4 Rosso Roberto Ugolini 2021

4 Rosso is named after the current address of Roberto Ugolini's shoemaking business. I got introduced to this brand from the maker himself when I was on a trip to Italy in 2022 for my first (and *sigh* only, so far :) pair of bespoke shoes. It was there I learned he was working with Herbert Stricker to create his own perfumes. After smelling some examples I had to order a sample set upon returning home. This was after a decade-long hiatus I had taken from fragrances.

Anyway, with that out of the way, this is the second full bottle I purchased from Roberto Ugolini because the dark, smoky leather spoke to me in a hungry and sexy way. There's some hint of sweetness that defines the Rosso blueprint, but this one is not like 17 Rosso. Instead, here you can expect a deeper scent: darker, smoky and leathery, with perhaps a faintly perceptible dark cherry.

I was amazed by the longevity when I first tried it. Easily an all-nighter.

Although not listed in the notes, I definitely put this in my leather scents category. I hold it in high regards for being one of the first fragrances that got me back in the game and in love with perfume. This works wonderfully for the same occasions as its brother 17 Rosso, but I'd include it with any vacation night for memories.

The door opened with a soft creak. A warm hint of vanilla and caramel lingered in the air, mixed with the dry, spicy scent of saffron and a trace of smoke.

It was late afternoon in Florence. The sun cast golden light through the tall window, making dust particles dance like tiny sparks. In the corner stood a man at a workbench, a leather apron tied around him, his gaze focused on the shoe he held in his hands. Every stitch, every seam was precise, almost ceremonial.

On a small table beside him sat a cup of espresso, long since cooled. Next to the cup: a bouquet of roses, half-open, the petals deep red, like the sign on the door - “4 Rosso”.

The scent of polished leather mingled with the delicate floral experience of the rose, framed by ylang-ylang and black pepper. Outside, muted street sounds echoed: a passing scooter, the laughter of a couple disappearing into a bakery.

He placed the finished shoe on the shelf, wiped his hands with a cloth, and took a deep breath. In that moment, everything was present: the warmth, the spice, the sweetness - the story of his craft, captured in a single breath.

And somewhere between leather, rose, and caramel, one understood why this place and this scent bore the same name. “4 Rosso” - not just an address, but a memory in molecules.
My conclusion:
“4 Rosso” feels to me like a noble artisan shop, where every scent tells a story.
Saffron and smoke give it a spicy, almost mysterious weight at the opening, which immediately asserts its presence. Then come the warm, sweet notes of vanilla and caramel, lying like a golden shimmer over everything - sensual, but not sticky. The rose at the heart lends elegance and a touch of romance, while guaiac wood and amber provide depth and warmth.

It is not a shrill or provocative scent, but one that consciously walks the middle path between sophistication and comfort. For me, it is most potent in the cooler months, at evening events, or in moments when one wishes to be noticed unobtrusively, yet unmistakably.
Berkan

…only you unfortunately don’t project as I (sometimes) would like you to!

So here it is, my first fragrance review here on Parfumo:

Bottle: The unboxing, or simply the opening of the packaging… a joy!
I keep opening and closing the orange box covered in velvet(?) and enjoy how it opens like a precious shell, presenting me with the deep red, glossy bottle.
Heavy, stable, and high-quality, it lies in my hand. The leather sticker on the bottle looks valuable; but I think it might be susceptible to light and moisture.
I remove the cap and my first thought: Just this cap is probably more expensive and valuable than all the designer fragrances I have owned so far… my second thought: I’m exaggerating…
The sprayer: Incredibly good. You can really spray it in a measured way.
And sometimes, you can’t spray it at all. Annoying.
So I already suspect what awaits me with the fragrance itself. A lot of light and some shadow.

Fragrance: I must say beforehand that Rosendo Mateu No. 5 - Floral, Amber, Sensual Musk, is one of my absolute favorites. On par with the 17 Rosso, also from the house of Roberto Ugolini. The only downside with the FASM, I wish it were a bit more masculine at times.
So now I spray the 4 Rosso for the first time on my skin and see how almost my entire hand shines as if I had a bottle of olive… okay, I’m exaggerating; but the effect is really surprising and simply speaks for the quality of the 4 Rosso!
I cautiously smell my hand and realize: It IS the more masculine version of the FASM! At least that was my first thought. As it develops: Yes, it is similar, but then again different and very distinctive.

Shaquille O'Neal once said about MJ: "Michael Jordan is the hip-hop version of Dr. J." Only he probably said it in English, by the way.

I would describe the similarity/or rather the difference between these two fragrances in a similar way.
The 4 Rosso is indeed more mature, calmer, more dignified, and masculine than the Mateu No. 5, but also more modern and "worldly." Perfect for office and business, but also for opera, theater, or dinner. While with the FASM one might fear that everything and everyone around could be overwhelmed and drenched by this scent, the 4 Rosso raises its glass from a respectful distance and toasts with a wink. Perhaps still holding a noble cigar. The wink might come from the alcohol note and the smoke that I perceive in it. The cigar, from the smoky.
Because yes, the 4 Rosso is also sexy. But not in a forced and clumsy way like so many others, but rather skillfully yet not intentionally.
Really good!

And yet I wish for a bit more projection and sillage from the 4 Rosso. Which actually describes the same thing. But it somehow sounds fancier when you add a second foreign word. Those who can, can…
Nevertheless, the 4 Rosso remains for me another confirmation that the world of fragrances (captured in wonderful bottles) represents a world that can’t really know a top 5 or 10 or whatever!
Far too opulent for that, the olfactory world and its countless masterpieces!
And even though the Alexandria II currently hovers above everything else for me, the 4 Rosso is simply another gift (yes, it would have been nice if it were so…) to my senses!

And all of this after the 17 Rosso; where I never thought that so quickly another fragrance from the same house could contest its place with me.
But it doesn’t really do that.
Rather, it joins it, and together the two cover a lot of what a modern and discerning wearer can expect and wish for from the world of fragrances.

Fine.

PS: Two days after spraying it on a tissue, I smelled it and what can I say, it’s among the best I have ever smelled!

We remember, in Florence there is a remarkable and extraordinary addressing concept that is historically anchored and still exists today.

The red house numbers represent commercial or public places and thus also the current workplace of the world-renowned shoemaker, Roberto Ugolini.

At the beginning of 2021, the master himself decided that it was time to initiate a new chapter in the form of a new location for his traditional craftsmanship.

The new atelier at Via della Chiesa 4 rosso is larger, more open, and thus offers him more space for his artisanal masterpieces.

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4 ROSSO once again embodies uncompromising quality and offers a fantastic performance with its fabulous fragrance oil concentration of 35%. The perfumers Christian Calabrò and Maurizio Cerizza take us on a journey with a magical Extrait de Parfum that pays tribute to the beautiful art metropolis of Florence with a lasting and overwhelming impression.

Even the luxurious top notes transport us in an unforgettable way to the scene of the action, yes, initially even directly to the side of the passionate craftsman Roberto Ugolini.

Leading the way is the leather-like saffron, whose character uniquely alludes to the everyday materials used by the master, accompanied by a sensually sweet and smoky Fume‘ accord, initiating a deliciously addictive scent progression.

Soon, lovingly and enchanting, the precious heart of this impressive composition, dominated by the noble Damask rose, reveals itself. An incomparably touching and utterly moving experience that gently and caressingly leads us into a seductively captivating base of balanced soft and woody notes.

And while we are now enriched with a thousand impressions, this Extrait de Parfum leaves behind enchanting memories every single time...

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4 ROSSO is not just a fragrance.
Much more a dream journey wrapped in red.

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#smoky #oriental #floral

I am still completely new to this game of beautiful fragrances and I am heavily relying on fellow enthusiasts who have been involved with it for what feels like half a lifetime. Naturally, I am not able to "smell out" the raw materials in a perfume unless they stand out starkly. I can only explain what I like and what I don't like. However, when I read the descriptions of the fragrances, I believe I can recognize the ingredients.
I started with the usual mainstream scents, but quickly learned that there is so much more than just "big" names.
It didn't take long before I stumbled upon my first niche fragrance, and one of those is 4 Rosso by Roberto Ugolini.
Today, the package from the good Marc Gebauer arrived. Inside were 2 fragrances from Roberto Ugolini, namely the aforementioned 4 Rosso and the "blue" Blue Suede Shoes. I might write something about the latter at a later time.
The "Red" 4 Rosso instantly catapulted me about 50 years back into the past. I see myself as a little boy, holding my father's hand, running through the woods with the dog. I see myself sitting in the living room on my father's lap, watching something on TV. I see him coming to my bed at night to say "Good night."
I have no idea what perfume my father wore 50 years ago, but 4 Rosso brings back all those memories, so it stands to reason that it must have been a similar scent.
I am currently learning that my sense of smell evokes an incredible number of associations. I never thought this would be possible in this way. And I am grateful, grateful to have stumbled upon this incredibly exciting topic, because I am approaching 60 and have never been interested in such things, and Marc Gebauer is also responsible for this, as it all started with one of his perfume videos. I am thankful to be able to buy perfumes that just a year ago I would have said I would never spend so much money on.
And I know this might not belong here, but in the package from Marc were not only the fragrances from Roberto Ugolini, but also one of his scents and as a free gift 100 ML of Xerjoff Naxos. I call that generous.