Harvest Mouse

A review that's been a while in the cooker. I've been in love on and off with Harvest Mouse since it was released. For the masses, this is one that may be slightly challenging but in my experience, I've never had anyone wrinkle their nose or make snide comments. On the contrary, I've had quite a few positive comments when I wear it, so that tells me it's a very pleasant fragrance. For Zoologist standards, I'd say this one is a crowd pleaser. It's sweet, borderline gourmand, cozy, warm and inviting. Vanillic, grassy, yeasty, slightly rosy and all around soothing is how I'd describe Harvest Mouse. Cozy is the perfect one-word review. Now, on initial spray, I get a very pleasant autumn landscape painted in my mind, the kind that matches the fragrance's description. It's fall, the air is crisp, it smells like wheat and hay, it's getting colder and everyone is cocooning up inside, baking all sorts of nice yummies and preferring the warmth of the inside to enjoy a beer rather than the porch. The fragrance immediately settles you into this warm, cozy feeling. The chamomile first kicks in, followed by hay and a yeasty scent I can only describe as beer mulch or raw bread dough (for those that get the reference, the smell of active yeast, like Fleischman's). That's what is the most obvious to my nose. Now, it has to be said that this was based on samples I had. Recently I acquired my bottle in the new style. Zoologist's owner Victor Wong recently made design changes in the presentation and in the bottles themselves and I must say, this is a fantastic upgrade, both in looks and execution. The presentation is slick, classy and clean. The bottle is unique and suits the brand (bonus points for magnetic cap and fantastic atomizer!). The upgrade in atomizer is immediately noticeable and changed the notes I pick up here. So yes, quality of the atomizer definitely makes a difference. Absolutely so. I now clearly detect rose nuances which I couldn't get before and they develop beautifully on skin. I get a lot more resinoids in the drydown as well. It makes an already wonderful experience all the more pleasing. Longevity wise, this is a decently lasting fragrance, a good 6-8 hours and I still pick it up if I put my nose to my skin 12 hours later. So, a good couple of hours of good performance before it settles closer to skin. It's not a huge projection monster, though (it goes with the profile, I'd say). It tends to stick closer to skin after the first hour or two. In my opinion and from my experience with it, this is a fragrance that's good for daily casual wear (it's not too cloying and/or offensive) but it will get you points in close encounters, definitely. While it can be easily worn anytime from Spring, Fall and into Winter, this is probably at its best as the leaves change colors and when the first signs of the upcoming cold urge everyone to prepare for the coming cold season. An obvious Zoologist favorite for a reason.

This is a scent that gets better over time! I was so excited for this, I had it shipped from Canada to the UK. I bought this expecting a nostalgic scent that was going to remind me of my childhood, visiting my friends in the country and jumping in the hay stacks. When this arrived I mainly smelt the beer note and an almost tangy camomile, which I found really off putting. I left it a week and still got the same result. I found it less field mouse and more field after a festival, where empty beer cans have been left cluttered around the place. I rated this as 5/10. I was just about to put it up for sale and decided to retest it once more. It’s now been sitting for a good few months and the beer note is no longer anywhere near as prominent as it was. The scent is much better balanced and a whole lot more enjoyable! I take it all back and have changed my review. This is a 10/10 and a keeper! Harvest Mouse is a gorgeous, unique take on vanilla. It’s warm and comforting. I do now get an enjoyable, light camomile note with a much better balanced and slightly sweet hay scent. It is light and sits close to the skin. Im still not getting the nostalgic feeling I was hoping for. Maybe I need to go out to a field and smell the hay stacks again. It might be more similar than I remember. Either way I actually love this! If you like this you need to try Camporella by Gleam (Hay, wild flowers & Camomile Tea) and another must Chemin D’Amande by Une Nuit Nomade (An oaty, almond, vanilla)

Bittersweet woody gourmand. It opens up with roman chamomile giving an hay feeling plus a finally well dosed eugenol (that means just a little bit, this thing is nuclear strong and so many times just overcomes every other thing in a fragrance) and some citrus in the background that stays just few minutes. At this point the fragrance suggest the scent of a country field (hay, some flowers here and there ecc...) before the vanilla and the woods start to take over (and our little mouse goes home). It seems that at home our gentlemanly mouse is serving himself a beer, and this is the first time I smell "beer" on a fragrance. Kudos to Maffei, as usually he pushes forward the perfumery without tryharding but instead finding new notes and materials to add to the classical scent profiles making them more interesting. Because after all, when the head's notes start to fade away this is a vanille-benzoin-woody gourmand, creamy, relaxing and cozy, but the "beer accord" keeps it interesting giving this "bittersweet" contrast that makes it quite original. To summarize, this is a very relaxing perfume, unisex, almost four season (or 3 if you cannot stand gourmand vanille in summer), that adds this avant-garde beer note to a classical vanilla-woody profile, representing very well the image and the narration of the "harvest mouse", this cozy little gentleman seeking for grain and barley during the day and enjoying his beer in his woody lair during the night.

absolutely delicious. it's such a good vanilic experience all through-out but it never gets icky or too heavy at any point thanks to how well it's composed. in the start, i get a nice zing from citrus and clove which kind of comes off as ginger to me (which i love!) - a cozy type of awakening. the moment you spray it, while you're still enjoying the light opening, you feel a warmth already start to hug you. it's like it slowly rises out of the floors to fill the room around you. the resins are my favorite part of this fragrance - uber warm, enveloping, slightly smoky, and vanilic. this brings the scent to it's richer characters, especially with the beer note which comes off more as malt or wheat to me. it's not effervescent or alcoholic, but more crisp like a cornflakes or the inside of a malteser. i get a bit of yeastiness but nothing that registers as badly sour, it's just right. it settles to be a gorgeous vanilla and sandalwood, but the really cool thing here is how it's kept alive by the green notes. the hay and balsam fir holds down the fort to make sure this never goes to cakey territory. overall, this is probably my favorite vanilla fragrance of all time. i know there are millions out there, but nothing has made me smile as big as when i finally got the opportunity to smell this. it feels like the rustle of wheat. it feels rich but in the most cozy and rustic way. this feels like what a hobbit hole would smell like during the fall.

One of the best by Zoologist! Harvest Mouse has a beautifully spicy opening with a sweet, rather than bitter, clove. And the chamomile is a brewed tea with delicate orange blossom essence. It is not quite your orange spice tea (but if that's what you want, look no further than Oriza L Legrand's La Trêve des Confiseurs, sadly only a soap or room spray at this time). And yet those common tea ingredients (bergamot, chamomile, spice, orange blossom, vanilla) give it those calming cuppa vibes. The fragrance softens on my skin, but I do not get the beer or ale note. I imagine this might be my personal skin chemistry that tends to soften nearly everything except certain musks and leathery scents. I do perceive the very welcome and pleasant hay scent, but the moss and Peru balsam are subtle here, thankfully. The cedar and the sandalwood make themselves known, but the balsam fir is the more gorgeous star. I know many people (Americans) smell spice and immediately think "FALL!" But this is more of a winter than autumn scent, despite the name "Harvest Mouse." If it is autumn, it is in its final days preparing itself for the forthcoming onslaught of yuletide cheer. And cheerful it is, either way. Beautifully done fragrance. I am not sure I would claim any collection is incomplete without it, but any collection would definitely be better for having it. Overall, 10/10.

I really like it a lot. It is definitely one of the more subtle Zoologists I’ve tried, to the point where I had to spray it twice to really get a feel for it, but I don’t mean that in a bad way. It’s quiet, but not boring. At first, I get this soft spiciness sitting on top. I think it’s mostly clove and bergamot, but it doesn’t go overly spicy or masculine to me at all. It just gives it this warm autumnal lift. Behind that, I get a sweet wheat kind of smell, almost grainy, kind of malty. I’ve never really smelled a beer note in perfume before, but I think I can detect that quality here? Not in a loud way, more like this soft fermented grain sweetness in the background. As it dries down, the spice calms down and the vanilla comes through more. It gets sweeter with time, but not in a super obvious dessert way. It’s more like the sweetness of wheat, malt, vanilla, and dry grass all blending together. The whole scent is very balanced to me. Nothing is screaming. Nothing is trying too hard. It reminds me of autumn; being in a dry golden field or a little wooden pantry in fall, with wheat bundles, clove in the air, and this tiny warm animal nest somewhere nearby. It’s cozy, soft, and wearable. Just a sweet, grainy, warm small fluffy mouse.

I disagree with most reviews calling Harvest Mouse ‘uninspired’ or ‘a compromise aimed to raise sales’. Not all animals are daring and funky, and Zoologist never promised to only present us with the dungiest of fragrances. Harvest Mouse represents its animal perfectly, in my opinion. The beer note is what gives the fragrance an anthropomorphized profile, absolutely in accordance with the portrait from the bottle. This is a mouse that sometimes goes further than the fields, makes friends with humans, maybe plays some cards with them at the pub on an autumn day. For me this fragrance was a love at third smell. The first time I sprayed it, it felt like a big ol, slightly skanky nothing. Next time I was like ‘Okay, there’s something about it’ and from then on, it was a love story. I am constantly surprised how much this scent agrees with me without ever being boring or underwhelming. Yes, there’s a lot of coziness to it, some sweetness, but on my skin there are a lot of cheeky surprises as well. I can feel the hay, the beer, the embrace of the autumn afternoon sun. The animal kingdom is full of nuances and Harvest Mouse perfectly portrays a softer, cuter, dreamier side of it.

Usually I don’t tend to describe a fragrance with some sort of scenario and starting my reviews with “imagine you’re in this and this while doing this”, but this time I just might. Because this fragrance really does transport you somewhere. And it’s in the middle of a wheat field, precisely at sunset, where everything gains a golden tint. And you’re there enjoying the moment while munching on some cereal cookies and tea. Because this perfume to me, and on me, is warm like a hug. And of course, sweet. The sweetness of a little sugarless cookie. I don’t particularly smell the beer as much as others do, but I can tell it’s there. It’s a warm fragrance, like a ray of sunshine. Definitely Cottagecore for sure. So if you like that style and ambience like me, and maybe even slight gourmands, then you’re going to love this scent. The only negative side to this fragrance (according to me) is that it can get a little cloying at some point, especially in the warm weather. But aside from that, it’s a beautiful fragrance that really does teleport you in a completely different scenario. Rating: 8.5/10 🌾🐭

I love this. It smells so good. And is such a good representation of the concept. The vanilla base is immediately apparent, along with a cloud of white flowers. The potential for this combination to read as overly sweet is tempered here by a floury nuttiness, warm hay, notes of wood, and green fresh chamomile. There is a little smell of fermentation, which I think is from Davana, that gives a touch of mild fruity effervescence. I also smell a milky powder in the background. As it dries down it becomes a bit smoother and more integrated but retains its original qualities of a warm fall day in a wheat field that make it so appealing. They are just a bit muted. Harvest Mouse is one of the more unique vanilla scents I’ve encountered. It doesn’t register as a gourmand, nor as floral though the flowers are one of the dominant characteristics. If named by the dry down I guess it is woody. My only issues with it are it’s close sillage and barely moderate longevity. I’m not fond of mice as they like to invade my home each fall but this scent may encourage me to feel more tolerant towards them.

Just purchased a full bottle of this. I needed a new autumnal scent and this is perfect for where I’m at in my tastes right now. Harvest Mouse is so pretty in the most masculine/unisex way. It opens up with obvious chamomile and hay notes, and dries down to a beautiful, subtle-yet-complex woodsy vanilla. You do get something the tiniest bit boozy from the beer accord, which helps it to lean into something truly unisex. Like other Zoologist fragrances, this one unexpectedly changes throughout its journey and it lasts a while on skin. I chose this as my wedding fragrance for my sister’s ceremony last week and all of my sisters loved it. It’s warm, inviting and cosy. Zoologist is an incredible perfume house, and this being its top rated makes all of the sense in the world. If you’re looking to get into the Zoologist house and feel intimated, this scent is a perfect beginner fragrance for what’s to come when you experiment with other perfumes from Zoo. The storytelling is truly next level!

Harvest Mouse begins as quiet herbs and chamomile. After about 30-40 minutes, there is a fleeting, pleasant yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) smell followed by a pleasant sweet aroma of sandalwood, vanilla, and resinous notes. What a fantastic mouse! It's a vanilla-amber beauty. The scent is sweet but not sticky, pleasant and unisex. This is among the most delicate and versatile of Zoologist. There's nothing challenging in Harvest Mouse, but it's a perfume that gives an immediate sense of cozyness. It has an elegance that warms the heart with its non-invasive sweetness. It is gentle, but not weak... in fact, I found that it radiated from my skin from time to time, enveloping me in this sweet and gentle aroma. Very nice indeed! I get a longevity of about 7 h on my skin, a lot more on clothes. Zoologist is one of my favorite perfume houses. Harvest Mouse is a great addition and does not disappoint IMHO.

Got this as a gift sample for my purchase in the zoologist web store. Smells a cross between Hoegaarden beer and chamomile tea. Slightly boozy, slightly wheat, quite sweet but in the way bread or cereal can be sweet, not like syrup or cake. A neutral, muted sweetness. Very soft and smooth and rounded. Extremely pleasant and ambery and warm, but with a green/woody undertone. Flirts with being gourmand but without going there. On skin - the boozy aspects are diminished and it actually smells more smoky and dry (shame, cause i kind of prefer the paper version) Makes me think of the "Wind in the Willows" story. Perfectly captures the essence and calm of the British countryside. Perfect for any time except for summer (but it's the epitome of autumn) So well balanced, fun and unique! But VERY weak performance (as most zoologist fragrances seem to have on my skin) what a shame...

this is a perfect fall scent! the opening is mostly cloves and bergamot, and it dries to a creamy wheat field smell, also giving the image of like a foamy barley ale on a wooden table in a fantasy tavern. this is definitely my favorite of the four zoologist samples that i bought (the others being bee, cow, and rabbit). also fitting because i think of myself/my inner animal as a field mouse (i know my username would suggest otherwise lol) it felt out of place for the outfit i was wearing and on such a hot day, but ill bring it out again when im back to maxi skirts and cardigans. its woody, spicy, warm, and the base stays creamy with the vanilla. definitely more interesting than the average scent but still very wearable! pairing this with a vanilla perfume oil or other milky fragrance would do nicely i imagine too!

Your leather boots tapping on the cobblestone road, an overgrown garden, a thatched brick house, a round wooden door, your stout neighbour (who is a mouse) standing at the stove, oven mitts on her paws and an apron around her waist, holding a tray of fresh-baked biscuits. This is the vibe of this fragrance to me. Deliciously sweet, but not overly gourmand, with some beautiful deeper flavours to give a little bit of oomph. Like a bakery in a fantasy world, perhaps one that sells potions out of the back room. Very charming, very pleasant. At the very opening, it’s quite strong with beer and hay which dissipated quickly leaving behind sweet vanilla woody spice. At the end of the day, it’s spicy and woodsy. Not a ton of staying power or silage. But I enjoyed smelling it on myself. Overall a wonderful experience.

I think it's a cool little trick that zoologist played: this tiny harvest mouse also has a mouse-sized sillage (very, very small). That can't be a coincidence, especially since T-Rex, Elephant have the opposite quality. Zoologist pays a lot of attention to small details which is really apparent here. They took the time to make this scent warm and fuzzy, tiny and cute, and a little mischievous too. It also has a hay note that makes me think of a barnyard mouse. I know marketing can play into our perceptions so I made my partner smell it and guess the animal it was trying to evoke... I gave him no clues... and he guessed a chipmunk actually. which is, like, really freaking close to a mouse!!! That's pretty impressive of Zoologist

This is gorgeous. Of course I could be bias, Luca Maffei is one of my favourite perfumers. Its a semi gourmand to my nose. It certainly has some fruity tones to it, along with warm hay, mild grassy notes and light chamomile. It opens with lashings of orange blossom and davana, and plenty of benzoin. And what I recognise as hops, a melange of citrusy tones along with floral fruity notes, light woods, resins and berries swathed in light boozy notes, is present here as well. It also has a soft creamy tone, plenty of vanilla, it offered to me a warm bakery vibe that was quite delectable. Its also quite persistent, longevity is amazing and will leave you compulsively sniffing your wrist. I personally couldn't put it down.

Tras mucho tiempo buscando, por fin logré hallar un sample de 3ml de esta fragancia en Chile y me encantó, es justo como se le describe en la página de zoologist y distintos reseñados online, es un aroma muy muy acogedor, con notas de heno sutiles y el ambarado de la cerveza mezclado con migas de galleta, es muy especifico pero la fragancia pone en disposición estas notas para poder ser separadas e identificadas por la persona que huele, y que no sea una mezcla X de todos estos olores juntos. A mi me encantó, puede ser perfectamente usada por alguien joven y por un público mayor, es unisex tirando un poco más al lado masculino, y la proyección es muy buena sin llegar a ser invasiva. 9.2/10

Holy crap, what an absolutely delicious fragrance! This is the first sweet/gourmand frag that hasn’t given me a headache and I adore it! The clove hits so strongly with the chamomile and it makes me feel like I’m curling up with my favorite cup of herbal tea in a freshly built wooden cabin. The vanilla, orange blossom, and fir come out more as the scent dries down, and gives it a wintry and gourmet feel. It dries down to a rich but subtle vanilla with so much more depth. I so desperately want a full bottle of this, and I am wayyy too broke. The cozy clove, the delicate orange blossom, the spicy fir, the warm vanilla, I love it all. I wish it lasted longer on me though.

This is a beautifully calm, softly lit woody-vanilla fragrance that feels gentle, comforting, and quietly emotional rather than showy. It opens very softly and can feel almost elusive at first, but given a little time it warms up into a smooth, rounded blend of vanilla, woods, and a subtle, cosy sweetness. Nothing is loud or sharp here — it’s all about balance, warmth, and ease. Think 'personal comfort scent' rather than 'statement perfume'. It’s quietly present, long-lasting, and incredibly soothing, with a natural, almost nostalgic feel. It is very easy to wear, and I can't see it offending anyone! 100% worth sampling and, for me, a genuine full bottle love.

A warm and charming fall scent that reminds you of a golden autumn kissed countryside just as the last days of summer begin to fade. You’ve journeyed out to your family’s log cabin up in rural Wisconsin with your family. The birds are whistling as leaves start to fall and chipmunks are scurrying for scraps to stash away for the winter. You walk out onto the back porch to have a cold beer with your dad and admire the still and tranquil lake. The fish will be biting hard as the season change often prompts the to do. Later, you will start a log fire in the chimney and watch football with your family after a hearty dinner and some pumpkin pie.