1881 Homme

Andrew Radford, Viora London, January 2022

In January 2022, Andrew Radford devoted a Viora London article to the 1881 fragrances, just after the death of Nino Cerruti. He has worn both versions of the line since 1995 and judges the masculine one as a longtime wearer.

He describes an aromatic woody scent that leaves an impression of cleanliness and undergrowth. The opening of juniper, cypress and pine, brightened by bergamot, strikes him as especially energetic.

In his view, the heart is floral without excess: lavender dominates, supported by carnation and ylang-ylang, with no single note taking over. The deep base seems mossy and woody to him.

Radford sees in it an old-school barbershop freshness, less citrusy than Acqua di Parma’s Colonia. Given its price, he considers it an almost risk-free purchase for anyone looking for a masculine fresh scent without aquatic notes.

He keeps it for spring, summer and fall, during the day and into the early evening. He concedes it may seem too foresty to anyone who dislikes retro styles, and his own choice goes to 1881 pour Femme, which he also recommends to men.

Charles-Philippe, Bespoke Unit, September 2017

On September 19, 2017, Charles-Philippe found the bergamot and juniper top cloyingly sweet, but described a base of cedar, pine, moss, and patchouli that evokes wet earth. He made it an office fragrance, a brash Italian uncle with a more sensitive side.