PARFUMS DE MARLY
DARLEY
2009
PERFUMER
Francis Deleamont
Mint
Bergamot
Lemon
Lavender
Cinnamon
Orange Blossom
Rose
Rosemary
Tonka Bean
Sandalwood
Guaiac Wood
Amber
Patchouli
‘An eau de parfum that is both complex and elegant, Darley opens to a tonic trio of lemon, bergamot and mint. Softened and rounded by a heart of rose, orange blossom, lavender, rosemary and cinnamon the fragrance then meets new depths with its rich foundation of sandalwood, guaiac wood, patchouli, amber and tonka. It is the perfect blend of fresh, aromatic and precious notes house in a gold bottle. This Parfums de Marly scent is the definition of refined complexity, enveloping the skin with each wear, time after time. Contrasted and sensual, Darley reveals an original fragrance with a radiant sillage designed as a manifesto for all generations of aesthetes. The pure tradition of the formula, combined with its contemporary approach, is cemented in its exceptional ingredients which includes the rarest essences and most sophisticated extractions.’ – Parfums de Marly
I believe that Darley is one of the original releases when Parfums de Marly started in 2009 (alongside Lippizan and Shagya). It’s not one of my favorites, but not a bad release.
Darley is one of the less spoken about Parfums de Marly offerings, but I found it to be quite the pleasant surprise. It opens with a bright bergamot, but immediately cinnamon kicks in. There are a lot of florals in Darley, but I would say they aren’t very strongly represented. You get wafts of rose and lavender, but they are overpowered by an amber and tonka sweetness and cinnamon.
The sweetness is balanced with mint (mainly in the opening). Sandalwood in the base gives it a bit of creaminess, but texture wise, Darley feels more powdery, with a slight talc powder scent as well. I didn’t have as strong of a baby powder connection with this one as I had with Pegasus, but it shares a resemblance.
A lot of people compare this to Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male, which I only smelled in store, but on first impression, I don’t think they are similar, aside from the powdery laundry detergent with sweetness combination. There’s something in here, that I can’t find in the notes, that saves this fragrance for me. I get hints of a slightly nutty and boozy accord, that sort of reminded me of a subtler YSL La Nuit De L’Homme.
Overall, I liked this more than I expected based on the listed notes. Is it full bottle purchase worthy? For me personally not. The pricing is a bit steep for the quality and performance that I experienced. And even though I enjoyed wearing it, Darley pales in comparison to for example Amouage’s Reflection Man, which I would put in a similar category of scent profile.
