Patina Roberto Ugolini 2024

I feel blessed to be one of the first in the U.S. to try this fragrance. I've been so eager to get a bottle since I learned about it and it finally arrived.

The name, "Patina", refers to a natural oxidation of color, with this visual being replicated onto the gorgeous flacon. Being an extrait de parfum, Patina has an oil concentration of 30% with an amazing longevity of around 12 hours. It leaves a nice trail with it.

Top notes hit me hard right away, with a spiciness that can be overwhelming. It took me some getting used to. This stinging spiciness gradually ebbs away to reveal the fruitier and overall sweeter tones, like hints of honey and vanilla, as well as the smell of scraping a fresh piece of bark from the rain forest. A sort of juiciness peeks through and remains steady throughout the rest of our time together.

Overall, this scented excursion awoke with a cloudy veil, overdosing on a rain of spices; but as the time and day went on, the sweeter skies opened up and this road ran parallel to the forest, with fruit and vanilla-honey scents traversing on cruise control.

Final thoughts: As a huge fan of Roberto Ugolini fragrances, this fragrance did not immediately capture me. However, as the name implies, with the right amount of time, the scent transformed into something more special to me.

03/22/25 edit: I was wrong about the longevity. I forgot to update this, but after letting it sit for a few months, I noticed it lasted much longer and now I can definitely still smell it at the end of the day!

I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to test this fragrance a few weeks ago at a meet and greet with Herbert Stricker. Herbert is really super friendly, and it was very exciting to listen to him :)
Now, I don’t want to waste any more time and get to the fragrance:
The name Patina refers to the aging of objects, which acquire a different color or appearance over time. In shoes, patina is often a sign that they have been owned for a particularly long time and have been well cared for, which is very positive. Therefore, the name Patina also fits well with Roberto Ugolini, as this originally is a shoe brand. The bottle is also reminiscent of patina due to its gradient color.

The fragrance is essentially a mango - amber scent. It starts with a sweet mango (sweetened by honey), but it is not an extremely fruity, sweet mango, as it is also layered with cedarwood, giving it a certain depth and "darkness." As it develops, the mango is still present, but additional notes like guaiac wood and myrrh come into play, making the fragrance a bit darker. The base is formed by a beautiful combination of benzoin, vanilla, and sandalwood, which is really well done.
The entire fragrance evokes a very pleasant, cozy feeling and is truly lovely to smell.
Longevity and sillage are also top-notch, and in conclusion, I can only say that this is a top release!
Addition:
So slowly I have the feeling that there might be some strange batches that smell different. I absolutely do not understand how people can say that the fragrance smells like an old grandma or "Amber Star | XerJoff" or smells weird. "Amber Star | XerJoff" smells completely different in my opinion, and you absolutely do not smell old grandma! The fragrance is modern and by no means classic or old-fashioned, so I really don’t understand how these associations come about :(

The sample arrived today, and after spraying it on, I was immediately captivated by the honey and mango notes.
When I went out for a walk, I noticed the scent the entire time. It smelled so beautifully warm and cozy. With every activity today, this fragrance accompanied me on my wrist, and I must say it has grown more and more dear to my heart over time. The negative reviews are incomprehensible to me. I find this release very strong and unique, just as a niche fragrance should be, in my opinion. This scent has been misunderstood. While it may initially seem youthful and modern, it quickly transports us to an old-school era, which, in my opinion, beautifully connects the two worlds. The association with a great-grandmother that some have here comes across to me more like a nostalgic journey into the past. As stated in the description, this is a warm fragrance that envelops and embraces you.
The longevity is excellent, and I must say that the playful mango in the dry down benefits it greatly. I've never smelled a later vanilla note paired with sandalwood quite like this. For me, it's simply a very beautiful scent for the cold days.

Those who know my reviews know that I try to be as honest as possible. I pay for these things myself, so I can afford to do that :) Well, a colleague from the souk (Simi7r, THANK YOU!!!) included a sample of Patina this time, with the warning that it was nothing. Of course, I did a bit of research to understand the story behind Patina; and yes, it sounds exciting with the process of aging and maturing. However, the implementation in the fragrance is bold, almost too bold.

Before I digress too much, let's get into Patina:

- Well, the scent starts with a strong mango note, which somehow smells very green and fruity, but unfortunately also very synthetic from my perspective, almost overpowering. The honey joins in, but it doesn’t improve the situation. This sweetness combined with the synthetic overdosed mango note is simply not for me. After that, a bit of woods join in, which balance things out a little, but the woody accords with the powdery iris somehow lack harmony with the initial fruity-sweet DNA. It feels - sorry for my choice of words - almost mutilated.

- As if that weren't enough of completely contradictory scent directions, a strongly ambered base comes in the drydown, which is softened again by an underlying sweetness from light vanilla and a well-intentioned creaminess from sandalwood. Yes, the fragrance does evolve - as the concept of Patina promises - but I don't want to age like this; it's too much "mishmash and fuss" for my liking. I understand that one wants to be creative, and here also wants to develop from this youthful opening to a "mature men's fragrance," but it’s just too much.

PS: Yes, the amber used does remind me just a tiny bit of the amber in "Amber Star | XerJoff," but that one is far more harmonious, high-quality, and better executed; and above all, not with this synthetic fruitiness in the background.

- The longevity and projection are both actually very good, definitely above average.

In summary, I have to say: this will not be a Ugolini that will enter my collection. Not today, not in a hundred years. Don't get me wrong, there may be some people who celebrate the fragrance for their subjective perception, and I respect that, but for me, it’s simply too unharmonious and poorly coordinated, rustic and just thrown together, or maybe I'm wrong and lack creativity.

Whatever it is, I can't and don't want to wear it...

The Roberto Ugolini Patina is truly a great fragrance. It starts fruity and sweet, with a lovely honey note (not sticky at all for me) that immediately catches the eye or better said, the nose. What I particularly like is the gentle transition: After the sweetness, the scent slowly becomes a bit woodier and brings a warm vanilla note that harmonizes really well. It is neither too heavy nor too light, simply perfectly balanced. Overall, a really successful fragrance that lasts a long time and remains very pleasant.
Clearly unisex and more suited for autumn, winter, and spring.