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Parfums De Marly Kalan is known to be a polarizing scent, people tend to love it or hate it. I’m one of those people who loves the scent PDM Kalan! This may sound odd because I’ve never actually smelled Kalan! So, how is it possible I love the scent of Kalan?

I ordered the cheapest clone/dupe of Kalan I could find, Maison Alhambra’s Kalos. It gave me a general idea of Kalan’s scent profile. And for me, I enjoyed this scent from the first sniff.

It’s nothing I’ve ever smelled before, captivating me with its’ mysterious curiosity.

After several wearings, it grew on me more and more. My liking for the scent grew into love, convincing me to upgrade to a higher-quality clone.

I ordered the premium clone/dupe of Kalan called Amber Oud Exclusif Sport, also by Maison Alhambra, and boy and I am glad I did!

You can read about the differences between the 2 clones based on my experience below.

Parfums De Marly Kalan Notes

PDM Kalan Clones/Dupes

There are not many clones/dupes of PDM Kalan on the market. I’ve tried the only 2 I have access to in Canada.

#1 PDM Kalan Clone/Dupe

Maison Alhambra Amber Oud Exclusif Sport

My Choice

Clone/Dupe of: PDM Kalan

Have I tried Amber Oud Exclusif Sport? Yes

Have I tried PDM Kalan? No

Blind buy worthy? Yes

The upgrade in quality over the other clone, Kalos, is noticeable at first spray. No more alcohol opening. No more rough and edgy opening. Much more depth, body, and well-roundedness.

The Opening: Is said to be 95-100% identical to Parfum De Marly Kalan. I can speak to this but I can attest to it being extremely high quality.

The Drydown: Is said to be 95-100% identical to Parfum De Marly Kalan.

Performance: Amber Oud Exclusif Sport has above-average performance. I get around 2 hours of above-average projection, 8+ hours on my skin, and days on clothes.

#2 PDM Kalan Clone/Dupe

Maison Alhambra Kalos

(Canadian site, but ships internationally)

Clone/Dupe of: PDM Kalan

Have I tried Kalos? Yes

Have I tried PDM Kalan? No

Blind buy worthy? Yes

The Opening: After an initial blast of alcohol, the opening scent is rough around the edges. I can only think to describe it as a dirty, musty smell. This slowly dies down after 10-15 min or so.

The Drydown: Lacks depth and body. Doesn’t contain that earthiness found in Kalan that adds some masculinity to the scent. I get more florals at this point than I do in Amber Oud Exclusif Sport.

Performance: Moderate projection for 1-2 hours. Lasts 5-6 hours on my skin and a day on clothes.

(Canadian site, but ships internationally)