Herod Parfums de Marly 2012

When I first received a sample of this fragrance, I was visibly disappointed. Vanilla, minimal cherry, and sweet pipe tobacco.
So this is the scent that turns many perfume lovers' heads. After wearing it twice, I returned my sample at the souk. But due to the constant promotion by various fragrance influencers, it never left my mind.
Should I test it again?
No, for now, there are other scents that I don't know yet and haven't wasted their first chance with me.

But as is often the case in life, chance or perhaps fate played a trick on me. As a bonus at a souk, I received another sample of Herod. However, it wasn't the original Herod, but a dupe - a very good one.
And just like that, the real Herod landed back on my wish list. After a visit to KaDeWe, it became clear to me that yes, I need this scent again, and I would strike at the next interesting souk. Said and done.

Where should I start? The bottle is probably one of the most beautiful from Marly (when it is polished and not covered in fingerprints).
Spray head: Also fine.

But the scent, which I was finally able to truly embrace, has completely captivated me. This mix of dry and moist tobacco, which on one side is cherry sweet and on the other side smoky and bitter. The vanilla, which gives it its appeal, but also acts finely balanced in the background. Herod is a fragrance that has drawn me back in with its simplicity and charm. Recently, I have been exploring the depths of niche fragrances more and more, testing many interesting scents and discovering many exciting things. However, in the end, many of the fabulous creations suffer from the fact that I find them not particularly wearable. And I admit that I prefer to be approached with a compliment about my scent rather than a wrinkled nose asking, "What smells so strange here?"

It is my absolute autumn go-to and is often taken up for a sniff without necessarily having to wear it.

However, I can't particularly relate to the much-discussed issue of poor longevity of the newer batches. Mine from 2022 is perceptible to me all day long, both on clothing and on skin. I am fortunate that most fragrances often mentioned here for their poor longevity and projection hold well on me.