Chipmunk
Zoologist (2021)

I’m envious of chipmunks and the smells they get to live with if this perfume is any indication. A very pleasant, oily, unctuous, and nutty aroma surrounds the whole of the perfume that makes your mouth water. It’s not Nutella, it’s not sweet or confectionery, nor is it peanut butter, nor anything similar; roasted chestnuts and hazelnuts abound. They are bolstered by a guaiac and oak centric base that is noticeably yet mildly smokey and a touch vegetally sweet. Resinous notes of earth and animalics round them out in very nice proportions.

Perhaps a touch simplistic and unmemorable, it is still quite good. Pleasant materials are handled well, delivering a very comfortable and gently addictive aroma for the pallet. Worth trying for sure, but not full bottle worthy for me. Still, I’m envious of chipmunks now.

It feels odd to start with what a fragrance isn’t, but it’s important to clarify: this is neither Nutella nor that hazelnut coffee sweetener note. I certainly feared hazelnut after encountering a lot of gooey gourmands which featured it, but it’s naturalistic and elegant here.

I find the whole affair somewhat linear and sheer: I mostly get oak, hazelnut, and cedar, all in their smoothest and woodiest guises. It starts with more cardamom; ends with more vetiver, but both feel seen behind the core accord of woods that lasts from start to finish. It's like existing a wooden furniture store, or perhaps, and empty sauna.

Chipmunk reminds me (fondly, I should add) of early Mark Buxton’s CDG’s. There’s something of the rounded polish and muted earth tones that isn’t a million miles from CDG 2Man, but the nuttiness takes it in a different direction.

This fragrance elegantly blends oak and hazelnut notes to create a simple and lovely scent with a hint of nutty and boozy sweetness. It's completely unisex and easy to wear, making it a great choice for anyone. While I enjoyed the scent, I'm not entirely convinced it's worth the premium price point that Zoologist commands. Nonetheless, it's a solid fragrance that's definitely worth a try.

Cedar. (Alas. Review is too short.)

All I get is cedar. That’s all I get. Despite how long I’m made to make this review, that’s really all I’m gonna say about Chipmunk from Zoologist Perfumes out of the great state of Canada.

Popping to the top of the list of Zoologist fragrances I've tried - Chipmunk starts surprisingly bright and punchy, I really get that red mandarin. Almost immediately it begins to transform into something rich and nutty - I easily pick up the hazelnut, and nutmeg and pink pepper compliment that nicely. In the later stages, this has softened into something solidly woody, with prominent notes of cedar, fir and oak, with a bit of dark earth at its absolute base.

Which is really quite remarkable - Zoologist has taken us full circle from the fruit of a tree, to the seeds of a tree, to the tree itself, and finally, the earth from which it sprang. It's a lovely life-cycle journey, this fragrance, all the while evoking the ecology of a chipmunk, which obviously loves nuts, and foraging around and amongst trees, and holes in the ground. Somehow, that's all captured here.

As others have said, this is one of the more easy-to-wear fragrances from this house, but it is absolutely no less artistic and imaginative than something like Rhinoceros or Bee. But while Rhino can be overwhelming in its power, and Bee can be overly floral - Chipmunk finds a nice middle-ground of pleasant fruit, nuts and wood notes that I think would appeal to most people. I now count it (along with Camel) as the most 'wearable' of the Zoologist line that I've tried, so far. It's a beauty!

Easy-wearing woods. The oaky accord in Chipmunk is top notch, realistic and smooth. The nutty gourmand element is not overbearing or distracting. It’s wonderful to wear. I need to sample again for a better read on the details, but on first wear, it came across as a pleasant, smooth, lightly sweet and surprisingly focused essay on woods. It would make a fantastic cozy fall scent.

If you’ve smelled Lutens Chene, it reminded me of that, with a dusting of hazelnut powder and cardamom. Considering Chene is super hard to get in the states and very pricey, that makes Chipmunk a decent value proposition.

I admire a lot of Zoologist’s funkier and more “literal” work from an artistic perspective, but they also do a great job when going for easy wearability