, special occasions. And so on.

Cool Weather Scent

Carlisle is an EDP and projects more than arm’s length for the first 2–3 hours. Then it becomes more subtle, yet still wafts around for a solid 7–10+ hours.

Now, a quick heads-up:

Be careful not to overspray this one: 1–2 sprays MAX is all you need. Trust me, brother — this can get out of hand if you go crazy with the trigger. Less is definitely more. 🙂

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#3 Parfums de Marly Sedley

The Best Parfums de Marly for Summer

I’ll come right out and say it…

Sedley is a mass-appealing, high-quality fresh spicy woody scent… Which is more than likely to bag you some nice compliments.

And a LOT of them.

And after our latest round of testing, Sedley undisputedly remains the best freshest offering in PdM’s line-up — making it a GREAT choice for the warmer months. Or for if you live somewhere hot and humid.

Oh, and not to mention that transparent blue glass bottle looks AWESOME, right? 🙂

And speaking of freshies… to discover more recommendations that work great in high heat – check out our best summer colognes list. OK, enough warmup.

Here’s what you need to know:

Master Perfumer

Sedley was created by world renowned master perfumer Olivier Cresp — the man behind such famous scents as: Versace Man Eau Fraiche, so you’re in good hands. (Which, incidentally, won a place on our best Versace colognes list.) Anyways…

Let me break PDM Sedley down for you:

Sedley opens up with a cocktail of fresh, juicy sparkling citruses (lemon being the most prominent). And these refreshing fizzy citruses are infused with a hint of cooling minty freshness.

Very, very nice. It’s almost like popping open a cold, refreshing fizzy citrus soda.

Fizzy Minty Citruses

Now, as it settles down… the mint becomes slightly more prominent (but it never gets too minty), and is joined with soft lavender and a pinch of rosemary.

It smells super fresh and clean — with a nice green herbal undertone.

And finally, it dries down to a slightly spicy-woody, musky base.

And being a masculine leaning, mature freshie, this scent will probably appeal to all guys 20-up.

But before you get too excited, I should point something out:

Warm Weather Freshie

Sedley is more geared for the warm weather: spring/summer.

As we discovered — in test after test — that it does NOT perform well in the cold. Therefore, we can only recommend you this as a GREAT warm-weather day-to-day scent. Or, of course, for if you’re going to be wearing it in a temperature-controlled environment when it’s super cold outside.

It’s perfect for the office/work/college/casual. Or anything, for that matter. After all, it’s never a bad time to smell fresh and clean, right?

Sedley is an EDP, and in our tests, we found it to project off the wearer’s skin around an arm’s length for 2–3 hours.

Subtle

It then sits closer to the skin — giving off nice gentle wafts… and hangs on for a total of 5–8+ hours (depending on your skin chemistry and the temperature, of course).

So, to be clear:

If you’re expecting the usual PDM powerhouse, this is NOT it. Which can be a good thing; especially if you work in an environment where you are close to other people.

So, my honest opinion:

If you want a unique, high-quality, inoffensive, fresh, clean, and mass-appealing scent — this is it.

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#2 Parfums de Marly Althair

An Addictive, Sweet Vanilla Scent That Practically PRINTS Compliments

After our latest round of testing, Althair has jumped straight in on the #2 spot on this best smelling Parfums de Marly for men list — for GOOD reason!

Here’s what you need to know:

Althair is a fragrance that NEVER fails to delight those around you. In fact, when I was testing this in public, this was one of the most attention-grabbing scents I have EVER worn — judging by the SHEER number of unsolicited compliments it pulled in.

Seriously.

When you wear this, people practically crawl through barbed wire to give you a compliment and beg you to reveal the name of the scent you’re wearing. Crazy, right?

“Yeah-yeah, whatever! Hype!!” you yell, waving your hand dismissively. 🥱

I know, I know, my friend; this sounds like I’m piling it on — BUT there’s a simple reason why Althair can get you overwhelmingly positive feedback and compliments. How so? Well…

Irresistibly Sweet

You see, Althair is an irresistibly sweet, almost “edible-smelling” vanilla-forward scent that will have you smelling like a delicious “walking bakery”.

So naturally, this leads to more compliments because most people, especially women, LOVE the warm, delicious aroma of vanilla, right?

Anyway, you will see for yourself. The impact is undeniable.

But fair warning, my friend:

If you hug someone while wearing this, they might not let you go. So please don’t be saying I never warned you. 🙂

OK, seriously though, listen up…

Addictive Warm Vanilla Aroma

• This is a sweet vanilla-dominant fragrance, so if you do not enjoy the note of vanilla, then this is NOT going to work for you. Please heed this advice, dear reader.
• Furthermore, Althair walks the line of unisex (leaning masculine, though — especially in the dry down). So if you’re looking for a butch, rugged, manly fragrance, then this is NOT it. Trust me.

Case in point:

When I tested this, not only were some of the women begging me to reveal the name of this scent so they could buy it for the man in their life… but also a LOT of them said that they wanted to know so they could buy and wear it for themselves! (Probably not, though, after they see the price! 🤣)

Prints Compliments!

But don’t let this unisex aspect scare you off, my friend, because if there was a Mount Rushmore of men’s vanilla scents, then Althair would be up there!

Oh, and on that note, if you do love vanilla-based scents, then be sure to check out our best vanilla perfumes post as they are nearly all unisex.

OK, enough babble!

Let me quickly tell you how Althair smells…

Almost-Edible Sweetness

As soon as you spray Althair on your skin, the warm, sweet Bourbon vanilla steals the show — and you KNOW you’re in for a good time! (Can you tell I love this? — yep, this is a personal favorite of mine!)

Now, I should quickly point something out:

To be clear, Althair is not “syrupy sweet”, nor does it have a juvenile “plasticky” type of sugary sweetness that is typically found in cheap, low-grade vanilla-forward fragrances that use only synthetic vanilla accords.

Because listen to this…

Premium Bourbon Vanilla Absolute

PDM’s world-class perfumers have specifically chosen to use a genuine, premium Bourbon Vanilla absolute that is sourced from Madagascar for its rich, creamy natural complexity. This gives the scent a more natural, almost-edible sweetness.

In case you don’t know, high-quality Bourbon Vanilla absolute is in a league of its own — it’s also incredibly expensive!

And heck, while I’m on the subject of Bourbon Vanilla: I know some certain “influencers” say otherwise in their “reviews” on Althair, but the “Bourbon” part has absolutely nothing to do with the vanilla smelling like “Bourbon whiskey.”

They are jumping to conclusions or their nose is broke. Or both! 🤦‍♂️🤣

Genuine, High-Quality Madagascar Vanilla

You see, the Bourbon simply signifies that the vanilla was grown in a specific region of islands in the Indian Ocean: Namely, Madagascar and its surrounding islands. (Think of it like what Champagne is to wine).

Anyways, let’s get back to scent. (Cracks knuckles)

Still with me? Good.

Warm Spicy Cinnamon

OK…. Immediately, you’re greeted with warm, sweet Bourbon vanilla. However, there’s also a touch of cardamom beautifully blended into the vanilla, and a splash of sparkling bergamot citrus and orange blossom. These lend a hint of freshness to slightly brighten up this warm, sweet welcome.

And as it starts to dry down on your skin, the citrus quickly fades and the orange blossom sits under the vanilla. Also, a kiss of warm, spicy cinnamon starts to seep in and backs up the cardamom.

And as it develops, the rich, creamy Bourbon vanilla joins forces with a delicious nutty-chocolatey praline accord. And then the vanilla and praline play off each other beautifully creating a deliciously addictive, can’t-stop-sniffing caramelized-nutty aroma.

Delicious Caramelized Nutty Aroma

And finally, a thin layer of dry woods, ambroxan, and musk sit underneath the warm, spicy vanilla to balance the sweetness out and add a masculine touch.

So who’s this for?

Men and women of all ages can enjoy and benefit from this scent — as long as you bond well with sweet vanilla-based scents, that is! (That said, please note it does lean slightly more masculine.)

But here’s where it falls short:

Tailor-Made for Cool Weather

Sadly, due to its sweetness, you are limited to wearing this in cool temperatures (if you want to enjoy it, that is).

So for most people, this is going to be a fall and winter scent — only (or even cool spring nights). It all depends on where you live, so your milage with this scent will vary.

Because in our tests, we concluded this was wildly inappropriate in spring and summer.

Put it this way, we found if you wear Althair outside in temperatures over 70°F (21°C), then you’re heading into the danger zone. Go any higher and this will become overwhelming sweet — aka a hot sticky mess.

So if you live somewhere tropical that is hot and humid all year, then I would say skip this and try Sedley. (Unless you’re only going to use it in temperature-controlled environments.)

Perfect for Date Nights

And to me, Althair has more of a nighttime personality. So it’s perfect for date nights, nights out, clubbing, romantic situations, and so on.

Of course, though, you can wear this whenever you want as there is no bad time to smell delicious, right? That said, I would opt for something else for anything super formal.

What about the office? Well, if you want to go to the office smelling like a delicious freshly baked cookie, then so be it! I’m sure your coworkers will be delighted. But you may make them hungry. 🤣

But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows because…

Fairly Simplistic

Not gonna lie, this is a fairly simplistic scent. So depending where you are on your “fragrance journey”, you could become bored of it especially if you plan on wearing it every day. Just something to be aware of, my friend.

Personally, I don’t “daily” this — I reserve it for specific occasions.

My advice?

If you’re just getting into niche fragrances and/or looking to choose your first PDM scent, I would recommend Layton over this as it is far more versatile, so you will be able to wear it and enjoy it for a lot more occasions.

Ok, let’s get into performance…

Big-Time Scent Life

Althair is fueled by an EDP concentration, and in test after test, we found it to have a big-time scent life with only 2 sprays.

However, when it comes to projection, please note this is not a beast-mode type scent — aka it’s not going to fill an entire room up when you walk in. But it’s no slouch, either.

You see, for up to the first 2 hours, it projects noticeably off skin in the just-over-an-arm’s-length range.

By the way, as with a lot of other scents, this smells MUCH better when you get whiffs of it lingering in the air. And it leaves an incredibly beautiful scent trail behind you.

Delicious Scent Trail

And as I mentioned before, the amount of compliments this pulls is bananas. Not complaining, mind you. 😎 Anyways…

After that it radiates for a few more hours in the air in the 1–2 feet range before it slowly recedes into delicious skin scent.

Now, although this does not project crazy far off my skin, it consistently gets me a delicious 7–10+ hours of scent life. Every. Single. Time.

And all our testers reported similar results, too. Ok, let’s wrap this up…

If you like deliciously sweet, almost-edible-smelling vanilla scents, then I think you’ll be delighted with Althair.

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#1 Parfums de Marly Layton

Parfums de Marly’s Crown Jewels

Layton is currently Parfums de Marly’s best seller. And for good reason!

First things first…

To be clear, Layton is available in 2 different versions that smell different: Layton and Layton Exclusif. They’re similar but are definite stand-alone fragrances.

In fact… They are both created by the same world renowned perfumer: Hamid Merati-Kashani.

Here’s what we found:

Layton vs Layton Exclusif

• Just as the name indicates, Layton Exclusif is a more exclusive (and expensive) version of Layton — that takes the fragrance in another direction.
• Layton Exclusif is richer, deeper and more complex — making it more appealing to fragrance connoisseurs and/or those of you that want to stand out from the crowd.

To be honest:

Both are amazing and it is not redundant to own both. However, we picked Layton as our number 1 spot because it is more versatile and more mass-appealing.

That said, you can’t go wrong with either, so we have also included our review of Layton Exclusif below. Anyway, you’re probably wondering…

What Does Layton Smell Like?

Layton opens with a fresh spicy blast of citruses mixed with a hint of lavender and a sweet fruity apple accord. However…

The dry down is where the magic is. 🙂

Because as it settles… the citrus fades and some warm friendly vanilla and cardamom join the party and morph beautifully with the apple and lavender.

The result?

You get a warm sweet creamy spicy apple vanilla vibe. It’s sweet, but not overly sweet… and it smells AMAZING.

And as it develops, you get some creamy sandalwood and a hint of patchouli that gives it some depth and richness.

(Speaking of… if you love sandalwood, be sure to check out our best sandalwood fragrances list.)

Seductive

Layton is sweet, sexy, and seductive. Therefore, it’s a Huge, HUGE compliment getter.

The beautiful part?

Layton is super versatile: days/nights, all ages, all occasions in the fall, winter and cooler spring days. However, it does get cloying in the high summer heat.

Dressed-up, Dressed-down

Layton is unisex but leans masculine and can be worn dressed up, dressed down, for work, office, special occasions, dates, nights out, clubbing (great for the club!) — you name it.

Even better…

Layton is an EDP and projects GREAT for the first 3–4 hours (but not overpowering), and then it gets more subtle and lingers around for an awesome-smelling 8–10+ hours.

2–3 sprays MAX …and you’re golden, my friend. 🙂

Oh, and the bottle comes in an awesome matte-blue finish.

Bottom line:

If you’re looking for a super versatile, high-quality, crowd pleasing fragrance. This is it.

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Bonus: Parfums de Marly Layton Exclusif

An Exclusive Version of Layton

As I said earlier, this is an enriched, darker and more complex oriental version of Layton (it’s less sweet and more woody). Think: Layton’s older mature brother. 🙂

Let’s take a closer look…

Layton Exclusif opens up with a bergamot and orange citrus combo with a hint of almond sweetness (reminiscent of the original Layton minus the apple).

Now, as it starts to dry down… the oud and guaiac wood appear with a hint of vanilla and a subtle coffee note — giving it a dark, rich, smoky-woody vibe with a bittersweet coffee undertone.

By the way, if you enjoy coffee notes in scents, then don’t miss our best coffee colognes post.

Rich, Dark, Warm & Luxurious

It has a rich, dark warmness, and it smells incredibly luxurious. People will want to know what you’re wearing.

Now, this is more for the mature 20-up crowd and best worn in the fall/winter (and cool spring nights). Oh, and I would not rock this in the high heat as it becomes annoying.

And it can be dressed up, dressed down, and it’s even office safe (1 spray, though), dates, special occasions, nights out, clubbing.

Now, a quick heads-up…

Parfum Extract

Layton Exclusif is a Parfum Extract at 25% concentration (which is even stronger than EDP), so be careful with the trigger…

…2 sprays MAX — and you’re set.

This should give you 3–4 hours of good projection (it’s not a room filler, but you will get noticed), then it becomes more subtle — lasting about 8–10+ hours.

Can you say jackpot? 🙂

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Oh, and just in case you’re not familiar with the brand, here’s a quick primer…

Who are Parfums de Marly?

Parfum de Marly are a French niche luxury perfume house created by Julien Sprecher and are known for their rich opulent long lasting fragrances.

Here’s the deal:

They use super high quality natural ingredients and master perfumers to create their unique luxury fragrances, which are a step up from the typical mass marketed fragrances that you find in department stores.

It gets better…

Attention to Detail

The brand also take great pride with their presentation and attention to detail. The scents come in beautiful heavy ceramic-like bottles with heavy polished Zamak metal caps.

They look, feel, and smell premium.

Pretty awesome, right?

The Brand Story

PdM draw inspiration from the 18th century when perfume was at its pinnacle and pay tribute to King Louis XV of France, who was passionate about horses and perfumes.

In fact… He even had his own private in-house perfumer based in the royal residence Château de Marly (Marly Castle).

This can be seen in the brands name and the use of the Chevaux de Marly (the Marly horses) as their logo. Also, their fragrances are named after various horse breeds.

So that’s the house of PDM. And just in case you’re wondering…

Where to Find the Parfums de Marly Batch Codes

Each Parfums de Marly fragrance will come with a batch code (LOT number) printed on both the bottom of the box and on the base of the bottle.

These two batch numbers should match up.

Now, it’s your turn…

We would love to hear from you:

What are your favorites from the house of Parfums de Marly? How would you rank them?

Or maybe you have a question.

Either way, please let us know by leaving a quick comment below right now.

Where to go from here?

If you love niche scents, then I highly recommend you check out our top 10 best Amouage fragrances and also our top picks of the best Creed colognes.

We hope you enjoyed our article and found this list useful. If you did, we would love it if you would share it to your favorite social networks!