Galloway by Parfums de Marly

At 35 degrees Celsius, I thought I’d be sweating through my shirt in minutes, but eight hours later, it’s still on my skin and clothes. It kept me fresh all day. Ten out of ten scent!

If white had a smell, it would be Galloway by PDM. Period. If I had to add anything else: impeccable.

I absolutely love it. The citrus opening with pepper is fantastic, lasting about 30-40 minutes. It’s not overly explosive; it aims to be subtle and elegant, so it settles on the skin quickly. It feels clean, slightly floral, with a very subtle iris that doesn’t dominate, and a marked musk with an amber touch at the base. Perfect for wearing with a white shirt in summer and spring. I tested it a while ago at a mall with an almost empty bottle, and the scent lasted DAYS on the blotter; my new bottle doesn’t even come close to what I expected regarding longevity. It lasts a long time on my skin even after washing, but it fades fast once applied. I hope it evolves to match the performance of that tester.

It’s soft and not intrusive; it would be perfect for everyday wear if not for the price. I recommend it for hot days—it’s flawless in summer. The longevity is high, which surprises me since it’s a citrus scent, and the sillage is moderate. The quality is excellent, no wonder with PDM, and you wouldn’t expect less given the price. It smells amazing. It’s not the most innovative perfume, but I give it a 9/10. I bought it blind and have no regrets; I recommend doing the same because I find it easy to please.

A very pleasant fragrance, one of the forgotten gems of this house… and from my nose, better than Sedley and less overhyped than Percival. It doesn’t seek to turn heads or be a projection monster, but with good longevity, it accompanies the wearer delicately. From my perspective, although it’s refined, it’s quite versatile for any occasion in spring/summer. I imagine it’s ideal for young adults, a bit classic, for the ‘Mr. Nice Guy’ type. It’s my kind of fragrance.

A rich fragrance. Even within PDM, where there are others with more fame and adoration by enthusiasts, Galloway is incredibly rich. It’s fresh, gives a sense of cleanliness and tidiness, and is playful in a sexy way. It opens with citrus and pepper, and as it dries, the musk, amber, and neroli flowers create a very rich profile. I don’t perceive the iris note despite it being on the list. Obviously, you can’t talk about Galloway without mentioning Lalique White, where the inspiration came from; they have an obvious resemblance. Lalique White has a citrus and tamarind tone, whereas here, the amber and neroli concentrate the attention. However, Galloway raises the level abysmally; while Lalique has good quality, Galloway lasts hours and projects excellently. It’s truly a gem within the house, lost among the fame of Layton, Herod, Percival, and Greenley. Originality 2/10, Versatility 10/10, Longevity 8/10, Projection 8/10, Quality 10/10.

It reminded me a lot of Egoïste Platinum, very aromatic, with a discrete citrus in the background and powdery notes. At the base, a very animalic musk gives it great depth and texture, and a discrete amber adds only a soft sweetness at the very end.

The opening is top-notch with a ‘blast’ of spiced, musky citrus that gives a slightly powdery, very masculine feel. If we compare it to Armani Pour Homme or Acqua di Parma colognes, they seem to belong to the same aromatic citrus family, but they’re not; I believe this one is woody, spicy, or aromatic. In fact, there’s one from that family that, despite sharing only one note, bears a huge resemblance: Polo Explorer. Ignoring the notes, the difference between Galloway and P.E. is that in Galloway the mandarin is lower, slightly spiced with a touch of musk. I also sense a mentholated and very lightly powdery dry-down, probably from the iris. You might think these differences make it smell different, but no, the scent is similar. They say time heals all and tames fragrances (reformulations prove it). That’s why, although I initially felt it was totally masculine, after an hour I see unisex potential. I still like it so much that I’m eyeing it to buy. Lasted up to 12 hours on my skin: 4 hours with medium sillage, 4 hours low, and the last 4 hours skin-only. I used a small amount from a vial, so I think if used from a bottle, its performance would be even better. For fresh or cold climates, formal or semi-formal wear, ages 25 and up. They say Polo Explorer was discontinued and many miss it; this Marly one, with a more refined and similar aroma, could be a great substitute.