Acca Kappa – Muschio Bianco – Gin and Tonic Musk – 7.5/10.
Founded in northern Italy (Treviso) in 1869, Acca Kappa is a brand that initially specialised in making hair brushes. Their founder Hermann Krüll plied his trade as a bristles merchant in Venice before moving into a brushmaking working partnership in Treviso. The company was originally called Premiata Fabbrica Spazzole Trevigiana (Premium Brush Factory, Trevigiana).
Hermann Krüll eventually took over the company factory in Treviso some decades later, changing the name to Acca Kappa. The Italian pronunciation for H and K (Hermann Krüll’s initials) is Acca, and Kappa, hence the name. In fact, the brand has been in the family for the next four generations. The factory has survived two world wars and still stands today. Nowadays, Elisa Gera, great-granddaughter of Hermann Krüll, is head of the company. Over the years, the brand’s product range has expanded to include hair and body products and, most recently, perfumes.
As we approach the end of the warmest weather, I’ve been wearing one of my favourite perfumes from Acca Kappa, Muschio Bianco EDP. Indeed, it’s one of my favourite clean scents. Wearing it feels like putting on a freshly laundered white tee. That may sound boring, but there are some interesting twists in the development of this perfume. For example, the juniper note adds a spicy hint of gin and tonic cool, while further piquancy comes from cardamom.
There’s no real sweetness to Muschio Bianco. Instead, there’s an overriding feeling of pristine whiteness courtesy of the combination of lavender, aldehydes, and musks. The aldehydes are soapy without being fizzy. In addition, the lavender and musks are airy and clean. If you’re a fan of the clean line from MFK or things like Juniper Sling from Penhaligon’s, then Muschio Bianco may be up your alley. It’s less boozy than Juniper Sling and more interesting than many of the aqua MFK’s.
And the Acca Kappa is much cheaper. For instance, a 30ml bottle of the EDC will set you back 75 Australian Dollars, and 100ml of the EDP is 175 Australia Dollars. The 15ml travel spray that I own is 45 Australian Dollars. Compared to some of the more expensive brands, that’s relatively cheap. Luca Maffei is the perfumer behind many from the line, even winning an award for Black Pepper & Sandalwood. I’m unfamiliar with that one, and I could not determine if Luca Maffei is the perfumer behind 2012’s Muschio Bianco. However, as he seems somewhat of an in-house perfumer for Acca Kappa, I will assume he’s behind this fine clean fragrance too.
Are you a fan of the brand? Do you have any recommendations from Acca Kappa I should check out?
Here are a few pictures of some white flowers that remind me of this Acca Kappa. All pictures are my own.
