Dodo

I keep coming back to that one. I don't know that I'll ever get a full bottle, but the sample I bought sure is getting a workout! I must preface this by saying that I am not, as a rule, a big fan of fougères. A lot of them give me headaches, and those that don't I usually don't like on my skin: they have a tendency to turn weirdly sour, to the point where I end up smelling like food that's gone bad. I also don't love litchi in perfumes: every time I've come across the note, it was either too artificial and sweet, or too watery and floral. In other words, Dodo was a tough sell. But I figured no-one ever got anywhere by being close-minded, and so I got a sample anyway. I have to say - I'm very glad I did! Dodo is very odd, that's for sure. The fougère DNA is present and recognizable, but showcased in ways that are, let's say, unorthodox. The fragrance opens on a juicy blast of litchi (which is spectacularly realistic) with a side of lime zest. After that fruity opening, Dodo quickly becomes greener, in a cool, windswept way that reminds me more of a Nordic forest than a jungle. The ambergris begins to unfold, bringing in a salty tinge that feels like a gust of wind from the ocean. I was very impressed by this: I could almost see the beach, and the woods, and the crashing waves. The presence of the dodo itself, to me, translates as "things left behind": a musky, animalic trail that puts me in mind of an abandoned nest. I know at that point I'm probably falling victim to marketing, but this is genuinely what it feels like. The "dirty bird cage" and "rats' nest" comments made me laugh because I saw exactly what they were alluding to. What's showcased here is the smell of a place where an animal has lived and from which it's now gone, rather than the smell of the animal itself. I like it, because I think it makes sense (the dodo being the archetypal extinct species) but I see how it could be very gross to others. Some days, I myself have a little bit of trouble with it. In short, your mileage may vary, and vary a lot. It's definitely a very interesting release, and I think it works amazingly as an olfactive representation of the dodo. Maybe this is one of these perfumes you might find easier to approach as "art you can smell" rather than as a cosmetic product. It's also very much worth seeking out for that gorgeous litchi note in the opening, even though it fades fast.

This is a review from a full bottle with a 2019 batch code and the packaging listing Joseph DeLapp as the perfumer. Most of the reviews below appear to be written by reviewers in the thrall of marketing copy. More than any other fragrance of the thousands I have smelled and the thousandish I own and have paid for with my own money, this is closest to EROLFA from CREED. What does that mean? It means this is a gorgeous, airy, tropical island-evoking ambergris-centered fragrance that presents itself like a breeze hitting an ocean beach. Gorgeous, airy, gossamer, light-filled. The "animalic" accords are clearly created with green resins against the backdrop of the fresh ambergris accord. This is not the "smells like oysters" ambergris -- this is clean, fresh. Against the resins this does suggest something animalic and manly, but only in that 1980s masculine fougere way that fragrances that used a hint of Animalis captive did (and resins). This reads like a cousin of EROLFA (not a brother), and if someone told you Pierre Bourdon drafted this as a Millisime Imperiale flanker for the summer it would be hard to argue with. It is gossamer. A perfect fragrance for 90-degree days in humidity. The opening is gorgeous: the raspberry (not like candy, much more tart) and litchi are pronounced, and what the marketing calls "lime" is there as a supporting player (but that may be an artifact of blending). The balsam fir is very muted. It is present throughout but never steals the show. The main player is the island ambergris. If this perfume were released by Tom Ford as "Monaco Mist" or by CREED as "EROLFA Legere" the simply beauty of this fragrance would be appreciated and the only critiques would come from the lot of reviewers that think every fragrance should last four days with 30 feet of projection or it is trash. This smells less like a birdcage and more like what Robin Williams' character must have worn walking through South Beach in The Birdcage. A definite thumbs up!

After discovering Bee a few months ago, I’ve had zero luck finding another Zoologist creation that works for me. I like Hummingbird and Squid, but I didn’t fall in love with either. Many others were far too synthetic on my skin—Dragonfly, Chameleon, Panda and Elephant I'm looking at you. After reading some bad reviews and noticing the low grade here on Fragrantica, my world has been turned upside down; I place the blame squarely on the wonderful, lush, exotic forest that is Dodo. This one wasn’t even on my radar, it was a freebie that was thrown in on another order. Yesterday I wore Dodo for the first time. I didn’t pick up on a pee smell, in fact no civet, fecal or skank to be found. I don’t even smell the ambergris — natural or synthetic. Instead I’m transported to a tropical destination, with lush fronds, creamy fruits and bouquets of fresh flowers. Dodo is unbelievable, very close to nature, and makes me think the Zoologist carded sample I’m testing is from the “new” reformulated composition. I can’t be sure but I am determined to find out. Great performance from this odd bird too. I can’t believe I’m hearing myself say, I’m on the hunt for a Dodo. And discovering this beauty makes me want to sample the rest of Zoologist’s offerings.

My very first Zoologist! I've been stalking them from afar and so excited to finally get some samples. I love this more than I expected to. It's multilayered and fascinating— if some fragrances are a poem or a single line of lyrics, this one is like rich prose, the first chapter of an epic fantasy that unfolds in a forest on a secret isle. The mossy, ferny, clean damp rocks accord it opens with is so lovely. It's like the essence of being in the shade on a hot day, lounging under a fruit tree and hiding from the heat. I'm wearing it during a late summer heat wave in California and it's the perfect refreshing scent that doesn't become too heavy in the heat. I love that I can smell the lychee too, although my first thought was "magic fruits" lol. There's something enchanting about this. My partner was surprised when I said this fragrance was named Dodo and said "I imagine a dodo doesn't smell as good as this." Touché.

This perfume is a MASTERPIECE and I will tell you why: I’m a painter and my muse is the Dodo bird. Its spirit resurrected my creative spark in my 30s when I thought it was long gone. And whatever you may think of the original formulation in terms of an “attractive” scent, I do believe that the original perfumer tapped into something very special. I believe he channeled this iconic bird in a visceral way no one has done before. If you want to experience this iconic bird in a more interactive way than staring at a painting or fake stuffed specimen this scent does just that. You may not find it pretty but it is transportive and feels alive- for that it I give it every star in the universe. This bird mattered and I hope Joseph Delapp reads this someday and knows he accomplished the near impossible task of giving this bird some life again.

now I am glad I can do without Gypsy Water, finally. every time I want to have something and don't want man to know I have I always have GW, and it's really like an abscence. here Dodo is the sandalwood to a clear and clean scent, won't cause any trouble and I also can enjoy observing it's always there. for it's a Zoologist and hard to image, it's super long lasting... just you need something as clean to lay it. from the description it seems to picture the tranquil surroundings the dodo used to have. for me here the ambergris thing of the great whale is a symble, for men to care about the extinction, respect marvelous creations, love the nature and be a friend to animals, it's cool, a real zoologist thing. LOVE IT XX

One of the most interesting Fougères I have come across. Dodo is not a standard main stream mass appealing fragrance. It will hijack your olfactory sense with its depth. The notes are outstanding with constant wafts that change unpredictably. The top and part of the mid at times are quite reminiscent of Enchanted Forest by The Vagabond prince. The long and short of it instead of breaking down every note.......... This is a high quality concoction created for the lovers of fragrances. Presently in today’s fragrance market filled with so many releases that a fragrance can be a whisper in a loud concert. It’s invigorating to find a fragrance that stands out and almost resets or reminds us of how much we love fragrances.

Dodo is a funny release from Zoologist, when I read the reviews here it seems that the love and the hate come close to a tie, unlike Hyrax which gets overall dislike, or Hummingbird which gets a lot of love, this one itself is a transformer depending on our skin chemistry. I myself getting the lychee as s the prominent note, but on the undertone there's always something a bit animalic underneath the sweetness, and it comes like 2 sides of a coin. Maybe some people get the animalic note more than the fruit and the plants, but for me it's still worth my love, because this perfume is naughty, and as the one released almost side by side with Chameleon, I'd prefer Dodo anytime.

Excellent fragrance! It reminds me of a green, lush, tropical, river washed forest by the ocean (slight saly note), just like La Vallèe de Mai in Praslin (Seychelles). I can smell some green fig, even if this note is not listed. The sillage is moderate, but always detectable, so I can smell the perfume on my skin for a whole day (exceptional, for my skin) and for days on clothes. Therefore, longevity is excellent (like most of Zoologist fragrances). Overall, a soft, gentle, very pleasant fragrance; suitable for both men and women. I love this brand, in fact I love all of its fragrances except Rhinoceros and Hyrax.

Amazing animalic fougere scent that smells like what I envision a dodo would smell like in its natural habitat of a jungle forest floor (if dodos were not sadly extinct). It smells very musky (and the musk here is animalic), green, and fruity at the same time. Dominant notes are to my nose the litchi, fern, and animalic musk. Zoologist is one of the best houses out there for producing fragrances that are totally evocative of the animal they're trying to represent. Quite fantastic. Projection and longevity are both also very good. 4.5/5

I have to be in the mood for this, but it's just sooooo good! Kind of an aphrodisiac! This perfume makes me think of drinking tequila with lime and salt on the beach, with berry-flavored lip-gloss. Salty wind in your face on the boat ride, laughter, freedom. And then "cuddles" with your partner in the bungalow after swimming. So basically for me it's a romantic island vacation in a bottle. It also reminds me of tropical birds, cooing in the background. Very atmospheric. I'm so sad that it was reformulated, but happy to have my bottle.

A masterpiece in it's realism. I am so in love with how perfectly this captures the scent of feathery ,animalic beauty . I do not get the "pee"smell , I smell forest, feathers , fern and berries . This is not going to be for everyone, or possibly not even for "many" . This reminds me so much of my African Grey parrot, it nearly brings me to tears . Bravo to the perfumer whose talent brought this one to life , this is an experience. Exceptional longevity , lovely/cozy drydown.

Much more approachable and softer than I anticipated. Opens with some nice citrus and green notes. The fruit component reminds me of the nectar type juices I used to have as a kid. They were a little thicker then regular juice. This doesn’t have that level of sweetness, but the concentration of fruit aromas are similar. Some of the fruit notes remind me of something that’s still ripening - Like a green mango that’s still on the tree. Very clean & soft projection. Pretty nice.

It took me a couple of wearings to become enamoured with this one. The litchi is subtle, surrounded by punchy ambergris, musk, and muddy sour greens. The drydown is actually brighter than the opening, sandalwood slowly emerges out of the deep mud. It is so complex and raw. Very sad to hear that Zoologist will reformulate this one. I love it.

I got a free sample of Dodo in an order from Zoologist a couple weeks ago. It's a nice fresh scent. Reminds me a lot of Drakkar Essence - citrus zest (with lime and amboxan replacing the grapefruit from Essence) on top of a lavender-heavy fougére. Dodo also adds a rose-y floral note, not much, just a hint.

The original version is definitely interesting - and I quite enjoy some of the top notes - it takes the tropical feel in a brightly green, prehistoric direction which is quite refreshing. Sadly it has just enough of a feathery B.O. presence to keep me from loving it. 6.5/10

This is my second review. I just can’t believe how my interpretation is so different from most others here?! I find this to be possibly the sexiest scent in my collection. It makes me think of an orgy on the beach lol

People here complaining, but this is how niche perfumes should be. Masterful creation.

I don't understand the bird shit allegations. But the cleaner allegations maybe. There are times where it veers into cleaner territory for me. But all in all this starts off very lychee forward, and fresh green right in the front of the nose. That fades into something still green but a bit more spicy and softened, and you get the musk and floral in there. The fir is nice in the middle (but again can veer into cleaner territory). As it settles, it smells natural and clean. I could see it working well for someone athletic and outdoorsy. Like sweat but hydrated and healthy sweat, some kind of natural musk from someone attractive. Some of the florals and spice stick around too, to keep a unisex freshness, kind of light soapyness. Not a blind buy.

Dodo is very dirty. It's a very 'natural' scent. Very animal... very green. It really paints a picture of being in a hot forest... and lots of dirty animals. Or one really unclean man. In a pleasant way. This is all really quite shocking after experiencing the very beautiful and pleasant top notes... It's better on my skin than on paper. On paper, it begins to smell of cat pee and does not subsist for 24 hours (all the Zoologist fragrances lasted several days on paper!). But on my skin it's muted, and while it does come across as very animalic, it's more earthy and interesting than I am describing it here. I think a man would really be able to pull this off well. It's creative and interesting, but not so wearable on my skin. 6/10