Fragrance comparison

Black Tea vs 1881 Fairplay

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

Updated 28 Oct 2026 150 ratings analysed

6 wins

Black Tea

Murdock London

4.20106 votes

Rank #11,207 Fresh SpicyLeather

Full profile Similar & dupes

43%scent match

Some overlap

1881 Fairplay

Cerruti

3.9344 votes

Rank #18,771 Fresh SpicyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Black Tea takes 6 of 8 categories.

Black Tea
Choose it for a fresh spicy and leather character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, evening wear.
1881 Fairplay
Choose it for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Black Tea6/8

1881 Fairplay2/8

Ratings & consensus: Black Tea
Community sentiment: Black Tea
Longevity: Black Tea
Sillage & projection: Black Tea
Value for money: 1881 Fairplay
Versatility: 1881 Fairplay
Note pyramid (duration): Black Tea
Fragranxe ranking: Black Tea

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Black TeaMurdock London

1881 FairplayCerruti

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.20/ 5 · 106 votes

Have 50%Had 11%Want 39%

3.93/ 5 · 44 votes

Have 37%Had 22%Want 41%

Category winnerBlack TeaRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

45%Love

39%Like

8%Ok

8%Dislike

1%Hate

106 votes

25%Love

59%Like

0%Ok

16%Dislike

0%Hate

44 votes

Category winnerBlack TeaMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity65

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate80

⏱ Longevity61

〰 Sillage53

♥ Love / hate73

Category winners

LongevityBlack Tea

SillageBlack Tea

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value54

¤ Price value75

Category winner1881 FairplayBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fresh spicy100%

leather90%

warm spicy80%

woody70%

musky60%

smoky50%

fresh spicy100%

aromatic90%

woody80%

citrus70%

warm spicy60%

herbal50%

Scent match43%Some overlap · both fresh spicy, woody and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

Madagascar ClovesNutmegPepperBasil

Heart2-4 hrs

Leather

Base6-8 hrs

MuskWoody NotesBirch

Top15-30 mins

Amalfi LemonCorianderPepper

Heart2-3 hrs

BasilNutmegRosemary

Base3-5 hrs

SandalwoodTonka BeanPatchouli

Category winnerBlack TeaLongest dry-down: 6-8 hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer55

Fall0

Winter47

Day92

Night100

Spring94

Summer100

Fall39

Winter6

Day100

Night24

Category winner1881 FairplayMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men79

Unisex18

Women3

Work 34%Casual 29%Date 27%Party 10%

Men83

Unisex17

Women0

Casual 41%Work 36%Date 14%Party 9%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#11,207

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews23

Overall rank#18,771

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews5

Category winnerBlack TeaHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Murdock London Black Tea does not smell like a sweet cup of Earl Grey. Instead, it delivers a dry, aromatic blast of crushed Madagascar cloves, black pepper, and sweet basil right out of the sprayer. The opening feels bracing and crisp. Within twenty minutes, that sharp spice settles into a handsome leather heart that…

Reviews →

Cerruti 1881 Fairplay opens with a zesty splash of Amalfi lemon, sharpened by coriander and freshly ground pepper. It feels instantly crisp and awakening on skin. Within fifteen minutes, the brisk citrus settles into a verdant heart of green basil, savory rosemary, and a subtle grating of warm nutmeg. As the fragrance…

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, Black Tea or 1881 Fairplay?

Black Tea takes 6 of 8 categories. Black Tea is rated 4.20/5 from 106 votes; 1881 Fairplay is rated 3.93/5 from 44 votes. Choose Black Tea for a fresh spicy and leather character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, evening wear. Choose 1881 Fairplay for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Black Tea or 1881 Fairplay?

Black Tea lasts longest (Black Tea 65/100, 1881 Fairplay 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Black Tea or 1881 Fairplay?

Projection is very close: Black Tea 55/100, 1881 Fairplay 53/100 for sillage.

Do Black Tea and 1881 Fairplay smell similar?

Some overlap: a 43% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fresh spicy, woody and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Nutmeg, Pepper and Basil.

Is Black Tea or 1881 Fairplay better for summer or winter?

For summer, 1881 Fairplay is the stronger pick. For winter, Black Tea is the stronger pick. Black Tea suits evening wear; 1881 Fairplay suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Black Tea and 1881 Fairplay?

Black Tea has top notes of Madagascar Cloves, Nutmeg, Pepper and Basil, heart notes of Leather, a base of Musk, Woody Notes and Birch. 1881 Fairplay has top notes of Amalfi Lemon, Coriander and Pepper, heart notes of Basil, Nutmeg and Rosemary, a base of Sandalwood, Tonka Bean and Patchouli.