Nobile 1942 – Rudis review : Ancient hedonism

Rudis is a men’s perfume by Nobile 1942, an Italian niche brand. It’s based on the adventures and battles of gladiators. Rudis portrays unending war, blood, and death, as well as hope and a burning desire for life and victory. One spritz is enough to carry us to ancient Rome and conjure up the scent of a fighting ring.

Rudis is a ruthless perfume inspired by gladiators and designed exclusively for bold individuals. It can not withstand even the smallest flaw. When you put it on, you shout to the crowd, “Welcome to the arena!”

The opening of the perfume is truly magnificent. It smells like a feast in ancient Rome when everyone falls to the floor from lust, filled to the brim with wine and dried fruit. The first thing that stands out is the strong and striking, very masculine accord of booze and leather, a bit like one of my favorite perfumes – 1740 by Histoires de Parfums and Lonestar Memories by Tower. What sets Rudis apart from a bunch of other perfumes that use this, currently mega-popular chord to exhaustion is the tarty and slightly spicy note of wine, which gives a strange freshness to an otherwise thick and almost sticky composition.

If you are familiar with Nobile 1942 perfumes, or more specifically the creations of Antonio Alessandria, you have probably noticed by now that almost every single one has a thing in common – a fascinating and larger than life opening, which gives way to mediocre middle notes and mild, unconvincing and disappointing drydown. This is the fate of Sandalo Nobile perfume, this is the fate of Malia perfume… and this is Rudis’ fate.

The first note that leaves the sinking ship is exactly the note that makes this composition interesting, and this is the boozy note. Whiskey and wine become a sad combination, like those mixed drinks we all drank in moments of despair at student parties from plastic glasses at dawn. The note of the skin becomes lighter, airier, and slightly smoky… but above all unimpressive. Not something you would expect from a niche brand of this rank, both status and price-wise.

During the duration of the perfume, spicy notes appear and disappear, first of all, pepper and its natural counterpart in the flower world – carnation, and then quiet, almost inaudible patchouli. Rudis is the reason why one should not always trust the first impression, especially in the case of perfumes (and people) who try their best to leave a good first impression. The intensity and too much effort always have a suspicious undertone.

The creator of the perfume is Antonio Alessandria.