Masculine Signature Collection

Kalan 2019

Kalan by Parfums de Marly
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7.4 / 10 1423 Ratings
A perfume by Parfums de Marly for women and men, released in 2019. The scent is spicy-woody. Projection and longevity are above-average. It is still in production.
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Main accords

Spicy
Woody
Sweet
Fruity
Oriental

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes Top Notes
Blood orangeBlood orange Black pepperBlack pepper SpicesSpices
Heart Notes Heart Notes
Orange blossom absoluteOrange blossom absolute LavenderLavender Solar noteSolar note
Base Notes Base Notes
Roasted tonka beanRoasted tonka bean AmberAmber MossMoss Precious woodsPrecious woods SandalwoodSandalwood
Videos
Ratings
Scent
7.41423 Ratings
Longevity
8.41329 Ratings
Sillage
8.01319 Ratings
Bottle
8.71312 Ratings
Value for money
6.8919 Ratings
Submitted by MuffinXS, last update on 07/30/2025.
Interesting Facts
The fragrance is part of the "Masculine Signature Collection" collection.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to
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Red Carpet Paragon
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Khamzat - Smesh Extrait de Parfum
Gaelic Origin by The Dua Brand / Dua Fragrances
Gaelic Origin
Sport by Orientica
Sport
Nọ 4 - Après L'Amour by Thomas Kosmala
Nọ 4 - Après L'Amour
Baccarat Rouge 540 (Eau de Parfum) by Maison Francis Kurkdjian
Baccarat Rouge 540 Eau de Parfum

Reviews

84 in-depth fragrance descriptions
4
Pricing
10
Bottle
7
Sillage
8
Longevity
9
Scent
Elysium

888 Reviews
Elysium
Elysium
Very helpful Review 8  
Two Fraternal Twins
The brands are different, yet the colour of the bottle is analogous, a scarlet red one and Baccarat red the other, and even the scents have a few points in common. Here and there, some puffs smell the same, but when compared side by side, Baccarat Rouge 540 Eau de Parfum and Kalan are two distinct scents, each with its own unique character. I see more contrasts than resemblances between the two. Kalan smells like a more manly, robust, woodier and darker version of Baccarat. Perhaps, Baccarat has a more feminine touch, whereas Kalan has a more masculine slant as if they altered the original formula for getting two complementary fragrances. Two fraternal twins of different sexes may smell very similar but not precisely identical. Kalan is a splendid example of a perfume that can be like many classic perfumes, but the use of some notes in this perfume both takes it away from them and makes it look different from them. Well, the comparison ends here. Let us now get to the heart of Kalan's description.

Kalan is a small fern, virile and highly sophisticated, and feels like a modern barbershop fragrance, both spicy and green, and vaguely floral. Although they classify it as oriental spicy, it has a fougére tendency, with a fluffy, unsweet, salty, cotton candy feel. Created by two Mane Company perfumers, Celine Ripert and Nathalie Templer, it opens with an extraordinarily fresh initial note of bitterly aromatic blood orange, black pepper and spices for a burst of energy. An observable syrupiness, thick and gooey, with a touch of medicinal, tastes of dried blood orange slices, expertly spiced with freshly ground black pepper. The blood orange does not have the sweet scent commonly found in fragrances. Instead, it feels like unripe or unsweet orange with a sour taste, filthy and full metal nuance. The spices mentioned must include dusty nutmeg and precious saffron, I'd bet, as I get a bitter leathery nuance in the initial blast. The spicy mix plays a role throughout the entire lifecycle of the fragrance. I get a synthetic plastic smell in here for just a moment, but it's just an illusion. I am blown away by that accord. Whilst it might not sound appealing, it is precisely the smell I figured out in my mind before buying or even sampling it.

It releases an accord of aromatic lavender herbs and orange blossom in the heart, evoking the majesty of ancient French gardens. It is gorgeous, although difficult to interpret and describe in words. I catch a resinous roasted sugar, and a few whispers of earthy oakmoss from the base are already detectable if I press my nose to my wrist. I doubt it could be a crowd-pleaser because of the very distinct bitter notes that drive it. The lavender comes to the front and gives it a very slight fougére vibe. I'm sure this unusual volume and dosage of lavender will surprise you. Even if I don't know what perfume the solar note should have, the heart is heated; it warms the surrounding atmosphere, and the essence makes me think of a cold sunny day rather than a rainy one, so it has achieved the result. So the middle stage has a warm aroma, spicy and slightly metallic.

At last, it evolves into something earthly. And when I say earth, I don't mean dirty patchouli or similar; instead, something more like moss and wet dirt or soil. Moss mixed with wood gives the illusion of aged and damp wood. White sandalwood, immersed in musk, woody notes, amber and tonka beans, melts on the skin and ignites the imagination. Now the scent toned down. It is calmer, more agreeable. Smooth, bright, utterly mesmerising.

And I get a massive amount of warm, creamy, kind of burnt and caramelised sugar from roasted tonka. That smoky sugariness slant, in the end, is tamed by an animalic, musky and earthy moss, which already came up at the opening. It's so smooth that it is perfect. There's no overbearing ambroxan or ambergris here, like in so many other contemporary men's perfumes. Just delectable amber, sweet but not sticky—a chocolate sweetness, I would say—that keeps things from ever getting too dark or deep.

Longevity is excellent, and the sillage looks good too. It hangs in the air, especially in the first few hours after application, but I get a puff of burnt sugar sweetness here and there when I move my arms or turn my head. The heat it gives off suggests that I wear it during the coldest days and evenings in winter, at least in the spring and autumn months closest to winter. What to say? I wanted this perfume from the first moment I saw his presentation, and I loved it at the first sniff. So freaky Glorious, and Gorgeous. But from the other reviews, Kalan is a polarising fragrance, no doubt. One faction thinks this is a magnificent and soothing scent and another that finds it disgusting and vexatious. So, don't just dwell on the appearances or impressions of others, including mine, but experience Kalan on your own skin... it may pleasantly surprise you!

I base the review on a bottle I have owned since December 2021.

-Elysium
0 Comments
7
Pricing
9
Bottle
7
Sillage
9
Longevity
8.5
Scent
Ceesie

110 Reviews
Ceesie
Ceesie
Helpful Review 2  
Creamy nutty...
This fragrance had me hypnotised for a while. I ordered some decants of the house of Marly. I expected Kalan to be quite fresh, judging by the notes and what everyone says about it. I heard the term peppery red orange popping up. So I was looking forward to this one, as I love my freshies. But this aint a freshy I can tell you. I was so shocked I ordered a new decant just to see if it was the correct fragrance they sent me. And it was.

But! Even if it's no freshy, I do like this one a lot, it really deserves a review. I find it to be nutty and spicy in a way, very balsamic and creamy. I don't know if it's a thing outside of The Netherlands but it's reminding me a bit of Speculaas. I believe that would mean a mix of cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, ginger and pepper. So this would really be one great perfume for the holidays.

It stays on clothes for quite a while, but it's not heavy and cloying as Haltane can be.
0 Comments
10
Pricing
10
Bottle
10
Sillage
10
Longevity
10
Scent
Ghassan90

15 Reviews
Ghassan90
Ghassan90
4  
A Love-Hate Relationship
Ok, hear me out..this is a fragrance that you’d love after you hate it for a long time. I mean, no fragrance got me confused the way Kalan did.

To start with, I get why people get so polarized about Kalan, I mean that opening is the absolute worst I have ever smelled but wait for it..

I got a 10 ml sample that I almost used it all trying to understand Kalan’s DNA and I didn’t like it so I gave up on it and threw the sample into the drawer I almost never open.

Months later, on a cold December night, while I was cleaning the same drawer, I decided to empty the sample and I sprayed what’s left of it before going to bed (a weird habit of mine) and man, I was so lucky to understand the DNA with the last sprays I had left. Next morning, I woke up to an amazing smell that I have never ever smelled anything like before.

I was so dazzled by the uniqueness of Kalan’s scent, the blood orange and piercing black pepper are pushed back and are replaced by the beautiful orange blossom and a hint of lavender with some shy notes of wood and oak-moss but somehow it’s more than that, there is this alluring note that I don’t know what it is but it’s breathtaking (some people describe it as solar note but don’t know how accurate that description is)

Of course, I ordered a full bottle on the same day to add to my 30+ full bottle niche fragrances collection but the story doesn’t end here. I decided to wear it in December (even though it stroke me as a summer scent) and man, I got compliments like no other fragrance EVER got me. It radiates off my skin like magic and the sillage is way better than when you try to smell it up close.

To end this very long review, don’t give up on Kalan, give it time and spray it every now and then to test it, and when you get its DNA, start wearing it and you will smell like no other man out there!
0 Comments
6
Pricing
8
Bottle
8
Sillage
9
Longevity
8.5
Scent
CCatalina1

12 Reviews
CCatalina1
CCatalina1
2  
Of Fragrances and Men
Pretty harsh, with an extremely strong personality, combining warm spicy notes (especially a lot of cumin,so make sure you know what you're getting into) ,with warm amber, precious sandalwood and a beautiful aromatic lavender, Kalan is the perfume that through the harmony of the notes manages to remind of the famous and much loved Baccarat Rouge. A bit,not much,just a tease,like an old childhood friend,now mature enough to maybe make you think whether you two used to know eachother or not (but his face is sooo familiar though) .Unisex and versatile ,Kalan brings to the wearer a seductive, elegant and modern aura, turning heads everytime this particular man (or woman ,why not) passes through.
Even though Kalan is listed unisex,as i've already mentioned,a man would wear it better.Just my two cents.
0 Comments
9
Pricing
8
Bottle
9
Sillage
9
Longevity
8.5
Scent
Viktor1989

14 Reviews
Viktor1989
Viktor1989
Helpful Review 2  
Parfums De Marly Kalan EDP
Peppery and spicy with a hint of blood orange, a real masculine scent.
The drydown is divinely delicious. The quality is excellent, the durability is also
It's a bit like BR540, but it's more like a masculine version :)
It also performs very well in warm weather, but temperatures around 20 degrees are the most favorable for Kalan.
10/8
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Statements

28 short views on the fragrance
StinkypennyStinkypenny 4 years ago
Violent. Peppery opening = harsh, dischordant. Late drydown is *just* bearable. Not blindbuy safe. Masculine. Huge sillage, great longevity.
0 Comments
ScentToolboxScentToolbox 2 years ago
10
Bottle
8
Sillage
9
Longevity
9.5
Scent
A night spent in a desert encampment right as the scorching sun begins to set. Smokey spiced woods and peppery citrus. Brilliant!
1 Comment
ScentedGentScentedGent 6 years ago
9
Bottle
6
Sillage
9
Longevity
4
Scent
Kalan is way too medicinal smelling for my tastes. Pass.
0 Comments
OmnipotatoOmnipotato 10 months ago
10
Bottle
10
Sillage
10
Longevity
9.5
Scent
Aromatic pepper, blood orange, and lavender over the BR540 formula of ambroxan, hedione, and oakmoss. Absolutely gorgeous
0 Comments
Dixieland88Dixieland88 2 years ago
10
Bottle
9
Sillage
9
Longevity
9.5
Scent
There are fragrances where I understand the polarizing attributes. This is not one. Clean fruity spicy woods. Easy wear. Very nice. 9/10
0 Comments
MeursaultMeursault 6 years ago
8
Bottle
8
Sillage
8
Longevity
5.5
Scent
A chemical mess. Bitter-sweet, herbal, spicy with a weird latex smell. It's a no from me.
0 Comments
CrazyupsCrazyups 2 years ago
To my nose, smells life PF Changs
0 Comments
Rmf1112Rmf1112 4 years ago
Similar to drydown in Oud For Greatness, caramelized spun sugar with a slight bitterness. I don’t see anything unpleasant about it on skin
0 Comments
SmellGoodGuySmellGoodGuy 6 years ago
Maybe it's me, but I think I may pass on this one. Need to resample it...TBC...
0 Comments
Vagab0ndVagab0nd 3 years ago
10
Bottle
8
Sillage
8
Longevity
9
Scent
I love the searing, relentless, scorching heat this gives. Makes me ready for anything.
0 Comments
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