Hummingbird
Zoologist (2015)

My first Zoologist Perfume and what a bummer of one to try. I had to use my entire 1 ml sample just to smell anything on me and usually I can squeak out 2-3 wearings of sample.

The opening was very sharp, very metallic floral. There was too much going on with the florals and fruit notes of apple and citrus, like the perfume couldn't make up it's mind which notes to settle on. It also felt fizzy when it wasn't a sharp metallic note and hits of astringency. Despite an sizeable portion of the perfume released onto my arm and chest, I literally could not smell this perfume unless I dug my nose into my forearm to smell it.

At this point I headed off to work in the 38C heat and by the time I arrived 30 minutes later, any chance of middle notes were gone. They had dissipated that fast in the hot weather.

What did stick around 12+ hours later was the woods, amber and musk, but only again if I pressed my nose hard where I sprayed.

I'm just going to cut to the chase with this one: it smells exactly like a honeysuckle flower. For the first few hours, it is just a super realistic honeysuckle scent, and after a few hours some of the other notes come in and make it more complex and interesting. I don't get transported anywhere, but I do imagine a hummingbird when I smell it. For a fragrance inspired by hummingbirds, I can't imagine a better scent. Even though honeysuckle is by far the most prominent scent, the other notes are still there if you look for them, particularly the amber and musk after around 6 hours of wear. The projection is great. The longevity is great. In terms of quality, this one is a 10/10 - it achieves exactly what it set out to do, and it does it so well. But... I don't like it. This is purely a personal taste thing because I think this one is brilliant, and I tried so hard to like it. But on my fourth day wearing it, I just had to admit it to myself, and regrettably washed it off my wrists. I don't know why I don't like it. It's not boring. It's not cloying. It has depth. I don't have any honeysuckle related trauma that would make me dislike it. I SHOULD like it. But I don't. And that's okay. It's really unique, but still completely wearable. I could see this being some people's signature scents. So if it sounds interesting I really encourage you to give it a go.

Final rating: 6.5/10 (but also 10/10).

Wow, what a scent! Absolutely no one knows what is in this concoction. And certainly not what is making it smell so great.

(Though it’s probably the honeysuckle.)

Contrary to popular belief, this is NOT chopped-up hummingbird. I hope. If so, I’m really not sure I’d mind all that much, given how wonderful it smells.

Sniffing this is better than watching two turtles f*c* each other. Need I really say more?

Okay, then—you simply haven’t lived until you’ve experienced the juggernaut of olfaction that is Hummingbird from Zoologist. It hits like the bugbird itself hits a flower. And it’s then entirely relentless until hours later.

As if we even needed something that’s better than watching two turtles face each other...

Honeyed amber immediate, then the pounce of indolic florals: jasmine, ylang ylang, tuberose. A lick of banana rice pudding, a nibble of rosewater pastry. I don't get the fruit salad described -- just the syrup left at the bottom of the bowl, sapped of fresh tartness. A Bridgerton picnic, all flouff and flounce and unwashed undergarments, followed with your nan's violet soap that masks rather than cleans. I don't hate it, but I'm not in love.

Lilac and cherry, this one grew on me and the hint of mothballs I smelled on first wear disappeared…

One of the best sweet florals I ever smelled. Very tropical.