FRAGRANCE | Opus 1144 Extrait de Parfum by Unum: When Goth doesn't necessarily mean dark

I remember first wanting to get a hold of Opus 1144 by Unum because of its raw concrete-designed cap. I know it sounds stupid but presentation is always part of the attraction for me. Unfortunately, what I got is the redesigned and less exciting bottle. It's still a good bottle, though, with a sturdy lift-top box; just not as much of a wow factor personally.

There's a citrusy freshness in the opening, generously drenched in sweet, thick resins. They're a great tandem—a weighty sweetness brightened up by a citrusy zing—a study in contrasts resulting in absolute harmonious balance. Lurking in the corners is a very mild spiciness that gives the scent an added bite, however soft.

A powdery iris unfolds but its inherent dryness is effectively neutralized by the resins. So instead of something a la Prada L'Homme, the effect is more like Ambre Impérial by Van Cleef & Arpels but of an entirely different scent profile. Not long after, the sweetness is accorded an added vanillic flavor. The scent then develops this velvety, creamy texture that's really good and is surprisingly never heavy. The resulting scent is reminiscent of Guerlain's iconic Shalimar but louder, more potent, and longer-lasting, at least in reference to the current formulation.

This uncanny resemblance to Shalimar wasn't expected at all because it's a scent I would never have associated with Goth. My bottle's accompanying literature speaks of Gothic Roman influences in creating Unum. Moreover, 1144 is considered the year Gothic architecture was born, so Opus 1144 is supposedly the embodiment of Goth. However, I just don't see it as a dark fragrance. Not at all. But then I could be grossly misinformed about what Goth essentially is. 

Either way, Opus 1144 is a splendid fragrance well worth a try. It's very wearable in either warm or cold weather, and whether you're clad in head-to-toe black or in coordinated pastels, it doesn't matter.