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.

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.

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

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

I recently decided to revisit my sample of the extinct 'Dodo.' It opens up very tropical and fruity from the lychee, then soon after, develops into a soft and feathery, animalic musk. The artistry is evident here, because it really smells like bird feathers. The ambergris and musk lean into urine territory for a brief moment, but it's never too strong. I have the opposite problem with this version that I do with the newer formulation. 'Dodo' (2020) becomes less challenging as it dries down, whereas this original version slowly becomes more challenging. I appreciate both for their creativity.

I always wondered what the dodo bird's poop smelled like. This fragrance is green and refreshing, with a strong twist of something very weird (the extinct bird's poop, of course). I like the animalic feel, it's very well blended. Once the ambergris tones down, this becomes quite a beautiful cologne. It oddly smells like sweat after 1-2 hours, but it's that healthy body sweat, not the one full of toxins. Sample it and you'll get my point.

If I had to describe this in one word, it would be refreshing. Lychee dominated in the opening, that is to say, a refreshingly light fruity aquatic. The drydown is more grounded, with coniferous notes and ambergris giving it a salty forest-by-the-sea vibe. There’s hints of florals as well, making this leaning feminine to my nose in the drydown (the opening is unisex).It’s quite a well blended scent, very wearable as far as zoologists go.

I bought a sample because I had heard so many bad things I wanted to try it. It's very citrussy and spicy, think arugula, basil, orange, black pepper. There's definitely an animalic base note. The patchouli is also strong on me. After about two hours the spiciness is gone and the remainder can smell a little sweaty. I actually don't mind it (and my partner loves it?) but given all the hate I'm hesitant to wear it out.

Dodo is very green and aromatic. Some nice fruity sweetness in the opening but that fades fast. Then it smells kind of sweaty? I'm not sure if that's the right word to describe it. A little too masculine-leaning for my taste. Even though it's not my style, I appreciate the creativity that goes into every Zoologist scent.

Smells almost coconut banana guava tropical fruits in the beginning. Also kind of smells like a fruity and clean laundry wash. I don't think it smells like pee at all.

Pretty sure some reviewers here get the original version mixed up with the new reformulated version of the dodo, so whoever is checking the reviews on here should be careful, especially reviews that were written after 2020. This is also the case with various reformulated zoologists as well. As someone who has tried both version of the dodo, if you see reviewers making reference to things like 'cat piss', 'unwashed' or 'toilet', then im pretty sure those are for the new version. Anyway, rant aside, this review is for the original dodo. Its a pretty nice fougere with a fruity touch. However, the added feathery musk and ambergris notes are a little too much and sort of spoiled it for me. I think it fits the concept amazingly well; can imagine a feathery dodo, low to the ground, coming out of a forest running by the seaside. Also would second SoftWisdom's review, with the depicted picture being accurate. In term of how interesting it is, i would put it close to zoologist squid, guarantee that you would never smell anything like this before. But even to someone who is a die hard zoologist fan like me, this borders unwearable. Comparing to the new reformulated version, i think they both are sort of unwearable but in a different way. While this one smells nice, the musk and ambergris spoil the quality. With the new version, it actually smell like unwashed public rest room. The original is definitely more interesting, although unwearable, i think its a shame that it has been discontinued.

Zoologist Dodo opens fresh, green, and fruity; the “lychee” note is watery-juicy to the point that my first guess was watermelon. Refreshing and pleasant enough. Then it dries down to a dusty pale musk that, yes, smells uncannily like feathers, like a parrot’s cage. The fruit and greenery, as well as an aquatic note, is still there radiating as a colorful aura around the feathery fluff. By 1.5 hours in, the fruit is gone and I mostly just get fuzzy feathers and a pale green note, like the new tender needles of a fir tree in spring. This phase is kind of likable, in a quirky way. I’m not enthralled, though I admit I’m not a fougere person in general. It doesn’t smell bad, and I’m impressed with the artistry, but why exactly would I want to smell like parrot feathers?

Smells like actual birdshit. In a way I'm impressed. It reminds me of Secretions Magnifiques insomuch as it's a finely crafted repulsive smell. If you were to seize a gross, diseased urban pigeon and shove your face into its plumage I think it would smell like this, there's even a faint whiff of car fumes, and it gets worse, and stronger, over time. Now I'm 20 minutes in and I'm getting the urine accord everyone else mentions. It's like stale urine in a grotty public toilet.

Ok, unlike the Jackfruit edition, this one is rough. It starts off like a harsh or rotted citrus cleaner. But....after the dry down animalic, musky, floral is you can picture it. I can handle it then. It is certainly what a niche scent would be like. I wouldn't use this often but the Jackfruit version I do like. Edit: after several hours, dry down is just a patchouli animal.

A very animalic Ambergris that ruins this scent. You get that with whale vomit. Sometimes it's sweet and magical, and sometimes it's vomit. This one's vomit.

Sampled in 2022, so I probably have the reformation. On paper this was intriguing - but I knew it could be challenging. I got a sparkly sort of brightness, a metallic gunpowder note, and described it as “bouncy.” I noticed it had a sourness which I liked on paper which may turn bad on my skin.... And it did. On skin it reminded me of hippie towns in Northern NSW. There’s definitely an unclean smell which leaned urinal for me, but also a humid fruit scent, and wet leaves. One could describe it as “dank.” It’s kind of cool, and I wonder if the dry down would be really pleasant and nostalgic, but it was a scrubber for me. The urine-y animal smell made me gag unfortunately. Edit: scrolled through some other reviews after reading this, and yes! Incense! That's why it reminds me of hippie towns! It's the mix of humidity, tropical fruit, incense, and maybe some unwashed bodies.

You are at the petting zoo and get too close to the bird cages. You smell that funk, or as Zoologist refers to it: "feathered musk". Yes, feather musk is a really accurate way to describe this. A big part of this smells like a big stinky Dodo bird. Im all for a strong animalic note in a fragrance to give it depth, but this one takes it too far Im afraid. I couldn't get past it. It softens down and gets better after a long while. Kind of masculine and kind of a sweet haze of unusual notes, its rally hard to describe past that initial fecal blast. I know Bat was redone to make it more commercial, and this one needs a tune up too. It has something interesting here somewhere, but no one is going to fight that hard to figure it out. Cut the poo note in half, and maybe something can be salvaged here.

Wondering if you would like this fragrance? Ask yourself: do you like lychee? And do you like piss? Dodo has a superb opening, very fruity and sharp. But after 15 mins or so, this "urinous" smell comes through and I can't get my mind off it. It's not extremely off putting, but just enough so that you'd rather wear another fragrance instead. I appreciate the complexity and the very accurate representation of a bird's smell, but I don't want to smell like a bird. Aside from that, Dodo is great! The fruity and green notes are delicious and well done. Try it out and see! Supposedly it evolves very differently depending on the person and some don't get the bird cage impression.

Hmmm... this one was rough. I celebrate everything that zoologists is working towards but I’m out on DoDo. Two scent memories might have swayed my opinion to be honest. Dodo instantly reminded of the pungent dampness of a rats nest I found in an old dress trunk as a child. The soft faint linen mingled with small mammals waste was strangely curious but ultimately too much for me. Once the dry out starts a strange tropical note rises. That note is the nauseating guava flavor/smell of a Jurassic Park jawbreaker that I could never finish due to the vague aroma of decaying fruit. Visceral would be the word I use to describe it. Not for me...

A bizarre mix of green notes with some funkiness going on in the beginning to my nose. Tauer Vetiver Dance’s opening springs to mind, that kind of savory green vegetables on the edge of rotting smell, but also tamed with the fruity lychee. This one needs to get to the dry down for me to enjoy, and then a seawater, fir and green bell pepper like vibe is there which is quite nice. This is much more aquatic style leaning than Squid is imho and its not one I would buy a FB of personally but I can see why others would.

I need to preface this review by saying that I have a real fear of birds; ornithophobia. This perfume smells like birds, like the feather fluff left at the bottom of a bird's nest. I don't know what is in here that recreates that scent, but it is so accurate, it made my skin crawl. My personal feelings aside, I am in awe of the skill of the perfumer who created this. To be able to inspire such a visceral reaction, be it positive or negative, is a show of true brilliance.

This was the biggest miss for me. Not just from the house of Zoologist but for sampling in general. And I sample a lot of fragrances. This smells like a big old smelly bird's nest full of feathers and urine and god knows what kind of weird food scraps. Not a fan. It's just pungent and animalic in an uneasy feeling way. I just wanted to be wearing something else. Still, it's art if you are into art. What does a dodo smell like anyway? Probably nasty.

All the time I think that it reminds me and finally walking next to the pool I catch the same vide it smells THE POOL CHEMICAL CHLORINE. I really respect this house but it looks like here so much synthetic cheap notes or maybe a combination of them. Love idea but horrible smell

My first try of the 17 sample set from Zoologists. Uggh, I get a musky, cat urine -this one is being tossed, 16 more to go & hopefully more enjoyable than this Fougere. In the trash basket this goes. Be warmed, this is not a full bottle blind buy. Dodo is a No no.

I like all the notes in theory, but I can't feel them. All I feel, unfortunately, is a jar of honey poured into a dirty bird cage. I'm sorry, Zoologist, your other perfumes are quite nice, but this one just doesn't work!

nasty like almost all the Zoologist scents was a blind buy based on the fact i love fougeres well, as usually, it is very animalistic and smells like urine unwearable

Starts with ALLLLL the aldehydes, and dies down into a vaguely more pleasant scent with lots of ambergris and clean musk.

Just no. Shells like cheap air freshener attempting to cover the smell of a recently used bathroom.

after 5 minutes it smells like sweaty deodorant armpit

Normally when I write critical reviews, I try to think about who the intended audience is so that I can communicate who I think a given fragrance is for. However, I really struggle with this one. I really tried to understand it before giving it to my husband to wear. It was so unpleasant, even for my husband who was trying desperately to like it, that the only solution was a shower and a change of clothes. I have never asked my husband to change clothes and shower because of a terrible fragrance... until Dodo. You know how sometimes you can leave a kitchen or restaurant where food is being prepared and the smell clings to you? It was like that, but to a cartoonishly exaggerated degree and in the worst way. Now combine that with realistic BO, and you have some idea of what we experienced. I don't like to be so negative when it comes to something as subjective as art, but good heavens, this was not a great experience. I'm unsure which version I have. A sample was gifted to me for free with a purchase of a different perfume. I suspect it's the newer version?

The original is truly foul. I've tried 30/33 of the Zoologist line at this point (only T-Rex, Civet, and Bat left to go!) and this is either 2nd or 3rd-worst. The top note is strongly reminiscent of rotting fruit, but as that wears away, there's a distinct note of cat urine mixed with rotten pineapple. The liner notes say that it's trying to evoke overripe fruit on a tropical island, and it certainly manages that, but while I often appreciate Zoologist's idea of perfume-as-artistry by evoking a habitat or animal, I still feel that even the most artistic vision of perfume should never be repugnant. This is repugnant. My mom put it more succinctly: "It smells like the dodo threw up and you're wearing rancid bird vomit." This perfume should be as extinct as its namesake. The newer reformulation isn't as vile, but it's also still not pleasant - the cat urine and rotten pineapple aren't as strong, but it's a more muted version of the same unpleasantness.

The fragrance itself smells OK, just ok. Everything changes once it's sprayed. Was given a free sample of Dodo. Used it once, twice, both times had to wash it off after a few minutes as it was vomit inducing. Put it away for a couple of months, came across it again, decided it to give it another go. You guessed it, had to wash it off a third time coz I was seriously about to throw up. Poured it down the toilet. Next day my mother asked me what the hell did I put down the toilet, what is that lingering stench as she wants to throw up as well!

I've decided to alter my review because whoever wrote it was clearly tripping or only smelling it on a paper strip. It smells like one strong violently sweet synthetic note with something off in the background. That off aroma is a cousin of 'very old urinal and chlorine, but not clean chlorine, the one that is so strong it will kill you', but not exactly ammonia. It just feels the same as ammonia in the back of your throat. Nothing to remind me of birds, just synthetic pee horror with weaponized synthetic sweetness.

I picked up on the intensely urinous note in this right away, and it overwhelmed everything else. I had to scrub off the fragrance almost immediately, which I almost never do with perfume samples. Even if you personally liked this scent, where could you wear it where other people could bear it? But I'm learning more and more that some niche houses fragrances are less about wearability, and more about the unusualness of the olfactory experience...