Description
Opus 1144 celebrates Gothic, a very complex and diversified phenomenon, that concerns all aspects of artistic production.
The official birth of Gothic is 1144 in France and then it spreads all over Europe, diversifying and adapting itself according to customs and traditions. The term was used at first by Giorgio Vasari to point the nordic, barbaric and capricious elements of Gothic.
UNUM wants to consecrate it as a Renaissance, adding meanings and symbols to the olfactory range and making Opus 1144 unique and unrepeatable.
From the bottom emerge White Musks and Grey amber, a light, lively and warm element rich in pheromones. It comes from Indian Ocean. It is a very rare amber, capable to fix the others olfactory pyramid components. Its grey color is connected to to the leaden sky of Normandy, the place where Gothic has roots.
At the base, leather notes, vanilla, sandal and indian wood, that is a Spirit’s harmonies generator talk together and facilitate our openness to Spiritual growth. Indian woods leads us to Benzoin in Tears, from Sumatra, Indochina, whose thick, whitish resin is used almost like an inebriating sweet balsam.
For the heart ‘s notes, Opus 1144 talks to the gothic atmospheres of Cashmere’s wood and its bright, smooth nature, tied to the malts, Iris and Orchid symphony.
At the top of the olfactory pyramid, we find Elemi, the very rare resin whose silhouette stands against the Norman leaden sky and settle there with Jasmine, in order to dissipate any fears. Even higher into the spiritual symphony of Opus 1144, one can hear the Bergamot and Tangerine’s acutes crossing , that gives harmony to the whole spiritual composition. One can feel the scented grey, one can listen to the stone and to the intense but delicate Music.
The disturbing charm of Gothic.
Opus 1144 was launched in 2015.
Idsanaki – :
It’s a well-worked, well-structured perfume that makes it great!
pavel1415 – :
really unique. sharp-citrus-balsamic opening. opulent.
evident the well-known initials of bergamot and elemi then we move to a thin and non-invasive iris-lipstick enhanced by a beautiful orchid that makes it seem like short black tom ford orchid.
needless to say that the white musk is unfortunately present and makes it too feminine for me while the bergamot and elemi do not give up the grip while the cashmere wood enters forcefully. a slight gray amber rounds everything. while a strong benzoin and sandalwood make it creamy. orchid always very present.
and then it’s a symphony of non-gourmand vanilla. even if at times I feel cocoa.
balsamic-citrus-vanillic-opulent sometimes creamy.
amazing performances. my nose burns.
an imperial perfume for the woman who knows what she wants. a classy woman with a skirt slightly above the knee with a wide slit, a dull red lipstick, a plentiful neckline. she is a determined woman but with a gentle manner. a woman who smokes and drinks good Italian red wine. a vintage woman but attentive to fashion.
9/10
msveritova – :
I finally tested this gem and must say it is the most beautiful representation of vanilla and resins I have ever got to smell
It is like a fairytale in the scarry woods at night
It is a secret love-affair between two different persons – – – a forest fairy and a dark demon, but whose love goes beyond this worldly (I hope this word exists) existence
I fell in love with this demon and need to feel him at night beside me, in the darkness of the woods by the fireplace and close to my heart
I need you, sweet dark temptation!!!
Ekaterina-acid – :
Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going? by Paul Gauguin
kolj5 – :
They don’t make ’em like this anymore, folks.
Yes, the opening is a bit assertive, but once it smoothes out, it evolves into the most symphonically beautiful treatment of resins that I have ever encountered. The iris here takes on both powdery and waxy facets, creating a beautifully rounded texture. I can understand the Gothic associations with candle wax and red velvet that others have noted, but I’m afraid that my contextualization heads toward the mundane rather than the sublime – it’s like eating a birthday cake, blown-out candles and all, with citrus sponge and vanilla buttercream icing. Delicious and decadent.
Having read the prior review, I’m afraid that this might have been reformulated – does anyone know for sure? This review is for the juice in the all-grey bottle, not the black-and-grey one that is currently shown on the Twisted Lily and Luckyscent websites. Hmm…
Luckily, the bottle that I have will likely last forever – longevity is almost 24 hours with just one spray, and while the projection isn’t enormous, it definitely has the extrait quality of changing the very air around you, if you know what I mean. I could imagine a reformulation of this being fairly interesting, as it is somewhat monolithic and I think that it could possibly benefit from being given a bit of room to breathe, but at the same time, I wouldn’t mind being smothered to death with this stuff. It’s just that good.
snoopdog911 – :
ok, I have tried both the older version and the newer version, the juice in the older version is so dark and the smell is very very intense, it is my top favorite fragrance of all time. I want to smell like that forever.
The new juice in the new bottles is watered down and light, the difference is very obvious and it is so sad that they had to change the content so dramatically.
The Smell:- both smell similar, I’m not good in notes at all, but in the older version, what i smell is incense it is so thick and very strong. The new version has the same smell but not intense, it is like you got 10% of the older version and diluted it with alcohol you still get the smell but it is not as strong. anyway if you have the chance to try the older version, do so. if not try the new version you still get the smell very similar but just not strong in performance.
pashet – :
Somewhat sweet with definite dark undertones. Complex and different that any other in my collection. The packaging and bottle are unique, the top being a rock block. Not beastly but u wouldn’t want this one to be. First time wearing it and I am pleased. It is not really gothic dark but actually a pleasant fragrance that can be worn at work, casual or the bar. Received as a sample and like it so bought a 100ml bottle w/no regrets.
KostyaF – :
I’m not in any way an experienced “fume head” and I’m still exploring different scent groups and notes, not sure of what I like – so please take my review with a grain of salt, I might simply not be skilled enough to understand what others perceive as a masterpiece.
To me, this smells like candy and private parts. The first 15-30 minutes made me feel physically ill, it was so powdery sweet, with something sinister and slightly sour lurking beneath the candy blast. I couldn’t really pick anything out of the initial notes, but it made me think of a type of candy we have in Sweden called “zoo apor”, that has a generic red candy taste.
I tried to scrub it, but it wouldn’t budge. Now, a few hours later I’m left with a pleasant, powdery iris vanilla with a hint of leather.
Verdict? It is an interesting perfume. For me, the opening is a struggle, but the drydown is enjoyable.
furik_com – :
A warm, rich, golden oriental built around vanilla, iris, sandalwood, and resins, with a crisp lime top note.
An obvious comparison here is Shalimar, and this is quite similar to various versions of the eau de parfum in particular, but Opus’s lean on lime over bergamot, and being less animalic and more resinous, are more than enough for it to have an individual identity. (The whole effect, though, is very classic Guerlain.)
I found this a very soothing, comforting scent that’s nice to feel cozy in. More homey than “gothic” to my nose. The longevity was outstanding.
(Note: this review is for the current formula. I am aware this fragrance has changed from its first version.)
anchous4624 – :
One of my new favorites! At begining sweet, powdery, citrus blast, soon settles down to powdery musky vanillic scent that on my skin is reminiscent of Musc Ravageur drydown. At the same time classical and decadent a bit. Very nice.
hly237Negeltzex – :
1144 Unum is an institution, not a fragrance. Approaching from a distance, you behold the citrus Spires shooting skyward on this architectural marvel. Cobalt blue iris shape the Clerestory windows to receive elemi light. And a luminous beam it brings. Ambergis-Leather-Benzoin form the flying buttresses – the framework upon which it all stands. And if you seek an anthropomorphized ‘face’ for this perfume, it’ll be Vanilla standing guard as the Gargoyle.
There are nuances of circa 80’s or earlier Shalimar, before it became the vanillic bombs of today. Opus 1144 is an idealized memory of the Guerlain classic, with my most challenging notes (opoponax, patchouli, civet) subtracted, and replaced with glorious Elemi. If I had the skills and know-how to personally dissect Shalimar– to run its DNA through CRISPR to perform the edits — I would have done exactly this.
There’s numerous mention of ‘powder’, but Jasmine comes out stronger on the floral side than Iris, on my skin. Overall, the performance is off the charts — and worth every penny. A must-have for winter.
pka726intitytek – :
I have read many reviews of many scents and had them called “heartbreakingly beautiful”. I’ve then purchased samples of those scents and felt let down. Not this time. This fragrance is singular. Heartbreakingly beautiful.
With the exception of “balsamic” the listed accords are spot on. On me it is mostly a soft, powdery citrus and something that reminds me of wood and marble. Like the kind of marble statue that isn’t polished, but left with the sort of soft finish that makes the sculpture seem to glow from within. There is vanilla in there, but not in the way I usually think of vanilla: not food, not flowers. More like something that is blended with those resins and has been used to polish the woody notes.
Definitely unisex. Good god, I cannot stop sniffing my wrist.
OJIenka_Love – :
Instant love for me. From start to finish this is an exquisite potion that is easy to wear and totally unisex.
I was scared by some reviews and didn’t dare to blind buy. A big mistake I made as this is a safe purchase. Amazing opening with a photorealistic feel of huge marble halls, the finest palaces and yet so so wearable!! The blend is so well made that you can feel the vanilla, the benzoin, the citrus and something slightly metallic and incensey but cannot define where is every ingredient separated from the whole. I love the fact that it manages to smell great without being too sweet, or too powdery or strong. Everything is there to be enjoyed without getting tiring.
It is powdery in the drydown, yes, but not Marie Antoinette like. In the drydown a strong note of what I believe is bitter lemon or lime (not bergamot) adds a slight gourmand touch that again is far from being foodie. At some stage I thought I was experiencing a fruity vanilla, then a lemon icecream with champagne… but don’t get me wrong: it never gets far from the general idea, it simply makes you travel through dark golden sanctuaries (not somber, this is deep and spiritual but not sad!).
I am definitely wowed and I am happy I finally find a fragrance of this style that doesn’t make me wonder how often I’d reach for it. It could be everyday in colder months!! I have liked in the past other scents such as Chypre Palatin (too elegant and powdery for my style), Dulcis in fundo (too sweet and gourmand) and some Guerlains from l’Art et la matiere (gorgeous but too expensive for a similar treat). This is somehow close to all of those but without the things I struggle with. Plus it is downright unisex unless you are a guy who finds anything with vanilla challenging.
I’m in love with this. I can’t find a single “but…”. It transitions ten times in 10 hours without a single flaw. Go buy a bottle before it gets reformulated my friends!
TriamBere – :
Not loving the ambergris here…smells organic but not in a good way like hints of pungent body odour amongst the nice bergamot and amber. Not for me this one.
dominika – :
Wow! It’s a big hit with me. A dense rich citrus sweet resinous masterpiece. A bright INTENSE bergamot opening wrapped around warm vanilla sugar, unctuous resins and precious woods. It is a very complicated creation that unfolds at leisure taking you on a magical vintage perfume journey. There are moments when Shalimar parfum appears and then is swept away with more waves of resins, leather and aged vanilla. It is after another hour or two that Guerlains L’heure Blue appears. It closes with lightly smoked vanilla. I had to buy a back up bottle and thats a rare event.
I can’t get enough of it. Similar to Shalimar but no cigar. Shalimar on steroids. Amazing longevity and good silage.
Andrey1984 – :
Deep, dark, mysterious, sweet and stunning!!!
Zveria – :
A while back I was searching for something exactly like this and here it is finally – a goth bubblegum! Dark and delicious!
coon – :
Amazing;)
zar7077 – :
ادكلني پيچيده و چند وجهي با رايحه اي به شدت شرقي و خاكي است . از يك طرف غليظ و عميق و حس خوراكي و مديترانه اي و از طرف ديگر مختصرا پودري – زنبقي و چرمي
اين ادكلن ، با رايحه اي بسيار قدرتمند و تند و غليظ شروع ميشه . در ابتدا ، روايح مركباتي كاملا شفاف و گس و تيز و نافذ ظاهر ميشن و سپس حس خامه اي – گلي و شيرين كه از المي و گلها ناشي ميشود رو داريم . ترشي و گسي مركبات كه بيشتر از ترنج هست ، كاملا مخالف با بيس گرم و شيرين وانيلي است . پس از اينكه مركبات و تيزي المي فروكش ميكنه ، رايحه هاي مشكي و گلي و رايحه نرم چوب كشمير برجسته ميشن و رايحه وانيلي و گلي و شيرين بيشتر ظاهر ميشود. شيريني اوليه با ظهور رايحه اصلي چرم و همچنين چوب صندل ، كمتر ميشود . سپس رايحه ها به آهستگي به طرف مرحله سوم و مرحله بسيار با شكوه پاياني مي رود.
پايان عطر بسيار جالب و زيبا طراحي شده .اين مرحله بعد از شروعي وانيلي – ترش ، به كمك تونكا و رزين ، وارد مرحله اي شيرين تر ميشه و در اينجا زيباتر از مراحل قبلي ، با بالانس و ظرافت مثال زدني به رايحه اي پودري – خاكي بسيار قشنگ و دوست داشتني و آرامش دهنده اي ، تغيير ميكنه و به همين صورت با بيسي بسيار خوشبو ، براي ساعتهاي زيادي روي پوست ، باقي ميماند .
به اين ترتيب به نظر مي رسد كه اين ادكلن از پيچيدگي نسبي برخورداره و توانست نظر بنده رو از اول بوئيدن در لحظه اسپري كردن تا آخرين لحظات عمر عطر، كاملا برآورده كنه.
اين ادكلن پخش بوي خيلي خوب و مخصوصا ماندگاري عالي دارد.
tigvip – :
Blown away by this. The tight, focussed, hyper-concentrated powdery-vanilla-lime opening is something of a red herring as the dry down on this expands and becomes extremely complex and evocative. It warms into a resinous, woody-leathery floral glow that is at once accessibly pleasant and intriguingly complex, with a somewhat zen-like balance. After testing so many top-heavy scents that seem to put a ton of emphasis on a whiz-bang opening before settling into some bland, gooey sweetness this is a huge breath of fresh, intriguing air. Just fantastic.
8.5/10
Bostaurus – :
I cannot stand how good this is! As others have noted the opening hour is a little challenging – the profusion of notes presents an opaque yellow-green veil that rests heavy on your nose for the first hour. Shortly thereafter, the vanilla sweetness lets up a bit to reveal a floral heart dancing in and out of view lifted up by a smooth layer of leather. All the while, noticeable ambergris breathes freshness and a certain saltiness into the composition. This stage excites me. It is like licking vanilla custard off your lover’s neck – it’s intimate, slightly sweet, raw in the way human secretions are wont to be.
This will sound like hyperbole – but I swear that after taking a couple of deep whiffs around the 2 hour mark I lost my wits and I stared into space in a stunned rapture. This is liquid joy.
Toni – :
Cotton Lemon Iris combination, wool could be a choice as well so as the orange with a slight vanilla note. It is a powdery fragrance, a rich lemon orange powdery fragrance, delicate and kind of salient. I sense the fight between powdery note and the orange. not bad thou.
karablik77 – :
Quite a sexy scent here! This reminds me a little bit of Musc Ravageur, but I feel I like this better. Like a white cashmere sweater for the cold winter months…and one to wear when you are looking for some “Mommy and Daddy” time!;) It’s opening is a bit confusing, with the mandarin and bergamot giving you a hint of citrus, but the dry down presents the musk, vanilla, amber and sandalwood. Lasts quite a long time, with decent projection. Thumbs up! Quite luxurious!
hoft – :
Death by powder!
This opens up smelling very familiar – yes, it’s Shalimar. At first I thought I was going to like this version of Shalimar but then it turned into vintage Emeraude. But to create such a relentless powder note you need modern aromachemicals and at some point, when it kept up relentlessly choking me with the powder, it no longer smelled like either of its vintage predecessors but some modernized monster version.
Did I mention you have to really like powder?
Edit: Reader, I scrubbed. It was starting to improve and I was getting more of the lemon dessert aspect but by then I was so resentful and asthmatic from the cloud of powder that I went after it with dish soap and the scrubbie side of the dish sponge. Twice! Still too much powder. Lotion seemed to get it off but then it returned! At this point it’s pretty tolerable but I swear it’s strengthening. Make up wipes will be next. I’m grateful I dabbed rather than sprayed. As it is my sweater may be headed for early retirement.
nickovs – :
Un’ambra fortemente esperidata, verde, fresca, aspramente effervescente.
Mandarino e bergamotto, su elemi e muschi, schiudono una vaniglia silvestre e acerba.
La resina non si incupisce, resta verde smeraldo.
E’ presente una piccola deriva talcata, non eccessivamente dolce. Il mandarino garantisce freschezza e vigore.
Il profumo mi ricorda moltissimo Ambre Les Sens de Marrakesh e non mi suggerisce atmosfere gotiche, ma anzi, molto mediterranee. Il profumo della torta al bergamotto?
Interessante e suggestivo.
Edit: persistenza straordinaria… Dopo il primo spruzzo il profumo sembra sopito ma poi si risveglia vivo e pulsante, durando moltissime ore.
pashuman178 – :
I don’t know about the whole Gothic architecture imagery and whatnot — what I smell is an indulgent lemon/lime dessert, as in THE lemon/lime dessert of your dreams. So sweet and tart at the same time, it makes your mouth water and sides of your tongue ache. Then vanilla and powdery bliss that lasts ALL DAY. This may be either a nightmare or nirvana depending on your taste, to me it is divine.
I’ll share a couple experiences I had while wearing this. First, I had been holding my toddler and then gave her to someone who said to her “oh you smell just like a baby, all powdery.” I don’t use baby powder on her so it was definitely the Opus 1144 that had rubbed off. Also, I was on a trip and had a travel sized Lady Speed Stick in “Powder Fresh” with me which I hadn’t used in long time. When I put it on, I was reminded a bit of Opus 1144. Now let me tell you, these experiences did not deter me from buying a full bottle! But again, some may be very put off by the mere idea of their fragrance smelling like baby powder or “powder fresh” deoderant.
I do see the similarities to Shalimar, but I’m very happy to have both. If you love Shalimar and powder, this is a must-try!
zerver – :
this does have some similarities with a few guerlains, however only in memory, in that it ‘reminds me of’ some things, but not exactly replicant. this seems to have more of an overall effective nature on my skin; deep, salty, dusty, balsamic. the opening is full of citrus in all its astringent brightness, matched with piercing, elemi-laden floral sweetness and an overall powdered, vacant dryness. not at all challenging for me; in fact this is, in my opinion, the best part. luckily it does take some time to evolve, as it is an extrait. as the citrus and sharpness of the elemi begin to recede, waves and waves of musky nuances swell around the flowers, soft as cashmere, enveloping the whole thing in a warm and comfortable, yet huge and somewhat daunting space. here the sweetness ramps up a bit, but not to disagreeable levels. multifaceted leather and resinous aspects arrive, still keeping the salty nuances from the opening, now with clouds of antique vanilla blooming all around. this is the point that reminds me most of a guerlain, namely shalimar, with its plush leathery softness, but this is darker, more complex and ultimately more satisfying. as an extrait the lasting power is superb and you’ll be left with the beautiful base of this parfum for hours on skin, and god only knows how long on clothing.
korenb – :
Another flanker of Shalimar.Not original,not shoking,linear.For that price waiting only for drydown it seems crazy,enough.Another bluff of Italian niche ,not the first,not the last.
Mebcl916InsuffBooni – :
I can’t say more or better than Colin and Alfarom have already said about this gem of a fragrance. Except to say that I don’t see the opening a challenge, rather the contrary to me it is this deep mysterious pool that swallows me and after being pulled into its depth I resurface to float delightfully on it for hours to come. Definitely fbw for me.
lucia9283 – :
With the powder and bergamont, it smells very familiar . . . oh yeah, Shalimar. After trying one on each arm, I actually like this better than Shalimar!
gusenok44 – :
It’s all about that base. I was initially concerned about the lime in the opening as it is one of the notes that I usually avoid but it soon fell back to blend with the whole. This perfume has the richest, most elegant dry down ever. Heavenly. Beyond that I would never dream of adding anything to that which has already been said by the esteemed Mssrs. Alfarom and Colin Maillard. I bow before their superior expertise.
Olejka0210 – :
Opus 1144 is aimed at celebrating the gothic style. From architecture to sculpture, panel painting, stained glass, frescos, illuminated manuscripts and all its other artistic declinations. It’s a bold and complex fragrance that’s so hard to describe just like it’s so objectively multifaceted.
If you, like me, struggle with sweet fragrances, the opening of Opus 1144 could result a bit challenging for being so incredibly thick and powerful to the point to make yourself questioning your sanity. Forget about any avant-garde trickery or modernist type of perfumery as Opus 1144 is really all about solid classicism. A dense, kind of syrupy, vanillic floral opening juxtaposed to a typically-french citrus counterpart. If you can’t deal with its sweetness, I’d say hang in there because the best has yet to come and keep in mind that extraits de parfum are generally slower to properly settle down…
The fragrance starts then to evolve into an opulent and decadent dusty oriental that has nothing to envy to a bunch of the best Amouage feminines (the most balmy-oriental ones such as Opus VI, Epic Woman and Lyric Woman). The overall sweetness of the opening is remarkably tamed down by a plush musky-leathery bone-structure that, together with smooth creamy / woody notes and resins starts lurking in the back to then slowly drive the fragrabce towards what is in my opinion its real essence: the majestic drydown. There’s definitely something classically french about Opus 1411, something familiarly comforting while all this is paired to a dark nature that gives this composition a brooding character. Like falling into an abyss of powdery decadence. An endless echo that gets lower and lower in tone as time goes by…and it goes on and on and on for hours…darker, more dusty, drier. It’s quintessentially gothic and agrees with red / purple velvet and black marble.
If you’re drawn to bold and complex fragrances, Opus 1144 is a mandatory stop and, trust me, it won’t leave you indifferent.
Rating: 8-8.5/10