Parfums de Marly launched Herod a decade earlier, but its extremely seductive and enjoyable aroma is still admired and loved by many.
But as a designer fragrance, its price is quite expensive and unreachable for some of its fans. Hence, in this article, I’ve included the best yet affordable alternatives to Herod.
All of them have a similar smoky tobacco vibe but last longer and come at a much more affordable price.
So, if that’s what you’re longing for, stay till the end!
What Does Parfums de Marly Herod Smell Like?
Herod is one of the earliest and finest compositions by Parfums de Marly. Released in 2012, this cologne comes with a dark and mysterious tone. It starts with spicy cinnamon, but soon, it reveals a powerful smoky tobacco heart surrounded by a musky vanilla base.
Now let’s see what notes are present in this excellent cologne:
Top Notes: Cinnamon and Pepper
Middle Notes: Tobacco Leaf, Incense, Osmanthus, and Labdanum
Base Notes: Vanilla, Iso E Super, Cedar, Musk, Cypriol Oil, and Vetiver
As I’ve said before, Herod strikes with the racy cinnamon and pepper duo. And I always find this intense, sweet warmth of cinnamon quite irresistible.
The core of this fragrance has an intense smoky floral aroma with a balsamic undertone. Dark tobacco leaves blend perfectly with incense and creamy osmanthus, creating a mystical aroma.
The base is rich, cozy, and filled with creamy, musky, and woody notes that give the cologne a perfect classy finish.
Overall, Herod is like elegance and confidence in a bottle. Plus, this fabulous aroma will surround you with a strong aromatic halo that lasts for about 8-10 hours.
This best-smelling Parfums de Marly cologne is a perfect winter scent for any casual to semi-formal occasion. You can wear it as your evening scent on fall days as well.
What Colognes Smell Similar To Parfums de Marly Herod?
Over the years, many perfumers tried to recreate the alluring composition of Herod. But not all of them are worthy enough to try.
Hence, after immense research and trying, I’ve shortlisted the best alternatives for Herod.
So, keep reading if you wanna know which one will be the best option for you.
Here’s the list of the top 6 colognes that smells similar to Parfums de Marly Herod:
1. Arabian Horse Alexandria Fragrances
Top Notes: Cinnamon, Pepperwood, or Hercules Club
Middle Notes: Tobacco, Osmanthus, Olibanum, and Labdanum
Base Notes: Vanilla, Patchouli, Musk, Vetiver, and Cedar
If you are looking for an exact Parfums de Marly Herod clone, then Arabian Horse Alexandria Fragrances is the closest you can get. From a spicy opening to a smoky woody dry down, in every phase, it will remind you of Herod.
Released in 2017, this appealing fragrance is a creation of Hany Hafez.
As said before, it starts with a spicy cinnamon and pepper wood blend. Although it doesn’t have incense in it, the combination of tobacco, osmanthus, and labdanum gives the fragrance a similar smoky balsamic core.
The dry-down is practically the same as Herod. It’s rich and creamy with prominent vanilla that smells so intoxicating with a musky, woody undertone.
And the best thing about this scent is it offers a strong projection and longevity at a very low price.
When To Wear
Well, you can wear this fragrance in winter, fall, or, to some extent, in spring days as well.
This cologne is very versatile. So, you can effortlessly wear it as your signature scent or for any special night out.
Why Should You Buy
- Affordable alternative to Herod.
- A perfect balance of dark, sweet, and woody accords.
- Impressive sillage and longevity.
- Gets a lot of compliments.
2. Nuit d’Issey Pulse Of The Night Issey Miyake
Top Note: Kyara Incense
Middle Notes: Amber, Tonka Bean, and Patchouli
Base Notes: Vanilla, Leather, Woodsy Notes, Sandalwood, and Vetiver
You can try Nuit d’Issey Pulse Of The Night by Issey Miyake when looking for a premium and better substitute for Parfums de Marly Herod.
Launched in 2019, this fragrance smells warm and seductive with balsamic kyara incense notes from the very beginning. As the scent develops, it gets warmer.
Meanwhile, spicy tonka combines with prominent amber nuances, creating a spicy and musky aroma in the core. All the heart notes are perfectly balanced by the exotic patchouli nuances.
Finally, the fragrance settles with a creamy, leathery base with a sensual musky undertone.
However, Nuit d’Issey Pulse Of The Night is quite expensive, yet the longevity that this cologne offers is fabulous. Only a few sprays of this gorgeous scent can allow you to smell confident and attractive for the whole day.
Also, its sillage and projection are remarkable.
When To Wear
Nuit d’Issey Pulse Of The Night smells much better on winter or fall days. It’s better suited as an evening or nighttime scent for casual or special events such as clubbing, dinner-date or parties.
However, I’ve seen my partner wearing this classy scent at formal parties as well.
Why Should You Buy
- Premium quality.
- Suitable for spicy tobacco fragrance lovers.
- Great longevity and projection.
3. Divine Vanille Essential Parfums
Top Notes: Cinnamon, Black Pepper, and Clary Sage
Middle Notes: Incense, Osmanthus and Pomarose
Base Notes: Madagascar Vanilla, Tonka Bean, Siam Benzoin, and Texas Cedar
The next Parfums de Marly Herod dupe on my list is Divine Vanille by Essential Parfums. Designed by Olivier Pescheux, this spicy amber vanilla scent was released in 2019.
Divine Vanille also has a similar spicy opening with a powerful cinnamon and black pepper aroma. But it also comes with an added green herbaceous sage undertone, which balances the overwhelming spices while smelling just amazing.
The heart of this fragrance has a soft, smoky, and dark texture with the combination of incense and osmanthus.
In the dry down, it has a prominent vanilla aroma beautifully layered with a spicy tonka bean smell and other woodsy base accords. You’ll also get a musky balsamic aroma in the background, which gives the fragrance a masculine character that lasts for about 6-8 hours.
Plus, this cologne projects quite well, making you noticeable among the crowd.
When To Wear
The warm, spicy tone of this fragrance is perfect for parties and clubbing on winter or fall nights.
It has an intense, sensual vibe in it, which goes perfectly with date nights.
Why Should You Buy
- Affordable price for a niche fragrance.
- Cozy and attractive dry down.
- Decent performance.
- Very versatile.
4. Terror & Magnificence BeauFort London
Top Notes: Birch Tar, Black Pepper, and Saffron
Middle Notes: Incense, Tobacco, and Papyrus
Base Notes: Haitian Vetiver, Myrrh, Labdanum, Pebbles, and Benzoin
Terror & Magnificence can be your ultimate option if you wanna try something more unique with a similar Parfums de Marly Herod tone. BeauFort London released this cologne in 2019 for both men and women.
It begins with a spicy, leathery mix of birch tar and black pepper, impressively layered with refined saffron notes. This warm balsamic opening tone stays on till the end.
After a while, the tobacco and incense aroma adds a smoky, dark vibe to it, which paves the way for the warm, woody base.
In the end, a harmonious blend of vetiver, myrrh, and labdanum completes the fragrance, creating a sensual and elegant aromatic bubble around you.
Overall, this cologne smells pleasantly warm, spicy, and alluring and has a lasting power of 8-10 hours with a strong sillage.
When To Wear
Well, Terror & Magnificence is best suited for fall and winter nights. Yet, works well in a closed environment in spring or summer as well.
It’s excellent for casual and semi-formal occasions, yet you can wear it to any kind of event where you need to smell sensual and attractive.
Why Should You Buy
- Very long-lasting masculine fragrance.
- Warm and cozy aroma.
- Seductive, musky dry-down.
5. Radical Brown Armaf
Top Notes: Cinnamon, Pepper, and Lemon
Middle Notes: Tobacco, Incense, Lavender, and Geranium
Base Notes: Amber, Labdanum, Vetiver, and Cedar
Radical Brown by Armaf is another affordable cologne that smells very close to Parfums de Marly Herod. While retaining a similar spicy tobacco aroma, this cologne also offers a unique floral twist.
It starts with a striking, peppery cinnamon essence. This spiciness of cinnamon is quite prominent in the opening, but the subtle lemon nuances balance it out just perfectly.
The core is filled with dark, smoky tobacco and incense aroma. Meanwhile, the addition of lavender and geranium makes the heart more appealing by giving some sweet, powdery character to it.
Finally, the warm woody base accords arrive with a musky, balsamic undertone. Here, the amber and labdanum mix with woody notes and complete the fragrance, making it reminiscent of Herod.
However, apart from having a great sweet tobacco aroma, this cologne also has decent longevity and sillage.
When To Wear
It’s best to wear Radical Brown on casual occasions in winter or fall. But you can also use this cologne as your springtime scent for both casual and formal use.
Why Should You Buy
- Extremely affordable.
- Well-balanced tobacco and floral notes.
- Attractive composition.
- Good value for money.
6. Spicebomb Extreme Viktor&Rolf
The last Parfums de Marly Herod dupe on this list is Spicebomb Extreme by Viktor & Rolf. Launched in 2015, this cologne comes with a much lighter aroma.
Spicebomb Extreme also has a spicy opening, but it’s not as strong as Herod. Rather than being strikingly spicy, the opening has a bit of a soft and sweet tone.
As the fragrance reaches its core, you’ll mostly pick the smoky, powdery tobacco aroma along with a refined gourmand undertone.
The tobacco flavor stays prominent till the end. After an hour or so, strong creamy vanilla adds up, giving a rich, spicy character to it.
Overall, Spicebomb Extreme is a fabulous combination of spicy, smoky, and creamy accords. And this enticing aroma stays on the skin for the whole day.
And the best thing about this cologne is that it projects impressively well for a long time. So, if you wanna make everyone amazed with your classy, attractive presence, just go with this one.
When To Wear
Spicebomb Extreme works great in casual night events in winter or fall. Well, its extreme sensuality makes it a good choice for date nights or partying as well.
Why Should You Buy
- Perfectly layered spicy scent.
- Has a sexy masculine vibe in it.
- Suitable for winter.
- Niche quality fragrance.
- Incredible performance.
Final Words
Herod comes with a perfect balance of mystery and darkness of tobacco with the sweetness of vanilla. And all the above-mentioned fragrances will give you a similar sensual and mysterious experience.
So, you can surely try them out while looking for worthy Parfums de Marly Herod alternatives. I’m sure you will find a suitable substitute from the list.
And for further queries, leave a comment below.
