Perseus by Maison Alhambra

This fragrance envelops you in oriental, sweet, and fresh notes. It opens with heliotrope, cumin, and bergamot, offering a spiced and fresh introduction. In the heart, almond, lavender, and jasmine add a floral and powdery touch, while vanilla, amber, and sandalwood in the base provide sensual warmth and longevity. Ideal for autumn and winter, perfect for daytime wear or a night out. It’s for someone with a modern style looking for something different from the norm.

I usually don’t critique based on taste, but on dislike, and this one really threw me off. I wanted to like it, but I don’t. Almond? Vanilla? They’re barely noticeable, rarely. From the opening to the dry down, lavender and sandalwood dominate, with a persistent bergamot in the background. It feels very synthetic and astringent, like room spray, with a strong metallic tone. It gives off a clean scent, but more like a cleaned room than pristine elegance. In PDM’s Pegasus, the almond is creamy and the lavender natural; here, nothing like that happens: the top notes take over, the almond is bitter and weak. It’s like they flipped the original pyramid upside down. I don’t think everyone will like it. Negative comments or silence. Neither Pegasus seeks to please everyone; it’s complex. I don’t care what others think, even though I use eighties-era perfumes, but this just doesn’t fit for me like Perseus does. I’m not sure when to wear it. Performance: it lasts a long time on skin, though projection is low to moderate. Clarification: early 2025 batch. Maybe I just got unlucky with this run. I’d love to hear impressions from others with the SAME batch. Anyway, I’m not usually this harsh, but with this one, I have no choice but to trash it so others don’t buy blindly (and especially not if they’re looking for a Pegasus substitute). I’ll let it macerate to see what happens; I already paid for it and have to give it a shot, but I doubt it’ll improve much. Either way, I’ll review it again in a few months.

I’m not one to trash fragrances just because I don’t like them, but this is one of the most jarring scents I’ve encountered in a long time. I wanted to like it, but I didn’t (or maybe I just got unlucky). Almond? Vanilla? Barely, and only rarely. From start to finish, you get too much lavender and sandalwood, with the background bergamot refusing to fade. Those three notes feel synthetic and astringent, like a Poet or Glade, with a very strong metallic tone. It feels soapy, not powdery. Does it smell clean? Yes, but like an air freshener, not fresh laundry. In Pegasus by PDM, you get a creamy almond and natural lavender that just gives way to the rest. Here, nothing like that happens: the top notes dominate, and the almond is bitter, weak, and almost imperceptible. It’s a shame because if executed well, it has character. It’s like they flipped the original olfactory pyramid upside down. I don’t think everyone will like it. Negative comments or silence. Anyway, Pegasus isn’t trying to please everyone; it’s a complex scent for acquired tastes. Personally, I don’t care what others think—I even wear 80s and aggressive scents in summer—but I still feel this clashes more than Perseus. I wouldn’t know when to wear it. Performance: lasts long on skin, though projection is low/moderate (personal bubble plus). Note: early 2025 batch. Maybe I just got unlucky with this run. I’d love to know what others thought of the SAME batch. Anyway, I’m not usually this harsh, but with this one, I have no choice but to trash it so unsuspecting buyers don’t buy blind (especially if they know the DNA and are looking for a substitute). I’ll let it macerate to see what happens (I already paid for it and owe it a try), but I doubt it’ll improve much. Either way, I’ll update my review in a few months.

Solid, I really like this fragrance. It doesn’t have a huge sillage; it’s for people who don’t want their perfume to be felt a kilometer away. Something better suited to accompany you is distinct, something most people won’t use. I like it for any occasion, hands down. I’d still like it to project a bit more.

Smells very similar to Pegasus by PDM, but for my taste, it’s too strong. I really detect the almond. I wouldn’t wear it.

Don’t buy it. It literally smells like cheap air freshener. A waste of money.

Don’t buy it, smells like cheap room deodorant. Total waste of money.

Delightful fragrance; Maison Alhambra doesn’t disappoint at all. It’s a 100% copy of Pegasus by PDM—an exquisite scent with incredible projection and trail.

First impression: vanilla and almond. Unpleasant opening at first, typical of Arab fragrances. After ten minutes, the magic hits: it smells like Pegasus. Perfect for fall, winter, and cool nights. Creamy, sweet vanilla. Worth it for the $16 I paid. Avoid using it in extreme heat so as not to bother others.

Smells clean, vanilla, almond, with an almond touch. Very original, not for extreme heat. Overall, a great perfume that garners compliments.

Bought it because Pegasus is delicious and the price is very convenient. Compared my Pegasus decant to this: at first, it doesn’t resemble it, it’s more metallic and less refined, but over time it gets very close. It’s a Tom and Lomo clone without the strength or the quality of natural ingredients found in PDM. A great option to test the DNA before buying the original.

Finally found it (they had lowered it before). I knew it without having tried Arab fragrances. Delicious and special aroma, different from everything I’ve smelled. Smells fresh and sweet at the same time, creamy vanilla with a metallic almond note. I loved it so much I went looking for the original (Pegasus PdM). The resemblance is great, I’d say 97%. Smells synthetic, but for the price, it’s a steal. It has spectacular trail and projection. I got both: Pegasus for special occasions and Perseus for everyday wear. I’ve already finished the first bottle and am waiting for the second.

It just doesn’t fully convince me. Based on the notes, I thought it would be different, but the scent is weird. If Pegasus by Parfums de Marly smells like this, it’s a waste. It’s very feminine.

Excellent fragrance, very wearable and versatile, except in extreme heat or cold—usable 100% of the time. It’s casual, almost informal, perfect with jeans and a bomber jacket, but also works well with a sharp suit, which is why I see it as so versatile. You can smell the almond, vanilla, and citrus right from the start. I don’t notice much lavender, but I love the overall blend. Great longevity for the price. Maison Alhambra makes really good perfumes. The bottle is stunning, simply amazing. It leaves an impression. A near-blind buy, easy-to-wear scent, I don’t think it’ll offend anyone. Scent: 9.5/10, Projection: 7/10, Longevity: 7/10