Herod
A bold cool-weather tobacco gourmand. Spicy cinnamon and cypriol meet sweetened vanilla and incense for a rich, warming signature with serious projection.
Herod opens on Cypriol and Pepper, moves through Cinnamon and Osmanthus, and dries down to Vanilla and Vetiver. At $240 - $355 it is firmly luxury pricing that demands you love the profile first, with long lasting (8h - 12h) on skin. Sample before you commit — it is loud and polarising rather than crowd-safe.
ADEGBE ANALYSIS SCORES
Scores are AdeGbe's editorial analysis based on composition, concentration and community-reported performance — not a single personal wear test.
Approx. $2.40/ml — Based on the lowest street price ($240) over an assumed 100ml bottle for this concentration.
OLFACTORY PYRAMID BREAKDOWN
- Cypriol
- Pepper
- Incense
- Cinnamon
- Osmanthus
- Tobacco Leaf
- Vanilla
- Vetiver
- Labdanum
- Musk
EXPERT ANALYSIS — COMPOSITION & PERFORMANCE
Herod by Parfums de Marly is a warm spice-leaning eau de parfum released in 2012, composed by Quentin Bisch. This is our research team's structured analysis of how it is built, how it performs, and who it suits — based on its composition, community-aggregated performance data, and the AdeGbe scoring model.
The Opening
The opening leads with warm spice and smoky incense facets — Cypriol, Pepper, Incense set the first impression in the initial fifteen to thirty minutes.
The Heart
As the top notes settle, the heart turns warm spice and smoky incense, built around Cinnamon, Osmanthus, Tobacco Leaf. This is where the fragrance reveals its true personality, roughly two to four hours in.
The Dry-Down
Hours later it resolves into a dry woods and golden amber foundation — Vanilla, Vetiver, Labdanum — that determines the lasting memory of the scent.
Who Should Buy Herod
Herod leans masculine but is wearable by anyone who enjoys the style. Its season vector points strongest to winter, and its day/night balance makes it best suited to evening wear and going out. If you gravitate toward warm spice and dry woods compositions and want strong longevity, it belongs on your shortlist.
No major red flags in the composition, but fragrance is personal — skin chemistry can shift the balance of notes, so a sample wear is always wiser than a blind purchase at this price.
PERFORMANCE INDEX & SUITABILITY VECTORS
PROJECTED PERFORMANCE TIMELINE
Projected from this fragrance's concentration, note structure and reported longevity — an analysis, not a single personal wear test.
Cypriol and Pepper lead the opening before the volatile top notes burn off.
Cinnamon and Osmanthus take over as the core character of the fragrance.
Vanilla and Vetiver anchor the scent close to the skin.
A skin-scent of Vanilla and Vetiver is what typically remains by now.
Wear It
- ✓Winter (45% seasonal fit)
- ✓Autumn / Fall (40% seasonal fit)
- ✓Evenings, dinners and going out
Skip It
- ✗Spring — it underperforms here (10%)
- ✗Summer — it underperforms here (5%)
- ✗Enclosed offices, lifts and meeting rooms
- ✗Go easy: 1–2 sprays is plenty
- ✗Hot daytime errands — it can read too heavy
Blind-Buy Risk
- • Contains polarising notes (incense) that not everyone enjoys
- • Very high projection — easy to over-apply and overwhelm a room
- • Divisive, character-heavy notes mean reactions vary widely person to person.
- • Beast-mode sillage is hard to dial back once sprayed; sampling helps you judge dosage.
INGREDIENT SAFETY SNAPSHOT
Spice aldehydes are EU-declarable and among the more common skin sensitisers.
Generally well-tolerated base/fixative materials with low sensitiser risk.
This snapshot is based on the published note list, not a full INCI ingredient breakdown. Always check the box for the official allergen declaration and patch-test if you have sensitive skin. See full ingredient-safety guides →
MOST COMPARED WITH
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What does Parfums de Marly Herod smell like?
Is Herod good for summer?
Is Herod unisex?
Is Herod worth buying?
Can I wear Herod to the office?
How many sprays of Herod should I use?
Is Herod safe for sensitive skin?
INTERACTIVE FRAGRANCE TOOLS
Personalised calculators and scanners specific to Herod.
INTERACTIVE FRAGRANCE TOOLS
Personalised calculators and scanners specific to Herod.
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