Fragrance comparison

1881 Essentiel vs Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme

Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.

Updated 16 Oct 2026 1,346 ratings analysed

1881 Essentiel

Cerruti

4.0588 votes

Rank #9,042 CitrusAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

42%scent match

Some overlap

5 wins

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme

Van Cleef & Arpels

4.251,258 votes

Rank #156 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme takes 5 of 8 categories.

1881 Essentiel
Choose it for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on community sentiment, value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.

1881 Essentiel3/8

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme5/8

Ratings & consensus: Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme
Community sentiment: 1881 Essentiel
Longevity: Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme
Sillage & projection: Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme
Value for money: 1881 Essentiel
Versatility: 1881 Essentiel
Note pyramid (duration): Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme
Fragranxe ranking: Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme

Head-to-head breakdown

Every category side by side, with the winner called out.

Fragrance

1881 EssentielCerruti

Van Cleef & Arpels pour HommeVan Cleef & Arpels

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.05/ 5 · 88 votes

Have 48%Had 12%Want 40%

4.25/ 5 · 1,258 votes

Have 69%Had 31%Want 0%

Category winnerVan Cleef & Arpels pour HommeRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

30%Love

55%Like

9%Ok

5%Dislike

2%Hate

88 votes

52%Love

33%Like

2%Ok

12%Dislike

0%Hate

1,258 votes

Category winner1881 EssentielMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity58

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate76

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage74

♥ Love / hate81

Category winners

LongevityVan Cleef & Arpels pour Homme

SillageVan Cleef & Arpels pour Homme

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value76

¤ Price value53

Category winner1881 EssentielBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

aromatic88%

fresh spicy77%

woody65%

herbal53%

green42%

aromatic100%

woody92%

warm spicy84%

fresh spicy77%

earthy69%

rose61%

Scent match42%Some overlap · both aromatic, woody and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared

Top15-30 mins

BergamotMandarin OrangeCitrusesGrapefruit

Heart2-3 hrs

BasilPink PepperArtemisia

Base5-7 hrs

VetiverCedarOakmoss

Top15-30 mins

LavenderJuniper BerriesBasilGreen NotesCarawaySageBergamotMarjoram

Heart2-4 hrs

RoseCarnationPatchouliVetiverClovesJasmineSpicy NotesCedar

Base8-12 hrs

LeatherOakmossMuskSandalwoodLabdanumAmberCoconut

Category winnerVan Cleef & Arpels pour HommeLongest dry-down: 8-12 hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer100

Fall59

Winter14

Day100

Night21

Spring43

Summer16

Fall0

Winter100

Day47

Night100

Category winner1881 EssentielMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men90

Unisex10

Women0

Casual 44%Work 39%Date 10%Party 6%

Men93

Unisex6

Women1

Date 38%Work 28%Casual 19%Party 16%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#9,042

PerfumerSonia Constant

Launched—

Reviews22

Overall rank#156

PerfumerLouis Monnet

Launched—

Reviews201

Category winnerVan Cleef & Arpels pour HommeHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Cerruti 1881 Essentiel is a crisp citrus fragrance built around sunlit Italian groves and dry Mediterranean herbs. The opening hits with a brisk splash of bergamot, bitter grapefruit, and juicy mandarin orange. It wakes you up immediately. Within twenty minutes, the bright citrus zest softens into an aromatic core of …

Reviews →

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme is a dark, uncompromising leather fragrance built around bitter herbs, velvety rose, and damp oakmoss. First launched in 1978, it opens with a bracing blast of green basil, aromatic lavender, and crisp juniper berries that immediately feels like stepping into a cold pine forest. As the he…

Reviews →

InformationalRead bothTaste is personal

How we score: ratings blend public fragrance ratings with Fragranxe member votes; longevity, sillage, value and sentiment are community vote scores, and season bars are relative to each fragrance's strongest season. Categories with too little data are shown but not scored. The scent match weighs accord overlap (60%) and shared notes (40%). More in the FAQ.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, 1881 Essentiel or Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme?

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme takes 5 of 8 categories. 1881 Essentiel is rated 4.05/5 from 88 votes; Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme is rated 4.25/5 from 1,258 votes. Choose 1881 Essentiel for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on community sentiment, value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, 1881 Essentiel or Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme?

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme lasts longest (Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme 80/100, 1881 Essentiel 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, 1881 Essentiel or Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme?

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme projects furthest (Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme 74/100, 1881 Essentiel 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Do 1881 Essentiel and Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme smell similar?

Some overlap: a 42% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Basil, Vetiver and Cedar.

Is 1881 Essentiel or Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme better for summer or winter?

For summer, 1881 Essentiel is the stronger pick. For winter, Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme is the stronger pick. 1881 Essentiel suits daytime wear; Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in 1881 Essentiel and Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme?

1881 Essentiel has top notes of Bergamot, Mandarin Orange, Citruses and Grapefruit, heart notes of Basil, Pink Pepper and Artemisia, a base of Vetiver, Cedar and Oakmoss. Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme has top notes of Lavender, Juniper Berries, Basil and Green Notes, heart notes of Rose, Carnation, Patchouli and Vetiver, a base of Leather, Oakmoss, Musk and Sandalwood.