Top 10 Best Parfums de Marly Colognes (2023) Full Review
Parfums de Marly.
One of the best, if not the best, niche brands.
This review will describe the top ten best Parfums de Marly colognes. I will detail their smell, performance, and anything else you need to know. No matter which one you choose on this list. It’s an excellent choice.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Yet, we only endorse fragrances we’ve personally used or are highly recommended by trusted peers. You can learn more about our Disclaimer & Disclosure here.
Table of Contents
#10 – Percival
The opening starts with a blast of fresh citruses and floral lavender. Bergamot is noticeable in the background as it contributes a slightly spicy kick. Other citruses temper its strength, never allowing it to come to the forefront.
The floral lavender is particularly enjoyable. It comes off as very clean and authentic. Pairing perfectly with the fresh citruses and emphasizing the vibrance of the opening.
As the top notes settle, wafts of musk and ambroxan spew from the base. Both will be at full strength later in the wear.
The heart of the fragrance starts to develop after 15 minutes. Ambroxan jumps to the forefront, pushing the citruses into the background. They lend more of their fresh accents than actual smell at this point.
The lavender from the top gives way to the greater whole of aromatics. Most contribute floral accents, but the background has a fleeting green tone.
One of the most interesting parts of the mid is the use of hedione. It has been shown in research to act as almost a pheromone. Yet, I am unsure how much this translates into scent and attractivity.
Over time, the smell is continuously more ambroxan-dominated. Pushing the aromatic florals into the background. As the dry-down develops, it is dominated by subtle ambroxan and aromatic nuances for the rest of the wear.
Percival lasts 8 – 10 hours on the skin and projects moderately during that time. It isn’t a scent that fills a room but leaves a pleasantly sized scent bubble around you for the first few hours. This is all-season and occasion wearable.
#9 – Galloway
The opening is a trio of musk, citrus, and florals. Citric grapefruit and orange blossom right way. The orange blossom has a floral nature, but in the beginning, it amplifies the citric nature of the scent. Musk is polite and clean. The pepper note is sharp and attention-grabbing.
The mid stays similar. There are subtle powdery iris additions and warm amber. The spices have weakened, and by default, the floralness of the fragrance intensifies, but only because it fills the pepper’s void.
The base is equal parts fresh florals and citrus with nuances of peppery musk. This is what you’ll get for the rest of the wear.
This lasts eight to ten hours on the skin with moderate to light projection. In the first two hours, it pushes out two to three feet. After this period, it sits incredibly close to the skin. This is exclusively spring and summer wear but for all occasions.
#8 – Godolphin
The opening starts with equal parts musk and leather. In the background, I catch wafts of warm saffron spice. After 15 minutes, the musk fades. This leaves room for fruity nuances and floral roses. The biggest emphasis is the fruity notes. It gives the opening more upbeat energy; they never smell too sweet.
The rose is a great addition as it lightens up the darkness and intensity of the leather. It makes it more wearable without taking away from its masculine nature. The rest of the wear is sweet leather and a fresh/clean floral rose.
On the skin, this routinely lasts 10 hours. The projection is strong in the first two hours. After this period, it recedes to a more moderate scent bubble for the rest of the wear. This can be worn in the spring, fall, and winter for all occasions.
#7 – Sedley
The opening starts bright and citric, paired with an aromatic accord. It is not as bright as the opening seemed it was going to be. The various citruses in the opening are all battling it out, tempering each other in the process.
The mid develops with a heavy aromatic note. It has a light, fresh spiciness. The citruses from the beginning linger in the background. The lavender jumps to the forefront, bringing musky accents with it. This pair has an almost dusty accent that smells cool on the skin.
The dry-down is simple. A smooth softness coats the base, mainly from a small dose of ambroxan and cashmeran. Subtle woody accords become more prominent, mixing with musky accents.
On my skin, it lasted six to seven hours max. I wore it multiple times, and each time, it was weak. The same goes for the projection. The first hour has one to two feet of projection, but after four hours, I had to put my nose within an inch of my hand to smell it. This is spring and summer wear for all occasions.
#6 – Haltane
The opening is misleading. It is a fresh, herbal lavender, clary sage, and bergamot opening. This isn’t a barbershop cologne, but it has the opening of one. The aromatics are strong for the first few minutes.
Within minutes, a noticeable cedarwood sneaks in the background with creamy and semi-sweet saffron spice. At this point, the scent starts to become deeper. The Cedarwood and saffron progressively gain strength as the wear continues. The heart of the wear is denoted by a sweet and reserved praline with dark and well-balanced oud.
This is one of my favorite parts of the fragrance. The oud is exceptionally high-quality and smells like an oud fragrance should. While the praline is alluring, its sweetness never becomes cloying.
The dry down adds a patchouli and leather duo. Patchouli is the most prevalent, bringing slightly smoky and earthy accents. It pairs well with the darkness and “barnyard-ness” of oud. Light aromatics and semi-sweet, spicy saffron residues linger in the background. This is what you’ll smell for the rest of the wear.
The longevity ranges from eight to nine hours, with moderate and consistent projection for the first five. After this period, it recedes but maintains a present ambiance for the rest of the wear. This is spring, fall, and winter wear for all occasions.
#5 – Layton
The first spray at a distance, I get an almost fruity sweetness but not sugary, rather charming. It is all about fresh spices as I let it dry on my skin. It is so well-blended that I can’t specifically pick out any individual note. However, I pick up an apple and orange accent in the background.
There is a soapiness/cleanliness to it from the lavender. But that is the least prominent accord of all. I can only really smell it if I “look” for it. Lastly and most notably, the spices in the opening are present and invigorating.
Never does my nose “pucker” from the intensity. Instead, I’m always coming back for more. This spice mainly comes from a high-quality cardamom note. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone also said they got a black pepper note. However, cardamom tends to mimic black pepper at times.
After a few minutes, the scent starts to settle into itself. It was always balanced, but vanilla washes over the middle like a tsunami. It is especially warm and retains the spiciness of cardamom to a lesser degree. All other top notes have dissipated.
Even after an hour of wear, I still smell prominent warm vanilla with spicy nuances. However, at this point, it is starting to get slightly creamy.
As the dry-down wraps up. Warm vanilla is still present with nuances of cardamom spice. Creamy sandalwood accords are peeking through. They don’t have the strength to break through the heavy vanilla accord. The rest of the wear is prominently warm vanilla, supported by a creamy, woody depth.
The longevity is in the eight to ten-hour range with excellent projection. This pushes out multiple feet for hours, never becoming a skin. It is best for spring, fall, and winter for all occasions.
#4 – Herod
The first spray is an exceptional dose of warmth. Denoted from dominant tobacco and rich, sweet vanilla. Laying the background is a blend of cinnamon and pepper. The cinnamon is most noticeable, pairing perfectly with the tobacco and vanilla combination.
As for the pepper, it makes my nose tinge, but it’s not overpowering. Just enough to let you know it’s there.
As the scent dries, the notes settle in quite nicely. Making it harder to specifically pick out individual notes. However, the overall scent has gotten darker. The tobacco note has gotten more prominent, and the spices have retained the same degree of “punch.”
There is a degree of incense or labdanum enveloping the edges. The smell is hard to describe, but it is smoky without the smell of smoke. It’s more of a comforting ambiance that sparks curiosity.
The spices have lingered in the background 15-20 minutes into the wear. The enveloping edges have faded. At this point, the tobacco notes dominance is waning. It transcends into a sea of prominent, rich, warm vanilla.
Once in the dry down, vanilla pairs perfectly with tobacco. Only becoming slightly more dominant. In the background are wafts of cinnamon that have reappeared. This trio is a warm and rich base for the rest of the wear.
This lasts nine hours on the skin with moderate projection. It pushes out an arm’s length or more for the first two to three hours. After this period, it recedes to a soft ambiance for the rest of the wear. This is fall and winter wear and shines on dates.
#3 – Greenley
The opening starts with a hefty dose of ultra-fresh and juicy citruses. I mainly get the tart sourness of bergamot. While tangy mandarin orange and petitgrain notes linger in the background. The non-sweet fruity apple note is present, blending everything together.
The bergamot is interesting as it develops. It seems as though it’s spicy, but it’s actually the sourness that is replicating the sensation. It smells exactly like the lime extra sour bubble gum.
The mid develops with a heavy dose of powdery accords. The tart bergamot recedes to the background, making room for subtle woody accents. On the skin, it has a cooling feel and scent. It will be great for a hot summer day.
The wood accords slowly get stronger, pairing equally with the powdery notes. In the background, the citruses and fruity nuances are slowly fading away. Their faint last accords add a degree of sharpness to the classy and fresh base notes.
The base is fully developed after three hours. The citrus and fruity accords are entirely gone. It is all about subtle wood and smooth cashmeran. As you can imagine, it smells like a soft layer of suede on the skin.
Musky nuances linger in the background, adding a masculine and intriguing touch. The rest of the wear is this trio of notes.
The longevity is eight hours, with good projection. The first one to two hours pushes out multiple feet. Once the tart bergamot starts to fade, so does the projection. It never becomes a skin scent but is certainly very light. This is warm weather wear for all occasions.
#2 – Oajan
Parfums de Marly is one of my favorite brands to review scents from. They consistently knock the ball out of the park. You can ask anyone who owns multiple bottles which is their favorite. Every time, they’ll struggle to tell you. Oajan is no different. I find it to be straightforward yet still intriguing.
A blend of tonka bean, cinnamon, and benzoin is most prominent from the opening. In a few minutes, a stronger vanilla note becomes present. Until then, tonka bean presents the vanillic-like accord.
The real stars in the opening are the other two. Cinnamon enhances benzoin, and the duo has a rich, dark sweetness with spicy nuances. Yet, interestingly enough, the aroma is fresh, which I find particularly enjoyable in a heavier scent.
So now, 5 minutes in, the vanilla note comes through along with honey. This thick and creamy pairing blends perfectly with cinnamon. The sweetness starts to drown out the spice at this point, but it is always present. For most of the wear, not much else is going on but these three notes.
After a while, the dry-down starts to develop, and it is all about the resinous finish. It has an ambery feel and mixes with the lingering deep vanilla and warm spices. There is some sweetness, but it is more about the depth and “darkness.”
Another excellent talking point is performance. Oajan will last from dawn to dusk on your skin and then some. It might get too cloying in the heat with its sweetness. Yet, this strength will cut right through the cold winter air. While doing so, no one will be able to get enough of your incredibly alluring aroma.
#1 – Carlisle
Carlisle is arguably one of the best Parfums de Marly scents. It is ultra-easy to wear and versatile.
The opening is a decent dose of sweet green apple and spicy nutmeg. In the background, the top notes are accompanied by green, dark patchouli. This shouldn’t be a turn-off; it doesn’t make the scent earthy or dirty. It adds depth and mystery to the opening, which is quite alluring.
These sweet, warm, and dark spices in the opening are the worst part of the fragrance. Not that this fragrance has a bad part, but the dry-down is where the money is.
After about 10 minutes, the scent sweetens even further. There is a dense tonka bean and vanilla combination. Both work together to amplify a vanillic accord. Adding in the background are deep resins with a slightly smoky feel.
The mid is yet another way for the scent to grab attention. At this point, it is centered around dark, sweet notes and spicy nuances.
All these accords carry over into the dry down. Patchouli picks up an almost chocolatey nature that now has a slightly earthy tinge. However, this is mostly offset by the sweet notes. For the rest of the wear, it is vanillic, slightly resinous with spicy nuances.
I can’t say it enough, but this is a fantastic scent with an additive and alluring aroma. Along with the amazing smell is excellent performance. The projection is great for the entire wear. This, again, is one of those scents that you start with one spray and may need two, but doubtful.
Final Words
Parfums de Marly colognes are worth it. There’s not much else I can say about these fragrances, as they are all unique, likable, and quality. Yes, they are expensive, but if you’re serious about fragrances, you need at least one in your collection.
After you try a Parfums de Marly cologne, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.