PARFUMS DE MARLY
VALAYA

2023

PERFUMER
Quentin Bisch

Mandarin
White Peach
Bergamot
Aldehydes

Orange Blossom
lily-of-the-valley
Petalia
Vetiver
Nympheal
Mahonia

Musk
Ambroxan
Akigalawood
Vanilla

‘A radiant aura and yet, an impalpable softness. This elegant floral-musky-woody fragrance created by Julien Sprecher is a unique play on codes, materials and subtle contrasts. An evocation of the skin caressed by a veil of cotton. Fresh top notes as bergamot, mandarin and sweet white peach, lead to a blend of white flowers, settling on musk and ambrofix sensual base notes. Beyond the boundaries of artifice, and beyond time. Valaya rouses an intimate sensation, a universal emotion, a deep breath of fresh air. The sensation of the petticoat ladies wore under their various garment during the 18th century, or the modernity of a white shirt worn directly against the skin. A fragrance that revisits 18th century heritage with elegance and modernity.’ – Parfums de Marly

Valaya has to be one of the more divisive fragrances to come out in a while. I’d heard everything from it being a must-buy to basic and boring and perhaps most intriguing, that it would smell like Secretions Magnifiques. All things considered; I quite enjoyed it, but don’t love it.

Valaya is a white musk, fresh linen scent, which isn’t the most exciting scent profile. Ironically, it doesn’t smell overly bright, which is in my opinion the most interesting facet, but could also be the reason that some people seem to have such a negative response to Valaya.

It’s watery, oily and very tart in the opening, yet I don’t feel it’s overly fresh, citric or fruity; it’s the tartness of fruits, minus all the other aspects. A similar thing is happening with the florals; everything feels subdued and also very clinical.

Smelling Valaya almost feels like wearing half a fragrance or like smelling a single ingredient vial. Some aldehydic touches stand out, but it comes across diluted overall on my skin. The more I smell it, the more I get a (subtle) hint of spiciness (presumably from Bisch’s, by now pretty much trademarked, akigalawood).

I enjoy the scent, more than I expected to. It’s mature in the way it handles the fruitiness and sweetness, which I prefer over a lot of previous Parfums de Marly scents, which are a lot more vibrant and youthful. I also much prefer this over Maison Francis Kurkdjian 724, which feels more basic to me.

That being said, I don’t find this style of fragrance that interesting and rarely, if ever, worth the money; Valaya doesn’t change that.