Althaïr Exclusif is the 2026 addition to Parfums de Marly's Exclusifs line — a bourbon vanilla built around amaretto and saffron, composed by Hamid Merati-Kashani with dsm-firmenich. It is in our boutique in Somerville, New Jersey, and you are welcome to come and smell it. We do not sell Parfums de Marly online.
What Althaïr Exclusif smells like
The opening is almond liqueur: amaretto, sweet and a little boozy, with saffron beside it and bergamot keeping the first few minutes from turning heavy. Saffron is the detail that separates this from an ordinary sweet opening — it is leathery and slightly bitter, and it holds the almond in place.
The middle is praline with cinnamon and cardamom, and a thread of orange blossom running through it. This is the part most people recognise as the Althaïr signature made richer: a pastry-shop warmth that stays smooth rather than sugary.
Underneath sits bourbon vanilla, the note the house built the fragrance around, with guaiac wood and Ambrox Super giving it a dry, smoky edge and the long finish that Parfums de Marly is known for. The wood matters here: without it the vanilla would read as dessert; with it, the scent settles closer to skin and stays there.
How it differs from the original Althaïr
Althaïr, released in 2020, is the lighter of the two — vanilla and almond with more air around them. Exclusif takes the same idea and concentrates it: more amaretto, more praline, a darker wood base. If you already wear Althaïr and want it to last longer and feel heavier in cold weather, this is the version to try. If you have never smelled either, start with the original at our scent bar, then the Exclusif, in that order.
Who it is for and when to wear it
This is a cold-weather scent. Autumn and winter evenings, dinners, anywhere you want to be noticed without saying much. It suits anyone who already likes gourmand vanillas — and it is worth trying even if you usually avoid sweet fragrances, because the saffron and guaiac keep it from becoming candy.
It is listed by the house as a men's fragrance. In the boutique we have found that division tells you very little; smell it on your own skin and decide.
The details
- House: Parfums de Marly
- Collection: The Exclusifs
- Released: 2026
- Perfumer: Hamid Merati-Kashani, with dsm-firmenich
- Notes: amaretto, saffron, bergamot · praline, cinnamon, cardamom, orange blossom · bourbon vanilla, guaiac wood, Ambrox Super
- Sizes: 75 ml and 125 ml eau de parfum
Where to smell it
Althaïr Exclusif is available at Redolia Perfumery, 92 West Main Street, Somerville, New Jersey, from October 2, 2026. Come in, take your time with it, and wear it on skin before you decide — we will give you a blotter and a sample to take away.
Parfums de Marly is a boutique-only house at Redolia. It is not listed for sale on this website, and we do not ship it. If you want to try it, the shop is the place — Tuesday to Saturday 11–7, Sunday 12–5, and we are happy to set aside time for a proper consultation.