Reviews of Ungaro I (1991)
by Ungaro

Much ado about...? Musky lavender! Well, I don't enjoy these "old school" fragrances with lavender up front, and there's really nothing else here that's so special that I'd spend money on this one. The patchouli is strong (which is fine with me) and the wormwood smells nice, but the lavender is too much. After a few hours, there isn't much of anything remaining. If the lavender was replaced by another note, I might really like this, but it ruins it for me. For me, I'd give this a negative rating, but for those who like this kind of "masculine" lavender, I can understand why you would like this fragrance, though I still don't see it as a "masterpiece." The ingredients seem high quality, but the longevity seems no better than fair. Sillage is excellent, while it lasts.

Ungaro I : One of the first things that one would notice when they apply ungaro I is it's smoldering quality. The definition of "smoldering" fits this scent so perfectly that i cant really associate any other scent with that word. the definition (of smoldering) by the way is "to burn slowly and gently, usually with some smoke, but without a flame". How apt. i think it's patchouli oil along with woody resins and lavender which gives it this smoky, wax like feel and heat.

This scent opens with a very warm note of lavender melting into a wax like note of rose, smoldering on patchouli oil and woody notes. By mid notes, this wax like accord gets more blunt and sorta envelopes the wearer. The interplay of woody and floral notes gets more airy on a base of earthy notes with each passing minute, all this while still retaining the core essense of the opening accord, which is it's damp earth like warmth and "polished with wax" smokiness of lavender, rose and woods. it's sheer in nature, never failing to amaze. amber holds the base with lovely notes of sandalwood well rounded off with soft notes of tonka bean..which smells like vanilla pods...it's in a way a prequel to III, or may be III was inspired by I. There is a reason why this is hailed as a classic and it's quite justified. comparing it's quality (of ingredients and composition) with Patou is only obvious.

Patou Ph & Prive, Havana, Havana Reserva, Ungaro I, II & III(yet to try the original formulation of III), Morabito OR black+more... - get these while it is still available...the quality of these scents has had me gasping for more...im sure it'll find more suitable admirers...

A cult classic with reasonably good reason.

Ungaro I is a strange scent : It is able to remind me of so many other fragrances (Basala, Tsar, Dali PH, Jazz Prestige, Boss Sport etc.) but at the same time I think its very unique one-of-a-kind fragrance.

Quite tricky one to categorize, but its a fougere scent mostly, after all.

When I smell Ungaro I, I think of thick red moss carpet placed deep in the woods.

Rustic, dreamy fragrance in a beautiful bottle.

Opens with a wonderful bergamot and lavender which reminds me a little of Patou Pour Homme. This rapidly drops into a powdery wood; a touch of rosewood which brings to mind the opening of egoiste with just a little acerbicity from wormwood all warmed and sweetened by rose dominated florals.

The drydown of sweet amber and sandalwood is a little less interesting than the earlier aspects of the fragrance. The wood smells good but is tied up in a slightly ordinary balsamic accord which is a little reminiscent of heritage without the interest provided by the fantastic guerlainade.

The sillage is pleasingly restrained. The top is very brief, the heart shorter than I would like but the base endures very well. This is rich and masculine and the lower sillage makes it quite wearable in a wide variety of situations.

Unlike some others who clearly get a big note of pathos from this, I find it comfortable and warm.

Inspired and imaginative titles notwithstanding, Ungaro I, Ungaro II, and Ungaro III are all scents of exceptional character. That I and II disappeared in rapid sequence doesn’t surprise me. Their baroque construction was utterly at odds with the minimalist fragrance fashion of the 1990s, and they were probably too bold and idiosyncratic for the designer market anyway. They might have worked as part of a daring niche line like Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier or Parfumerie Generale. That the more conventional Ungaro III was the one that finally stuck makes perfect sense. It’s still not mainstream by any measure, but at least it’s a structure that the non-aficionado can recognize.

Ungaro I is the darkest of the three brothers, and while it’s not so lascivious an animal as Ungaro II, its profound depths can be threatening. At Ungaro I’s heart lies a vinous accord of rose and patchouli that I feel anticipates the pungently earthy structure of L’Artisan Parfumeur’s Voleur de Roses. With its aromatics and its honeyed base Ungaro I also has the boozy, raisiny flavor and translucent sepia tone of a fine St. Emilio sherry. If you’ve ever tasted Lustau’s Pedro Ximénez or East India bottlings, you’ll have a rough idea of how Ungaro I smells. Indeed, I wouldn’t blink if told that Jacques Polge modeled this scent on the bouquet of a grand old sherry. While there’s no tobacco listed in Ungaro I’s pyramid, I do get the impression that cigars are being offered with its sherry. Must be the patchouli at work.

Though perhaps only related in its use of rose, geranium and patchouli in a woody oriental context, Ungaro I has some of the seriousness, grand stature of Patou pour Homme. It’s not quite as monumental and a good deal more tangy, but it does share in that same ineffable dignity.

Ungaro I’s drydown kicks in at about T=2 hours, and it does so very abruptly. Blink (in olfactory terms) and you’ll miss the transition. One second you’ve got rose and patchouli glowing through dark brown tinted glass, then presto-change-o, you’ve got a soft, powdery, woody amber drydown. This drydown is less impressive than the rest of the experience, but it is well balanced to a degree that’s rare for its type.

Very animalic on me. WoW !!! Pronounced feral scent that is strangely intoxicating but definitely of the beaten path. Nothing I have smells like this and while liking it, I have no idea what situation this juice would be appropriate for.

It is rough, edgy and borderline dirty like Jules, Yatagan, etc....but smells nothing like either one of them. I was surprised that my wife liked this scent. She said it smelled like pepper to her.

This frag will be one I'll wear around the house when I want to wear something unconventional and different. I will wear this for myself.....and I like it.!!!

Top Notes: Lavender, Bergamot
Mid notes: Pine, Wormwood, Patchouli, Jasmine, Precious Wood, Geranium
Base Notes: Sandalwood, Tonka, Honey, Amber

Now here's a strange fragrance. I've gone through almost half of a 2.5 oz bottle before I could finally appreciate and understand the beauty of Ungaro I. This is a wonderful woody-fougere which may not be enjoyed by everyone, but its uniqueness and elegance cannot be ignored by any fragrance lover. It is deep, boozy, alcoholic, mossy, damp, in a word, intoxicating. As a matter in fact, I think it's the booziest and most intoxicating fragrance I know. It's also a serious, intellectual, introspective fragrance and those who can appreciate these qualities and also its lack of sexiness and sensuality will certainly adore Ungaro I.

Although it's not quite the masterpiece that Ungaro III is, it completes one of the greatest (if not actually THE greatest) trilogy in the men's fragrance history.

Ungaro I is undoubtedly a fine fragrance, but I have no difficulty seeing why it failed; it is simply too severe and foreboding a scent to have enjoyed anything remotely resembling commercial success. The wormwood's dark, dry and bitter severity recalls Caron's Yatagan -- hardly another juice for the masses -- while the potent combination of patchouli and sandlewood -- perhaps the friendlier part of the juice -- recalls Boss No. 1 (probably to a greater degree than most would admit). Personally, I find this simply too bone-dry and uncompromisingly dark a fragrance to be really enjoyable -- give me the rounded, velvety and civety lavender exuberance of Ungaro II any day. Further, it was completely out of time when it was launched -- and arguably would have been out of time even in the 80s. Only Tom Ford in a really bad mood might have come up with this and found a way to make it work. Nonetheless -- respect.

Deep and dark, as already mentioned, but not soo dark that it is gothic. Rather it is dark with some highlights, that keep you sniffing. On paper it is woody, mossy, a tinge of sweet here and there, very profound and well formulated. On my skin I get leather, lots and lots of leather, this after the Arabian vibe opening. Ezra by Abercrombie and Fitch comes to mind, its like A&F tried to render their version of this classic (but failed miserably). If you can find a sample, go for it, but I am not so sure it is worth what some of the prices I have seen recently.

Deep and mossy and quite layered with a foreboding elegance that one can only get wearing a crisp new black pin-striped suit while smoking a flavored cigar. In a word, innerving. Downside for me is that it's a bit too potent and gives me a headache.

A really unique fragrance whose strangeness will probably keep it a secret to most. I like it very much but it is different from anything else and hard to find.

The opening notes are familiar from many of the big scents of the 1980's. Bergamot, pine and jasmine have that strong lemony green blast that tends to push you back a little with its boldness. But this changes quickly as a wine alcohol scent wafts through the pine/lemony opening bringing in the geranium and jasmine as it mixes with the dampness of wormwood. There is a minty damp kind of mysterious green finish to this first part of the scent that was very pleasing. As the wormwood blends with the amber/tonka base it creates an aldahyde like finish that is cool and warm at the same time. Sort of mysterious and pleasing in the drydown. A great one!

Top notes: Lavender, Pine, Bergamot
Heart: Patchouli, Wormwood, Precious Wood, Jasmine, Geranium
Base: Sandalwood, Tonka, Honey, Amber

Going through Jacques Polge's fantastic work for Ungaro mirrors my experience with Peter Jacksons' award winning gamble of bringing to life the seminal Lord of the Rings series. So far I have enjoyed both the works of art in reverse chronological order, thoroughly satisfied with parts 3 and 2. I am yet to watch my copy of Fellowship of the Ring, but thats because I was lured first by Ungaro I and its wormWOOD note instead of the ghastly look on Eijah WOODS face on the cover of the DVD.

Ungaro I's main focus is wormwood (absinthium), a key ingredient of german Wermuth beer and french absinthe liquor. However, before you reach the heart of 'wood, Polge leads you through pristine opening notes of lavender, bergamot and pine. The use of pine in just the right concentration here certainly contributes to the fresh, uplifting, yet non-generic tone of the top notes. Alas this phase is extremely fleeting. But wait, you can already smell the boozy molecules marching towards your nose receptors...the wormwood slowly makes its presence felt. Similar to what YSL M7 did with oud/agarwood, I find the singular focus on wormwood interesting to say the least, and its rendition here to be absolutely perfect. Its not overdone, yet its very obvious. Its superbly balanced and anchors the fragrance well. It lends a "red", "boozy", non-alcoholic, wine-like sensual aroma, which is slightly sweetened towards the end of the evolution of Ungaro I. You can expect to get 'wood for 7+ hours.

Ungaro I is a superbly crafted dark/boozy/red wormwood fragrance. I dont think its quite the masterpiece that the lavender+civet dynamo that Ungaro II is, but thats probably because I personally prefer those types of fragrances. I also prefer M7's smoky agarwood to Ungaro I's absinthe, but once again thats because I am not a big fan of wine/alcohol and boozy notes. That said I find Ungaro I to be substantially more worthy of my money than something like L'Artisan Fou d'Absinthe; the wormwood in Ungaro I is richer, longer lasting, and closer to the real essential oil. Ungaro I is also less saccharine and fruity than the whiskey blast that is D'Orsay's Le Dandy. If you like this sort of thing in your fragrances, there are very few (if any) which are better than Ungaro I. Even at its slightly inflated discontinued price of $65+, its well worth the moolah. At the very least, it has raised my expectations of LOTR1 : Fellowship of the Ring....

Few scents can claim to live up to the beauty that was Ungaro I. Introspective, melancholic, and very calming. A subtlety that is inviting is Ungaro I. Earthen floors, dampness, and deep red are the images it conjures.

Ungaro I was too niche for the masses, which was the cause of its doom. The best of the Ungaros. A masterpiece.

Truly an exceptional experience. If you can get some, do. I just love it. MisterK posted the notes which he got off of a tester bottle and I though I would repost them here.

Top notes: Lavender, Pine, Bergamot

Heart: Patchouli, Wormwood, Precious Wood, Jasmine, Geranium

Base: Sandalwood, Tonka, Honey, Amber

Some fragrances are good—some are great works of art. Ungaro I is a great work of art. I have no idea what’s in it and I don’t want to know. I can’t dissect it for component smells and it all just seems irrelevant anyway. This just has a beauty that is undeniable and maybe even unsurpassable. In the early 90s Ungaro must have had a sudden rush of genius to have made in such quick succession I, II, and III. I love III, and find it a romantic masterpiece, but I is special in the world of men’s fragrances. It has an ineffable beauty that makes the fact that it is no longer available a real tragedy.

It's a mossy, spicy, somewhat sweet concoction that smells rich, mysterious, and slightly boozy. It also somehow manages to smell un-formal, maybe even casual. The image that comes to mind is an old wine cellar, damp and mossy, with a bit of wine spilled on the earthen floor. I'd say this is the intellectual, yet easy-going (probably from drinking too much wine) older brother of the Ungaro three. Sillage is fairly strong, lasting power a bit less than I would like. One of my favorite scents - it gets five stars from me.

Smells like the drydown of Boucheron Homme EDT. Nothing special to me. Even though I seem to prefer older creations, this smells outdated to me. I can't give it a thumb down since I believe any smell is better than no smell but...

Flayed strips of sodden mossy bark, dark purple twig-rich earth, and the last breath of flowers held in the huge hands of slowly moldering, motley-colored, waxy autumnal leaves, and in that forest, everywhere, one senses the reverberation of a cool, detached, and moist metallic patchouli echo returning through the trees. The color of the bottle, a deep rich, vibrant brownish red. The fragrance, a nonpareil.

There is an incredible but rare darkness and depth to Ungaro I. The notes are accomplished by the sensitive and ingenious blending of citrus, greens, florals amber, moss, musk, and tonka. When I look at the pyramid, I wonder how the perfumer accomplished this darkness without the usual suspects: incense, woods, or myrrh; instead, he used lavender, sage and rose. There is a price to this particular genius. The darkness of Ungaro I is a rich and plentiful darkness, but lavender, sage, and rose create an innocent darkness: It doesn’t threaten or tempt—it invites, assures, envelops. It is a darkness that is esoteric, cerebral , and strangely dispassionate. Being not really sensual may be the reason Ungaro I failed as a commercial product. Had it been sensual, I think it would have attracted more admirers.
What to do with a fragrance like this? It would work for very formal circumstances—state funerals, grand opera in Milan, accepting the Nobel Prize......Of course, I’m exaggerating, but it is an altogether serious fragrance—no play, no sex, everything elevated. It is perfect for meditation or prayer. One might have it just to sniff surreptitiously and worshipfully (I do)...
I don’t approve, but I understand why this was discontinued. It’s a beautiful, compelling, intellectually haunting fragrance—it’s truly amazing but it is actually a niche fragrance that is of limited commercial potential, and it is therefore fated by the designer’s bottom line.

I bought Ungaro III "blind", based on reviews found here - and then I ordered Ungaro I. It is now very expensive to buy, if you can find it at all. I found it extraordinarily enigmatic - I cannot put my finger on it in any way except I would say it is a classic oriental fragrance. If I say it is citrusy on top and the drydown is musky, I would not do it any justice. There is that hint of rose and jam (maybe rosehip jam?) on top, and as it dries down, it is sweet - yet sweet not in a syrupy, but rather in an expensive, sophisticated way. That sugarcane sweetness (rum, maybe? but very very subtle note of it) lends a certain guilty decadence, a sense of privilege, to the classic musty drydown. Is it autumn fragrance? I'm not sure. Maybe Indian summer. It is so sad that this fragrance is now firmly history.

Yes, this is a picture of Ungaro II. Ungaro I is Red and Green. Anyway, this fragrance always reminded me of opening up a new pack of miniature cherry cigars. It was a wonderful fragrance, and too bad it has been discontinued.

Ungaro I is the best of the Ungaro’s, in my opinion. It’s very hard to describe Ungaro I. I always resort to color and texture to describe this amazing fragrance. It smells VERY red, unmistakably red, and it has a very smooth almost plasticy texture. It’s one of my very special occasion fragrances. My wardrobe would not be complete without it.

Absolutely Amazing!!
Very manly and well balanced spicy fragrance!
Try to think of it as S.T. Dupont Signature without the sweetness. Very, very, good!

Perhaps the most refined and seductive of the three Ungaros, #1 is a classic Oriental Fougere. It's a very dark and opulent fragrance that begins with lemon and lavender and settles into a smooth musk and amber base hours later. Formulated by Jacques Polges, it seems as if he wanted to create something a little darker and more complex than he would have been able to do for Chanel.

Intoxicating. Great evening fragrance. It's pretty strong, but worn lightly it is very compelling.