Rhinoceros Edition 2020

Prinnnnn!! Lomrossss!!! He’s such an unbelievably skilled artist and in many ways, technician. The precise way his formulas unfold in the air is nearly magical. The overall theme I get from Rhinoceros - which is one of my top faves from Zoologist - is a “moist” (sorry) pipe tobacco complete with the seemingly oft-used-by-Mr.-Lomros, geosmin (part of petrichor rain on hot soil/concrete) to increase the rich, supple, fresh tobacco effect. This is combined with what I perceive as a raisiny, pruny, date fruit accord that brings incredible depth to the tobacco accord. Inside of the prune, date, and raisin accord is a non-specific, tart, juicy, red fruit and gone-before-you-know-it red cough medicine micro-moment, but that is eventually enveloped by the heavier, richer notes to create a sort of symphony of textures and dark hues. Holy man. It’s just so delicious however not “edible.” I can certainly feel a booziness and I suppose there’s leather woven into the texture, but, for humble me, this is all about that deep, moist (sorry), rich spiced raisiny tobacco. I think the boozy notes account for some of the unnamed fruity red cough syrup (for humble me) and the leather seems more prominent after wearing for some time, but again the dark tobacco accord is always lurking and present. Whatever, it’s so very very good. Deep, dark, rich complex but instead of being suffocating and cloying, it breathes beautifully and diffuses its lovely melange of sophisticated and satisfying accords and notes.

OMG I fricking love this. The opening is SUPER boozy as others have said, but it’s classy whiskey not cheap plonk. The fresh sweet hay & tobacco is glorious and if you get a good snoot full there’s that hint of coffee. As the booze dials down there’s a lovely green patchouli undertone... all I could do all day was inhale deeply & swoon. As soon as my partner got home I insisted he wear it too and it’s just as delightful on him! Seems like I’m lucky that my skin chemistry lusts after Prins scents because IMHO the trash talk from other folk about Rhinoceros is nonsense... (yeah I know it’s subjective and different from skin to skin but... cmon.... It’s magic!) I don’t even really understand the skank others are getting but maybe that’s dumb luck on my skin. F*** this masculine/feminine assessment of scent... what the what?! This is unisex. All perfume is unisex. Like, wear the scents you’re into whether it’s barnyard stank, heady florals, or earthy nature... you do you. I also don’t really understand why folks suggest limiting places to wear it, there’s nothing offensive here so that’s a weird take *shrugs* Anyways, this is my love letter to Rhinoceros. I’m no nose and I’m a noob at perfume because I never knew there were options like THIS! Imma edit this in the future as I discern more of the nuances of this treasure. Also worth noting I have a full bottle of Prin’s Eshu which is very similar (and I bought it blind cause I JUST KNEW) but I reckon Rhinoceros is even better. Fight me.

An austere, meditational tobacco scent. The smell of a professor's private office - a freshly packed tobacco pipe and whiskey glass on his leather-topped table, exotic objets d’art lining the walls. This is a rare case where you can look at the note pyramid like a recipe - every note appears in photo-realistic and identifiable form. Let's face it, most modern scents will list (for example) lavender, bergamot and cardamom, when the reality is just a cheap hit of dihydromyrcenol (or the dreaded Virginia Cedar + Vetiver, don't get me started!!). But here you can pick out each element and it smells ... real. The tobacco is a whole, dry tobacco leaf. There is a smoky quality, like the edge of the tobacco leaf was slightly burned and then blown out. Other than the dry, dusty leather this is not an animalic fragrance, although there are moments when it hits you a certain way and you’re transported to a clean barn, hay on the floor. Some of the hay is damp, adding a slightly dank, musty quality to the air. Overall, this plays a similar role in my wardrobe to Gucci Guilty Absolute PH (or a comparable Morillas-style leather scent), but adding a tobacco and smoke element. It’s a bit silly to assign gender to the fragrances of inert things like leather or smoke, but worn with certain outfits, this has a macho, leathery, cowboy at the campfire sort of vibe. Linear and everlasting.

@hfiebert nails it fairly succinctly. I enjoyed wearing my sample thoroughly, and if my current collection weren't reaching near critical mass, I would probably pick up a bottle. It smells like a conglomeration of scents that I've smelled before, but composed in such a way that it is unique. Usually scents that I would describe as "barnyard" (is it the oud, maybe?) would be displeasing to my nose, but here somehow it just works. The leather, tobacco, alcohol accord (rum/whiskey blend), incense, oud AND patchouli are all top notch and well behaved--no one note tries to go rogue and spoil the blend. Truly shocking, considering that's basically a Who's Who List of Often Overbearing and Possibly Problematic Notes. It does lean slightly masculine, but it is definitely more season sensitive than it is gender specific--I can only see myself enjoying this scent at 40°F or less. Worth sampling, and maybe even buying a travel spray blindly if you enjoy the listed notes--not one to be missed from Zoologist. Current Ranking: Beaver > Sloth > (Squid?) > (Moth?) > Rhinoceros > Koala > Hummingbird > Elephant > Camel > Panda > Macaque (Yuzu) > Chameleon > Nightingale > Bat > Dodo > Tyrannosaurus Rex

I picked this up as a huge Trex fan hoping this would impress me to a similar extent. I was initially disappointed, because I was comparing it to Trex and you know how comparing something new to your favorite goes. I was anticipating something animalic and feral and controversial, but I actually find this somewhat gentlemanly. The sweetgrass is. . . odd. It's sweet. It burns away fairly quickly and what remains is smoke, and I find the smoke comparable to the smell of fireworks. I'd say it's predominantly an incense fragrance. The leather is a sort of diminutive background note, there as support. Performance is fine but I'm of that class of individuals that want psychotic performance; I want strangers to complain if they end up in an elevator with me. I like it, but it's not a love. Edit: reacts totally different on fabric than my skin : the sweet grass enjoys greater longevity and compliments the main note far more suitably, all the while more capably accentuates the contrast that makes this fragrance interesting, unique, and successful. In fact, the whole of the fragrance performs better on fabric. I may have to upgrade my estimation. Yes. I do love Rhinoceros.

Rhinoceros, you sweet tobacco bomb! This perfume packs a punch when you first spray it. The top notes create this strong, dark and mysterious leathery tobacco, with a fleeting hint of booze. This is dry and very masculine. Tobacco is the main player here from the first note to the very end, it reminds me of one of those places in Cuba where people are rolling tobacco leaves to make cigars. There's is also a sort of slight medicinal smell, but it's at the back of the composition. On my skin this is an evolving fragance; after the first punch, and the middle notes, where it feels rough and at the same time gentle and cozy, it dries down to this spicy tobacco, that feels almost middle eastern (à la Camel... but it doesn't smell anything like Camel), very soft and comforting (totally different from the initial punch). This has great longevity on my skin and it fills a room, so go easy on the trigger. I love it. This is very different from Sloth and Bat 2020, which are also by Prin Lomros. With Sloth and Bat2020, I can see a certain underlying "signature", but Rhinoceros is very, very different.

I had mixed expectations coming in. People said this smelt like a stable, but I had liked it in my paper test, but my girlfriend hadn’t. I tried 2 sprays and immediately got whacked with a burst of coffee, whiskey, tobacco, and greenery that was unexpected but welcome. I have never been hit so hard by a first spray and I felt self conscious exiting the bathroom due to the intensity of the smell. As it dried down, however, it morphed into a deliciously exquisite smell that smells of incense, leather, and tobacco, oud, and patchouli, that was just so manly. It felt like I had came out of a bonfire into a cigar club. I found myself enjoying the fragrance all day long and reapplying in the evening. As strong as it was, the performance was not quite matching – it lasted less than its projection might’ve led me to believe. I cannot recommend this fragrance enough if you are someone who is OK with standing out and projecting a very classic, gentlemanly aura. If it wasn’t for the price tag, I would consider a full bottle. Might save up for a birthday present for myself.

So torn on this one. I get whiskey soaked cedar chips very strongly in the opening. It's like having a pet hamster who is a raging alcoholic. Having sampled more than half of the line, I feel like the animalic nature of Zoologist is often overstated. That said this one smells like a zoo for the first hour, which I find fun. As it dries it becomes a more traditional boozy, woody, leather fragrance that's really very comfortable and gentlemanly but still a little brash and brutish. The accord list above seems very accurate. The performance is above average on me. All together I like it quite a bit, particularly the dry down, but I'm just not sure I'd reach for it in my collection. This is my third dip into my sample though, so something keeps calling me back to the zoo, which might be the only truly appropriate place to wear it. The more I wear it the more I like it. Edit: Ended up getting a bottle as a birthday gift to myself. After a few more wears in the cold weather I kinda think it’s genius and it has become a favorite of the line.

Prin Lomros is one of my favorite perfumers and this scent from him blew me away! This is one the best scents I think a man could wear, bc wow is it good. This is a lot of booze, a lot of leather, a lot of woods, with spiced sweetness. This opens with strong whiskey and rum, smooth and bitter, slightly sweet, with a dark roast coffee and green, spiced pink pepper. The heart is a smoky leather with a sweet subtly banana-like ylang ylang and sweet earthy grass. Then comes a strong oud but oud is smooth, creamy, woody, as well as an ambery oakmoss. This rhino smokes cigars, plays poker, sips whiskey on the rocks and sits in a leather recliner after a long day, watching the Sopranos. The smell of coffee from that morning lingers in the same cup he sips his alcohol from. This is definitely challenging in the sense that it’s a lot strong accords meshed together into one with an add on of natural sweetness from the sweet grass and ylang ylang but the end result is insanely good, and this definitely tells the story of a rhino.

'Rhinoceros (2020)' is completely different from the original interpretation. Where that one focused more on leather and rum, this one emphasizes the rich tobacco with a unique twist. This fragrance has so much more depth than the original, in my opinion. It’s deeper, richer, smoother, and has a lot more going on. The bitter sweetness of the added coffee note, mixed with the oud and tobacco, give 'Rhinoceros' an almost dark chocolatey vibe at first (not gourmand though). Sweet, yet dark and bold. Leather is still present, and there’s a slight greenness that I detect, but not nearly as earthy as Prin’s other releases for Zoologist. If you’re worried at all about how the performance of 'Rhinoceros' compares with its predecessor, don’t be alarmed. This fragrance is a VERY loud beast. It fills the entire room whenever I spray even a small amount. Like the animal it was inspired by, the scent charges headfirst, unashamedly revealing its olfactory glory to those around you.

I actually really love this. I wore my sample to the theatre. I'm absolutely not the gender or age demographic to what people seem to associate this fragrance with (not that it matters) but I got complimented. It reminded me of King Cobra a little? But less on the green side. Incredibly cosy, pleasant but classy smell like a vintage wool jumper under a tweed jacket. On my skin I noticed a slight minty-ness but it wasn't overpowering. Usually mint reads as a very clean scent but it worked really well. It's incredibly strong and long lasting. It does command attention - it's those kinds of fragrances that draw me to them. I took a moment to warm up to it and at first I was a little intimidated. It evoked a similar reaction from me when I smelled imaginary Authors Bulls Blood for the first time. Rambling aside, this is going in my full bottle wish list for sure and I'm so glad I got to sample it. My only regret is that I overlooked this zoologist for so long.

A truly unique and remarkable high quality fragrance. Right off the bat it brought back memories of the Bronx Zoo. It smells like damp soil but not fecal, and a blast of African honey and flowers. The most prominent note here is the damp soil which comes from the Laos Oud used in this fragrance. The notes of pepper, whiskey, coffee, rum, leather, incense, tobacco, patchouli, oakmoss, and amber, come together perfectly balanced, making it smell as if you are burning a high quality piece of oud. I have only experienced this before with Xerjoff Alexandria Orientale and Arabian Oud’s Rare Oud (which is pure cambodi oud) This is by far one of the longest lasting and best projecting ones from Zoologist. A true masterpiece, Prin Lombros is a true artist at perfume making. If you like animalic fragrances, this one will literally transport you to the opening scene of the Lion King where all the animals gather together. Worth every penny

This is an incredible and very impressive reformulation of Rhinoceros, one of my favorite fragrances from Zoologist. I was initially very worried with how it would turn out given the amount of safe and mass appealing perfumes they’ve been releasing as of late, but that thankfully didn’t effect rhino. Just like the last interpretation, upon first whiff, the scent hits you headstrong. Tobacco. Rich, rich tobacco, with a hint of leather and coffee. The difference in this compared to the last version is night and day, this one is like smelling the inside of an old and heavily used tobacco pipe (in all the best ways) whereas the last one was very boozy. I don’t get much booze from it this time, but tobacco is definitely front and center almost the whole way through. The performance on this is top notch and I’d where this anytime and anywhere. It’s a really wonderful and unique take and I’m certainly satisfied with how it turned out.

First of all, this is a gorgeous fragrance. Some might say it’s a winter scent, and I get it—the oud, whiskey, and tobacco lean rich and bold. But for me? This is a spring and summer fragrance, no question. I wore it in Texas heat, and it was absolutely stunning. Think about it—the rhino lives in Africa, where it’s hot year-round. Sure, there are cooler notes in the composition, but this scent thrives in warmth. It’s dry, a little dusty, the right amount of sweetness, tough, has a cooling effect, and is unapologetically masculine. At first sniff, I wasn’t entirely sold, but when I came back to it, I realized how strong, elegant, and unique it truly is. It’s not a crowd-pleaser in the conventional sense—you won’t smell like anyone else. It’s aggressive, powerful, and commanding. You can wear it at night, during the day, in winter if you want, but for me, this shines in the heat. It’s raw, untamed, and unforgettable.

Just received a sample two days ago. What a change from the original Rhino, they don't have much in common to my nose! This one is much less boozy and in your face; a softer and more subdued side of a rhino. It reminds me *a lot* of Sloth and a tiny bit of Bat 2020, which are also Prin Lomros' creations. To me Rhino is even more herbal than Sloth. After wearing it for a whole day I found out what it reminded me of: tea leaves. It smells exactly like I just stuck my nose right into a jar of fragrant black tea or pu'erh leaves. With that outlook on it I feel like I appreciate it much more now. The tobacco and coffee are also very present here, and the ylang plays its part in the background along with the patchouli and the basil, to create a deep, dark base of aromatic herbals and florals. Definitely worth a try! I'm actually considering getting this one over Musk Deer.

Like being invited to a Thanksgiving feast hosted by a kind rhino: a burst of cinnamon and whiff of smoke dissipate into savory warm cranberry sauce and melted butter. Hay underfoot to give it an animalistic hint - maybe the groomed leather of the host’s hide. Your neighbor, an oily armadillo, is sipping warm brandy. It’s evening. To me, this is so fantastical and rich it’s almost a guilty pleasure — gourmand and trad dude masculine (i.e. tobacco, brandy and leather) layered in a way you’ll want to keep sniffing, drying down to a warm, sweet amber. Do not think of this as a rough, confrontational, animalistic Zoologist production. The branding — the animal, its persona on the bottle, and the description — are a rare miss. (Yes, I’ve been around wild rhinos.) But no mind, the scent itself is unique, complex, and unforgettable.

Whiskey and coffee (especially the bitterness) are joined immediately by basil in the opening with pepper starting very short after. Basil in the opening was really different and unusual. Pleasant in a weird way. Then within a few minutes there's a dirty slightly funky (maybe per my partner, fertilizer) note being joined by tobacco. Green notes start to come up next, grassy and a bit mossy. There's almost a citrus note but none are listed. Maybe the interaction of booze accords and grass. Leather shores this up and sits with warm boozy accords and tobacco as the primary scents. Light support from incense and woody/grassy notes. As it dries down further the scent becomes woodier and maintains booze strongly. The scent is warm, rich, and bold. I'll need to revisit this a few more times, really enjoying it.

Not a King in an Ivory tower. A King between battles on a muddy and bloody battle field. Fires burn in the distance and you stand with your war council staring at a table trying to plan the days ahead. You drink Rum, whiskey, and coffee, The liquor is for the pain the coffee to stay awake. You smoke a pipe with thick dry tobacco leaves to cover up the smell of war. The candles burn around you adding an incense to the air. You feel your feet on the ground standing in the wet moss, you wonder exactly how many died today. Todays battle was won but there is still many to be had.

Sublime ! Delicious, woody , dry , elegant scent. Not loud, woody-tea like almost , playing in the game of "showing- not showing" game, mysterious. Absolutely gorgeous. Masculine but as it's not controversial and intense also unisex. Shadow perfume, woody not at all overpowering in any way, truly amazing creation. Reminds me a bit in the dry-down of the scottish botanist perfume Carduus from Jorum Studio , they share the herbal component for sure in the dna. Calming, exquisite, timeless , probably one of my fav 3 of the brand. Beautiful. ! 10/10

My favorite from the Zoologist line. It opens up with strong leather and a boozy note that almost comes off as honey, and there's an underlying earthy and hay-like scent all the way through. I think the name is very well placed; it does remind me of a Rhinoceros on a dry savannah. The opening is quite harsh, but it settles down eventually. On my skin this lasts all day (12+ hours) and projects a couple of hours. A true beast; great for dressing up or using a leather jacket; probably best for winter or fall. For machos online, no kids allowed.