Night Flyer
Olympic Orchids (2020)

Yup, smells like dirt and melted banana Runts. Totally fun.

Darvant said it all, such wonderful and in depth review for this masterful perfume. In two words, psychedelic musk. That is Night Flyer. The word kaleidoscopic fits like a glove. I dont know if it resembles a bat cave, it maybe does but it surely makes me feel as if im in the center of my own cave when wearing this alien beauty. It evokes smells one would experience within an immense, intense acid trip. Alive. Vibrant. Erotic. Mysterious. Synesthesian. A beautiful unique experience. Genius work of art from a genius (not just) perfumer.

This sultry-mineral stark fragrance is basically the re-release (from the same nose creator Ellen Covey, after cutting the artistic cooperation with the brand Zoologist Perfumes-management) of the infamous Bat-perfume (2015, first Zoologist-version)'s formula (this case in a more affordable less expensive but probably a tad less intese and vivid way). Night Flyer by Olympic Orchids Artisan Perfumes is a chypré/mineral/leathery/fruity unisex (but basically masculine imo) fragrance launched in 2020. It is pratically the original version of Bat, firstly launched by the house of Zoologist (now discontinued) with a different source of raw materials (I don't know if different on quality). Somewhat all of the main Bat's olfactory protagonists are still there (banana, tropical fruits, figs, dump earthy notes, leather, musk, sandawood, vetiver, resins etc) creating the same effect, that is a fruity tropical fragrance but at the same time something mineral, erotic, resinous, sultry and dirty. Banana and tropical fruits smell like a sort of underlay for the earthy humid mineral cave's smell. As well as Bat this is a dark dissonant creative dirty fragrance for "freak-kinky personalities", perfect for the southern tropical seaside summer nights-raves, pure hardcore "porno-oriented" olfactory eroticism, something at same time arcane (wild, caves' mustiness eliciting) and super modern (glamour). Basically one of the most original "salty-fiery" hair-chested leathers I've had the pleasure to test. Pure genius. A one of a kind blend of leather, resins, fizzy mineral notes and captivating tropical fruits. An hypnotic fragrance based on a game of unexpected contrasts. As well as the original Bat, Night Flyer possesses an amazing "fizzy-molecular-swarming" salty-mineral (all at once rooty/woody, salty-leathery and aromatic) accord of vetiver, salty/leathery sandalwood, mineral elements, leafy vegetal patterns, dodgy ozonic elements, damp earthiness, dry roots and tropical dry (tart-salty "red") or mellow fruits. The main bitter (citric)-sweet acid/salty (humid-camphoraceous) testosteronic accord masters this olfactory masterwork of synth creativity, being however finally counteracted by a sweeter/softer chord of sultry balsams, tropical fruits, visceral resins and sweated musks. The outcome is "arresting" and purely provocative in all its peculiar glory. The camphoraceous presence is "appalling", humid, rocky, mouldy, earthy, vegetal and mossy.
The contrast between rooty/mineral camphor and yummy figgy-tropical resins is simply superb. Vetiver, sandalwood and leather provide an high level of saltiness. Amazing, a sultry dark accord for a "sweated" sinny journey through the most tropical and chaotic rave party ever. Finally a more than vague "smoother" figgy creamy note (figs, banana, baksams, tonka) pops up on the scene providing a twist of fruity exotic smoothness. Addictive as few scents in this universe with its spark of musky virile fizzy/acid (balsamic) piquancy, Night Flyer makes an "unbuttoned shirt" virile sweated man in a chaotic beach-party ideally jumping on mind. There is this salty-acid mineral rugged presence (a tart fruity grapes/pomegranate-like presence as well) conjuring me incredibly an urban juice which I love, namely the salty (and more than vaguely leathery) Bond N. 9 New York Oud (2011), the juice I know which mostly Night Flyer (as well as Bat) resembles at. Finally you will enjoy an immensely sexy and provocative metropolitan "clubbing-leather-salty-sweet-fragrance" which will manage to lord over all the most straightforward sexy accords of the night clubs' playground. Simply amazing.

As a preface, I have not tried the original zoologist bat, or their new version of bat. The opening of night flyer starts with a sweet fruity smell (banana / fig notes), immediately followed by what I would call a wet, damp, mineral accord. During the drydown, the fruity notes disappear first, followed by the mineral accord, and the vetiver becomes more prominent. For the fruit notes, I do not find them to be photorealistic to either Cavendish bananas (low isoamyl acetate), Gros Michel Bananas (high isoamyl acetate), or figs. That being said it is believable enough. When focusing on the mineral accord, I sometimes perceive an almost sodium salt-iness. Not table salt, but a bit more synthetic, perhaps something like epsom salt. It is very faint and does not take away from anything. I don't get any animalics (musky fur). It's a nice and fresh scent, easy to wear in my opinion. I do wish the fruity notes were more accurate and that the longevity / strength was increased ; the longevity on my skin was about 4 hours until skin scent (after 2 sprays).

Hands down, the best petrichor note in the game. Just a hyper realistic wet soil opening that puts you smack in the middle of a damp cave in a cloud forest after a heavy rain.

(Excursus: I’m Guatemalan and I am often in places just like this, up in the northern highlands around Cobán, Alta Verapaz: the land of the majestic quetzal. Years ago, I spent so much time up there, organizing and doing research around land disputes, that I once caught a lung infection caused by a fungus found in bat shit. Because, yes, there’re lots of bats there.)

You can clearly smell the humid earth and the musty rocks. But it’s not dank in the least; in fact, it’s invigorating, thanks to a zesty vetiver. The olibanum steals the show with a fresh fruity top note that is sparklingly green and salubrious. You’re outside now, rays of moonlight piercing the canopy above. You’ve left the cave behind and you’re roaming the big, wet vegetation looking for bananas and figs. You find them. You’re happy.

Fruity earth. I read the original Zoologist Bat was a more expensive formula and the current Night Flyer is flatter. Having only smelled current Night Flyer, and after reading reviews about it being a perfume for vampires, etc., I was surprised to find it highly wearable. (Maybe that says more about me).
It starts off fruity, and then this intense damp, minerals note comes to fore. There is a strong frankincense note and earthy, ambery tones as well. It feels primordial but comforting. Like nothing else I've smelled. I am finding this one addictive.