parfums de marly

Carlisle by Parfums de Marly

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For this entry into my long running review posts, we have a cologne from Parfums de Marly, Carlisle. This one was released in 2015 and there’s been a lot of hype behind it, but is it actually any good? What are the ingredients? How does it smell? In this post, I want to break down my thoughts and experiences wearing this fragrance, and if I think this scent is a winner.

What does Carlisle Smell Like?

Notes include: vanilla, sandalwood, patchouli, nutmeg, saffron, tonka bean, apple

Click here to try: Carlisle by Parfums de Marly

My Full Wear Review

Before we dive into my review, let’s see what Parfums de Marly has to say about Carlisle: This voluptuous fragrance is structured around one main accord ‘sandalwood’. Warm, sweet like a balm, it leaves a trail with of vanilla & dark patchouli. This composition takes heart in distilling a mysterious “oriental” aura, playing with its delicate accents of nutmeg, saffron, and tonka bean. It is the unexpected union between the crisp of a green apple and the softness of vanilla, yet with a rich and textured arrangement revealing itself on the skin like a captivating smile. 

The opening of Carlisle immediately brings to mind other Parfums de Marly fragrances, mainly Oajan, but this one strikes me as being better at times. Other times, I’d say they’re even. I have a full bottle of Oajan, so, that’s a nice surprise.

It opens up with that crisp green apple note, saffron, vanilla, and sandalwood. It is very warm, sweet, with a non-harsh spice; has that gourmand sort of baked goods aroma but darker. Carlisle is a rich cologne with depth and an interesting life cycle.

Saffron really sticks out to my nose here and it plays off of the other notes to create a leathery type of smell. Now, I haven’t found leather as an ingredient in any of the note listings online, so I’m assuming its just an illusion of sorts.

Either way, it smells great, and lends a definite smoothness the the composition with the vanilla and tonka bean.

As it dries down further, I get less of the apple sweetness, and more patchouli and smokiness. It’s not a super heavy patchouli, which is nice, and it does have a ‘balmy’ feeling like Parfums de Marly was describing.

Nutmeg definitely lets itself be known, when I put my nose directly to my skin, and pairs well with the vanilla.

Ultimately, what I get out of the cologne is: sandalwood as the starting point, vanilla, patchouli, saffron, and tonka bean. Everything else, turns into a bit player.

It’s a perfect blend between sweet and warm spice. Not basic candy sweet, but well blended, and totally refined. Carlisle is dark throughout with a light touch of smokiness.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Carlisle is strong, but not offensively so. You could over spray it, but with any normal amount, that won’t be a problem. It sticks to the skin well and the sillage is consistent throughout.

With this scent, I get all day wear from it without a problem. This is one of those colognes that will touch double digits, in terms of hours. I’d say that it ultimately falls in the 12 or 13 hour range. Really pretty much all you need for any effective use.

Seasonally, it will mostly be great for cold weather. However, I think that it should hold up nicely in moderate to warm temperatures, as well. Just not into extreme heat or humidity situations.

Carlisle also has very good versatility with what situations you could wear it in. It’s more of a dressed up kind of fragrance, it works in the office, romantically, late nights out, suited up, etc.

It does have a wonderful smell that is seductive and sexy. Folks around the wearer should take a liking to this scent.

Overall Impressions of Carlisle

Overall, do I like Carlisle? Yes, I think that it is great. This is one of the best men’s fragrances by Parfums de Marly and a nice all around wear. It is familiar to me, by being related to other colognes from this brand, but still has its own identity.

The sandalwood and saffron really got my attention and my positive feelings were only solidified with the vanilla, apple, and nutmeg. I’ve enjoyed wearing this scent. If you’re not into warm, sweet, smoky colognes…this isn’t for you, though.

But, I think that this will have a mass appeal, and many guys would enjoy wearing this. the only question is the price point, which is outside of the realm of possibility for many.

Athalia by Parfums de Marly

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For this fragrance review entry, I have a perfume from the women’s lineup of Parfums de Marly called, Athalia. PdM is a high end luxury fragrance brand, which has produced a lot of amazing scents over the past decade or so. This one was released in 2016.

In this post, I want to take a closer look at this one in particular. I will share my experiences wearing Athalia, discuss what it smells like, when it should be worn, and if it’s worth a try.

What does Athalia Smell Like?

Notes include: incense, rose, orange bitter, iris, orange blossom, amber, vanilla, and vetiver

Click here to try: PARFUMS DE MARLY Athalia, 2.5 Fl Oz

My Full Review

Before we get into my review, let’s see what Parfums de Marly says about Athalia: “Athalia is highly sensual with an opening of encens, rose, and orange bitter followed by a bouquet of iris and orange blossom on a base of amber, vanilla, and vetiver, giving the fragrance a floral amber accord. Seductive and attractive, this feminine perfume is one that is a perfect day regardless of the occasion.”

The opening of Athalia is quite lovely. There is a light incense note, at the top, which gets a bit smokier as the wear moves on (but never too much). However, what I mainly pick up at the start of this is orange blossom, orange, and some rose.

The iris powdery quality is hanging in the background, with a clean aroma, but it is secondary at this point.

After about 10 minutes, Athalia begins to shift more into becoming an iris-led floral perfume. The rose is not really that powerful to my nose, I mostly get the iris and orange blossom, with some of the smoky quality of the incense.

Athalia gets warmer, as it moves along, but I wish that orange bitter note still hung around. I really enjoyed that, in the opening act of this fragrance. Nonetheless, this perfume moves forward, with a surprisingly nice blend of iris, amber, and vetiver.

There is still some orange blossom and vanilla, but those two notes flank, these main three. That’s about what you get for the rest of the wear.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Athalia has a fairly moderate sillage. It’s not too powerful, even at the start, but you’ll know that it’s there throughout the wear.

Though, it will stay in that 2-4 foot range from where you sprayed it for a good portion of the wear.

The longevity is really quite good, as well. It seems to sit somewhere in the 8-10 hour range, on my skin.

It’s about what I get with most of the perfumes from this brand. Some will go deeper into double digits, but most get to the level that Althalia is at.

Seasonally, this is a warmer fragrance, so it’s best in cooler climates. Wouldn’t be bad for springtime either, just not a summer wear, at all. A lot of iris fragrances, can get too powdery, and not have that appealing side to them.

However, Athalia actually does deliver as seductive aroma, as promised, and is something that I enjoy smelling thoroughly.

It’s also not just stuck in being a nighttime fragrance. It isn’t anything to out there, that it couldn’t be worn at the office or even more casually. Athalia can check a lot of boxes, as to when it can be applied.

Overall Impressions of Athalia

Overall, do I recommend Athalia? Yes, I think that it is a wonderful fragrance overall. My favorite part is the opening, but it is still nice during the rest of the way, also.

The incense is really well done, how it is paired with the rose, orange, and orange blossom, is fantastic. I’m not even a massive fan of that smoky note, but it’s so approachable and beautiful in this mix.

This is a fragrance, where you’re going to have to enjoy the iris note, because that’s the leader. That’s what you’re going to get a lot of in the dry down period versus it being more in the background in the opening act.

I might be a bit higher on this perfume than some other people, as I do enjoy a good iris scent.

But, there is still other things to enjoy from the orange bitter to the amber or the vetiver. The performance is very solid and it’s a joy to wear in totality.

It’s also just a perfume that can fit in a lot of places and has the potential to be a signature scent. At the $300+ price point, you might still want to test it out for yourself before committing to a full bottle. That can be a costly mistake, if you don’t enjoy the scent itself.

Galloway by Parfums De Marly

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Still making my way through the lineup of Parfums de Marly scents that I received recently. Check out the fragrance review page for all of those posts and well as hundreds of other colognes. Anyway, today’s entry is entitled, Galloway.

How does this fragrance stack up? What does it smell like? How do the notes of iris, hesperides, musk, and pepper interact with one another? Continue below for my full take.

What does Galloway by PdM Smell Like?

Notes include: hesperides, orange blossom, musk, amber, pepper, and iris

Click here to try: Parfums de Marly Galloway Men’s Edp Spray, 4.2 Ounce

My Full Galloway Review

The opening of Galloway struck me as a unique yet somewhat familiar experience. It took me a while to figure out which cologne I was being reminded of and finally came to the conclusion that it was Set Sail Martinique.

Why the reminder? The musk, citrus, and floral combinations in both fragrances. Though, Martinique has a muskier and saltier aroma, than this one does.

Now, I am not getting a direct comparison between the two. Martinique is heavier on the musk, feels watered down, and without spice. It is like a dulled down and cheaper version of Galloway in some regards.

In Galloway, I get that grapefruit aroma of the hesperides blended with that great orange blossom note, that I have been liking a lot lately. The musk is there but is well balanced by the pepper note which gives this Parfums de Marly scent a nice sharp kick.

As it dries down, Galloway reveals much more of the iris and warmth of the amber. It feels less spicy to my nose at this point, but still retains the musk.

At the end, it is quite fresh floral notes with just a dash of citrus lingering around, added to a peppery musk. You get some hints of powder, due to the iris, but it isn’t ever a main feature for this fragrance.

It’s fairly unique, for a men’s fragrance, but still retains plenty of elements that I have come across before. Pretty nice, though.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, I’d say the sillage is pretty strong here. It didn’t overpower in my opinion, but I knew that it was there. One could over spray, but I found that two or three sprays was sufficient for great performance.

It also will give you a full day’s worth of wear. This isn’t a citrus scent that just quits a few hours in, which I think is a credit to the other notes because the grapefruit note as an individual component does weaken with time.

Coming  back to wearing Galloway again, and it seems to have no issue hitting the double digit hour count. Parfums de Marly, while not always fantastic with the scents, never does disappoint me with the performance.

Galloway works well in the warm weather, but honestly you could wear it pretty much year round and it wouldn’t be weird. It is also quite versatile. Safe enough to wear to work and appealing enough to be worn on a date or out on the town.

It is a classy and refined kind of sexiness, like a tailored suit. I like it more as a daytime fragrance for spring or summer. Personally, that’s where I’d stick with it, but it can venture beyond that if you so choose.

Overall Impressions of Galloway

Overall, do I recommend Galloway? I like it quite a lot. It’s not my favorite from Parfums de Marly but I was really surprised how much I ended up enjoying wearing this cologne.

I’m not sure how most people would react to this scent, but it’s extremely fresh, spicy, and gives really nice performance. Will many guys like the floral and musk aspect of this scent?

Hmm, I should say they would, given a fair shot. I don’t ever think this would become a best seller, but it is a good perfume. I think the price, prohibits any real discovery by the bulk of the population.