Fragrance comparison

Cerruti 1881 Black vs Monsieur Balmain

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

Updated 15 Oct 2026 782 ratings analysed

4 wins

Cerruti 1881 Black

Cerruti

4.08333 votes

Rank #3,823 Fresh SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

36%scent match

Some overlap

Monsieur Balmain

Pierre Balmain · 1990

4.69449 votes

Rank #23,409 CitrusAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Cerruti 1881 Black takes 4 of 7 categories.

Cerruti 1881 Black
Choose it for a fresh spicy and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.
Monsieur Balmain
Choose it for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and versatility. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Cerruti 1881 Black4/7

Monsieur Balmain3/7

Ratings & consensus: Monsieur Balmain
Community sentiment: Monsieur Balmain
Longevity: Cerruti 1881 Black
Sillage & projection: Cerruti 1881 Black
Value for money: Cerruti 1881 Black
Versatility: Monsieur Balmain
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Cerruti 1881 Black

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Cerruti 1881 BlackCerruti

Monsieur BalmainPierre Balmain

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.08/ 5 · 333 votes

Have 59%Had 41%Want 0%

4.69/ 5 · 449 votes

Have 56%Had 14%Want 31%

Category winnerMonsieur BalmainRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

30%Love

56%Like

6%Ok

8%Dislike

0%Hate

333 votes

72%Love

25%Like

3%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

36 votes

Category winnerMonsieur BalmainMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage60

♥ Love / hate77

⏱ Longevity63

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate92

Category winners

LongevityCerruti 1881 Black

SillageCerruti 1881 Black

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value74

¤ Price value60

Category winnerCerruti 1881 BlackBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fresh spicy100%

woody90%

sweet80%

citrus70%

lavender60%

oud50%

citrus100%

aromatic88%

fresh spicy77%

warm spicy53%

fresh30%

Scent match36%Some overlap · both fresh spicy and citrus

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

Bitter OrangeLavenderPepper

Heart2-3.5 hrs

NutmegCedarCaraway

Base5-7 hrs

MarzipanAgarwood (Oud)Guaiac Wood

Top

LemonBergamotBitter OrangeMint

Heart

GingerSandalwoodRosemaryCarawayNutmegMossPepperThyme

Base

VetiverClary SageAmberMusk

InformationalShared notesBitter Orange, Pepper, Nutmeg and Caraway. Durations are only published for Cerruti 1881 Black, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring78

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day83

Night100

Spring82

Summer100

Fall18

Winter6

Day100

Night13

Category winnerMonsieur BalmainMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men88

Unisex12

Women0

Casual 34%Work 30%Date 24%Party 12%

Men70

Unisex25

Women5

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#3,823

PerfumerMichel Girard

Launched—

Reviews44

Overall rank#23,409

PerfumerGermaine Cellier

Launched1990

Reviews0

Category winnerCerruti 1881 BlackHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Cerruti 1881 Black takes a surprisingly clever turn away from traditional barbershop citrus colognes. The opening hits immediately with sharp bitter orange, aromatic French lavender, and cracked black pepper. There is an initial two-minute blast of dry alcohol lift before the oils melt into your skin. As the brisk cit…

Reviews →

Monsieur Balmain by Pierre Balmain is a sharp, sun-drenched blast of yellow lemon peel and bitter orange. It is designed for those who appreciate dry, completely unsweetened citrus that holds its ground in high heat. It works beautifully on humid summer days when sugary scents turn cloying.

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, Cerruti 1881 Black or Monsieur Balmain?

Cerruti 1881 Black takes 4 of 7 categories. Cerruti 1881 Black is rated 4.08/5 from 333 votes; Monsieur Balmain is rated 4.69/5 from 449 votes. Choose Cerruti 1881 Black for a fresh spicy and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Monsieur Balmain for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and versatility. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Cerruti 1881 Black or Monsieur Balmain?

Cerruti 1881 Black lasts longest (Cerruti 1881 Black 67/100, Monsieur Balmain 63/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Cerruti 1881 Black or Monsieur Balmain?

Cerruti 1881 Black projects furthest (Cerruti 1881 Black 60/100, Monsieur Balmain 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Cerruti 1881 Black and Monsieur Balmain smell similar?

Some overlap: a 36% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fresh spicy and citrus accords. Common notes include Bitter Orange, Pepper, Nutmeg and Caraway.

Is Cerruti 1881 Black or Monsieur Balmain better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Cerruti 1881 Black and Monsieur Balmain?

Cerruti 1881 Black has top notes of Bitter Orange, Lavender and Pepper, heart notes of Nutmeg, Cedar and Caraway, a base of Marzipan, Agarwood (Oud) and Guaiac Wood. Monsieur Balmain has top notes of Lemon, Bergamot, Bitter Orange and Mint, heart notes of Ginger, Sandalwood, Rosemary and Caraway, a base of Vetiver, Clary Sage, Amber and Musk.