Percival by Parfums de Marly

I’ve seen many negative comments, but honestly, in my case, I’d always buy this for daily wear. It’s crisp, elegant, and will get you compliments. It’s an easy-to-please scent, and that’s the idea; it doesn’t have to be complicated just because it’s niche. It smells very different from my usual daily scents; you need to wear it a few times to notice its evolution. Excellent for any occasion and worth 100% if you want a standout daily aroma. (Note: I live in a warm climate, between 30 and 35 degrees).

This is the perfume I use in spring/summer at home in the evening. It’s simple but sophisticated, soft, and clean. It predisposes me to have a relaxed rest.

Simple and versatile fragrance. Smells good, reminds me of L’Immensite by LV in its dry down. It’s very expensive for being so generic, although it’s also true that its result isn’t that of a standard designer fragrance. Lasts, holds, and projects well.

Total disappointment for this little thing costing nearly 300 lereles. Generic aroma, made to please without more, the deodorant or perfume a high school kid would wear daily, competing with Borealia (please, I’m not comparing them). Niche price for something little to no purposeful, unjustified, and with very normal, tending to poor, performance. And they say Layton is generic… Well, this wouldn’t out of place in a supermarket bottle.

According to Fragrantica it’s unisex, although personally I can’t imagine a woman wearing it. Anyway, to each their own. It’s said there are cheaper perfumes that resemble it, but after testing Absolutely Dark by Zara and Fierce by Abercrombie, I can say that although they share a profile, neither the evolution nor the longevity can compare. Percival is, without a doubt, the freshest fragrance with the most longevity on my skin of all I’ve tested. No imitation comes close in elegance, sophistication, quality, or performance. I have five Parfums de Marly, and without a doubt, Percival is my favorite. It seems to me to be a very underrated fragrance. For me, it’s the best fresh perfume both for olfactory quality and performance. Even in very hot climates, it behaves like a true beast. I think those who criticize have never had a full bottle; with 1 ml it’s impossible to evaluate the performance. I adore this fragrance and recommend it enthusiastically.

I saw it with a very well-supported review by marketers and bought it almost blindly. It’s Montblanc Legend without looking for details. It works for daily wear, the office, and casual moments. A fragrance for any occasion, nothing new. I wouldn’t buy it again. Its performance is good, creating a bubble all day. 15/04/2025: I still don’t understand how they promote this perfume so much as one of their favorites, if not the most. This definitely isn’t recommended; it’s just a normal thing you find in a Montblanc Legend bottle between $40 and $60. Additionally, its performance is terrible; I can’t smell it for more than 2 or 3 hours. Mind you, this costs $320. It’s not justified, I don’t recommend it; probably the worst perfume I’ve ever had.

Don’t let yourself be carried away by reviews from people who haven’t even had or properly tried it… (I see many of them here). To start, having Fierce by Abercrombie and comparing them side by side, they aren’t the same and in my opinion, they don’t even resemble each other. They might share notes that remind you of them if you smell them independently, but side by side… nothing to do with each other, the difference is very clear. It’s not a generic scent as they mention… if I go to any department store, I don’t find a scent equal or similar. And I certainly browse them frequently to discover new launches or buy something from Dior or Chanel. It’s more about wanting to seem interesting, knowledgeable, and someone very refined and unique, throwing hate at a house like PDM or some perfume like this… if you actually had it, you’d be giving another “review”. Percival is a fresh, youthful, versatile, and very pleasant perfume. It’s guaranteed to please the vast majority of people who smell it; you’re safe… it’s the exact opposite of some challenging, heavy, rare perfume. However, it has excellent performance, projects well in the first hours, and there are bursts as the life fades. On my skin, it lasts about 8-9 hours, and on clothes, the scent stays until you wash it. The fact that it’s a fresh perfume shouldn’t confuse you, as it has very good power and you have to measure the sprays. Without a doubt, it’s a perfume that will work better in casual situations, summer, spring, maybe autumn depending on where you live. Although being so versatile, you could use it all year for any occasion and you’ll be fine. Guaranteed quality from the PDM house, worth trying.

Nothing interesting, smells like body wash.

I understand that at first, many might think it’s a generic scent or offers too little for the price—I fell into that hasty conclusion myself. However, I recommend wearing it and testing it thoroughly in different situations and environments, because this fragrance doesn’t do justice to its first impression or dry-down. And yes, it’s obvious that Percival draws inspiration from the DNA of Fierce or Legend, something Parfums de Marly has done with many of their bestsellers: taking a proven successful idea and adding that extra touch of refinement that the French house once had. That said, claiming it’s identical to them, in my opinion, means you don’t truly know Percival in detail, because the quality and depth of both are worlds apart. The longevity, at least in older versions (those listed with 78% alcohol), far exceeds the average for this type of olfactory pyramid. People have even asked me about it more than 9 hours after I applied it; sometimes it seems like it’s gone, probably due to the ambroxan, but don’t underestimate it in this regard. It’s very versatile and often earns compliments, making it a perfect signature scent for anyone wanting something that combines distinction with ease of use. The price is obviously high, but we’re talking about luxury goods, and in that realm, Percival doesn’t seem out of place within Parfums de Marly’s catalog (for me, it’s a top 3) nor when compared to other perfumes in that price range.

A much-criticized fragrance for its similarity to others, yet it does a great job of keeping you fresh for several hours. It has surprising performance for a fresh scent and equally good projection; it’s the fresh fragrance I reach for most among my other 10. Scent: 9/10 (nothing surprising or new, but you can smell the quality). Longevity: 8/10. Projection: 8/10. A very good perfume if you want a fresh scent with great longevity, versatile and easy to enjoy.

Total disappointment. In terms of performance, it projects nothing and lasts maybe five hours. As for the notes, there’s nothing new or striking; even the term ‘indescribable’ falls short, as I can’t identify or distinguish any specific notes.

Stop talking about percentages; this is pure ambrosia. A perfect signature fragrance for Southerners who demand something difficult: a fresh scent with enough power to wear it beyond summer and that actually projects. That’s Percival. It lasts 8 hours on my skin, even with a 2023 batch. My 2020 decant didn’t last this long. As Carcañuelo said: ‘if you want longevity, try putting 98 octane gas on yourself.’ It’s fresh, packed with natural ingredients, and should last all day. Three sprays at 8:00 AM and I can still smell it, though very close to the skin.

I’m not an expert, but I’ve slowly fallen in love with this rich scent. After reading many reviews, I decided to try it blind and it was a hit. I get that it’s a bit like Legend Spirit, but it’s very different: it feels completely natural and invites people to come closer to smell it. For me, 10 out of 10, definitely a blind buy that will please everyone.

To me, it’s an aroma between Montblanc Legend and Burberry for Men. In fact, as the hours pass, it seems more similar to the latter. It’s a Legend that’s a bit more fruity and sweet, with subtle notes of bergamot, orange, and musk that make it more pleasant and less serious. It also has a classic vibe like CK Eternity, that fresh, herbal men’s cologne. Like other fragrances from the house, it has a richness of notes that turn over naturally and cohesively, maintaining a balance between clean notes like lavender and sweet fruity notes.

Percival is a Montblanc Legend with better longevity and projection. Nothing more. Parfums de Marly is a niche house selling niche-priced perfumes that smell like designer scents. As I said, it lasts longer than designer fragrances, but it feels almost the same. Is it worth paying those prices? For me, it’s a resounding no; I’d rather spend that money on other niches with more original scents.