10 Perfumes Similar to Carlisle by Parfums de Marly
10 Perfumes Similar to Carlisle by Parfums de Marly, an editorial deep-dive on notes, character, and how to wear it
By The Fragrenza Team 9 min read
Carlisle by Parfums de Marly opens with a crisp, fruity burst of green apple and bergamot lifted by lavandin — bright, aromatic, and immediately distinguished — before the heart transitions into a warm, deeply complex accord of tobacco leaf, saffron, and davana that is simultaneously spiced and slightly jammy, then settling into a rich tonka bean-vanilla-sandalwood base that carries the fragrance for many hours with quiet authority. The DNA is a fruity-tobacco oriental: the kind of composition that reads expensive from the first spray and grows in complexity as it develops, with the apple-lavender brightness giving way to a heart of genuine depth. Its appeal is that journey — the opening is fresh and modern, the heart is dark and sophisticated, and the base is warm and comforting; few fragrances in the niche category manage such a complete arc within a single composition. The one trade-off is that the saffron-tobacco heart can feel heavy for summer wear or casual daytime use, and Carlisle’s measured projection means those expecting a room-commanding presence may feel underwhelmed. It suits those who appreciate complexity over spectacle: a fragrance that reveals itself slowly to the people already closest to you, rather than one that announces itself across the room. The ten fragrances below each approach the same apple-tobacco-saffron-tonka-vanilla blueprint from a slightly different angle.
Part of our Parfums de Marly Dupes guide.
What Makes Carlisle Special
Carlisle’s character is built on three dominant accords: a bright fruity-aromatic opening of apple, bergamot, and lavandin that is fresh and assured, a warm tobacco-saffron-davana heart that provides the exotic, slightly jammy complexity that defines the composition’s middle act, and a rich tonka-vanilla-sandalwood base that ties everything together in warm, skin-close sensuality. The apple-lavender opening sets an immediate tone of quality and freshness, the tobacco-saffron heart delivers the drama that separates Carlisle from simpler apple-spice fragrances, and the tonka-vanilla drydown gives it its lasting, authoritative warmth. These three accords are the reference points for every comparison below.
- Top notes: Green Apple, Bergamot, Lavandin
- Heart notes: Tobacco Leaf, Saffron, Davana
- Base notes: Tonka Bean, Vanilla, Sandalwood, Cedarwood
1. Parfums de Marly Herod (Similarity: 9/10)
Herod is the closest DNA relative to Carlisle within the same house — tobacco, cinnamon, and pepper open onto a warm vanilla-spice heart, landing on a patchouli-sandalwood-vanilla base that directly anticipates Carlisle’s tonka-vanilla-sandalwood drydown. Longevity is exceptional at 10 to 12 hours with strong projection, and the personality is authoritative, refined, and intensely masculine — a natural choice for winter evenings, formal occasions, or any moment that demands a fragrance with genuine presence and depth. It’s included as the direct within-house DNA comparison for Carlisle, sharing the tobacco-vanilla-spiced oriental framework that defines both compositions. Herod is drier and more tobacco-forward than Carlisle, missing the apple-lavandin freshness and the saffron-davana exoticism, but arriving at the same warm-spiced-vanilla destination via a more austere route. If Carlisle is the sophisticated evening fragrance, Herod is its darker, more formal sibling.
- Top notes: Cinnamon, Tobacco, Pepper
- Heart notes: Vanilla, Pepper, Spices
- Base notes: Patchouli, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Musk
2. Fragrenza Harrod (Similarity: 9/10)
Harrod rebuilds Herod’s tobacco-vanilla-cinnamon warmth at USD 69.99 for 60ml, keeping the same richly spiced oriental authority without the Parfums de Marly niche price. Longevity runs 10 to 12 hours with strong projection, and the character is dense, warming, and quietly commanding — the most tobacco-forward of the four Fragrenza picks here. For Carlisle fans who want to explore the darker, drier tobacco-vanilla side of the same PdM oriental family at a fraction of the house’s pricing, Harrod is the most architecturally faithful starting point. Compared to Bologna Dreams below, Harrod is spicier and more tobacco-centric; Bologna Dreams is creamier and more vanilla-sweet.
- Top notes: Cinnamon, Tobacco, Pepper
- Heart notes: Vanilla, Pepper, Spices
- Base notes: Patchouli, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Musk
3. Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille (Similarity: 8/10)
Tobacco Vanille approaches Carlisle’s tobacco-vanilla core from the richest, most opulent possible direction — tobacco leaf, tonka bean, and vanilla combine in a dense, creamy-spiced accord with dried fruit and warm woods, sharing Carlisle’s tobacco-tonka-sandalwood triangle while replacing the apple-saffron freshness with a pure indulgence in sweet-tobacco luxury. Longevity is outstanding at 12-plus hours with room-filling projection, and the personality is unapologetically opulent — made for winter celebrations, black-tie evenings, or any occasion where you want to smell unmistakably expensive. It’s included for the direct tobacco-tonka-vanilla-spice DNA overlap with Carlisle’s heart and base, though Tobacco Vanille is considerably richer and more singular in its focus — no apple, no saffron, no bergamot, just layers of tobacco-vanilla richness. Think of it as Carlisle’s drydown elevated into a full composition of its own.
- Top notes: Tobacco Leaf, Spices, Ginger
- Heart notes: Tonka Bean, Vanilla, Cacao
- Base notes: Dry Fruit, Woody Notes, Musk
4. Fragrenza Bologna Dreams (Similarity: 8/10)
Bologna Dreams recreates Tobacco Vanille’s dense tobacco-tonka-vanilla architecture at USD 69.99 for 60ml, delivering the same winter-opulent character without the Tom Ford niche price. Longevity runs 10 to 12 hours with strong projection, and the character is creamy, warm, and indulgently rich — the most purely sweet and vanilla-driven of the four Fragrenza picks here. For Carlisle fans who love the tonka-vanilla drydown and want to explore that axis taken to its most indulgent extreme, Bologna Dreams is the natural choice for special winter occasions when Carlisle’s lighter apple-lavender opening would feel too restrained. Between Harrod and Bologna Dreams, Harrod matches Carlisle’s tobacco-spice angle more precisely; Bologna Dreams sits deeper in the sweet-vanilla-tonka register.
- Top notes: Tobacco Leaf, Spices, Ginger
- Heart notes: Tonka Bean, Vanilla, Cacao
- Base notes: Dry Fruit, Woody Notes, Musk
5. Mancera Red Tobacco (Similarity: 7/10)
Red Tobacco approaches Carlisle’s tobacco-saffron-spice heart from a bolder, more forceful direction — saffron, tobacco, and woods opening simultaneously in a rich, dense oriental accord that mirrors Carlisle’s tobacco-saffron DNA directly while amplifying both the saffron intensity and the tobacco-wood base into something considerably more assertive. Longevity is exceptional at 12-plus hours with very strong projection that commands a room, and the personality is bold, confident, and uncompromisingly masculine — best suited to formal autumn and winter evenings where you want maximum presence. It’s included for the direct tobacco-saffron-spice overlap with Carlisle’s heart, making it the closest standalone comparison for anyone drawn specifically to the saffron-tobacco aspect of the Parfums de Marly. The missing apple-lavender opening means Red Tobacco lacks Carlisle’s freshness and complexity, arriving at the tobacco-saffron destination more directly and with considerably more force.
- Top notes: Saffron, Red Fruits, Spices
- Heart notes: Tobacco, Oud, Rose
- Base notes: Amber, Sandalwood, Musk
6. Fragrenza Saffron Tobacco (Similarity: 7/10)
Saffron Tobacco recreates Red Tobacco’s bold saffron-tobacco-wood architecture at USD 69.99 for 60ml, keeping the same assertive, high-projection character without the Mancera price. Longevity runs 10 to 12 hours with strong, room-filling projection, and the character is bold, warming, and uncompromising — the most projecting of the four Fragrenza picks here. For Carlisle fans who want to experience the tobacco-saffron heart of the PdM in a more intense, direct form without the apple-lavender framing, Saffron Tobacco is the strongest expression of that DNA. Compare it to Harrod for a useful spectrum: Harrod is spiced and complex; Saffron Tobacco is more straightforwardly assertive with saffron and tobacco at the forefront.
- Top notes: Saffron, Red Fruits, Spices
- Heart notes: Tobacco, Oud, Rose
- Base notes: Amber, Sandalwood, Musk
7. By Kilian Apple Brandy (Similarity: 6/10)
Apple Brandy approaches Carlisle’s apple-vanilla-warm DNA from a boozy, orchard direction — apple, rum, and vanilla combine in a warm, slightly spirited accord that shares Carlisle’s apple-vanilla sweetness while replacing the saffron-tobacco depth with a rounded, brandy-smooth richness. Longevity sits at 8 to 10 hours with moderate projection, and the personality is warm, elegant, and gently indulgent — a natural choice for autumn evenings, leisurely dinners, or any moment that calls for something apple-warm without the tobacco seriousness. It’s included for the shared apple-vanilla DNA with Carlisle’s opening and base, and the rum note creates a similarly smooth, warming drydown to Carlisle’s tonka-vanilla close. The missing tobacco and saffron mean Apple Brandy reads considerably lighter and more accessible; it’s the relaxed weekend version of Carlisle’s more formal evening character.
- Top notes: Apple, Bergamot
- Heart notes: Rum, Cognac
- Base notes: Vanilla, Sandalwood, Amber
8. Fragrenza Normandy Brandy (Similarity: 6/10)
Normandy Brandy captures Apple Brandy’s apple-rum-vanilla warmth at USD 69.99 for 60ml, delivering the same smooth, orchard-warm character without the By Kilian niche price. Longevity runs 8 to 10 hours with moderate projection, and the character is approachable, warm, and gently indulgent — the most relaxed and casual of the four Fragrenza picks here. It’s the natural choice for Carlisle fans who love the apple-vanilla dimension of the PdM and want a lighter, more everyday-accessible expression of that same apple-warm sweetness for weekend wear and informal occasions. Compared to Harrod and Bologna Dreams, Normandy Brandy is considerably softer and more fruity; the tobacco and spice are absent, leaving a smoother, more orchard-like warmth.
- Top notes: Apple, Bergamot
- Heart notes: Rum, Cognac
- Base notes: Vanilla, Sandalwood, Amber
9. Parfums de Marly Layton (Similarity: 5/10)
Layton is Carlisle’s closest sibling within the same house at 5/10 — apple and bergamot up top, a jasmine-geranium-violet heart, and a warm sandalwood-vanilla-guaiac drydown that shares Carlisle’s apple-sandalwood-vanilla architecture while replacing the tobacco-saffron drama with a sweeter, more powdery-spiced warmth. Longevity is strong at 10 to 12 hours with generous projection, and the personality is refined, polished, and comfortably elegant — less adventurous than Carlisle but more immediately accessible for daily wear. It’s included for the shared apple-bergamot-sandalwood-vanilla DNA with Carlisle, though Layton skips the tobacco and saffron entirely, making it sweeter, softer, and more powder-forward. For Carlisle fans who want the apple-vanilla sophistication in a less demanding, more office-appropriate form, Layton is the natural daytime companion.
- Top notes: Apple, Bergamot, Cardamom
- Heart notes: Jasmine, Geranium, Violet
- Base notes: Sandalwood, Vanilla, Guaiac Wood
10. Amouage Jubilation XXV Man (Similarity: 4/10) — Tangential Pick
Jubilation XXV Man heads in an entirely different direction from Carlisle, building a complex oriental from blackberry, incense, myrrh, and labdanum over a rich resinous-amber base that shares Carlisle’s oriental ambition and longevity while approaching the sweet-resinous territory from an incense-and-fruit rather than tobacco-and-apple direction. Longevity is outstanding at 12-plus hours with powerful projection, and the personality is opulent, ceremonial, and distinctly special-occasion — a fragrance for important evenings, cultural celebrations, or any moment that demands something with unmistakable gravitas. Include it if you love Carlisle’s complex oriental structure and want to explore what happens when a similar compositional ambition is applied to a darker, incense-and-labdanum rather than tobacco-and-saffron foundation. The mood is richer, more ancient, and considerably heavier than Carlisle’s refined modernity.
- Top notes: Blackberry, Apple, Bergamot
- Heart notes: Incense, Myrrh, Orris
- Base notes: Labdanum, Amber, Benzoin
Our Pick
For the closest match to Carlisle’s tobacco-saffron-vanilla oriental DNA, Fragrenza Harrod is the definitive pick at USD 69.99 for 60ml — the tobacco-vanilla-spiced oriental framework mirrors Carlisle’s dark, warm base with exceptional longevity, and at Fragrenza pricing it represents outstanding value for anyone who loves what Parfums de Marly does in the oriental masculine space. If you want to explore the tobacco-saffron heart of Carlisle in a bolder, more assertive form, Fragrenza Saffron Tobacco at the same price delivers the saffron-tobacco intensity in a more projecting, room-filling register. Together they cover Carlisle’s full range: the refined tobacco-spice-vanilla elegance and the bold saffron-forward intensity that defines its most distinctive character.
