Reviews of 1881 (1990)
by Cerruti

Ahh! A beautiful blend of flowers, citrus and wood. I have received more positive comments from women wearing this fragrance than with any other cologne. It is a gentle, winsome scent, with an appealingly shimmering bouquet. As JaimeB stated, it has a subtle radiance. Very long lasting.

I was unprepared for the strong aromatics in the opening. The aromatic greens come through full force – it’s almost too much. I don’t smell the bergamot in the opening at all. When the aromatics settle down, I’m left with something pretty forgettable: I guess it must be the lavender and vetiver, but it doesn’t smell as interesting as it sounds. For the drydown I get a soft wood accord (cedar and patchouli) off in the distance with the lavender and the vetiver of the heart notes continuing with a slightly stronger central accord. I find Cerruti 1881 a strange fragrance: Its opening is harsh and aggressive, and its heart and base are too discreet. It lacks longevity on my skin, which seals its fate as a neutral vote from me.

Kinda sweet and "green" in the way that it's both herbal and leafy. Lasts a good while. If the top notes don't put you off and you get to the drydown, you're in for a treat as it becomes a nice woody floral. Both elegant and casual and very distinctive.

This is my second blind order. The first one was Gucci pour Homme II and 1881 is my second. While I am really delighted with the Gucci, I am totally disappointed with 1881. Smells like my grandfather's something, old barbershop, tasteless, old, blatant, old, lack of refinement, old, lack of moderation, lack of everything and screamingly OLD, OLD, OLD! Now there's no doubt it's been made in 1881, and I thought it was just a name, what a stupid I was! Seems like a random mix of many incompatible contents, like a child trying to make a perfume... My first impression is: cheap fly killer from the far past. Man, nowadays even fly killers smell ways better! What a luck I've ordered the 25ml only!

A top note accord of citrus with green and aromatic notes yields to a floral-fruity heart undergirded by woody oriental notes. This is one I had nearly forgotten, but wanted to revisit after reading Luca Turin's review in "Perfumes: The Guide." I confess that I thought the top notes a bit harsh, but now I see that they lead to a beautiful masculine floriental with delicate resonances that are well worth wearing for their subtle radiance.

The first time I bought this was in Southern France with my (then) French girlfriend. I really wasn't too keen on it, but purchased it because she quite liked it. However, it never really grew on me. A few years later, I foolishly purchased another bottle of the stuff whilst in Madrid - I thought I'd give it another chance. Bad decision! How relieved I was when I finally managed to finish the bloody bottle...

The problem with this fragrance is that there's nothing special to make it stand out, among the myriad of fragrances currently on the market. To be honest, I preferred Eternity For Men than this (and that's saying something). Oh, and the bottle design is so ugly!

On paper, 1881 by Cerutti looked promising: herbal heart tones and woody base notes. On me, it has a tired, dusty-stale smell. I find it to be bitter and irritating.

The first time I sampled this, I was blown away, and i had to have it. It was elegant and strong and manly and on and on. Then I bought it and after wearing it on about 3 occasions, I couldn't do it anymore. It was too much for me. Smells great, the dry down is great but it has become a bit much for me. it is a very old-like scent, hence the 1881 name. Try before buying, and if you buy, get a small bottle lest you suffer the same effects as I.

One of the most discreet yet distinguished citrus chypres to ever have been created. It shares the same league with Grey Flannel, Eau Sauvage, Armani pour homme, Chanel pour Monsieur or Roberto Capucci and has some notes in common with all of these scents too- it's the essence of the timlessly elegant scent, fit for the privileged yet never tasteless or showy gentleman. It embodies the true definition of solid, flawless class. Clean-cut cirus, herbal and aromatic opening, woody and chypre drydown. Starts of very delicately yet still masculine in a distinguished way, but developes a great, yet never brutal or choking lasting power ( unlike the more sensual, potent, carnal Amber version, whih, much more than this one, is easily overapplied if not handled with care and moderation). Personally, i like both the bottle and the name, as both stand, in my opinion, for indestructible conservative values, the rugged, energetic yet stylish puristic simplicity of the bottle being an example of how a true high-end masculine scent should be marketed. The drydown is close to sheer perfection, as it is summing up many of the sensory delights of a Mediterranean surrounding if a few notes- the marine, the mossy touches, moderate floral hints, the antiseptic piney touch, the both relaxing and invigorating touches of aromatic herbs, all of them leading to a very elaborate, but also wearable and fully functional, while still being luxurious and elitist creation which is timeless enough to smell natural and gentlemanly enough to have been made in 1881(and not in 1990) but with the security that, like the most solid investment, will never be dated, not even in our contemporary neoliberal postmodern brave new world, from who's mainly so uninspired, nondescript post-structural scents this one definately stands out.

Very nice scent. Long lasting and primarily sweet. Fresh and somewhat lemony. Does have a bit of a sharpness to the drydown, but ultimately finishes to be a classy, warm fragrance.

Very clean and crisp scent.. Very fresh almost like you just got out of the shower.. But too strong for me.. didnt agree with me and gave me a headache.. So I gave it to my dad who likes those type of scents.. If your not found of strong clean scents wouldnt recommend it for you.. Take nothing away from the frag its a great one.

Very nice on my skin. I don't seem to notice so many of the much-discussed green notes as I do the darker, woody notes.

Bought this one at the same time I happened upon a bottle of Ungaro III recently, and have taken to wearing the 1881 during the day and the Ungaro III (YUM!) in the evening.

Am anxious to sample the Amber version, although too much amber can (e.g., Prada for Men, Ambre Sultan) be overwhelming on my skin, IMHO.

Wow, what a mess of greenery! Lots of green, herbal notes with a few sharp florals tossed in. I thought maybe it would dry down nicely, settle, and smooth out, but instead it just got bitter and harsh. Didn't work at all for me.

this one is fresh fresh fresh - it's like a breath of cold air - it's a beaut!

this was one of my earlier daliances with fragrance but i really havea poor recollection of its odour..i remeber it being showerfresh but unobtrusive..something you wear to work really so as not tocause offence or cross any lines..thats probably why i cant remember it so well..

Too heady for me - all those vibrant herbs just rips and shreds my nose unmercifully. I`m trying to forget that I spent money on it. I`d better stay with Nino Cerruti Original.

I don't know if there is any other fragrance brand except Cerruti, where I really dislike ALL launches up to date. Just like CerrutiSí and Image, 1881 is an unfinished blend IMO that doesn't know where to go. It never settles down to something harmonious or balanced, just a bunch of soapy, woody notes plus a completely unnecessary rose accord that bounce around each other leaving the wearer uncomfortable. Try Bulgari PH for a brilliant take on a similar idea.

1881 is an underrated fragrance even in my fragrance arsenal. The first time i tried it ireally didnt give it an opporotunity to develop into the good fragrance that it really is.

Aquatic-fresh citrus fragrance with a touch of fir. Meets you with transparent morning freshness. Then appear some sharp green forest notes and it lasts, lasts and lasts... Not bad at a distance, but close to my particular skin it smells just like slapdash made heap of various ingredients. Awful headache-green freshness. Guess it could be really good as an air freshener. So I do not wear it, just smelling it from time to time.

Its very fresh and long lasting almost remains for whole day. Sophasticated and sober. Very mature fragrance.

If you like a very fresh, open, masculine scent, then 1881 is perfect for you. It's a "fresh from the shower" scent that's not at all "artificial," and it lasts a long time and smells just as good, as when you put it on. That said, it's also NOT a heavy scent. I find I keep trying the "new, new" scents, and forget that there are a world of great "flavors" out there. that have lasted, for a very good reason. 1881, is one of them.