Hyrax

HYRAX by Sven Pritzkoleit This beauty of a fragrance carries the name of the primal animal called Hyrax. There are speculation that the closest relatives of this tiny mammal are the elephants, but no proof was found. Or rather, I didn't stumble upon any proof. There are several different kinds of Hyraxes but the focus of this fragrance is on the species known as Stone/ Rock Hyraxes. These simple creatures really on the blazing sun for body temperature regulation, and that behavior plays an important role in the story described told by the fragrance, aka sun-bathing. But the most important thing here is that Hyraxes produce minerals know as Afrikan Stone or Hyraceum which is used here as an ingredient giving the perfume a distinct smell. And also, they're adorable 🥰! I don't know what's going on with the modern perfumery, but there's a great misunderstanding where people are calling this perfume unbearable, difficult, heavy, daring. Sure, it's not an aquatic, it's not a "picking flower in the garden" type of scent. But, when we look into the history a bit, a lot of men's, and women's, wear had heavy, dirty, musky notes like civet and castoreum. So what happened? And this is important because this scent carries the legacy of the old, for me manly, scent of the past days where people had more balls to carry what they wanted. Broad category of the scent profile: Spicy, ambery, musky, animalic Top notes: elemi, pink pepper, saffron, Turkish rose Hearth notes: Hyraceum, Wiskey, hyacinth Base notes: Civet, Castoreum, tonka bean, patchouli, amber, benzoin, styrax, sandalwood. The fragrance starts off rather sharp, dirty, hiding nothing. It presents it self in the full light under the hot and blazing sun. The sharpness is from the elemi and pink pepper where they give of a green and sparkly edge to the fragrance. The saffron, rose and musk create this beautiful leathery, dirty animalic bed on which other notes will take shifts in presenting them selves. Once the fresh and spicy opening settles, the saffron and rose step back, giving the fragrance texture joined by the powdery hyacinth giving off the impression of a dusty, dry, mineraly stones on which we lay and sun bathe with the little fellas. The musks are present all the way, from the start to the end of the fragrances lifecycle. During the mid of the scent, they step back a bit and introduce that boozy ambery hay like experience where you could quite imagine the picture of you and the little mammals. So comforting, so realistic. I'm most in love with this side of the and lucky for me, it lingers for quite a while. When it comes to the drydown, the fragrance becomes quite daring again, the musks of Civet, Castoreum and Hyrax pop out again joined by rezony touches of benzoin, styrax and sandalwood giving of that sharp, cloudy, creamy, ambery paradise vibe. It smells so sexy, so inviting and yet repellent in the same time. You never know what you're getting into. So mysterious. So gorgeous! When it comes to the time of the year when I would suggest you to wear it, I just have to say "Whenever you want". I wore it in the cold days, I wear it now in the hot days. It's perfect no matter the temperature. The performance is beyond average, easily lasts over 12h on my skin. And projection is as it should be. And that's the most important aspect of this fragrance! Sven did such an amazing job creating such an animalic and daring fragrance but offending no one in your surroundings. Everything is just perfectly balanced. But if someone really is eager to approach you, they're in for a treat! (Haha)

Okay, the opening is strong and pleasing. Animalic, but other than the civet, these generally are not notes I'm used to. It's as strong as Kouros but not more shocking. (Kouros, mind you, is one of the most popular and identifiable fragrances in the world.) I infer that the hyraceum is playing a major role, and I can read online that hyraceum literally refers to fossilized hyrax poop and that it conveys a leathery and fecal note. I hate to say it like this, but there is indeed something about the opening here that connotes sweet, rosy, dry dog poop "in a good way." I infer from the Zoologist website that this is a rare situation where a real animal product is being used and not a synthetic substitute, since hyraceum can be harvested without harming the animal. I am always fascinated by real ingredients with long histories in perfumery like ambergris, oud, etc., and now I'll add this to the list. In the first 20 minutes, it's an interesting funk and wearable. I don't think anyone is going to think rat turds or gerbil cage; it's just going to read as a smoky, leathery musk. None of the initial notes are sharp. In the Zoologist line, I think Moth, Sacred Scarab, and Squid have much more challenging openings. Personally, I am quite pleased so far because this doesn't smell like 100 other fragrances I've smelled before. There's not a white flower, herb, or stick of incense in sight. My guard is up a bit because I read the review below that says this dries down to halitosis with a bit of ham. So far though, it would be a winner for a date night and wearable at the opera. Oh, did I mention that this is masculine? I know I smelled fragrances like this when I was growing up, on older men, and I am at an age now myself where this kind of scent makes sense to me. Projection is not crazy; this is not a stink bomb. I'll also note that — now at around the 30 minute mark — this is a very cohesive scent; it doesn't have the kinds of violent collisions that make Moth or Secretions Magnifique seem *wrong* or T Rex or Squid seem bold and playful. The whiskey note is coming through in a pleasing way. More castoreum is coming through. This one is definitely sumptuous and well-made. An hour in, I'm ready to call this one a favorite. It captures the oil and salt of an unwashed male body without the acid or bacteria... intertwined with some old school masculine fragrances that typically disguise or cover body odor: patchouli, whiskey, amber, etc. The hint of rose is sophisticated. This isn't a stunt, and it isn't showy. It seems very classic to me. If this fragrance were called Manimal, and not Obscure Rodent, I think it would be popular and potentially even be a trend-setter. Two hours in, it's quite quiet, presumably because hyraceum doesn't last forever. Four hours in, it's like a quiet residue of Kouros without any sweetness—i.e., unwashed neck, not "ham and bad breath" though I laughed for days over that one description. I really thought based on the reviews that this one would be a horror and a quick scrubber for me, but I am giving it an A+. Not an everyday scent but an impressive bit of craftsmanship. A tiny bit would go a long way. I read this Fragrantica article after writing the above and found it interesting: https://www.fragrantica.com/news/Zoologist-Launches-Hyrax-For-The-Lovers-of-Animal-Smells-10960.html

Animalic rose, saffron and peppery spice, woods, resins and...hyacinth? This fragrance is internally contradictory. There is beauty here, with the beasts. Somehow, it all coexists in this fragrance and it is wonderful. Obviously, since I love Hyrax, I enjoy animalic scents. The African stone in this fragrance is noticable. It provides rough leathery notes that smell different from synthetic versions of animal scents. When the castoreum and civet notes join with the hyraceum, this stuff packs quite a punch. But then, from the depths beneath the animal notes, a delightful waft of sweet hyacinth peeps out. This floral note harkens back to the opening rose, which is also a bit sweet, and the fragrance progression concludes with the animal scents gradually fading and the slightly floral resins enduring more or less eternally. It all reminds me of how much I miss the pre-IFRA era. Of course, this fragrance is highly polarizing. But folks I know who like it are every bit as much in love with it as those who loathe it are hateful of it. Two final points about Hyrax: first, if you want to try this fragrance, the 10 ML bottles Zoologist offers make it easy to get to know Hyrax. For whatever reason, this fragrance shows its true nature better when sprayed with the good quality atomizer found on the "real" bottles, including the 10 ML. Second, there is no better way to experience hyraceum than by smelling Hyrax. African stone/hyraceum is one of the key animalic inclusions in modern perfumery, along with castoreum, civet, musk and ambergris. At some point on the journey of every fragrance lover, there comes a time when smelling and experiencing the nuances of "core" fragrance components like those on display in Hyrax becomes necessary if the enthusiast is to reach a truly deep appreciation of fragrances. Zoologist has been reformulating some of its more difficult fragrances (looking at you, Bat) to make them more accessible (and, I am sure, saleable). I suspect that Hyrax may be next. So get a sample, at the very least, before this fragrance is "improved" lest the powerful and divisive African stone component gets dulled down. I like to wear Hyrax in two situations: at home for my own quiet enjoyment (particularly in cold weather); and to annoy a select group of olfactory "snowflakes" of my acquaintance who complain any time I am around them wearing something other than a faint, aquatic "freshie". What can I say, I'm just that kind of guy. If they are going to be around, I am going to wear Hyrax, but not too much. A little of this stuff goes a long way. If you are a fan of animalic scents, I am sure you'll find occasions to wear this unique and challenging gem too.

Ok, so Zoologist Perfumes Hyrax... yeah, first off I must say that I love it. Most people here don’t, apparently, but I really do. I’ve had a sample for almost a year and have given it a try now and then. It gets better and better, each time. Some rough aspects of the animalic notes have been keenly covered below, which is quite amusing, but I think that it’s mostly a matter of how you apply it. More on that topic below. To summarize the overall impression - it strikes me as sweet (honey), very warm (sun warm skin), like soft suede with subtle booziness, smokiness and also featuring a very prominent and bright floral accord. The floral brightness must stem from the hyacinth, a note that I’m usually quite sensitive too, it can get too dominant sometimes, but not here. The resins and woody notes come along late in the drydown. The patchouli I do not get at all. I find the scent profile to be distinctly masculine. Performance is excellent. Longevity is extreme but it never gets too loud nor too close to the skin. I have even gotten random compliments for it, which is unusual. The most important thing IMO is how to apply it. You should not go full on, blasting away at point blank range. That way it will lean too animalic. What I do is to give it one generous spray high up in the air and then let it gently dissipate, fall down and settle on my skin, usually on the back of my hand and arm (where there is some hair). It makes the warmth and the balsamic qualities really shine. I will get a bottle to enjoy this fall and winter. Edit: I received a full bottle a few days ago which is noticeably fresher, compared to my one year old sample. The floral notes especially are brighter and more pronounced throughout. Such a beautiful scent, profound in a way most other fragrances can only dream of.

Best blind-buy ever! 😎 This is not as challenging as people claim it is! Yes it is a very bold animalic fragrance with a ton of leathery nuances from the animalics, saffron & the resins, but so are most niche leather fragrances! 😌 It opens with a very sharp kick of spices from the pink pepper, elemi and the saffron (the king of spices), and then immediately you get hit with the booziness coming from the whiskey accord! Very boozy & sharp! 🥃♨️ As it settles on your skin, the trio of animalics comes to life and take the center stage. It's hard to say what hyraceum (hyrax note) smells like as it is rarely used in fragrances and this is the first fragrance I try with it, but the castoreum and the civet shine beautifully here; with the civet giving it that dusty muskiness, and the castoreum giving those multi-faceted leathery nuances.🦫 Absolutely well-made formulation! It can also be classified as an animalic leather fragrance as the combination of saffron, elemi, styrax, benzoin, civet & castoreum makes a nice leather accord! (A leather accord is a fantasy accord because you can't extract anything from leather, so perfumers re-create what they think smells like leather using base notes like animalic notes, resins etc.). 💼 🐂 🦫🪵 🤎 🖤 Performance & longevity is average for an extrait de parfum though. 📉Was expecting it to be a beast since animalic notes are one of the strongest performers! This is definitely a statement fragrance that will get you noticed whenever you wear it, so wear it proudly! 💪🏻 😎 A video review is also available on my YT ▶️

Grrr. Purr. Growl. Hyrax will make animal noises come out of you. For some the noises might be more in disgust, but I’ve got a grin on my face and I feel slinky like a jungle cat. There is a great opening to this perfume. Plenty of rainbow peppercorns give a piquant and earthy fruity facet to a green and resinous elemi, and soft, hay like florals of saffron and powdery pink rose. Quite quickly though, the star of the perfume begins rising up with a gentle but firm muscularity: castoreum. Hyrax is properly, funky animalic musky. The castoreum has plenty of supporting characters that give it a compelling omnipotence. Hyraceum, styrax, peaty Scotch whisky, and benzoin slide very neatly and precisely into the gaps of the castoreum. Leather, civet, and musks are heated up and given breadth by charred wood barrel-aged booze notes and spicy, sweet, earthy vanillics. As Hyrax dries down the leathery castoreum and warm benzoin become the most prominent, but in bold yet elegant balance. There is something very pleasing in this rather old school presentation, and that’s likely because the materials used smell and feel quite modern but they’re used to send a retro message - like a 100-year-old musical track rerecorded with modern instruments and technology. “You smell amazing” a coworker said to me. Yes, I do. Again, I can’t say it’s anything new, far from it, but excellent attention to details and excellent handling of good materials is sometimes all it takes. I feel like an animal... in a mostly well-behaved way. Get your mind out of the gutter.

I'm used to faecal and indolic notes in scent but this is the first time I've thought "oh, I'm wearing proper animal poo, like at the zoo." I must share my dogs' reaction to this scent, i.e., they were delighted, smacking their lips, and wanted to roll on me (a reaction usually reserved for carcasses and secretions from badgers). This then, is the real deal. Hyraceum is not only dog-friendly but has the tenacity and reach of (for example) Kenzo Jungle, and can be equally overwhelming at close quarters, if you put on more than 2 drops. People were puzzled by it, as if thinking "is she a zookeeper? Is that a deliberate smell"? - Or maybe they were expecting to see a weasel, when I'm human-shaped. Men aren't attracted to it, unlike if I'm wearing Chanel. This is for rugged individualists who don't need to please anyone, it's ferociously clingy, I tested it wearing a coat and scarf I knew were going to be washed, otherwise the hallway would be Hyrax for weeks. I like it, but it's not love like MKK or Private Label. The rose is lovely, but musk-and-rose is quite a common combination. It is however, a unique window into antique scent formulas, now long gone, which must have been quite spectacularly animalic. I do prefer civet, as a note, and the few vintages I have which contain it, are wonderful. If you like musks, I recommend trying this. Just not in an office... EDIT: I bought it, after 3 wears. My dogs are in heaven ;)

Testing a sample of Hyrax from Zoologist. What can be said that hasn't been said in all the reviews before mine? On my skin: Is it animalic? Yes, specially after I've sprayed it. A bit fecal even? Yes, if I spray close to the skin, and bury my nose on it afterwards. Does it smell like a Zoo? Yes, a bit... sometimes. However, even the slight fecal aroma on my skin is always at the back of the composition (and as the dry down progresses, it kind of dissapears). I've noticed that if I spray a bit further away from the skin, so as to have the mist cover a larger area, it doesn't feel so animalic, and I'm surrounded by this gorgeous smell. It definitely doesn't smell (to me) as bad as the rating suggests. Sprayed on my left arm and on my right wrist at the same time. I found that there were differences in the dry down, less earthy on my arm, definitely earthier on my wrist. The more I try it, the more I like it. This is a challenging perfume. Try before you buy. I can see myself buying a full bottle. Addendum 10/16/21: Got a full bottle of Hyrax this week, simply amazing. Tested on a blotter paper... 26h and the drydown keeps going. Wore it all day yesterday; on my skin (chest) it's definitely 12h + of a gorgeous drydown. Again, Test before you buy.

Fragrance in three words: Dirty Hamster Cage Hyrax is based on the desert mammal Hyrax. Looks wise these are similar to the Pika, a desert mouse immortalised by Pikachu in the Pokémon videogames. What I'm immediately hit with are really dirty animal notes: hot urine drying on stones, faeces and even animal fur. This is a strong divisive fragrance. There's a really nice natural rose in the mix somewhere, reminding me of the dirty rose in Theo Fennell Scent (2007). I get the heat of desert air. I mainly get a dirty, seductive animalic leather. This isn't the new wallet smell of Tom Ford's Ombré Leather (2018) or the clean green leather of Givenchy Gentleman (2017); Hyrax is much rawer. This isn't sexy scent by any means, but I find myself drawn to it. It delivers on concept and it's bold. The downside is it's difficult to wear. Projection is enormous in hot weather with pungent notes of pepper and what some people will describe as rat piss. Longevity is also around the 8 hour mark, with it still being skin scent the day after. Price in the UK (2021) is £165 for 60ml EdP, not cheap, but not a rip either. Rating 8 out of 10. Source: 1ml Sample

Similar to @OzcarB below, I also just rediscovered my 2+ year-old sample. I had hidden it at the back of my cupboard ... frankly I was afraid of it after spraying it once and scrubbing it off in disgust. My honest take on it then was "poop soliflore". Trying it again after (understandably) a few years, my reaction to it has totally turned around. I’m not sure if lengthy maceration made a big difference, or maybe my nose has just gotten nasty from too many other animalics, but holy hell I'm adoring it! Yes it’s raunchy if you put your nose right up to it, but so are Kouros and Antaeus and countless other animalic perfumes. This actually isn’t far off from Antaeus to me, a throbbing powdery floral beaver-bomb (plus a few more beasts for good measure) ... strong and sexy and old-school and, yes, raunchy. Word of warning though: this is one of the strongest perfumes I’ve ever experienced - a small sample-vial-spritz on each wrist and it’s all I can smell. I can taste it. I think I'm seeing through a Hyrax veil. Can’t believe I’m saying this but ... Hyrax ... is ... actually FBW. Damn.

I LOVE this perfume. As a female hippy/punk, I love this super unique smell. I can also see how most people would be shocked that this is a perfume. It's unique, daring, and I am in complete awe of it. Someone once said that Zoologist perfumes are mostly weird, but if you find something you like, it's like it was made with you in mind. This is that perfume for me. I am very shocked to learn that I love this weird smell, but when I close my eyes and smell this, I feel like I'm cuddling with my favorite animals. Sometimes, it's animals I've had that only live in my memories now. We are on a leather couch in a wooden cabin and everything is warm and comforting under the moonlit landscape. Since I've purchased this perfume, I've been smelling my animals, and kind of appreciating their own unique scents. It smells like animal musk, leather and oud to me. As much as I love this, I can't wear it more than a day in a row. Tbh, I swear I smell traces of this in the house days after I've used the perfume. It's really really strong, and my bottle will last forever. AWAWA for life.

Honestly after reading all the reviews here I got a bit disappointed with the inoffensiveness of Hyrax. Either you're supersensitive or just lying/exagerrating the alleged foulness of the fragrance. It's a warm leather couch, whiskey, sweet styrax, hot amber & metallic saffron. I do not detect any Civet & the Hyraceum is baaarely detectable for me. Since the main diet of the hyrax are plants, the smell could be likened to that of a stable. It's just fertilizer/dung. Some people below me make it out as if someone smeared literal human shit on their skin..? So in my despondent state I decided to introduce the scent to my girlfriend to get a second opinion. On my skin still, I walked over to her and presented my arm: Interestingly enough Hyrax made her RECOIL with disgust, fear & reverence. She almost puked! Blessed days!!! And the same goes for basically anyone else whom I forced to smell it! Tomorrow I'm going with 4 sprays of this to the gym! 💩🦫🦨 Thank God for sensitive ninnies!!

The more I wear this scent, the more I like it, though I find it very hard to articulate why with reference to the elements of its composition. I simply don’t get any of the individual notes listed. It all comes together into a very distinctive whole that maintains its character throughout its lifetime (an impressive 10+ hours for me). It’s not a loud scent, but once it infiltrates your nostrils, it’s there to stay. Yes, everyone who smells pee in it is undeniably correct. YET!! It’s the opposite of the piss in the dark alley behind the pub. I find it funny that I’m ready to describe this scent supposed to owe its character to African stone (aka fossilized poop and pee) as ‘alive’ and ‘fresh’. At the same time, I find it astringent, a bit sweet, dry, salty, and plump - which kinda makes no sense taken altogether, does it? The image that this smell conjures in my mind is a kid playfully licking off sweat off their friend’s arm. Not really ‘dirty’, just a bit naughty.

Hyrax is a big “fuck you” to the 21st century, Tired of the entitled, politically correct, narcissistic dipshits spreading in society like a wildfire? Hyrax motherfucker, better stay 10 feet away! Tired of obnoxious family members with 0 respect for you, who you are forced to associate for life? Spray Hyrax, and let the magic unfold. Fuck you aunt Petunia, BOOM, Hyrax. Tired of all the generic blue fragrances with so much ambroxan that the metallic stench numbs your olfactory nerve? Tired of the alleged “niche” fragrances that are all engaged in a mass circle-jerk with each other? The same damn vanilla, amber, and all those other damn generic, overused notes? Dial 1-800-HYRAX. Hyrax is REAL niche perfumery. You try to force yourself into liking Hyrax by coping, saying things like “it’s not too bad” “oh it’s actually not that poopy” I like Hyrax for how BAD it is, I APPRECIATE the POOP, we are not the same.

This is by far the most animalic Zoologist and not only. It's definately build around hyraceum, civet, musks & ambers. It stinks, literally, but in a good way. If you are interested , do have patience with it. The best part comes after quite a few hours and it lasts...what is seems, forever. It can be scary in the first couple of hours but I promise you it has a grand finale. No blind buys, not even quick judgements. It's a gem for animalics lovers but a nightmare for others. I heard comparisons to : fecal, dirty groins, halitosis and others. If you are not used to these kind of fragrances it can smell like all of that but if you are it smell like none.

Yes, the opening is poopy. But the drydown is expansive, majestic, and (moreso than anything) thought-provoking. It makes me feel small. Evocative of standing in the desert at night, looking up at the stars, and being overcome with the beauty of the natural world, while also feeling keenly aware of, yet strangely at peace with, being completely insignificant in the grand scheme of things. All the splendor and all the agony of the world, all the depth of human existence, held within the excrement of a small African mammal. While I’ve had some misses from this brand, this Zoologist at is best.

Man this is freaking amazing, I love it soo much, it brings me alot of good memories back when I was a kid, this is coming from someone who grew up in a village. This is definitely one of my top 5. The smell is quite unique and it has that middle eastern vibes to it. It is absolutely an acquired taste and your regular dior sauvage enjoyer won't like it. I rate it 9.5/10 just because of the performance overall it wasn't strong or polarizing as I was expecting it faded away after 3 hours from my skin and there for I took the 0.5, if it was not the case? Hell yeah 10/10.

One of the most challenging Zoologists for sure, very very animalic, earthy, a little fecal in the opening and smoothens out and becomes more leathery and barnyard I could imagine a hyrax to actually smell like this. Not crowd pleasing in the slightest but I can’t stop smelling the stuff lasts all day on me please don’t blind buy this don’t know why you would. Probably too challenging of a wear to justify getting it but very much enjoy my sample of it can’t see myself fully using it anytime soon.

I finally got to try this after the rest of the Zoologist collection and, Huh...I actually like it. Wow. It is certainly animalic. But it's so well-blended that it is actually quite appealing to my nose. It's warm, animalic, boozy, with a touch of florals. It's almost...dare I say...comforting. Weird. Maybe I'm a freak, ahaha.

One of those rare surprises where the art on the label perfectly conveys the product within. That stinky little hyrax's look of smug self-satisfaction says everything you need to know about how comfortable he is in his stank. His North African attire perfectly encapsulates the nostalgic/romantic appeal. I really adore it.