Bat

Bat, as anybody who's reading this probably knows, was constructed as an interpretation of a bat cave, complete with damp stone walls, dark musty corners, and bat-food--deposits of tropical fruits the furry little creatures can feast on as they hang upside down and do bat stuff. And Zoologist nailed it. Or more specifically, Ellen Covey, perfumer and avid bat enthusiast, nailed it. The first thing you'll notice about Bat is that it smells different. The opening is almost cold in its effect--immediately conjuring mineralic properties of stones and earth. It feels damp and has a sort of mustiness about it that contributes to the dark, cave-like atmosphere that's established. This seems mostly achieved by a very earthy, rooty vetiver. But this isn't a dreary, foreboding cave; there are signs of brighter things ahead. Namely, a kind of general tropical fruit (papaya, guanabana, etc.) that starts to appear shortly after the opening. The fruit is ripe and fresh, but as indicated in the pyramid above, it's soft. It's not sharp. It doesn't jump out and bite you or reach into a very high register. In fact, as the fruit develops it takes on the smell of bananas, which blend surprisingly well with the earthy vetiver of the cave. Still, this would not work without the final element in place--the bats! A very warm musk develops in the base, almost seamlessly, and it holds everything in a very comfortable embrace. This "furry musk" as described by the perfumer does indeed have a warm, living sort of quality. But it's not animalic in the typical sense of the term. It lacks any kind of objectionable stink--civet, castoreum, cumin--they're not here. Instead it's just a very warm, soothing musk that takes any impersonal element from the cave and draws it in to a more comfortable space. This is the perfect conclusion to a very dynamic and interesting perfume. While the development of bat is certainly interesting, and really flawless as far as its transitions and stages, it's also important to note the quality of the perfume itself. It is completely void of any harsh synthetic elements. The vetiver is raw and real, as if uprooted from the soil and the fruit has a soft, natural sort of glow. The musk is fantastic, exuding an incredible warmth and depth, melding with the skin just as it should. It feels as though it was made with very carefully chosen, high quality ingredients, and an eye toward avoiding a synthetic edge which would pull it out of character. As far as its performance is concerned, I would give Bat a 10/10. It projects very strongly for the first couple of hours (you really have to watch how heavy you go). And even after it settles in, it still projects with significant intensity. Regarding its longevity, Bat lasts over 10 hours. In conclusion, this is an excellent fragrance as it's not only unique and made with quality ingredients, but it's also fun to wear. While you may need an open mind, and some affinity for the strange and different, Bat really isn't that difficult to pull off. If you can wear a true vetiver fragrance you can wear Bat. The same goes for those who can wear hardcore fruity scents, or unique stuff like Fahrenheit. As long as you don't over-apply it and choke everyone out, Bat should be an easy, enjoyable wear. Thumbs up! with a 9/10 rating.

I actually love this fragrance! I can't believe how much I love this. So, let me take a whack at reviewing it! At first dab/spray, I get loads and loads of dirt mixed with fruits--again largely dirt though and it's moist dirt; it is as if you're digging in your garden after a light spring rain. I freaking love this. This is what I wanted from Demeter Fragrances Dirt (minus the rest of the notes obviously). So, what am I trying to say? This is a more realistic dirt than Demeter's Dirt. I only get this kind of smell from Demeter if I mist it at a distance on myself. Oh, I love the smell of wet dirt! On the other hand, the partner hates it. So, I will never wear this around him. PS I got no banana... As this sits on my skin I get a push of fruits, surprisingly it matched the middle notes I read about afterward. I smelled fig and random tropical fruits. I really smell pineapple most distinctly of the tropical fruits--the pineapple juice from that Dole can. It's concentrated, sticky and pungent. I still smell the essence of dirt-- but it's coming from the myrrh. The incense smell gets stronger and the fruits fade in and out. I can't say I smell anything green distinctly but I'm sure it's lending to the persistent wet dirt/wet stone smell I am perceiving. At the end, I am mostly getting vetiver, sandalwood and an indescribable sweetness. It's soft, subtle sweet. It's warm, yet cool. The only way I can describe it is like this: It's like you're in a cool environment, cool enough that your hands and fingers are cold to the touch and you're holding a small mammal in the palm of your hand, like a mouse, creating a very distinct, concentrated--yet subtle-- pocket of warmth on your generally cool hand. This is definitely not for everyone and not for tight public spaces BUT this is wearable. It's daring. It's so freaking realistic. It's such an experience. It's definitely a must-try. I'd honestly wear this in wide open spaces, especially hiking so as not bother those around me. Warning: This might be a stomach turner for some people out there. Don't deeply inhale this, especially on an empty stomach. ;)

This is an extremely interesting fragrance created to smell like the environment, food, and body of a bat. Zoologist - a very fascinating niche perfume house from Toronto - does not aim to capture just an animal's own scent, but the scents of its environment and diet as well. Thus, Bat is composed of "soft fruits, damp earth and minerals." It was developed by Dr. Ellen Covey, the owner/perfumer at the indie house Olympic Orchids, and herself a professor at the University of Washington who studied bat biology for years. Covey wanted Bat to smell like "the cool, earthy, damp limestone cave where the bats live, the fruit that they eat, and the clean, musky smell of their fur." She succeeded with me and apparently others, too; Bat won the Independent Category of the 2016 Art and Olfaction Awards. As for the scent, it is extremely spot-on to the description. It smells literally like wet earth, and is full of the geosmin chemical (the same chemical that causes the scent of 'petrichor' - the after rain smell of wet soil). The only thing this is comparable to is CB I Hate Perfume's Black March, which also has a large wet soil scent (but is far more fleeting than Bat). On the drydown, I somewhat smell the tropical fruits (mainly banana) but the wet soil scent remains throughout. It really smells like you're smelling a cave! I for one am obsessed by this sort of scent, so this is one of the best fragrances I've literally ever smelled. Sillage and projection are also both through the roof, lasting over 10 hours with just 1 spray (especially as it's an extrait de parfum). This is honestly a masterpiece of perfumery, and unparalleled as far as dark green earth scents go. 5/5

Polarizing for sure. Is it wearable? Yes. Would I wear it? No, but only because I feel this is a dark night scent to be paired with a long tight black dress for the ultra contemporary femme fatale or the mysterious guy in the corner. At the moment I'm not either of these people. Not everyone can wear this. Unless you go wine tasting in an old wine cellar...in this case you would be the sweetest fruit in the room. I tryed Bat last...well I actually got to try the NEW Camel last :)/love it! Anyway...I was super affraid that I would dislike Bat, but I had a blast using my sample. It is earthy, damp, cave like, BUT also tropical sweet fruity leathery scent. There is something very fun and pleasing about bat, you become a bat for a day while wearing this. A peculiar creature that possess incredible powers, feasts on ripe succulent fruit, navigates on echolocation, sleeps upside down and masters the night and it's dark caverns... I got quite mixed reactions to this fragrance of course... My husband was horrified, some friends were intrigued, some dazzled... Sure thing is you will not get unnoticed. Longevity was very good, but it does dissapear after 6-7hours on my skin. Silage heavy the first hour, than moderate. I would say perfect. Many people could smell this from far away anyway... If you like earthy fragrances you should be fine with this. Definetely worth a sample. Maybe you fall in love, if nothing else you will get a hell out of an experience. Tested from an original sample bought from Zoologist.

Bravo! Wow, stunning... Okay, here's the thing. Back in the adventurous college days in Cuba, me and a bunch of friends used to go in the wilderness, explore and sleep in caves packed with bat colonies, in the middle of nowhere. Those where incredible years, unforgettable... When I first read about this particular fragrance I was so intrigued, I wanted it to take me back to those those times... Well, It did. This is probably the most creative perfume I have ever smelled. I understand 100% those who don't apreciate it because it is definitively not for everybody, this is for those who see perfumery as a form of art, which to me it is. And/or those who are very familiar with the more complex smells of nature, which I adore. And finally those who are daring, adventurous, with enough confidence to bypass people's puzzling opinions about the smell... Fun! The damped dirt note is predominant at every single stage, but there is a lot more going on. There are some fruits, green notes, there are musks... woods?!... all of it easily detectable to my nose, each one making appearance at the exact needed time. But we barely leave the cave, if anything just a short fly around the fruit trees. I will be wearing this one quite a bit in the coming weeks and I hope that the sample will be sufficient to make me love it enough to invest in a full bottle (something tells me it will) Definitively worth to smell, caution do not blind buy. No matter what you expect this will catch you out of guard, trust me. Enjoy!

Ok, first let me state that I am an avid bat fan, always have been, love those critters and all they do with all my heart. So I was hoping beyond hope that this was going to be a perfume I could love. A beautiful sample kit, complete with handwritten note and an extra sample of Nightingale (thank you, Victor!) just arrived and I am blown away! The artwork on each sample is exquisite for a start and the descriptions are just beautiful, evocative and seductive, luring me in to the world of these unusual perfumes. That no animal products are used in these perfumes is just another massive plus. Sooo, Bat, the fragrance. When I lived in Sydney, I'd often lie under the fruit trees in Glebe Park in summer on my way home from work and watch as the large and furry fruit bats would begin to swoop and take flight into the night air at dusk. The smell of warm fruit, earth and leaves along with the bark of the trees and occasionally a gentle animalistic waft was mesmerising to me. This perfume is a richly redolent reminder of that time, complete with lush summer fruits; figs, banana, the damp soil of early evening, sandalwood and vegetal roots. Black leather wings unfold to gently waft their warm aroma up into the mix, oh so sensitively so as not to unbalance the blend, this is a sweet, earthy, tropical forest delight. I'm not usually a big fan of fruity perfumes but the fig in this is dirty, sullied, and the banana is ripe and soft, they work so well together. This is no cocktail scent. Love it.

I last ordered the full sample pack in 2016 and I've just recently received an order of everything new since then, so I've been able to compare this to the 2020 version of Bat, which has it's own page. This one was pulled somewhere around 2017 as I believe there was a problem sourcing the banana component which prompted its redevelopment - so if you've ordered Bat in the past couple of years then you almost certainly don't have the one described above. They are quite similar to me - this definitely had the banana driving the fruity notes, and smells more "soilish" or loamy to me, like potting soil. The new one definitely has the guava and passionfruit in the lead (no banana at all) and it's more earthy than soily if that makes any sense - as though it used earthy notes that are more common in perfumery that blend better with other notes, and as a result I am quite certain would be more wearable - in fact I imagined it as something I would take with me on a beach vacation for evenings out. The new one is basically a solid tropical fragrance where this is extremely experiential. It's legit like being inside a cave and smelling ripe fruit and a bit of musky leather. UPDATE: Apparently Ellen Covey, the nose for this version, took the formula back when she launched her own brand, so you can get this original formula with the banana but now you'll need to get Night Flyer from Olympic Orchids

I have smelled five perfumes from Zoologist so far: Civet, Bat, Elephant, Macaque, and Hummingbird. I bought four samples and was given an extra for free (thanks Victor!) Bat is definitely very good, to my nose, and I think I would wear it out (however, keep in mind that I am an eccentric art student). To me, it smells like dirt, even rich compost, with worms crawling in it. The kind that produces the happiest and healthiest of plants. My mother has gardened since I was little, and we have a compost pile in the back of our yard that I used to go digging for bugs in. (again, I'm eccentric). This smells like that soil- rich, damp, and mineral-y. There is also a note of fruits, slightly overripe, as well as a small amount of a piercing green note that makes me think of galbanum, even though it's not listed in the notes. To me, this perfume is the perfect combination of fresh and grounded, sweet and leathery, wet and dry. I truly love it. However, I do know that one of the reasons I'm so partial to this perfume is for nostalgia's sake. Not everyone is going to like the smell of compost like I do. If you're into obscure or strange scents, give this a sniff! But if you want something more pretty or conventionally pleasing, I would suggest Hummingbird instead.

100/100 (Preface: Many of the poor reviews on this page are for the 2020 REFORMULATION--search Bat Edition 2020 Zoologist Perfumes--, which is very different. Olympic Orchid's formulation, Night Flyer, is identical in ingredients to original Bat because the owner of the perfume house is the original perfumer that composed Bat for Zoologist: Ellen Covey.) The ORIGINAL Bat formulation is not my favorite perfume, however it's the most beautifully composed perfume I have encountered to date. Wet earth. Damp leaves. Rocks slick with morning dew. A light haze of omnipresent, resinous warmth. Waft of cool, uncut fruit; the beginnings of fruit decay that's appealingly sweet, nothing like rot. All of which is scaffolded by the right amount of musk and accented by touches of green. Photorealistic, esoteric, rich in scent memory; a superlative perfume. Zoologist's Original Bat is leagues beyond their 2020 rendition. And while Covey uses the same ingredients for her Olympic Orchid Night Flyer the quality of ingredients she sourced, compared to Wong, gives the impression that Night Flyer is a light, flatter version of the Zoologist original. Worth getting, but if one owns, had or smelled the original, it leaves one yearning for the real thing.

So by now, I have tried all 10 of my Zoologist samples but havent really lived with a single one yet over time, so this is just my first impression of Bat. All I get from this is very strong, earthy up-turned damp soil, but I like it. This actually smells like real earth, like I am holding a handful of soil up to my nose. It's very real, like no other frag I have ever smelled. I do not get any banana, woods, or any other notes. The damp soil is so strong, it masks everything else out. The sillage is very good, I can smell this a good 4 feet away on my shirt. It also stays on my skin a very long time. It's still going strong the next day. I never changes on my skin, it stays a very linear scent from application into the next day; just damp soil. On me, it does not take me on an adventure, ever changing, different notes emerging over time. This is not a perfume where I am trying to detect the notes, it's just one scent. It's a bit too strange to ware to the office or to class, or any public place were people are close. You are bound to get some strange reactions; "have you been digging in the dirt somewhere?" LOL With all that said, I still want to buy a whole bottle, this is so pleasantly earthy, real and different.

10/10- Bat OG formulation- Unexaggerated masterpiece! A fruit bat's cave in a tropical rainforest. The Bat is so beautiful that I cried. People who hate this blend must present it to those who love it; there is no niche snobbery in loving this blend. I've smelt this before, it smells of damp soil with tropical fruits in a rainforest. The Bat is not skanky, it's the smell of the earth and some decaying leaves on the said forest floor. There's a lot of green in this blend, which gives it a faint minty freshness. It gives an artistic impression of what a fruit bat's cave might smell like, with neither the bat droppings nor the skank that comes off a bat. This scent is innocence; people will take notice, but you don't want compliments from it because you're an introvert. People might mention it smells of petrichor or rain. I have mitti attar, which smells closest to the smell of the first rain/ petrichor, but the Zoologist Bat smells of the damp soil and not rain. Lovely blend. Spread the love. Note: The Night Flyer from Olympic Orchids is said to be the same blend as the Bat from Zoologist; in fact, both fragrances are made by the same nose, Ellen Covey.

Bat by Zoologist hits you with a bold one-two punch. Picture this: the opening is all about a green, unripe banana with a fizzy kick that's like olfactory fireworks. Myhr steps in, cranking up the tropical fruit party and adding a fresh, spicy vibe. It's like standing in the crisp, clean air of a mountain peak. But hold on – we're taking a turn into Twin Peaks territory. The scent rollercoasters between wet earth and ambergris, throwing in this musky accord that's like a sweet, classic twist. It's edgy, not for the faint-hearted, and definitely not your everyday fragrance. If you're new to the niche game, Bat might not be your starting point. It's an acquired taste, a fragrant rebel that doesn't play by the rules. But as it settles down, it finds its groove – sandalwood, vetiver, and a backbone of musk bring it back to a place that's more down-to-earth. It's like the bad boy of fragrances that finally reveals its softer side. In a nutshell, Bat is a wild ride from green bananas to earthy mysteries, not for everyone, but damn, it's a statement. This ain't your typical cologne – it's a fragrance with attitude.

This scent took me to a journey. I remember when I was a kid we visit deep bat caves, where one mistake and you fall no one could find you. If you stick your nose to the deepest part of the cave where its really dark not even our flashlight could reach it's depth, you could smell the aroma of the fruits that the bat eats then it falls into the ground as it decompose with the wet rocks below. The natural aroma of those fallen fruits is really unforgettable it will be embedded into your soul of how distinct the aroma is. This is truly a breathtaking scent where it really tells the story of how the perfumer captured the scent of a bat cave. He also captured the scent of the different wet rocks that only exist in a cave. I also remembered of how the tour guide told us to not look up because the urine, poop and food of the bat might fall into your face. He even pointed with his finger where the bats favorite place is and be careful to not disturb them. If you have ever been in a bat cave douse yourself in this in a dark room then close your eyes. This is high art to appreciate and respect the animals habitat.

Earthy heaven, Exceptional, and Potent are three best words to describe this fabulous gem. First of all i would like to express my gratitude to perfumer Ellen Covey for this wounder full creation. Masterpiece IMO. So lets start the journey to Bat Cave. imagine the first kickoff smell of damp earthy moss that would be dominant for first 15-20 minutes then fruity elements come up with Vetiver in the back ground this part will last for the next 3-4 hours after that it settles down to a sweet yet dark concoction that is very hard to explain. Damp soil, Banana, Musk, green notes and vetiver are prominent, Sandalwood, Fig and Myrrh just shows a hint of each. Overall: 9/10 Scent: 9/10 (it deserves 10/10 but i cut 1 point because of sweetness that can be offending to some individuals) Performance: 10/10 performs like beast. easily 12 + hours on skin, lasts for days on clothes. Uniqueness: 10/10 (the most unique smell i ever put my nose on) Highly recommended for those who want to collect unique fragrances.

This is what a zombie rising from the grave would smell like. It starts off very soily, almost like burying your face into the ground. After a minute it develops into some kind of insect spray, then the fruits slowly come out, VERY SLOWLY ( starfuit, pineapple and banana to my nose ) but the soil note is always there which I find a bit off-putting. As much as I adore the concept of capturing bats' habitat and the perfumer did nail it, I don't think one can pull this off without disturbing people around them. Edit: Holy Sweet God! I'm not supposed to fall in love with this but I think I am after the 2nd use!!! This time it doesn't quite feel 'zombieish' but more like an old wine cellar and the fruits are crawling out much more quickly. Bat and Moth are growing on me but sadly I don't drive yet and I'm afraid people are gonna pin me down to the ground and hit me real hard on public transport suppose I wear these haha.. Update: Purchase acquired as this is being discontinued!

I wasn't sure I'd like this because of the banana--I loathe bananas. I'm so glad I ordered the full set of samples anyway, because this is my favourite so far, even more than Civet. I'm glad to say that any banana scent is of green banana skin and not squishy browning banana. It's just stunningly beautiful. It smells to me like an idealized jungle, not the real thing at all. I smell the figs strongly, and the strong sweet tonka, and every now and again wafts of this addictive wet earth and wet leaves smell. I definitely *do* get a whiff of fresh potting soil. It's strong enough that I had one teeny spray on my wrist and an hour later someone across the room said "You smell wonderful!" when I got up and moved, so probably not for people who prefer skin scents. But it is too gentle and sweet and fresh in feel to be offensive. Absolutely wonderful, I want a full bottle.

Prelude: This is a review of the Ellen Covey original edition of Bat (some reviewers below are posting on the current reformulation). Anyway, I’ve also sampled Night Flyer and they are very similar, if not the same scent. Zoologist has a way of dividing people, and often I do not like their scents as many come off too synthetic, but not this furry beast. It’s a perfume that you need to try at least once in your life. I won’t be able to add much to the positive reviews because this bat cave knocks my socks off. It’s damp, musty, weirdly tropical and dirty. It’s one of the the most transformative, realistic perfumes I’ve ever worn, and all combined with stellar performance. Would I dare call this a masterpiece? Hell yes. I’m not going to run out and buy a bottle, but this juice is shockingly natural. Last word: amazing.

Starts off banana, new ferns, slightly rotting fruits (boozy), dirt. After three minutes I get a distinct salami and black olives accord, which takes me back to my visit in Italy. How strange. I have to keep checking to see what is supposedly in this. It's 'funky'. It kind of smells like a Demeter scent but much richer. And it changes... Past that stage I smell the jungle where it opens up just before the cave. It is dark and dirty, sweet and primal. I still kind of get bananas. At its base I smell a beautiful blend of sandalwood, tonka bean and musks. I am excited by this progression from something weird and wonderful to something wearable. It smells nichey. Expensive. I think the nose has masterfully created a fragrance that captures the essence of 'bat'. Full bottle worthy.

Copying my review of OO Night Flyer, since the latter is just a re-issue without reformulation: I'm not fan of sweet perfumes, but I have to agree that for one time, I understand why an award has been given to a fragrance (the original Bat'15). Earthy, then fruity, then woody at the same time. The banana is noticeable, but nothing overwhelming. Unique in the current fragrance landscape, but that fraghead with a good memory will guess where it got inspired from: yes.... the now discontinued Coeur de Vetiver Sacre by L'Artisan, released 5 yrs before Bat. CdVS is more vetiver centric, but the fruity accord is a carbon copy. Anyways, a beautiful fragrance at a beautiful pricing (NF, not Bat), that lovers of dry'n'sweet fragrances will (should) fall for. Highly recommended!

Damp tropical cave. Lol. Sounds awful, smells *incredible*; one of the most unique scents I've ever smelled without being ugly and offputting. Tart, slightly sweet tropical fruits and herbaceous fig leaves over damp, moist earth. Very earthy. But also with a piercing quality; it's both natural, green, and earthy... and sharp and synthetic at the same time. Naturalistic modern. Not sure if I want to smell like this all the time but it's a really impressive fragrance. You will never have to worry about smelling like anyone else! (OMG someone just said it smells like ammonia around here! People!!! WTF is wrong with your noses????? To be honest though, it does have some serious sillage - it pays to be careful when wearing.)