PARFUMS DE MARLY
HEROD
2012
PERFUMER
Olivier Pescheux
cinnamon
pepper
tobacco
incense
labdanum
osmanthus
vanilla pod
TONKA BEAN
musk
woody notes
patchouli
‘Herod is personified by its blend of diverse notes, exuding a smoky vanilla scent. This eau de parfum opens on spicy top notes of cinnamon and pepper to then show its powerful heart of Tobacco, incense, ciste and osmanthus. These peppery notes are further surrounded by vanilla pods, musk, patchouli and woody accord at the base. An elegant and discernible perfume, for both men and women, it is the epitome of old-world sophistication. Herod echoes the stunning reputation of its equestrian namesake and is presented in a rich earthy-toned bottle and angular stopper. An ode to vanilla, crowned with tonka bean and sublimated with a hint of cinnamon, Herod leaves behind a delicate sillage which is both warm and bold, classic and exotic.’ – Parfums de Marly
What’s left to say about Herod? For me it’s still the star of the Parfums de Marly line-up and while rather simple, it’s also still one of my favorite tobacco fragrances alongside Xerjoff Lunosa and Roja Parfums Enigma Pour Homme.
Herod is a softer, wetter take on tobacco, with a lot of sweetness. It’s often compared to Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille, but I think the Herod tobacco is less dry and also the sweetness is less sugary. Whereas it can feel like two separate layers (tobacco and vanilla) in the Tom Ford, in Herod it feels like one moist blend.
There’s a healthy dose of cinnamon and a slight fruitiness that I appreciated more over time, but otherwise I don’t get many nuances in Herod. Osmanthus is a player, but it’s not as pronounced for me as it seems to be for some people (perhaps because I already knew and loved Herod before I knew what osmanthus smelled like). It feels very simple to me. Compare it for example to Viktor & Rolf Spicebomb Extreme and that seems to be a more interesting fragrance. It opens much spicier, but dries down to something akin to Herod. However, Herod manages to be so comforting that I prefer it not having those transitions. It’s perfectly fine the way it is.
Performance for Herod seems notoriously mediocre if you look at the online discourse. While it’s slightly under average, especially for a tobacco, I have had no real issues with mine (2019 bottle). It’s been comfortably in my top fragrances and I think it will remain there for quite a while longer. A great alternative thats been released since is Scents of Wood Plum In Cognac, which is mostly creamier/milkier, but I’d still give the edge to Herod. Anno 2024 (having smelled all Parfums de Marly releases), Herod is still my clear favorite from the house.
