Civet

I’m just going to admit it - this was my first Zoologist - and it was a blind-buy into the brand because of those notes. I was craving a frangipani-centric scent. After purchasing Civet, my stomach fell into my nuts when I heard people saying this was “challenging” and “strange”. When I got my bottle I already had a box ready for the return shipment. Then I smelt it and was like "what are they talking about?!" This is my perfect photorealistic frangipani and it hit the sweet craving right in the spot - I was so proud! This scent would be in a Roja bottle for $578 or something stupidly unnecessary like that. I keep expecting it to disappoint me and tumble into the urinal cake, mothball zone but it just walks the fine line of development so elegantly changing its character between an indolic floral, a powdery floral, a spicy floral, an acidic citric floral etc. In general, to me Civet smells like a true Plumeria tree - I use to climb them as a kid. You are climbing the tree the rubbery, earthy, sour, sap perfumes your accent and you finally happen upon a bushel of rich frangipanis whose smell is sweeter than honey, berries, or peaches - as sweet as nectar itself bordering acidic. Or it can be a frangipani incense stick if you will - sweet and dusty and somewhat musty. In my experience Civet really "deconstructs" when it drifts in the air - something of an artistic anomaly that I haven’t yet experienced from any other niche or indie perfume. What I mean is that when the scent diffuses in the air it carries such a revolutionary transparency in the way that it is blended that you can experience each individual ingredient you are smelling and imagine them being emphasized in their ideal olfactive fullness. Almost if an Impressionist still-life was a perfume. Your brain chooses to smell one thing out of it and that profile stays linear for the duration of your wearing. Some days I smell the rich acidic coffee, some days I smell the citrus, some days I smell the yellow flowers, some days I get all the animalics and spices. This is 10,000 perfumes in one, yet never chaos. How did they do that...? Heady, rich, strange, too potent? Maybe for some... But for me, I liked it from go. 9.5/10 Edit: I do suggest to try before you buy you may not have the same tastes as me and may actually find this stuffy. But a gorgeous vintage-like Chypre offering from Zoologist nonetheless.

I have the opportunity to try this fragrance today after wanting to do it for a long time and the truth is, it does not disappoint me. It is true, as I read in some comments, that it is not as animalistic as it might seem based on the name of the brand and the perfume, that it does not reach the levels of, for example, Marlou perfumes, but for me, honestly, it is on point just that it makes it perfectly wearable and that it cannot become unpleasant. For me it is a strong and intense aroma, where, although for many the flowers dominate, for my untrained nose and on my skin, it gives me the feeling that civet and resins predominate. It is true that flowers feel are very noticeable but for me the animalic and balsamic part wins. I also notice a sweet part, almost gourmand, although it comes out in a very timid way and is completely overwhelmed by the intensity of the civet. Although I like civet as a perfume, I don't think I ever bought a bottle, although perhaps a travel size, since it is not a perfume that I actually think I will use regularly. A few days ago I had the opportunity to try Sarah Baker's jungle jezebel, which in drying is quite similar to me, although if I had to buy a perfume of this style I think I would opt for it because it has a more interesting character with the fruity point that the banana and the gum give. However, it is a little less intense than this one from zoologist and projects a bit less ... That makes it more bearable but also increases my doubts between the two ... Travel size of civet or full bottle of jungle jezebel? I'm not sure but when I decide it will be a medium-long-term purchase since there are other perfumes that I would like to get earlier. I agree with those who say that civet is not a bomb either! It has an opening that could scare but as soon as it begins to dry down it becomes very pleasant and spicy. So although it is not a perfume for every day or for all tastes, you do not have to be afraid. The fragrance is tame quite well. Scent: 8.5 Longevity: 9 Sillage: 8 Quality / price: 7 Versatility: 5 Originality: 9 Overall: 9

Civet is a beautiful animalic amber floral of yesteryear. I really get the yellow floral accord very strong. It smells like a fur coat or animal fur as well but in the best possible way. It reminds me of the musky smell of well cared for animals combined with the smells of spring flowers, sweet earth after a rain. Very oily and heavy as well but in a good way. The flowers are very creamy, indolic and heady. The florals in civet really reminds me of the florals in Sonoma Scents jour ensoileille. I had several samples of it and wore them all. All of the flowers are just past their height of perfection and are beginning to fade. They have that oversweet honeyed musk smell that is their swan song before death. The dry down is full of slightly smoky woods, spices, oakmoss and oily creamy florals and musks. I'm glad I didn't turn my back from this brand even though I disliked cow, hummingbird, snowy owl and rhinoceros. Civet is the fur accord fragrance I have been looking for. Musk heaven.. like being wrapped in luxurious warm fur. Animal fur, musks, florals, spices on a bed of coffee, which I usually hate in perfumes but here it blends Seamlessly, because it gives the perfume the texture and feeling you get when you rub a cats fur in the opposite direction. A very clever touch. Civet is a unique musk beauty. Edit: I have been going through my collection and I feel that Revlon's Intimate comes close to Civet in style. They are both heavy warm spicy musk type of fragrances. And both have that oakmoss and animal fur thing going on. I'm trying not to have to many repeats since my collection is large so I think I will pass on Civet but I am happy I tried it. Although my husband is wild about this one. He likes to surprise me so it may end up in my collection anyway. Retested again. Freaking love it damn it lol! Will have to bite the bullet and buy it.

Civet is bottled proof that Zoologist is the definition of niche fragrance and a masterclass in perfumery. This is rich, refined, distinguished, sophisticated, old-fashioned, and inherently vintage. The notes gravitate toward the amber, the slightly animalic, the somewhat spicy, the leathery, and the deeply, highly resinous. Good luck finding anything else like this on the market. When wearing this, I feel like I’m in a Knives Out mystery, and I love it. I’m suddenly transported to a dimly lit and wood-paneled library in an English manor. Chandeliers drip from the ceilings above. Off to the corner, a spiral staircase ascends to a wrought iron balcony. I place down my copy of The Great Gatsby to briefly take a puff from my tobacco pipe. Life is glamorous. Civet exists somewhere between Zoologist’s Camel and Hyrax. It’s comparable to Camel but slightly less sweet, and it’s similar to Hyrax but without the animalic stank (for those who prefer their fragrances to hold the poo, please). Together, these fragrances comprise an eccentric family of moneyed aristocrats, because they’re all related to my nose. Civet is the eldest sibling who’s inherited the throne, the money, and the responsibility of keeping the family in-check. Camel is its younger, sweeter, more feminine sister, and Hyrax is the fun but quirky hipster brother who is averse to bathing. Civet ultimately smells like something from a bygone era. A modern-day silver fox or a black-and-white 1920s starlet from the silver screen could wear this effortlessly. I haven’t bought a bottle (yet) because I’m not sure if I have the maturity to pull this off, but I certainly aspire to. In five words or less: Refined art for mature noses.

WOW! Wearing a sample of this for a week now and have never smelled something similar. This perfume will finally make me pull the trigger and buy my first sweet fragrance. Also I have now sampled almost all zoologist and this one is by far the best one to my nose, one of the most complex ones as well and the first I will buy a full bottle of, and I will now tell you why. So it is a lot going on in the this scent especially in the opening but also later. I have a hard time picking up exact notes other than the amber accord and the flowers which to my nose are the two stars in this from the start. The civet is no main player but a supporting note binding the rest together. On my skin the flowers will be there for maybe 10 hours but in the far far drydown a complex amber is what I get. Will not try to describe the smell more, some get a lot of coffee, I do not, you really have to try this one for you self. But let ́s talk about performance! This the best performing perfume I have ever worn. It lasted until I shower(at least 40h) and it never became a skin scent. I constantly got the most amazing whiffs for two entire days with only two sprays of this, but the best part is that if you do not over spray it is not too loud either. I never got nose blind or felt that it was projecting too much or cloying to my nose. I am very sensitive to sweet scents, and yes, this is a bit sweet, but in an ambery white floral way I to my surprise was able to handle. Guess I have a much harder time with a tonka, vanilla, caramel type of sweetness. Not a safe blind buy, but get a sample if you want to expand your olfactory experience