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.

Finally got it. I just love how this one smells. It is animalic with hints of different spices. It's not scary, but may be offputting by its nature. It contains 100% natural Hyraceum. It opens up with whiskey and animalic notes, and then it dries into this somehow comforting spicy piss. Not a blind buy. I love it. 10/10

This is a beautifully blended, warm, boozy, animalic amber with some delicate rose and bright hyacinth notes. I get the touch of pepper and lemony elemi too. The mid is thick and syrupy—like a proper amber—and then the dry down is a dusty dry yet sweaty leather that is slightly reminiscent of Salome by Papillon.

Hi @gabri... they’re using hyraceum, which is the dried, kinda petrified pee and poop of the little critter. I think in this blend it smells amazing. Friends and relatives who don’t know what’s in it say it’s a dark, leathery, resinous, slightly boozy scent. Only 1 person said it’s a bit barnyard on me.

this is the best fragrance from Zoologist for me ( I'm a animalic perfume lover), the opening is weird and strong of hyraceum, it is very animalic, cheesy, pissy. However, the dry down is a beauty of amber and musk, you have to be patient, the dry down of this frag may make you love it.

Love the african stone note. Yeah, a little over the top upclose or from the cap, but in the air this desert dry animalic is a pleasant time travel to old time perfumery. If all this dry dirtieness where contrasted with the most beautiful rose I would probably consider a bottle...

Shocked at the hate for this one. Don’t get the poo or hamster cage everyone is discussing. Perhaps it’s my love of animalistic scents but this is lovely and warm, leathery, ambery and of course animalistic. I’d try it if you like older vintage perfumes.

Hyrax Zoologist – 10/10 To me, this feels like an upgraded version of Cuoium. They share a similar bold, animalic character, but Hyrax is more refined and balanced. If you liked Cuoium but want something with a more elevated edge, this is a must-try.

hands down one of the most impressive and compelling animalic frags of our time. BIG fan of this awawa tags: homoerotic mechanic shop, my grandpa's real leather jacket (it always smelled slightly of cologne and scotch), cute goats at the petting zoo

Sublime scent that bridges the immanence of earth with hot transcendence. It just smells good. I’d bet nobody into Guerlain prior to 1940 would’ve turned their nose up at this gem. Animalics are ancient because they work and are deeply desirable.

Not as animalic as I thought. I get a lot of floral notes combined with whiskey and resins. The scent is really pleasant and nice. Unisex. There's nothing to be afraid of. I thought it will be animalic as Kouros or more. I still like it :)

Is it wrong that I really like this? It is fecal and pissy with flowers in there somewhere. Utterly outrageous. If you are in the market for a serious animalic like I was, then this won't disappoint you in the slightest.

I just add this fragrance to my collection, and I don't know why people are so afraid from Hyrax. This is so gorgeous floral. Love at first sniff. 2 sprays are enough, because is so strong. I recommend this 100%.

Probably the third most beautiful zoologist imo number 2 being civet and number one being camel, this is heavy on the whiskey and pink pepper. Scent 8.5/10 Longevity 9/10 Performance 10/10

To answer the question below as to when do you wear this? When you develop enough confidence & an appreciation for niche perfumery, that's when you wear this!

It's ROUGH out when you first open it. Kind of...barnyard. but the dry down is powdery, earthy musk. I love it

Love or hate it. Countryside, barnyard, oily, waxy, horses, saddles, liquor, gas. 10/10 for me folks.

It's your stinkiest yet truest friend for the hottest of sunny days.

Absolute the best "modern" animalic ever created.

A stunning little stinker it is! No doubt about it, on me Hyrax is POOPY. But also, weirdly, a beauty. Proper, uncompromising, grown-up, astonishing originality - yet again! - from Zoologist, the house that knows that you too are an animal. It is a relentless ode to hyraceum... and that means that inescapably, for part of the ride, you must dwell in the rear end of a tiny stinky mammal, and by the perfume gods you'll know it. For the love of your nose hairs and your neighbors, please, spray LIGHTLY. It is dark, dark, dark brown, in every way - the synaesthesia effect is strong here, as the billowing wafts of reeky barnyard and slightly peed-on fur and mammalian secretions will surround you in an imaginary sea of ... well, dark brown poop again. Sour and digested and almost-bitter and laden with rich layers of scatological STINK. And the styrax only reinforces the hyrax, taking it right to the very edge of the heart of darkness. It sounds foul, right? But astoundingly, though, it is somehow NOT disgusting. More fascinating. Like the fellow mammal I am, despite being almost repelled I just had to keep sniffing and sniffing, uncovering a new kink and curve in the skunky scent trail of this mystery beast with every try. Love it or hate it, it makes your nose feel ALIVE again - it reconnects you to your basest instincts. It's a kind of bizarre biological witchcraft. I would be fascinated to see how other (domestic pet) animals respond to it. While smelling it I felt my own face contorting into an involuntary Flehman-like response - that goofy open-mouthed snarl a cat does when it really wants to taste every molecule of scent in the air. And then, once the initial shock of the unmistakeably fecal passes, its charms begin to grow and you may feel a little more human and possibly even civilised again: the flowers and resins sweeten and blossom, and somehow it turns into a recognisable scent rather than a stench. It even becomes friendly, quirky, a darkly spicy, cheeky floral and ... how??? ... almost delicious. Hangs on for aaaages (say 10h on me), projects like a furry little beast, and is not remotely discreet. This Hyrax is an extrovert social animal and wishes to mingle as much as possible. Will you dare to let it off the leash? Going by the reviews this lands completely differently for different skins and noses. As a frequent civet-hater, not that keen on animalics per se and with a bumpy history with styrax, I was probably never going to love it at first sniff. It still conquered my reservations. It's not just fascinating but unexpectedly pleasant - and it's just extraordinary as a perfume work of art. Indescribably impressive in that sense. But still... I can't get all the way to actually wanting to wear it often, or daring to buy it. For me the Hyrax turns a little too feral, more of a snarling ankle-biter than the charming little chap on the label. But if you want a truly wild scent adventure, to define what 'animalic' really means to you, you must try it out. And expect to be surprised.

Divisive, is one of the words I would bring up early on while describing Hyrax. Three years ago, my nose was not ready. It was repulsive, musky, pissy and poopy. Today, I wear Amouage's Interlude and even King Blue and Silver Oud, both of which have that "barnyard" vibe that scare away people from oud. So, I was kind of surprised when what started out admittedly quite strong turned out very oriental, barely any more skanky than Nishane's Afrika Olifant. A true oriental. The opening can scare some, definitely. It's very strong, do NOT spray this guy more than once or twice or you'll choke yourself out and others around you. Sprayed sparingly however, this can actually dry down quite sexy to those who enjoy the Middle-Eastern type of notes. So yes, as I said, this is very strong and lasts well over 8 hours on me and pushes out for a good 3-4 hours. It very slightly challenges me but definitely not as much as some castoreum bombs like Kouros or Eris's Ma Bête. Those I just can't stand. If you're a fan of orientals, Hyrax will be familiar to you: amber, alcohol, spices and animalic notes. This makes me feel like I'm on a ride in the desert but unlike Zoologist's Camel which is desert-like but more of a desert oasis, Hyrax is the harsher cousin, it's a desert ride without a camel, on foot, parched under a blazing sun. This isn't something I'd wear anytime else than in cold weather, late Fall and Winter and is NOT office safe. However, among Middle-Eastern friends, this was a little harsh but unsurprising, a Jordanian friend actually said "my dad could wear this sh*t", haha. Make of that what you will. A mature man's perfume, I'd say. Dressed up for sure, and on a night out, wanting to stand out. Among the most challenging of Zoologist's line-up for sure. As for myself, I find myself surprised to not be smelling what everyone else seems to be freaking out about.

Animalic, bizarre, and as niche as they come, this is the exact kind of wild swing that I would expect from a perfume house like Zoologist. Hyrax is pungent, profound, sophisticated, an oddball creative experiment...and it’s a far better scent than most reviewers would lead you to believe. Now, I had read the reviews of Hyrax before sampling it, so perhaps my expectations were tempered by the horrors that most reviewers described. I came armed with an open mind and a bar of soap to scrub this off, should things get too hairy. At first sniff, I didn’t love it, but I certainly didn’t hate it. I was bracing myself for something that smelled like human excrement, but the dung scent here is all animal, and it’s only there if you search for it. It smells like someone wore an expensive and mature fragrance to the zoo during a hot, sticky summer. It’s avant-garde as all shit (pun intended). Hyrax grew on me with repeated revisits of my sample and it gets better with time – almost as if you need to be hazed into admiring it, which is not a selling point to the mainstream. But if you’re here and you’re studying Zoologist scents, well, then you’re probably not the standard perfume enthusiast, and you’re likely looking to get a little weird. This is not at all blind-buy-safe and yet, for discerning noses, there are rewards to be found in this dung. I won’t race out to buy this, but it's daring and unlike anything you’ve ever smelled before. I can’t help but admire it for that, and I enjoyed the weird journey of basic instincts that Hyrax took me on. In five words or less: Hyrax - niche at its max.

Just decided to try my sample I'd had for a couple weeks, and here are my impressions. I remember reading the American Girls books in my elementary school years during the 90s. In Changes for Kirsten, she and her brother survive a frozen night in the Minnesota woods in the hut of an old trapper. In the book, there's a picture of his place with all his pelts hanging. Hyrax actually smells mostly like castoreum to me, although I'm only lately getting into the stronger animalics, so I'm not actually sure what all I'm smelling. What I do not smell is urine or feces. I smell animal fur and grease, and I say it in a good way. I do smell the powdery/"fake oud"/cashmeran DNA of Moth, the only other Zoologist I've smelled thus far. I can't tolerate cashmeran, and as time goes by, I'm becoming less tolerant of synthetic oud, but I try to overlook those offending notes here, because the other warm, cozy notes play together so well and are so evocative. But rather than Hyrax smelling like the parched African desert, I smell that old trapper's wood-heated, dirty cabin and his pelts and self-made leather clothing. I smell his coonskin cap and some of his food and supplies he purchases from the General Store on his monthly treks (on snowshoes, no doubt) to town.

Hyrax does start off w/ the smell of poop. But that goes away very quickly. Then it becomes a boozy, musky, floral And smoky leather w/ animalic touches. Is it strong, yes. Is it for the faint of heart, no. My husband (surprisingly) flipped for Hyrax but for himself. I was shocked because he hates my more animalic scents like Musc Tonkin but he says to him it smells of a boozy leather. I want him to do a full day wear before deciding on buying more because this is a challenging perfume, but I like it as well. The leather note is very strong here. But like a large hairy beast of some sort, like the beast from beauty and the beast was wearing a leather coat, drinking a whiskey and smoking a cigarette lol. Again, I am glad I didn't turn my back on this brand because I tested some that didn't agree with me. When they get it right, they are some of the best Niche perfume that are mixed media that I have smelled. A very masculine, bad ass guy smell. He doesn't wash often but girls still flock to him in droves.

Hyrax is one of the more infamous fragrances from Zoologist, due to its stinky and challenging nature - which is why I was keen to enjoy it, since almost all Zoologist offerings have left me underwhelmed. This one however, I actually think is rather impressive, I would even go as far to say I enjoy it. I recently had the pleasure of experiencing pure hyracaeum diluted at 10%, and whilst I do not know if Zoologist use the real thing, this smells remarkably similar. It is at once fry and earthy, yet retains this warm fecal facet. Thankfully, this is tempered by a sweet saltiness - which could be coming through from the saffron, whiskey and amber. As it settles on the skin it becomes sweeter with time, becoming actually quite wearable. I have to say this exceeded my expectations, which to be fair weren’t very high. Zoologist is not a house I adore, but this is among my favourites from them. It’s not something I would wear enough to warrant a full bottle, but it’s an impressive creation for sure.

This is the first Zoologist offering that I couldn't wrap my nose around. It is polarizing. It is complex. It also may be great for some. Great set of ingredients. It just doesn't sit well for me. I can see the references to feces. I get whisky, a little spicy and of course some animalic notes. But for me it is like dumping whiskey in an animal habitat. Which again, may not be bad for some. I can see this is a strong lasting fragrance. Certainly a conversation starter if you wear it in public. I decided to layer it with Koala to try and improve the experience. That worked. Much more enjoyable this way. Edit: after about 3 hours it started to grow on me. I reapplied a small amount to a pulse point and... um, I kind of like it. Very odd. What is happening to me?

This Zoologist offering has 15 different notes that create a very unique fragrance! Not for the faint of heart! LOL There are only 2 parfums from Zoologist that I'm just too intimidated to wear in public ... Hyrax and Dodo. Both are very cool artistic endeavors, but just too far out on the edge for me to get into. Hyrax is animalic, very animalic. I would think this could only be worn in cold weather, at night, and outside. I would never even consider wearing Hyrax to work, but man I'd love to see people's faces if I did! I wear Hyrax at home, sometimes, just for my own enjoyment. If you're bold enough, this could be a fun fragrance to wear, to shake things up a bit at your local social scene! Hyrax Five Scale Rating: ⨷⨷1⁄2

I don't understand the hate for this one, it is exactly what the notes say, animalic. This is not the fecal barn yard animalic that you find in scents like Ajmal Patchouli Wood but more like the oily, gasoline filed leather that you find in TF Oud Wood Intense or ELDO Rien. This must be worn in the right weather and is not a blind buy in any sense. This is also a beast so one spray goes along way. What you will get though, if you are brave enough to try, is a very strong, dark, manly animalic scent. This is dirty and leathery and oily. This smells like an old car lot with the smell of rubber and fried wiring. I actually really enjoy this on cold nights but my wife does not lol.

I was very interested in this fragrance from what I’d read from reviews – dirty, animatic, fecal – that’s my thing, I like nasty fragrances. This was not that. Don’t get me wrong, I REALLY like this juice. It’s leathery, smoky (heavy on the smoke!), woodsy. But I hardly get any sort of skank! In fact, the dry down is clean, like, really clean. It’s woodsy and, dare I say, floral? Very friendly. Saying Hyrax is unwearable gives it too much credit. Is it a crowd pleaser? Judging from the reviews, no, but I would feel very comfortable wearing this to work or going out. All in all, this is an excellently well-crafted, unique, and high quality fragrance.

i want to paint a picture. there's a biker of the motorcycle variety. they ride a Harley-Davidson chopper... probably. before heading out for the road they lather medicated chapstick because high speeds are tough on the lips. outfit of choice is as follows: a vest, motor-oil stained leather chaps, and helmet. because they're an outlaw(?), and not needlessly reckless. this biker decides to spend their early spring afternoon grilling grass-fed hamburgers in their humble backyard. said backyard is also the place of relief for 12-year old Colleen. Colleen is an English Beagle. she enjoys a mistakenly burnt patty as a treat. good girl!

Review #2. This is an experience. It hit hard at first. However, I couldn't stop using it. Out of all the sample set, it was the second sample I depleted. Squid went first. Musk Deer would have been second but that is my favorite and I am holding on to it, for reasons I don't know why. But Hyrax has been the talk. Trying to get others to experience it. Of course there were similar initial reactions of shock. But most agree that after about an hour it is great. I have come to enjoy the whole ride. Really crazy. Initial opening - outlandish Scent - 8/10 Experience - immeasurable