Opus 1870

This is a truly elegant and very nice composition - a niche-quality offering with excellent ingredients! What I like is how it is so well-blended and the fragrance shows both balance and harmony. Personally, while I feel it could be unisex (if worn by the right woman - confidence, class, sophistication and sassiness required - :-) ), but this is a more of a masculine scent to me as a whole. The coriander and fresh-ground pepper open with just a squeeze of yuzu (one of my favorite citruses) - a sparkling top that is one I really like. The transition into the heart offers plumes of smoky incense that emerges seamlessly with warm ground cinnamon and the brilliant lush rose peaking through. Great stage in the fragrance as all the spices play perfectly together and the incense is very natural - more olibanum than anything overtly "head shop"...refined. The rose incorporated in here is the brilliance (and what allows it to be a possible unisex bottling). Not a deep rose - more of a lighter, closed bud at first with the bloom just starting to open along with the rich dusting of spices on the petals & incense wafting throughout...exquisite. The dry down starts with (from my perspective) the Virginia cedar that has a very natural and fresh-cut quality, with some of the dustiness coming in from the spices and incense which lasts into the base (but lightens - sort of a fade/drifting effect that is natural). Very pretty - I am more impressed as this develops. I then detect a nice clean white musk note that lifts the fragrance as the spices dissipate and the incense is now really no more than a nuance (faint note) in the fragrance. The final note that enters is the warm and smooth sandalwood - a quality ingredient that helps the rose carry through. Sandalwood is now precious and this has a very nice, niche feel to it. Not a rose-dominant scent at all, but a well-incorporated note in the overall scent pyramid - which I wanted to revisit. The rose never fully blooms for me, but it lingers wonderfully with the wood. Overall, I find this to be exceptional! I have been wearing various lighter niche Eau de Colognes that retail for a good amount of money that have excellent top notes, spices (including pepper), incense, and fully-integrated wood including rare varietals. This stands easily at their level and is actually a bit deeper due to its Eau de Toilette strength, which was my main reason of interest - notes that I love with perhaps more richness. No disappointment. Excellent review by Jack_Hunter here and sherapop offers a good perspective as well. It is not a loud scent, but one for the wearer and those very close to enjoy. Very good bottle, indeed. One that I see wearing in Spring and Fall or cooler Summer nights. I think this will work in Winter, but not on the coldest days - it would be a nice, refreshing scent on rainy days for sure here in California. My initial wearing tells me that it would project and last better with a bit of warmth and application to clothing also helps. Overall score - 8.5+/10. Recommended. One of the best from the house...? For me, yes!

Sneaky good stuff. Deceptively complex and performant -- just not loud. Over time, my respect for what Penhaligon's did with this one has only grown. There are no rough edges to Opus 1870, none at all. All its notes -- and I do pick up most of them at various times -- are handled with such delicacy as to almost reduce Opus to being dull and boring. But how could it be, when it's always changing, always revealing something new to its wearer and those near him (or her)? At the opening, I feel lots of pepper (black and some pink) and a smooth hit of yuzu, all with a hovering wisp of embers in the background. There seems to be something decidedly British about its opening, though I'm not sure how to describe it. Over time, that opening merges with some sweetness and soft but pronounced spiciness (cinnamon and clove rose, maybe a touch of cardamom) that brings to mind almost a lightly smoked chai vibe. All the while, a very subtle, almost powdery wood combo under-girds the whole experience, anchoring it for a deceptively long wear. On the whole, I find Opus to be ethereal in its lightness and iridescent in its many subtle facets. It only radiates about arm's length at most, but it does stick around a good 4-6 hours or more, depending on how you wear it. No, it's not a screamer. Performance blah blah blah. Performance be damned. Here's the thing: If you wear fragrances to garner compliments and get noticed, you wear something with "punch" -- but punch does not equate to quality. Sometimes you wear something to please yourself and reward those who venture in close. For me, Opus 1870 is a phenomenal fall/winter/evening scent that is light enough to pull off anytime you want to feel and exude contentment, equanimity and authentic kindness. For those who are familiar, it's like an airy, yuzu-backed blend of Loewe 7 Anonimo and Gucci Pour Homme II. Not the same exactly, but like both in some ways. In spite of the similarities, there is nothing out there that is quite like Opus. I give Penhaligon's high marks for uniqueness and artistic approach for this one. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I really appreciate and love it.

Subtly dark and wispy in its lightness, Opus 1870 resides somewhere in that scorchy-woody-spicy space flanked by Azzaro Visit, Loewe 7 Anonimo and Gucci Pour Homme II, yet not blatantly similar to either. The connection others have drawn with Azzaro Visit is absolutely there - that smoky, woody, spicy goodness, though in this case, it's more suggestive of clove and cinnamon than Visit's pronounced nutmeg note. The smoky incense note is also more dry and churchy, bringing Anonimo to mind with that waft of "clove-smoking firebug who just burnt down a church" that is strange and at the same time magnetic. A light layer of very natural cinnamon - again dry, not sweet - reminds me of a very austere take on GPH II. Together, these notes are simply sublime to my nose - though I can imagine it might not be for everyone. Opus 1870 is not a freshie, nor is it a sweetened crowd pleaser. Its projection qualifies as intimate, wispy and ethereal - polite and mysterious, meant to draw the curious closer. This is a masterful execution of subtlety, a muted balance of spicy, scorched wood and a very dry incense. Poor sillage considerations aside, I honestly can't rave enough about this wonderful gem of a fragrance. Do I wish it had a bit more punch? Absolutely. But in every other way, I totally dig it. Definitely not your daily dumb grab, and for this reason I wouldn't recommend a blind buy - not at that cost. But fans of the aforementioned fragrances might very well appreciate the artistry of this unique take on some old favorites.

Reading other reviewers comments, I’m not sure what is meant by poor performance. Is it the longevity or silage? The longevity is what is expected from an EDT and the silage is moderate to heavy for good reasons. Opus 1870 is a woody musky fragrance from Penhaligon’s. The scent starts with a blast of yuzu and black pepper. The pepper does not last long but remains in the background. Throughout the fragrance development the yuzu remains consistent and gives the scent a fresh side. Personally, I don’t get much of the coriander, rose, and cinnamon in the process. The woody incense notes then become prominent and remain for a while. The fragrance ends with a clean musky base that remains the longest. Even though marketed for men I think it is unisex. As for the performance, I get about 4 hours on skin and solid 7-8 hours on clothes. Sometimes I smell the musky woody base on my clothes the next day. The projection however is moderate and I think for good reasons. For this type of scent it would be best to have low silage. At high doses the incense becomes really prominent and sharp. Spray too much and it quickly becomes offensive! Three sprays will do the job. 9/10.

This fragrance holds a very special place in my heart as it was the first fragrance I got after really getting into fragrances. The vibe it gives off is a a very neutral, unisex, clean, fresh but and old school sophisticated feeling with a light woody base, like a “fresh book”. Academia is what I picture. The most obvious top notes is the fresh Yuzu balancing with the pepper. No harshness at all. The middle notes I get most is the rose which is a very fitting touch and not overly feminine. It dries down to a very pleasant sandalwood plain and simple, not too creamy or woody if that makes sense. The performance however of course is not the best and it will only project decent for about 30mins, 1 hour at best if it’s not too hot in your country. And as it dries down to the base it will become almost a skin scent that people in close proximity can smell. Overall a very wearable and easy fragrance, it goes well in almost all occasions and it can be a signature scent as I have not come across anyone that wears this.

I got bought this scent for my birthday and I absolutely love it! As soon as I first sprayed it on, I thought to myself that it leans towards being a more masculine scent, and I still believe that to be true. But I adore a unisex perfume (Tom Ford's offerings being a personal favourite) and I think this smells very sexy on my skin. I did ask my husband whether he thought it smelled masculine on me and he was very surprised that I would even suggest it. On me, the yuzu and the coriander stands out for the first thirty minutes, then it mellows into a spicier, muskier scent. To me it almost smells of fresh, unsmoked tobacco after a while. But the yuzu stays put, keeping it smelling zingy. It is not like any other scent I own; fresh and masculine, distinctive, grown up, refined. It smells expensive (but then, it is). The sillage and staying power is also fantastic. A firm favourite of mine now, and I will replace the bottle after it is finished.

I became really obsessed with this scent. It’s really really classic, elegant, smart... and fortunately it doesn’t smell fougere to me. It’s just a classy classic men smell. I would definitely classify it into the 35+ male category, and i can barely detect any listed note. Maybe i would describe it as a fresh spicy scent? As usual within this “world”, i disagree with the performance “rhates”, as i can easily smell it after a lot of hours, and people around me too. If you’re used to spray 8-10 sprays of strong extracts, and maybe use 3-4 perfumes a day, that might be the reason why you are not happy with its performance. Lovely for every time of the year altough i would say spring and autumn might be its best time, any occasion any dress. Slight similarity with Mechant Loup and a very little “Gucci” vibe, but not a copy at all of any of them. They just share some small similar parts. Thanks for reading :-)

Some say it's boring, some say it's safe. Some say it's nothing special. The first two bits are true but that's exactly what makes it special. Opus is a beautiful, subtle scent that fits any occasion. It doesn't shout, but it's an exquisite and refined scent that's magnificently mature without being stuffy. The combination of pepper and cinnamon with the yuzu and light rose is to die for, and the way it morphs to and fro between pepper, wood and citrus is *chef's kiss*. It's somehow warm and comforting yet light and refreshing at the same time. An underated masterpiece imo. Everyone needs a fragrance like this, I know I can't stop wearing mine! Ps. keep an eye out for Penhaligon's twice yearly unboxed sale (sign up to their mailing list to get notified) - as you can usually grab this for £59 - which at that price is literally unbeatable!

absolutely love this scent. one of my favorites from Penhaligon's. on my skin i mostly get a peppery, fresh, woody, incensey, cinnamon candy type vibe. because it's an edt, i tend to spray heavy and reapply 3-4x a day (can easily go through a full bottle in 6 months) but i don't mind. this scent just works on me. i also love to layer it with Endymion. i wish they would release a stronger version cuz its signature scent worthy for sure, but the performance for the price...yikes. still, i just can't say no to Opus 1870 and it's a must have in my collection. I find myself stockpiling and will purchase a backup bottle whenever I come across it on a discount site.

Nose Note #410 It reminds me of some other mens cologne from late 90s - early 00s, Opus 1870 has some of those touches from the past. It rather simple: all about peppered citrus, but everything that supports this combo is done beautifully. If you like Xeryus Rouge, Terre d'Hermes, Kenzo Jungle Homme - I'll like this one (if you want to pay double the price of those, of course...). Projection is very limited. Longevity is also barely average. It's basically acting like a cologne, not EDT. 7.5/10. It's very nice, but not super special, and performance is appalling for the price P.S. It also distantly reminds me of Dior Sauvage EDT !!!

Now that's a strange one. It's amongst my favourite fragrances but I don't have it and I never had it. I actually got samples so I could try it on various occasions. What can I say? I love it. It's fresh, it's woody. It's not generic. It's classy. I love the Penhaligon's image and packaging in general but this one is my favourite. So why I never bought it? Because it's expensive but projection and longevity are a disaster. And apparently a lot of people agree on that. I want this perfume and I'll buy it one day for sure. I'm just waiting for an opportunity to get it cheaper because it's performance does not match its price.

Penhaligon's Opus 1870 is one of the finest fragrances out there, bar none. The opening notes are a splendid blend of citrus and pepper, which quickly dries down to a wonderfully subtle hint of pepper exquisitely placed on a bed of wood and rose with just a hint of cinnamon. Of course preferences are in the nose of the tester, but in my experience, few fragrances can compete with Opus 1870 for understated class and elegance. The only drawback is the relatively modest sillage. Longevity however is wonderful, and you'll be tempted to repeatedly sniff your wrists for hours on end. Opus 1870 is simply SUBLIME!

I have tried most of the range from this house and Opus 1870 for me stood out as the best. It opens with a really good peppery cedar wood scent with a beautiful Rose fragrance coming through in the background. As time moves on the Rose comes to the forefront and the woods move into the background. I find the scent elegant and refined and also restrained in the manner that it is never overwhelming but just compliments the wearer perfectly. A great woody floral that I found worthy of a purchase of a 100ml bottle and one that I am glad is part of my wardrobe.

There are fragrances/scents and there are memories of scents. For me, this is a memory of a scent that my fathers' suitcase smelled like when he would arrive from one of his long journeys abroad. I was a very young small child then and would often crawl in it, into this giant navy blue Samsonite, with my cat next to me and dream of traveling the world far, far away, on a journey to some exotic country. I never really liked my father, unfortunately. But I loved his suitcase and it's smell. And I absolutely looooooove Opus 1870 !

Love this one: it's so incredibly fresh, bright and peppery. The opening is SO fresh that it might as well fool you into thinking that it's just another citrus fragrance, but the coriander instantly corrects that. And then spices and cedar kicks in and turn it into a lovely woody spicy thing that is definitely warm. However this is a perfect scent for everyday, and I would not relegate it to winter because of the spicyness: it would be a pity. Longevity is, as always with Penhaligon's, quite a let down...

Opus 1870 is the fragrance I have been looking for. I got a sample from Lucky Scent and immediately loved it. The pepper smells great and the other notes go together to make a amazing fresh fragrance. I accidentally spilled some of the sample in my bathroom and I smell it when I got in. I bought a bottle and can't wait to start wearing it. I think it will become my daily fragrance I wear to work. Along with Sartorial and Lothair I am really starting to like Penhaligons more and more.

When Gucci Pour Homme II was discontinued and my original bottle ran out of juice, I was crushed. This isn’t an exact replacement by any means, but it exemplifies much of what I found compelling about that fragrance. A well-rounded scent with pepper and cinnamon serving as a comforting blanket atop the smoothest woody musks a perfume can offer. You can wear this anywhere, anytime. The mild performance is a feature, not a bug. Beautiful stuff. 8.5/10

I just love opus. I'd wear it anytime and feel like a much more sophisticated, gentlemanly version of myself. The yuzu and pepper work so we'll together in the opening and the dry down sandal and cedarwood kicks in to really round off what I would consider to be one of the most pleasant smells to pass my nostrils. If I could only chose one smell for the rest of my life, it would be opus.

An Spicy, Woody and fresh scent from heaven. I have smelled black Pepper, Cedar and Yuzu in this magnificent product the most. Both longevity and projection are moderate. It is a fragrance for all season. It is better to use it in day rather than night. It is a perfume for male and I suppose it is not suitable for very young people. سمپل ارجینال جهت تست موجود است

This smells like a very light, freshly cut ceder plank. There is a lot going on in the fragrance and it's blended very well. The price point for an EDT however... Not really any value, the same house has better performing EDPs that perform well at the same price. I got this at an airport for 60 pounds- well worth it at that price but not at full price