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lohushkamm – :
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, in this giant Samsonite, with my cat next to me and dream of traveling the world 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 love Opus 1870
aligtr – :
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.
Ler04ka – :
Opus smells pleasant right off the bat and actually throughout the whole life of the scent but the problem is its a very short lived fragrance. The blending is good, yuzu, cedar, coriander and pepper work in harmony but hell you barely smell anything after less than an hour. All in all not worth the money and while the smell is good, its not enough for me to justify buying a full bottle.
Aleksandr.J – :
I wish it was available in a “Intense” version..
miagkiy – :
Hamster cage. Fresh cage, not dirty cage. But shaved wood is all I get.
I thought I must have gotten a dud so I went back to the store I first smelled it.
I now actually think that tester bottle was stale. The hamster cage was there, just generally weaker and subdued. My bottle is a fresher more volatile version.
Maybe I’ll leave the lid off and sit it in the sun for a year then give it another try.
max21012010 – :
Preamble: So many reviews say it has performance issues yet the longevity rating here is pretty good. This my clear it up…
This was one of the first frags I bought after getting into them properly earlier this year so I’ve had some time with it now. I purchased it off the opening on a cardboard strip (school boy error I know!) The open stood out from everything else I has tried that day.
Has 2 distinct phases the spicy opening is great but unfortunately short lived. The drydown is a rose musk and is _very_ long lasting. The drydown is synthetic smelling and has a plastic/saliva edge to it which I find unpleasant – it’s not the smell I signed up for! The problem is that if I respray to get the opening again the drydown builds and builds and becomes sickly :/
Even though I initially fell in love with this frag it’s officially going down as a dislike now. I wore it last night to see if my opinion had changed, unfortunately not, the overall wearing experience was a 4/10 and I don’t think I’ll actually wear it again considering I’ve picked up so many awesome frags since then.
METVA – :
A spicy, citrus-fruity opening where woods and a touch of rose slowly comes into play to create a harmonious heart phase. Opus is fresh and friendly but still with some alerting vibes.
The dry down is a slightly spicy wood fragrance where I imagine that some Yuzu stays in the game for a while.
This is the first Yuzu centered fragrance I really like. To my nose Yuzu normally takes over and often becomes almost choking. In the case of Opus 1870 it is very well balanced with spices, rose and wood.
If you’re not into Yuzu fragrances but like to give it another chance, I really think Opus 1870 is worth a try.
olga_90_90 – :
A beautiful combination of woods and spices, masculine and mature, so very sexy. Alas, it literally died and disintegrated only 1 hour after spraying into something very faint and plasticky with absolutely no resemblance to the initial impressions. Too bad, I really had high hopes for this one.
nazaron95 – :
Basically, the whole point of wearing a fragrance is to smell nice, and for others to notice that you smell nice. This should last for a few hours, at least. With 1870 it doesn’t. And frankly, given the prices Penhaligon charge, that’s just not good enough.
If you enjoy shelling out your hard-earned cash on a very quick burst of pepper, followed by incense, followed by sandalwood followed rapidly by nothing, then buy this. If not, then don’t.
vyurltqpwcj – :
اُپيوس ١٨٧٠ يه عطر چوبى و ادويه اى هست كه اجزاى تشكيل دهنده اش به خوبى با هم تركيب شده و بوى بسيار بالانسى رو ايجاد كرده
تركيب عطر اينقدر شفاف و با كيفيته كه بيشتر نتهايى كه تو هرم بويايى عنوان شده قابل تشخيصه
دوام و پخش عطر هر دو در حد متوسطه
scestepiery – :
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
zigi_xen – :
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.
keledj – :
For me, this is a strange one. When I spray it on I get a nice woodsy smell – for about two seconds – and then it seems to disappear. It becomes a skin scent almost immediately. When I put my nose to skin I get a pleasant woodsy, floral fragrance but there is almost no fragrance there. This problem is probably particular to me, but there it is. Although I like the smell I have to rate it a dislike due to the extraordinarily weak projection and longevity.
naip95 – :
Really love the combination of Ciara Wood, Cedarwood, Australian Sandalwood, and Black Pepper in the opening. The Rose and Yuzu Fruit gives this fragrance the balance it needs to stand out among others. I just received this and I’m in love!! [As a side note…in Opus 1870’s dry down, I detect a very reminiscent opening of Merchant Loup’s woodiness, yet, unique…]
Overall, a lovely fragrance that I am going to have a field-day wearing!
wraitmaster – :
Very likeable. I find Yuzu a really enjoyable fragrance note, it’s quite moreish, but never has enough strength to it. Opus is very finely balanced, well made and put together. It’s not particularly strong or exciting though. When it comes down to it, this Penhaligon is not worth the money.
I actually enjoyed the shower gel more than the perfume. Think this kind of scent works better in products than perfume. I would really like a wider range of products where they use this scent.
If you had to buy a gift for someone you knew nothing about you’d probably buy them something like this.
6/10
accedyScerway – :
I liked this perfume so much, I started wearing it myself, somehow I thought it’s for ladies first. Then I realised it’s quite a masculine scent haha! But I love it and I gave that bottle to my brother, on men it’s perfect. I wish I had a little sample of this just to sniff it time to time.
Danil-007 – :
A very classy gentlemen’s scent, we really love this fragrance from Penhaligon’s.
reamsmina – :
As a scent begginer, I lately felt in love with the house of Penhaligon´s, especially with their Endymion and Esprit du Roi. For that reason, I was really curious about this one.
The scent itself is quite interesting – fresh and clean mix of citruses, pepper and spicies that smells really gently. Totally unisex.
Unfortunately, it disappeared almost immediately – after 30 minutes I wasn´t able to notice anything. I had to give the bottle back, since I´m not willing to pay for the fragrances with non-existing longevity and sillage.
Drusha1979 – :
Really nice brownish peppery opening evolves into a slightly underwhelming citrus-cedar blend that it a bit too indistinct to be engaging to me. Theres some nice smoky/spicy undertones that show up in the dry down giving it a sort of light-oriental vibe, but unfortunately it only hangs around for a couple of hours before fading away to nothing. Good, but not mind-blowing.
6/10
locomons – :
My friend wears this one, it smells awesome on her, and on me too whenever she shares a spray.
Some free association here: cedar-y woods, crisp but not sharp, serious but doesn’t take itself seriously.
барон – :
Smells alright… mild citrus, pepper, and cedar. It’s nice but nothing special. I don’t love it, I don’t hate it. Because it says “Penhaligon’s” I assume the quality to be good but that’s about it. To be fair, it’s not really my style of fragrance but even if it was I don’t know that the wow factor is big enough to justify the price.
filov21 – :
Pleasant, discreet cedar with lovely floral undertones. Reminds me of wearing an expensive talc under my clothes that emits a light scent when my skin rubs against material. Suitable to wear anywhere by anyone.
aragorn – :
Elegant,old,friendly … these are the first words that come after hearing Opus 1870 … it evokes old libraries, and characters of that time. The base notes begin immediately with pepper very powerful, along with notes Yuzu and coriander that “softenen” the initial power of the pepper. The incense and cedar give a nice touch to the composition, in the base notes the fragrance gets warmer. Smells good but it’s not one of my favorites of Penhaligon’s.
Sillage: 6/10
Longevity: 7/10
Scent: 6.5/10
Overall: 6.5/10
AdmSmsTelss – :
Wow what is this all about?
My initial reaction was “muck heap”, then as it settled I could tell there was something horsey about it…. It smells like a tack shop with a slightly mentholy or toothpaste background scent.
Not an unpleasant smell per se, but I don’t really want to smell of tack shops, even though they are lovely places by and large.
romsia – :
I’m not a pepper fan- perhaps I’ve just not encountered a good blend. That all changed with this masterpiece by Penhaligon’s. Now the weather has cooled in my part of Australia I wanted something with class, something masculine with woods. I am a citrus fan but wanted a warmer edge. I love this!!!The yuzu plumps this up somewhat and the lovely rose in the background gives a nod to past days though this is a modern twist. Class in a bottle Opus 1870 will be in my wardrobe for a very, very long time. Actually, I’ll never be without it!!!!
МИХА1983 – :
Oregano, lemons, coriander, even a little capsicum (but not black pepper per se) … what is this? The opening of a fragrance, or the opening of an antipasto platter? 🙂
This fragrance is vigorous and bright – even a little bit alarming to begin with – but quite rapidly morphs into something far softer, milder and warmer.
In the dry-down it displays smooth woody elements and harmonous musks and florals, and becomes far more unisex than the opening notes would indicate.
It layers well with solifores (lily, bulgarian rose) and becomes decidedly feminine in the process.
I like this one.
peerceinifaft – :
lovely fragrance for men, 30 plus..
Jasonp – :
That’s why it’s good to go back on a scent after a while to have tried it, what is not often interesting to you can become with details that escaped from first. The first time I tested the Opus 1870 i did not see much grace in it but today i appreciated its discreet and sophisticated aroma. Somehow, he is the male version of oriental scent that Penhaligons launched in 2003, called Malabah, and it went past me this connection when I felt a few years ago. The structure of incense, amber, woods and rose in malabah repeats here, but it’s calibrated to soften the floral rose, amplifying the spices and bring a fresh edge to them. Although it dosen’t have ginger or pomegranate, I feel an illusion of those two notes constantly on the skin and I find it very interesting. The illusion of pomegranate I suspect it is, somehow, a result of the combination of rose with cinnamon, but the ginger I do not have a clue I just notice a touch of fresh cut ginger very discreet along with the aroma of pepper and something citrus at the opening. This phase is followed by what strikes me as the sweet scent of pomegranate, which must be the rose and cinnamon, and evolves into a slightly dry and velvety incensed woody base. I found it a great scent, something with a mainstream appeal and a slightly more exclusive care.
koljn – :
Very warm and attractive men’s fragrance (from a female point of view). Sexy but not the least bit sleazy. One of my top two favorite male fragrances (for men, not me). It feels to masculine for me to wear… But I love it so much I might just wear it anyways!
UsestcerSlurl – :
Kokuların hafizamizdan geçmiş günleri, kişileri, olayları, bazı gıda ve ürünleri cagristirdigini hepimiz biliyoruz. Bu konuda ciddi bilimsel çalışmalar var. Bazen kokular yukarda sıraladığım gibi belirgin bir kişi ya da maddeyi değil bir atmosferi çağrıştırır. Penhaligon’s bu konuda başarılı bir marka. Opus ilk kokladigimda bana ahşap yoğun tasarlanmış ve Avrupa da bir ülkedeki çalışma odasını hatırlattı. Bunun nedenini bilmiyorum. Belki bir uzmanla konuşmam durumunda nedenini ogrenebilirim.
Koku baştan sona fazla bir değişim göstermiyor. Hemen hemen aynı kalıyor. Birlesimini okuduğumda şaşırdım. Önceden rastlamadığım bir nota-koku bekliyordum. Ancak bildiğim ve hep rastladığım bir bileşimi var. Ancak sanırım oranlar ve bileşim buna neden oluyor.
Kesinlikle karakterli bir koku. Bu kokuya güzel, harika, başarılı falan demek istemiyorum. En çok hak ettiği iltifat bence karakterli olduğu.
Her mevsim kullanılabilir. Ofis ortamlarında hiç rahatsızlık yaratmaz. 35 yaş üstü için uygun. Takım elbise ile bir aksesuar niyetine kullanılabilir. Agresif değil, akdenizli değil, yakışıklı değil. Görmüş geçirmiş, guvenilir, dengeli bir adam var karşımızda.
Ancak haftasonları biraz daha eğlenceli koku tercih edebilirsiniz. Yani bu birazda haftaici için uygun.
Tabiki ten üzerinde denemeden almamak lazım. Çünkü kokuların hepimiz için farklı anlamları var. Belirli bir kalitenin üstünde olduğu için “kötü” bulmayacaginizi tahmin ediyorum. Ancak begenmeyebilirsiniz. Belki de bu koku size lise yıllarında kök söktüren Kimya hocamizi hatirlatacaktir, kim bilir.
Mavrik – :
Tested this one at the same time as Molton Brown Black Pepper. My surprise when I got a lot of black pepper on this one, and none in the one with the same name as the note itself. Besides the pepper, I get some smoky incense, hints of corriander, and a sort of bitter citrus from the yuzu. Seems very weak on my skin. Its ok, was expecting more given the reviews.
birinsan – :
My favorite men’s fragrance. Calm, woody, dry, but sweet as well. It makes me feel like I’m sitting in a quiet corner of an old library full of precious books.
retyforrety – :
Probably one of the most masculine of theirs that I’ve tried. A surprisingly transparent cedar, sweet and mild without the common acrid undertones. Much smoother than Visit, Rush, etc., and perhaps closer to a more subdued Rocabar. The deep foresty-ness is there, but is much more raw, natural and unadulterated. As it develops, it gets sweeter, with what I believe to be nutmeg…again very much like Visit but more natural and less obtrusive. It’s weak, which I don’t mind, but it’s also oddly incomplete. I’m not sure what else I would have had them add, but it’s one of those scents that feels like half a composition, no doubt because they’ve purposely left it simple. By the end, the spices become very heady, so even though you have to sniff vey close to smell it, it’s lost some of its appeal as far as I’m concerned. Like Racquets, the far base is a bit like Geir if you only sniff it briefly.
TanjaRoma – :
Crisp air, bright sun, beautiful people, darling clothing, fresh talk and a man wearing Penhaligon’s Opus 1870. Here is the all purpose, well travelled scholar with refinement and elegance. A gentleman, mature with sophistocation and poise. Looking, smelling and appearing great is Opus 1870. Never dull and always stirring the atmosphere with an aroma of joy. Say it again ‘Opus 1870’ wear it well Ol’Chum!
klotkar – :
This is the power of scent upon our bodies.
It was late on a splendid Saturday afternoon. I was listening to Les Trois Mousquetaires on audiolivres and I was bored bored bored. I began sharpening my eyebrow pencils, and one thing leading to another, I opened my newly arrived Penhaligon’s “Recueil des Parfums”. Frankly up until now it was a disappointment. Bluebell, Blenheim Bouquet … disappointing. My nose had been underwhelmed, at the same time I was completely aware that these were mature, complex and worthy scents. I tried to like them … I really tried. Then I spilled some Opus 1870 onto my wrist and in an instant I was delving into the recesses of my closet for my adventure clothes, had smeared kohl around my eyes, and was looking for something to accentuate my waist–preferably a sword. I wanted to be dueling l’homme de Meung. I wanted to be racing across the Mongolian plains on horseback, chased by outraged Huns. Opus 1870 is liquid Steampunk. It is leathery and sandalwoody, with a hint of civilized rose. It is bodily adventure in a bottle.
And that, my friends, is the power of scent: the power to transform an everyday day into a spectacularly adventurous one.
samuraixe – :
I know the “This perfume reminds me of _________” section is about as subjective as it comes but as someone who has just tried Opus 1870 and has Gucci Pour Homme II as his signature scent I can’t help but notice a Strong similarity. Granted only 2 notes are similar between the two (cinnamon and musk) but the overall light, classy feel and scent are nearly the same (to me). There is a slight less sweetness to 1870 but unless you inhale it deeply it’s not that noticeable. I’m glad to find something else similar to GPH2 and, as of this wearing of 1870, would highly recommend it. I guess we’ll see if the masses agree…
**And I guess the people have spoken…it went from 3 “yes” in the “reminds me of” GPH2 to nada. That’s fine. I’ll wear it again and unless the sample I was sent from First In Fragrance was wrong I’ll continue to be COMPLETELY reminded of GPH2 every time I wear 1870.**
zheleziaka09 – :
fragranza classica ed elegante buona e frizzante.
100% maschile.adatta di giorno & over 40.
Trasuda esperienza.
jri344JeomiWogkig – :
For the true gentelman. This fellow dresses strictly in grey suits by day and slippers and a cravatt at night. He is very proper and hard to get to know. Icy and academic.
The citrus opening clashes with the peppar and makes you intersted. A dry woody drydown keeps you earthed.
DGolle – :
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!
olena-boyko – :
If Serge Lutens Chéne and Chanel Egoïste had a baby, what would it be like? Absolutely stunning and very close to this creation, I imagine.
If you like dry woods, smokey incense, rose, and cinnamon with a peppery twist and finally a light musky base then you should give Opus a try. I have sampled this twice now and I’ve had none of the longevity or sillage problems some reviews have mentioned. A few dabs from my sample tube last nicely 8 hours without reapplication and while Opus stays relatively close to skin it still manages to make itself known every know and then without me having to press my nose to it.
Opus is a slightly more feminine perfume than I expected, but beautiful nonetheless.
18deniska83 – :
Lovely, something I could wear every day with ease…. if it had any longevity to speak of. Have tried it twice now, once applying with my usual quantity and then being a bit more heavy handed. Unfortunately it completely lost all character within three hours. I love the nice clean pepper most of all, with a nice background of woods and other spices, but such a nice opening fades quickly.
Leaves me wondering why companies spend so much time creating lovely works of art only to dissapoint by being so fleeting. Oh well, if you have a nice occasion that requires a suit and a bit of class and goes for less than two hours you have found your choice
erardimiBeism – :
I am a Penhaligon fan but Opus 1870 is the least favorite of mine. Too ‘Hot’ & Spicy for me.
baxin – :
It must just be me, but this smelled exactly like a pet shop that I spent many hours of my childhood in. The wood shavings in the bottom of dog and rodent cages? Yeah . . . it smells exactly like Opus. I had very high hopes, but I could NOT get past the connection.
валерьянушка – :
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!
warwaralabez – :
This is heavenly soft, warm, woods and flowers. Zero sweetness, fruits, or desserts, So my dream scent. I could happily wear this every day. I have a small sample of this, and I hope I can get a bottle soon, as I would love to spray rather than dab. Smells great on me, but it would smell dangerously sexy on a man.
derzkii – :
I truly love this one but it wont stay on me
splash smell puff gone pity
ReakPrike – :
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.
erigo – :
This is very good and the best thing about wearing this is that you are sure not going bump into someone wearing this the same time as you . lol
HACKER980 – :
Wow, I just received my bottle. I love it.
I find it to be a cross between Dunhill edition and Penhaligons Blemheim Bouquet, both of which I love.
lam307speagoessenda – :
Penhaligon OPUS 1870 opens briefly with a masculine demeanor: somewhat aromatic, with the characteristic coriander of many colognes. Shortly thereafter, however, this morphs into a lovely floral woody fragrance entirely suitable for women. In fact, if it were possible to experience the drydown in isolation from the opening, I would definitely have guessed that this was a creation intended primarily for women.
The floral and the woody elements are perfectly balanced into a subtle, slightly oriental composition. The incense is not at all heavy, serving to complement not dominate the other notes.
Unfortunately, the staying power of this relatively low sillage fragrance is not that good. Otherwise I would have considered adding OPUS 1870 to my wish list. Still, it’s quite likeable!