Percival Clones

"### How it Smells Kaaf kicks off with a bright, almost fizzy citrus – think mandarin soda rather than freshly squeezed juice. There's a herbal lavender lurking beneath that soda pop vibe, giving it a slightly medicinal edge, like expensive cough drops. The violet and coriander in the heart emerge quickly, adding a powdery, almost lipstick-like sweetness that diverges noticeably from its inspiration. The drydown is dominated by a woody amber aroma chemical, amplified by musk. Instead of a smooth, refined finish, there's a scratchy, synthetic wood feel, reminiscent of freshly sanded plywood. It certainly captures the general idea of a clean, modern fragrance, but it lacks the nuanced depth. ### Bottom Line Wearing Kaaf is like opting for a nicely staged showroom model rather than the high-end original. It gives the impression of sophistication, but you won't experience the finer details. While it satisfies the need for a fresh and clean everyday scent, it comes with a slight compromise in refinement. It’s a perfectly serviceable fragrance for daily wear, but the noticeable synthetic wood note in the drydown prevents it from achieving true excellence. ### Projection Power I got a solid 7-8 hours of wear, though it becomes a skin scent after the first three. Projection is moderate; about an arm's length for the first hour, then it settles closer. I wore it to the office and didn't offend anyone, but it also didn't garner any compliments. It would work well in any climate due to its versatile and generally pleasant nature, even if it is not particularly groundbreaking."

"### Notes & Nuances Absolutely Dark opens with a burst of synthetic lavender, sharp like a cleaning solution, juxtaposed against a candied mandarin orange that leans heavily artificial. The bergamot struggles to cut through, presenting a fleeting citrus zest before disappearing. The heart introduces hedione, but lacks the airy luminosity, instead showcasing a muted, almost watery violet note alongside a surprisingly pungent coriander – more stem than seed, and slightly bitter. The base collapses into a wall of ambroxan and amberwood, creating a monolithic, scratchy accord, underlined by a stark musk. It diverges significantly from its inspiration. Whereas the original has a nuanced, almost mineralic dryness, Absolutely Dark opts for raw, unrefined materials and a plasticky undercurrent emerges. ### Longevity & Projection Longevity is moderate, clocking in at around 5 hours. Projection is strong for the first hour, extending a little over an arm’s length, before quickly retreating to a skin scent. Tested in a climate-controlled office environment, the scent remained static, without evolving or developing. ### To Buy or Not to Buy? This fragrance is suited for casual daytime wear where subtlety is not paramount. It works as an everyday, inoffensive choice when a simple and straightforward scent is desired."

"### To Buy or Not to Buy? Wearing Montagne's Perceval is like inhabiting a photograph of the original – the composition is similar, but the vibrancy and nuance are missing. You gain a recognizable echo of a sophisticated fragrance, appropriate for casual settings, but you lose the original's effortless elegance and refined construction. It presents a cleaned, manicured image but ultimately lacks the lived-in, natural aura of confidence found in the Parfums de Marly creation. ### How it Smells Montagne's Perceval opens with an enthusiastic burst of sugared mandarin, less the refined zest, more the artificial orange syrup found in children's medicine. The lavender is present, but subdued, a polite whisper against the citrus's shout. The heart is where the divergence widens. The signature airy, aquatic-floral quality of the original Percival is present, derived from hedione, but feels flattened, almost two-dimensional. The violet is powdery, reminiscent of old-fashioned makeup, and the coriander adds a fleeting herbal freshness that struggles to cut through the syrupy sweetness. The drydown reveals a woody amber accord, a scratchy, synthetic wood with a plasticky edge, settling into a clean musk that lacks depth. ### The Performance Stats On my skin, Perceval lasts a solid six hours, projecting noticeably for the first two. It creates a subtle aura, detectable within an arm's length, making it suitable for close encounters. I tested it at the office where it generated neutral reactions. It performs adequately in a climate-controlled setting, but struggles in the heat, where the sweet facets become cloying."