Althaïr by Parfums de Marly

Althaïr is very well constructed, featuring vanilla as the star from start to finish. It’s sweet, enveloping, and elegant without being cloying or synthetic. You can tell the ingredients and blend are of high quality. On my skin, it lasted a long time with consistent potency. I didn’t notice much evolution; it smells pretty much the same for hours, anchored by that creamy vanilla. What you smell at the beginning is what you smell at the end. It’s a pleasant fragrance, clean within its sweetness and refined. However, as it’s not my usual style (I don’t like perfumes so focused on sweetness), I think it’s better for special occasions rather than daily wear. I value its quality and execution, but it doesn’t give me that urgent need to own the large bottle. An elegant gourmand, well-made and present, though it doesn’t quite fit my DNA. Rating: 4/5

It’s a chocolatey version of By The Fireplace. Ideal for evenings and cold weather. In the tropics at midday, it would be heavy and cloying. It’s a fragrance for dinner, something casual. It’s not a work of art, but it’s interesting for those who enjoy sweet and spiced gourmand proposals.

It’s wonderful; you put it on and as it settles on your skin, it smells better and better each time; it lasts forever, you smell it all day, that rich warm and sweet aroma that makes you happy every time you notice it. I’d say Bianco Latte is a perfume for an acne-ridden teenager and Althair is a perfume that has become a very handsome man in full maturity; by the way, I find it neither masculine nor feminine. It’s been the second day I’m wearing it and it’s wonderful; wearing it all day is a pleasure. I put it on at 9:00 am and it’s 7:00 pm and it still smells better and better.

A very rich perfume… special for cold days, it makes you feel cosy and captures you with its scent. It’s a gourmand fragrance: lots of the ‘rich’ elements (vanilla, praline) are present, but without falling into something too cloying. It’s not as heavy as some pure vanilla gourmands, so it could also be used on certain daytime occasions, depending on your skin or where you live.

My favourite of all. It makes me think of winter or an American autumn (there aren’t any in my country 😞). If I have it near me, I stay smelling it as if it were drugs. It has a sweetness and elegance that leave me smelling it until I get sick of doing it so much. I love it. But take into account that at these prices, the perfume must enchant YOU. For me it’s brilliant, but not $300 brilliant, so with Liquid Brun my little expert nose is just as happy.

It is a gem, probably the best vanilla I have ever smelled. Easy to like, not innovative but with unsurpassable quality. It shares similarities with market vanillas, but a floral and resinous twist sets it apart. It evolves beautifully: at first, it’s like an orange and bergamot dessert with spices and a chocolatey base. Then the florals recede, revealing a dark, woody vanilla with praline and hazelnut. The base features sweet and bitter resins that prevent it from being cloying. Everything is very harmonious. I would not recommend wearing it in heat as it becomes overwhelming; better below 22°C. On my skin, it lasts 12 hours, with strong projection initially that settles to skin scent. Highly recommended; it is worth every euro for the quality. It hits perfection: elegant, warm, and balanced. For me, 10/10.

At first, it smells intoxicating and brings to mind Nicolas Cage in Ghost Rider: adventurous, strong, fun, and rebellious, throwing flames of a different kind. It opens strongly with citrus and spices (cardamom, bergamot, cinnamon, lime, green apple, and praline) that do not fade quickly, giving way to vanilla, guaiac, tonka bean, and musks. In the dry down, I detect tobacco, dried fruits, cured leather, and olibanum incense, all very balanced. I love it; it is a modern fragrance that most will like, a little gourmand but without being cloying. It smells sexy and attractive on men, shines at night in cooler weather, though I would also wear it during autumn/winter. It is novel and far superior to mainstream scents like JPG or Arab dupes. I won’t discuss the price; everyone values it differently, so do not buy blindly (a decant is better); do not waste money. I enjoy it immensely. It generates many compliments (girls love it), although I choose scents for personal enjoyment. P.S.: I don’t collect, but my vanity is filling up. What would this world be without so many olfactory experiences?

I tried it recently on a friend’s recommendation, and it has become one of my favourites. It is fresh at first but gains body over time. I’ve received countless compliments. It is a sweet, very sexy, and playful masculine scent because it becomes more intense as time passes. Highly recommended. As I couldn’t buy it at the time, I took a sample of Twist instead.

It smells like vanilla custard. You must really like very sweet, edible scents; it smells exactly like that, trust my review.

What a good perfume; finally something different from this house, it doesn’t resemble anything else and several people have copied it. It has very good performance with formidable sillage and quality. It goes well with formal wear. Be careful with the sprays; it is a very high-quality fragrance. You get barely what you expect for the price. Update 31/03/2025: today my wife said: ‘your perfume is very sweet’, I don’t know if that was good or bad, but be careful with the sprays, this is atomic. P.S.: Abstain from using it in summer or very hot climates.

I’ve worn this for three weeks and in one word: VERY WEAK. It smells pleasant—a blend of vanilla, cinnamon, bergamot, and spices—but after 15 sprays on skin and clothes in cold weather, the projection and sillage are non-existent. PDM gifted 400 units to influencers to sell the idea that it’s a bombshell with just four sprays, but they’re laughing at us, which is normal for almost all brands. Longevity: 3 hours on skin and 6 hours on clothes. Don’t wait any longer. Good scent, but longevity and projection are lamentable. Would I buy it again? Not on your life. To those doubting, don’t fall for the paid promotional reviews like I did.

As a Spanish reviewer said, it stings the nose upon application due to poor-quality cinnamon. It happened to me: I couldn’t hold back a sneeze when putting it on because of that sharp opening. Later, once dried, the cinnamon calms down (thank God) and turns into a vanilla that isn’t of very good quality either; for the price, you expect more. It’s not worth the hype or the inflated price for me. There are better vanillas with better performance. Parfums de Marly truly think this will attract everyone, but only a few who like mainstream scents. Anyway, try it before using it, don’t give it the hype it deserves, and be careful with the opening; it will sting you no matter what.

Cloying. I only smell cinnamon—in fact, cinnamon liqueur—and little else of vanilla and ambroxan. It doesn’t feel refined, delicate, or elegant; it’s crude and coarse. Perhaps that appeals to a niche accustomed to more refined essences, plus it’s very synthetic. Without that poo-coloured bottle, you’d think it’s from Maison Alhambra or some Arab brand with inspirations. Extreme longevity of 6 hours, then it vanishes. Nothing new, not bold, not innovative, not disruptive… nothing I’d expect from a product with identity and a high price. The best advice is to try a decant or discovery set before deciding.

Magnificent perfume. One of the best of 2024.

I imagined this would be cloying, but it’s superbly balanced, less sweet than Oajan or JPG. It’s linear; I adore the elemi and that clean musk reminiscent of Galaxolide, though the coumarin takes centre stage over the vanilla. There’s a woody touch from Iso E Super. It’s not for special occasions; I wear it whenever I fancy. It’s a rich sweet scent that doesn’t deserve to be kept in a drawer. It lasts a long time: four sprays are enough for a party, and after 10 hours it’s still consistent. The downside: it’s not innovative, but if you study it, you’ll see it has everything. It’s not youthful; it suits from 25 upwards and is very unisex. Forget Erba Pura, which I find too feminine.