In the late 1860s, William Henry Penhaligon left his native Penzance on the picturesque South-West coast of England, and went to London to establish himself as a barber. By 1870, he had a thriving business supplying perfumes, eaux de toilette and pomades to the aristocracy. By the end of Queen Victoria’s reign, William Penhaligon had been appointed Barber & Perfumer to the Royal Court. And by the early 1970s, Penhaligon’s catered largely to the cognoscenti whose families had used the company’s products in generations. A new era began with the opening of the flagship store in Covent Garden in 1975.Opus1870 is Penhaligon’s latest men’s frag (2005) to celebrate its rich and distinctive heritage.
Classic at its core, yet contemporary, Opus1870 suits the modern man with traditional values, at home with both the country set or the city lifestyle. A confident scent – spiced black pepper gently infused with a luxurious accord of English clove rose, midst warm woods and musk.
A little spritz will provoke the most subtle analepsis that you couldn’t ever place at first. The pepper is instantly obvious and is a genuine delight, but during the drydown, you’ll keep smelling a memory. Finally, you’ll remember how clothes smelled back in your childhood every fall when your mother would take the winter apparel out of the cedar closet in the attic. Until they aired on the line for a few hours, they would have this deep aroma of cedar. In actuality, Opus1870 is far more subtle and complicated than the closet ever was and continues to dry down to a very lovely and pleasant woodsy finish that approaches lasciviousness and pure sensuality. You’ll love it.
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