The Thoroughbreds

Carlisle 2015

Carlisle by Parfums de Marly
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Ranked 32 in Unisex Perfume
8.4 / 10 2468 Ratings
A popular perfume by Parfums de Marly for women and men, released in 2015. The scent is spicy-sweet. Projection and longevity are above-average. It is still in production.
Pronunciation
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Main accords

Spicy
Sweet
Oriental
Woody
Gourmand

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes Top Notes
Green appleGreen apple NutmegNutmeg SaffronSaffron
Heart Notes Heart Notes
Tonka beanTonka bean DavanaDavana OsmanthusOsmanthus RoseRose
Base Notes Base Notes
VanillaVanilla OpoponaxOpoponax PatchouliPatchouli SandalwoodSandalwood

Perfumer

Ratings
Scent
8.42468 Ratings
Longevity
8.72314 Ratings
Sillage
8.42310 Ratings
Bottle
8.62215 Ratings
Value for money
6.91785 Ratings
Submitted by OPomone, last update on 07/26/2025.
Interesting Facts
The fragrance is part of the "The Thoroughbreds" collection.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to
Red Tobacco by Mancera
Red Tobacco
Cassius by Maison Alhambra
Cassius
Mystery Tobacco by Carolina Herrera
Mystery Tobacco
Boss Bottled Absolu by Hugo Boss
Boss Bottled Absolu
Intense Red Tobacco by Mancera
Intense Red Tobacco
Triumph of Bacchus (Eau de Parfum) by Argos
Triumph of Bacchus Eau de Parfum

Reviews

84 in-depth fragrance descriptions
8
Pricing
9
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10
Sillage
10
Longevity
10
Scent
Patj1994

29 Reviews
Patj1994
Patj1994
Helpful Review 6  
If heaven had a smell, it would be carlisle
Managed to pick up a brand new 77% pre-reformulation batch. Smells extremely luxurious and warm. The apple notes mixed with the vanilla, patchoulli and wood notes is amazing. It’s definitely a very mysterious, unique smell that will turn heads. I’ve gotten so many random people asking what carlisle is when I’m wearing it which is insane, because that doesn’t happen to me with any other fragrance i own besides maybe aventus. This bottle I have is extremely, extremely strong. I put on three sprays before I went out, and within 10 minutes, my brother could smell me all the way from downstairs and said the entire house smelled. I guess that could be a good or a bad thing. You can EASILY fill up a large room with 2-3 sprays. Carlisle will overpower every other fragrance in the room if someone happens to be wearing something. Longevity is nearly eternal, 24+ hours i can still smell it radiating off of me before I’ve showered. I’m convinced if I didn’t shower this would last two or three days on me lol, that’s how potent this stuff is.

Newer batches don’t perform as strong but are still very VERY good. The newer batches also have a more “medicinal” opening before the dry down starts. My 77% bottle smells a tad smoother.

Edit: after more testing with an 81% formulation tester, the two are very very close. After the first 20ish minutes, they smell identical. The 77% formulation will give you an extra couple hours of noticeable longevity. I wouldn’t worry if you have a newer batch, still smells unbelievable and performs like a champ.

Carlisle is worth every penny, even at full retail price. I paid 400 USD, and I have zero regrets, I would do it again tomorrow.
0 Comments
7
Pricing
10
Bottle
10
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10
Longevity
10
Scent
TaoEuringer

3 Reviews
TaoEuringer
TaoEuringer
Helpful Review 6  
A blurred first encounter
I ordered my first sample of Carlisle, as an afterthought: a second-hand sample obtained for a discounted price, where I had no intention of ever purchasing a full bottle as I already owned Herod from the house. As such, my first encounter was devoid of expectation. My first impression could be characterized as... familiar. The amalgamation of notes created a sensation that was well-known to me, and no particular facet of the composition struck me as interesting. It reminded me of a gentle, smooth brown. Brown in its surface connotation to chocolate. Brown in its suggestion to the fall season. Brown in its reminiscent quality to the ordinary. No masterpiece to say the least.

As I had no expectations from the scent, I wore it liberally and consistently, taking no quarrel with running through my sample. My friends mirrored my own reaction, reinforcing my first impression. A shoulder shrug accompanied with "yea it"s good". For 2 weeks the scent was my companion, through long days, and easy days. The description of a companion is apt, as throughout its wearing Carlisle does have a tremendous presence, even in the cold. And so over time, the resolution of Carlisle sharpened.

My conception of the plain brown canvas focused to unveil the play present all along. Damp wet soil lays the foundation for the background, built upon with subtle resins. The vanilla illuminates the foreground, in which streaks of bitter green apple dance across the stage. The nutmeg does little to make its voice heard and is only differentiable by the most attentive listeners, nonetheless is inseparable from the rest of the piece. The climax never comes, although I find myself never waiting for it. Each segment of the piece stands on its own feet. The progression of Carlisle is a long and steady one, with the most impatient audience members becoming disinterested. Those willing to stick around and stay attentive leave intrigued and satisfied.

I first noticed my love for the scent, when I stood waiting out in the open. A cool gust of wind approached letting Carlisle waft by my nose. In a comical fashion, I closed my eyes and let my attention dance from note to note. The scent no longer felt familiar like the feeling a hit song on the radio might induce but rather familiar like the wry smile of a trusted friend.

In hindsight, I doubt there is any possible way I could have gained the understanding that I have of the composition now, on that first day. As such, I would recommend you to wear even your most mundane samples. The process of testing fragrances by simply spraying them once on your wrist is about as successful, as initial compliments are indicative of your enjoyment of a scent. I would also emphasize the importance of approaching a new sample without any expectation, as was the case here.

From my experience, Carlisle will be a favorite for those close to you, and one that grows on those spending more time with you. I ended up buying another sample relatively quickly, after which I subsequently purchased a full bottle. Carlisle has steadily grown to become one of my most violent fragrance loves.
0 Comments
8
Bottle
8
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8
Longevity
8
Scent
MrHonest

115 Reviews
MrHonest
MrHonest
7  
An alarming trend?
I've always been a big proponent of the brand in general, with Herod being one of my absolute favourite fragrances of all time; but lately...well, I've been noticing an alarming trend.

Surely I can't be the only one who's noticed that many PdM fragrances tend to smell eerily similar to earlier releases from other houses? For example, Godolphin smells like Tuscan Leather, Darley smells like Le Male, Galloway smells like Lalique White, Oajan smells like Ambre Narguile, Layton smells a bit like Pure Malt (to me) and even the new Percival smells strikingly close to Mont Blanc Legend/A&F Fierce. To be honest, I was never really fussed, perhaps having been mesmerized by the substantial heft of the bottles, but the realization came back to me all the more intensely when I smelled Carlisle.

You see, after purchasing a decant a while ago, I sprayed the sucker on and could immediatly tell where people got the Herod + Oajan/Pegasus connection. Sweet, slightly warm apple, honey crisp sort of vibe. What can I say? - It's good. Not entirely rich or deep, but good. That is....until about 30 minutes in. Then something else happened. As the minutes and hours went by, I just couldn't help but get wafts once in a while and think, gee, I've smelled this before. In fact it's almost identical to something in my collection already (I'm sure you know the feeling) but....what....is it? My mind remained in a daze until I finally looked up the notes and considered what else I had that was similar. Nothing. That is, until I remembered the Oajan connection. BINGO.

It's 811 Absoluto by Mathilde Bijaoui for Giovanna Antonelli parfums. And yeah, although that one came out a few years after, the similarity is, once again, UNCANNY. Naturally, I was more than a little bit disappointed and left thinking whether progressive niche brands have finally fallen victim to the designer trend of just copying each other to boost sales. Surely not though....right? Surely?

Either way, I still think it's a wonderful scent, especially for the upcoming holiday season. The blend is very smooth and incredibly true to the notes. Fruity, slightly floral, slightly powdery, warm and sweet. And whereas 811 achieves the effect with tolu balsam, honey, cloves and pepper, Carlisle does it with tonka, apple, osmanthus and nutmeg. Both have a touch of florals and vanilla (with the former being slightly longer lasting, albeit sharper on the nose - that would be the honey), and both layer extremely well with other gourmands. But in the end, the scents are, well, more than a little similar...to say the least. The biggest difference comes in the price, which I won't quote here, but let's just say it's as substantial as the PdM bottles.

So there you have it. Needless to say, I'm still looking forward to every new release by PdM regardless of what they resemble. In fact, compared to some of their earlier offerings, Carlisle is considerably more mass appealing IMO. But you know, sometimes, it just pays to be aware. Let's just hope that we don't find ourselves in a future where everyone smells like Aventus. Yeah. YOU know what I mean.
1 Comment
Aldwyn

19 Reviews
Aldwyn
Aldwyn
Very helpful Review 2  
Beautiful scent, Ugly reality
As I’m testing side by side with Herod, a few things immediately come to mind. 1- This is an amazing fragrance 2- I thoroughly enjoy this more than Herod and 3- This is an oddly familiar scent. I go to the similar to, and there it is. Intense Red Tobacco. Personally, I’m not against owning similar smelling fragrances if there is enough of a difference to my nose, but this just smells way too similar to justify a full bottle at the price as I already own Intense Red Tobacco. It’s a shame because I really was looking for any reason to add this to the collection.
0 Comments
9
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9
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9
Longevity
10
Scent
Mirza98

4 Reviews
Mirza98
Mirza98
Helpful Review 4  
Heaven on earth!
It was simply love at first sight (or should I say - sniff?).
One of my friends introduced me to this fragrance and the rest is history..

This is a potent vanilla/tobacco mix perfect for winter months. Girls are not that into this, but women? They sure as hell are! Not that you should be wearing a perfume to impress others - but hey, who doesn't like a "wow, you smell amazing" comment coming from an attractive woman?

One of my favorite niche perfumes to this day and extremely underrated in my own eyes.

Eternal 10/10

3 Comments
More reviews

Statements

43 short views on the fragrance
BertolucciKBertolucciK 5 years ago
9
Bottle
9
Sillage
9
Longevity
8.5
Scent
The opening is a bit off putting for me but then it settles down in a nice and cozy apple scent with vanilla, tonka bean and patchouli.
0 Comments
TelmomotaTelmomota 2 years ago
9
Bottle
9
Sillage
9
Longevity
9.5
Scent
Amazing fragrance with beast performace, yes, opening is similar to Red Tobacco but has more quality and well blended,
0 Comments
Nik604Nik604 3 years ago
As usual for the brand as many others - massive and obnoxious hyperbolic ultra sweet stench = overhyped and highly overpriced.
0 Comments
MrIDKMrIDK 1 year ago
9
Bottle
9
Sillage
9
Longevity
8.5
Scent
Right after spraying it, it smells dark and leathery, but after some time it gets sweeter and starts to smell more like vanilla. Amazing.
0 Comments
AgentstiffAgentstiff 2 years ago
9
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9
Sillage
9
Longevity
9
Scent
Carlisle is one of the best in PDM line. Smooth, well blended, nice, round and rich. You can get compliments with Carlisle.
0 Comments
PerfumesptPerfumespt 2 years ago
8
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Carlisle is one of the best PDMs ever created. well balanced, seductive, dark and spicy. very good performance.
0 Comments
OmnipotatoOmnipotato 1 year ago
8
Bottle
8
Sillage
8
Longevity
8.5
Scent
Sweet but not cloying, tobacco but not smoky, just fruity creamy class. The perfect date night fragrance
2 Comments
MitchcraftMitchcraft 2 years ago
8
Bottle
8
Sillage
9
Scent
Very dark, leathery, bitter opening, but starts to lighten up a bit and lets some sweetness to come through after roughly 45mins.
1 Comment
TrueFruitsTrueFruits 1 year ago
10
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10
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10
Longevity
10
Scent
Deserves higher rates, could be best from the house. Well blended mixture of notes with a unique smell
2 Comments
AstralmonadAstralmonad 2 years ago
7
Bottle
8
Sillage
8
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10
Scent
Prefer this to Layton. Gorgeous and well-blended, works as a unisex perfume.
0 Comments
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