Penguin

Glad to see it added at last. I've had my sample for some time (kindly provided by Victor with my last order) and I've had time to wrap my head around it. I think? It's such an unusual bird (pun intended). Those who complained Zoologist were getting more "mainstream" will be served: this is Zoologist at their best! Evocative, singular and complex. On the surface, this is a freshie, crisp and sharp, dominated by notes of juniper and I believe cistus (which brings an herbaceous, woody tone). What truly breaks my brain and bugs my mind is the "ice" and "Antarctic air" accords. I honestly shook my head and thought "alright, you guys are pushing it here"... but immediately upon smelling it, you really pick up a weird "coldness" from it. I can't explain it properly, it's just a very weird sense of cold, like if you open your freezer and breath in deep (not food, obviously) or when it's -40 outside and the air has that briskness that takes your breath away. That. As someone who is not into freshies, I was a bit perplexed but also intrigued and it turns out, on skin this develops quite a bit. After the initial opening, I start getting a bit of warmth, a little coziness which I'm guessing is brought by the middle notes. You feel like you're the little chick being buried under the feathers, it's warm, fluffy and soft. Besides the feeling of briskness in the opening, there is nothing harsh about this Penguin. That fluffiness lingers on through the whole longevity (I'm guessing from sandalwood and musk?) and you get that typical "Zoologist bird" vibe, that familiar "featheriness". Surprisingly, this lasts well over 6 hours on me, which is very unusual for a "freshie". Also, this is indeed an aquatic but not the typical sense, not your average "beachy" aquatic. This is arctic cold. As it turns out I've also noticed that somehow, it survives the cold outside surprisingly well. What wizardry is this?! Truly a great job from the perfumer here. This is obviously good for wintry weather and I would say through early spring. I'm not sure how it will fare in Summer and I don't think it's a good fit for Fall, as it is very "airy". I've also had comments on it, some positive others just wondering what the heck I'm wearing (not negative just confused at what they're smelling) and I love that! Looking forward to add this one to my shelf.

I'm genuinely surprised that they managed to capture the scent of frigidity. I'm almost wondering if it has some sort of mild menthol or numbing agent just for the way it feels against my skin (though it doesn't smell like it). On the first spray it's so cold, and sharp in an astringent sort of way. I definitely get that "dentist office chair" vibe others have mentioned here with that creeping leather note that rears its head on the dry down. At first, I didn't love it. If it hadn't evolved past this stage I would have found it very challenging. It's truly desolate and cold and evocative of a penguin who lost his troop. "Ozonic" I think is the only way to describe it. It clings onto that essence very near to the skin throughout the wear, yet blooms with closeness and warmth in its projection once it dries down into this almost creamy and powdery saffron and juniper duo. At this point it becomes delicious, and with those contrasting ice and hide notes still lingering on the skin, I couldn't stop bringing my nose to my wrist to bring them back. Sillage is about where I like it too, within arm's reach with a couple of sprays and always radiating from my chest like a comforting little bubble just for me. Longevity seems decent, but I'd have to test it a few more times to get a better feel. I could definitely see getting a full bottle or decant of this one. It's subtle in its complexity and is constantly giving you something to enjoy.

Sampling the second most recent Zoologist release, and the first from 2024, Penguin, a perfume that opens as an icy fresh, citric, green, semi ozonic mix that dries down interestingly with spices and resins—namely, juniper, pink pepper, saffron, labdanum—so while it starts out icy fresh, it quickly finds more interesting footing in its more profound dry down. I really enjoy this quick evolution, frankly a bit of a bait and switch, from the icy blast to the spicy dry down, particularly in that where it ends up isn’t overbearingly intense but rather still nuanced and year-round pleasant. I think this leans toward the more crowd-pleasing, say, half of the Zoologist catalogue, while still being quite interesting and innovative. The spice/resin ensemble just clicks very well with me, and as usual, performance is quite good, albeit not as strong as the latest entry, Rabbit. Penguin is sold at the brand’s standard pricing, $175 for 60ml, in 20% concentration (usually between EDP and extrait), by both the house website and boutiques like Perfumology. Like many of the house’s new releases, it’s sold out quickly via a number of points of sale. And the house sells a travel size, too, as it does for most of its scents. 8 out of 10

This is probably by far the most unique cologne in my collection. Story time. When I was younger, I had a negative reaction to allergy shots and went into anaphylactic shock. I went unconscious and had cpr and all that jazz done to keep me alive. I ended up having to staying overnight in the icu to make sure nothing would happen. Well....This cologne brings me straight back to that time. Theres this icy sterileness to the opening that is reminiscent of sitting in the hospital bed under the ac unit getting pumped full of cold liquid benadryl into the iv. It doesnt stay cold though. As it warms it brings a very sharp suede and juniper like you just opened a bottle of good gin while sitting on an expensive leather couch. The moss adds a dampness that kinda rounds everything out with the musk/sandalwood adding additional support. I Genuinely love this fragrance. No other bottle has brought that level of imagery. Its a very subjective smell and id highly recommend you get a sample to try this. 9.9/10 for smell. 9/10 for projection and longevity. Easily can fill a room if over sprayed. Lasts 8-9 hours. 7/10 for price. It is a niche house so you kinda expect it.

okay i bought this as a gift for a guy and while i would not PERSONALLY wear it this fragrance is SO GOOD. very masculine verryy sexy imo! i think the leather and juniper work so wonderfully together, very deep, it almost smells like an expensive brand new car; the ozonic notes give it a fresh and clean smell and while i dont personally get alot of coldness like many other reviewers i can definitely understand where its coming from. this is a very dark cologney scent which is why im so surprised that i like this fragrance as much as i do! its got a veryy good patchouli smell to it that isnt obnoxious but still obvious, and instead of the leather notes being overwhelmingly synthetic i find them to be pure, for lack of a better word. overall i think penguin is a solid 8/10, i would not wear it but i would drool over someone if i smelled it on them. smells like going on a late night date with a light drizzle that ends as soon as you sit down to watch the stars

This has such interesting and unique notes, so while I really enjoy it if you’re not a fan of these notes, I can see this not being for everyone. I’m a big fan of pretty much every note listed in this, I love ozonic notes, I like the pink pepper and the moss and sandalwood. And I LOVE juniper. If you don’t like juniper, this is definitely not for you, it’s very junipery. It also does somehow smell cold! How do they make it smell cold! I don’t know but I love it. I love that this perfume evokes a cold, frozen landscape, but isn’t like Christmas-y. It does not smell like a Christmas tree (as much as I do enjoy a balsam and fir scent) so I think it actually can be worn year round which I appreciate. Even in spring and summer I feel like I could wear this because it feels more crisp, fresh and cool, rather than being just a winter holiday type of scent. Overall this fragrance really does have a unique and refreshing vibe, and I actually enjoy it a lot.

I just got Penguin, and its packaging (the special edition) is beautiful and one of the best from Zoologist, featuring the aurora australis behind the Penguin on both the box and the bottle. The opening feels cold, and you definitely sense the iciness. It is like a fresh fougere: subtle, but deceptively long-lasting (10 hours+ on the inside of my elbow). Potent but not invasive, it is comfortable to wear without disturbing others. Penguin evokes clean, fresh air, reminiscent of a cold, cloudy morning. Easy and very wearable, it is one of the most wearable fragrances from Zoologist. However, I still recommend trying it before buying. It behaves a bit like Musk Deer on my skin (although it doesn't smell anything like Musk Deer) in that I become nose blind to it, and suddenly, a big whiff of Penguin reaches my nose. It is there in all its subtle glory. Big love for Penguin.

Cold, crisp and untouchably beautiful. My conception of this scent isn't as earthy as other commenters' experience; while the mossy quality definitely comes through on my skin, Penguin has a more sophisticated, almost hauntingly beautiful story for me. Delicate, dangling pearl earrings, a bouquet of dried flowers laid on a grave in autumn, pale lavenders against sage greens. Penguin is how I imagine Lily-Rose Depp's Ellen Hutter smelling in Nosferatu (2024). Pale but not pallid, cold but not entirely unwelcoming. Fragrance clinging to your grandmother's old locket that reminds you of how beautiful she was when she was young. Beautifully complex, great longevity (on me) and sillage that's wide enough to be detected by others without invading their space. One of my favorite Zoologist scents.

The opening was iffy to my nose, I can see the intention of it being a cold breeze but it doesn’t fully read that way. Smells vaguely of hair dye/ammonia. Was going to skip this scent until I smelled the dry down. Snow, cold air, juniper, suede, musk. Clean and blue smells paired with faint animalic scents. Kind of like the smell of a penguin’s exhibit at a zoo without the guano, or a still, mossy lake that’s frozen over and still has wildlife scurrying around. Might not be for everyone but I think there’s something really nostalgic and charming about it once it dries down, and when something lasts this long, the dry down is what matters to me. Lingers on my skin overnight and projects out fairly well. Nabbed a full bottle and excited to use it more.

A lovely ice cold take on an aquatic fragrance. This opens with a crisp and icy air, it’s biting and sharp but not in a bad way, it’s intentionally cold like arctic air would be. There’s a heavy dose of juniper here too adding an aromatic freshness. The scent goes into a slightly rosy and mildly warmer territory in the heart but still keeps that ozonic freshness. The dry down is a suede forward scent with a powdery sandalwood, with an oh so earthy oakmoss. This is a distinguished little penguin man in a suit jacket that carries around a suede satchel across his chest and a monocle in his pocket. He only ever graces the cold arctic terrain to see his fellow penguins, but otherwise cozies up in his solitude with a good book and a cold breeze.

I love this fragrance. Penguin has an incredible blast of this cold artic air, refreshing but also empty and inhospitable. It is clean and smells exactly like a cold icy cave with a touch of sweet cold breeze throughout it. I envision a sort of icy cave next to the sea in Antarctica, or that cave in Hoth where Luke slays the Wampa. Zoologist hasn't missed recently, though their latest scents I think are very pleasing but more vaguely thematic. This actually does smell like where a Penguin lives, even just at the zoo, but its done in such a wearable and pleasant way that transports you to that place. Unlike a lot of other Zoologists, there isn't much animalic or "earth" accords to it but it just doesn't smell like anything else. Amazing!

Completely obsessed with Penguin. After months of spraying myself with samples I finally received a full bottle from my sister. Like many others, not sure how it smells cold but it does - they nailed it. After the initial burst of cool, it fades into an ozonic, oceanic suede. I can’t say I’ve smelled anything else quite like it in perfumery. It’s incredibly special. Definitely leans masculine, but it’s unisex in essence. I think it veers more into sexy man coming home to his cabin after ice fishing than anything. When it comes to Zoologist, Penguin is exactly what people have come to expect from the house, which is polished, elevated niche perfumery with an animalic twist. It’s truly perfect, especially for winter.

This is amazing, there is a sharp opening simulating an arctic blast, a bit of menthol but not overdone. Imagine sticking your head in a freezer as a comparison, I don't know how they were able to replicate an 'ice' note but they got it. I get a small bit of pepper/leathery accord during the dry down which is beautifully subtle. Performance is excellent, easy 12 hours I think this works better as a fall/winter scent but can be worn year round. The menthol backend might be somewhat thick for warmer climates but it doesn't stick around for long. Also the redesigned bottle IMO looks better than the OG, as much as I love the leather cap the new version looks more refined/higher class.

Penguin is by far my favorite fragrance from Zoologist, and quite possibly my favorite fragrance ever. (I've yet to find another that grabs me quite like this one.) Living in New England all my life, this is just so nostalgic and comforting. I smell this and I'm instantly transported to winter (or early spring here in New England). I'm a kid walking home as the sun sets after a day of sledding and all I can smell is the cold, crisp air mixed with the woods nearby and the exhaust from drying laundry floating by on the breeze. This is so much more a feeling than a scent. This is from a happier, more carefree time where life is simple and fully in the moment. To me, it's perfection.

After sampling, my husband and I really fell in love with Penguin. Hearing so many people call this fragrance "cold" really piqued our curiosity and after wearing, it makes perfect sense. The juniper and Antarctic air notes are strong on the opening. Growing up near the great lakes, I am no stranger to the snow. This is like unlocking the memory of ice fishing on a lake with my father. As it dries down, the sandalwood, moss, and suede come forward, making it lean more masculine. On my husband, it actually is a very safe fragrance to wear every day and in any setting. It is definitely a year round winner for him. On my skin, I would prefer to wear it in winter or fall.

Zoologist Penguin is, quite frankly, exceptional. Yes, the 'Antarctic air' and 'ice accord' sound completely ridiculous (even impossible) on paper. Yet, staggeringly, they just... work. This fragrance opens with a bracing, cold, genuinely impressive freshness, like breathing crisp polar air at sunrise. As Penguin settles, subtle suede and animalic undertones emerge with finesse - never intrusive or overwhelming, but quietly enhancing the composition’s depth and character. And as an extrait, performance is extremely good - easily 10-12 hours of longevity with decent projection. Utterly distinctive, refined, and suitable for year-round enjoyment.

First, you smell the cold iceberg and the nordics herbs. Then, the penguin colony bring this smell of spicy musk. The air is freezing, almost burning your nostrils like pink pepper. You wait an hour and you decide to go closer to the group. A leathery, slightly bitter scents comes to your nose. Around you, the springs slowly melt the snow and reveal the juniper branches and the soil as the hours goes by. You lose yourself in the moment and enjoy this deafening mix of smells and fall asleep. You wake up the next morning, was it a dream? Surely, but you still sense the frangrances of this icy world. I love this smell, 10/10

I think it's the absolute peak of ozonic fragrances. I was definitely just smelling a perfume, but it felt like I was inhaling the freezing cold vapor that comes off liquid nitrogen. It is incredibly cold, just so cold. But it's not cold like the smell inside a freezer; I'd say it's a completely different kind of scent that feels exceptionally pleasant. If Creed's Himalaya is the cold wind blowing at high altitudes, this is the glacier itself. I've only tested it out, but I want to buy it so badly. I can't wait for the day I finally purchase it.

This one had me in shock. Just like the review below me, it really does smell cold. Just how you expect Antarctica to smell like with penguins walking around. Really compliments the line, and makes it feel complete. Never really smelt a "cold" type of fragrance, and this was the first. Soapy and clean. Fresh while still having that "dark fragrance" mysterious-ness. Sadly I could not make a full review on this as I had a short time with this, but I am really happy with it. Great scent, however I do not see myself wearing this one. 8.5/10

What at first I thought was an extremely masculine and strong scent dried down and lingered as a fresh, sophisticated suede and juniper aroma. You immediately get the notes of ice and Antarctic air, but they don’t linger for too long. As for longevity, it lingered for quite a while, but I noticed it had very little sillage, it sat close to my skin all day, which I wasn’t mad at. I usually don’t go after aquatic or ozonic scents, but I really liked Penguin and I thought it was a great start. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5