Parfums de Marly: where to start? 7 perfumes to discover the house

Parfums de Marly is one of the most talked-about niche houses. In our catalogue the house has around twenty perfumes with offers, almost all of them eaux de parfum. With that much choice, it is not always clear where to start.

We picked seven perfumes for seven moods. The notes we mention are the ones on our product pages, nothing more.

The best known: Layton

Layton (2016) opens with apple, lavender, bergamot and mandarin. The heart brings geranium, violet and jasmine. The base is rich: vanilla, cardamom, sandalwood, pepper, patchouli and guaiac wood. Fresh at first, then warm and spicy, it is often the perfume people discover the house with. See Layton.

The fruity rose: Delina

Delina (2017) starts with lychee, rhubarb, bergamot and nutmeg. The heart combines rose, peony and musk. The base blends cashmeran, vanilla, frankincense, cedar and vetiver. A juicy, bright rose that helped build the house's reputation. See Delina.

The tobacco: Herod

Herod (2012) opens with cinnamon and pepper. In the heart, tobacco meets osmanthus, frankincense and labdanum. The base lays down vanilla, musk, cedar, vetiver and patchouli. A warm, enveloping perfume for autumn, winter and evenings. See Herod.

The almond: Pegasus

Pegasus (2011) starts with heliotrope, cumin and bergamot. The heart brings bitter almond, lavender and jasmine. The base blends vanilla, sandalwood and amber. It is soft and creamy, a little gourmand without being sweet. Try it if you love comforting perfumes. See Pegasus.

The green one: Greenley

Greenley (2020) opens with apple, bergamot, mandarin and petitgrain. The heart pairs violet leaf with cashmeran. The base sets cedar, oakmoss and amberwood. Fresh, green and clean, it is the Parfums de Marly for sunny days and the office. See Greenley.

The clean musk: Valaya

Valaya (2021) starts with bergamot, mandarin and white peach. The heart blends orange blossom and white flowers. The base brings white musk, akigalawood, vanilla and vetiver. Soft and clean, it smells like well-cared-for skin. Perfect for every day. See Valaya.

The spiced gourmand: Althaïr

Althaïr (2023) opens with cinnamon, cardamom, orange blossom and bergamot. The heart pairs vanilla with elemi. The base lays down praline, musk, ambroxan and guaiac wood. It is the most gourmand pick here, a spiced vanilla for cool evenings. See Althaïr.

Which one to choose?

In short:

• You want the best known: Layton.
• You love rose and fruit: Delina.
• You want warmth for winter: Herod.
• You love almond and softness: Pegasus.
• You want freshness: Greenley.
• You want something clean for every day: Valaya.
• You adore gourmand scents: Althaïr.

Test on skin before you buy, and take your time: a perfume is best judged after a few hours, not on a paper strip. On every product page you can compare the shops that sell the perfume and set a price alert to hear when it drops.