Sacred Scarab

A gorgeous, experimental, backwards-evolving, chypre with a smooth addicting, bitter, fruity opening. I very much love this Zoologist release. Goes on bitter and earthy then soon blossoms into a vintage medley of dried fruits and musky, grassy, piney resins and spent ancient florals. The first day of testing Sacred Scarab I was actually astounded by what I was smelling."I smell beetles" was what I remember thinking and was instantly impressed by the craftsmanship in this fragrance. I lived in Niger, in Africa where I saw many dung beetles with their cute tiny little balls of cow, donkey or camel manure and I use to observe them as they rolled their prize away on the sand. But if you've ever visited Virginia in the US in the Summer you will have probably seen the "Japanese beetle" in the prime of their mating season. They are an invasive species of scarab beetle that escaped from an insect nursery in Virginia in the 1970s. When visiting the Arlington Cemetery I received a very natural and sweet smell in the air from the magnolia trees that Sacred Scarab reminded me of. I happened upon a very fragrant magnolia tree and inside a few fully bloomed magnolias were these orgies of little Japanese beetles mating. The dense smell of their musky pheromones accompanied by the fruity and lemony sweetness of the magnolia blossom conjured up the general vibe of how Sacred Scarab smells. This is natural, impressionist, perfumery at probably its best. I later found out that Sultan Pasha made it a point to include an accord of plum using a peach lactone (gamma-decalactone) that mimics the smell of scarab beetle pheromones in the Sacred Scarab composition. So I was completely hysterical with shock, that I was able to experience that smell without any knowledge of it. Absolutely insane...! In a time where I’ve been underwhelmed by perfume after perfume searching for something that doesn’t smell cheap or too redundant I have finally stumbled upon something special in Sacred Scarab. I must admit it, Sacred Scarab underwhelmed with first wearing which I tested at home at night. It seemed to have been missing “something”. But I realized that conceptually it missing this, “something” was what set it apart from other Chypres and also made it successful at portraying the Scarab beetle's simple life while equally evoking the atmosphere of Ancient Egypt. I soon realized what seemed to be what was missing, this great chypre is missing a whole top layer lacking in the typical Chypre dimension of crisp, zingy, citric, sourness that then introduces us to these well orchestrated base notes but on the other hand it is still extremely well-blended and dimensional not to mention original. If anything Sacred Scarab's strangeness is that it is a base-heavy chypre and doesn’t immediately bless the wearer with an exaggeratively soured, bright and/or spicy introduction that is typical of most chypres... But damn what a base It Is...! Bound to the lowest levels of the earth, equipped with the ability to fly, the scarab beetle has the ability like most insects to travel the world thoroughly and this perfume manages to possess an effervescent fresh atmosphere representative of outdoor air, and a very, humid, balmy, musky, dry and fruity greenness representative of the Earth. We are given the beetles sense of smell the world is too large to smell altogether but what we do smell we can smell in vivid detail. Sacred scarab is a strange and somewhat groundbreaking chypre that develops backwards on my skin starting with its base notes and then ending with its top notes. A warm embrace of a bitter, smokey and earthy foundation of myrrh, frankincense and syrupy rich benzoin advance you to a sharp, stemmy, bitter and green galbanum. From here the Kyphi accord soon takes shape as the beetle musk accord from the plums, the dried fruit, and sweet, heady, and watery, recreated lotus nectar impart a slightly mildewy and spent fruitiness that is almost oud-like, or boozy to those not into oud. This smell can remind one of an old diwaniya. A part of the home that acts as a reception or social meeting area for Middle Eastern men, where oud chips or bukhoor are customarily burnt and dried fruits and roasted nuts are served. Years of natural essences have been burnt and the smell has saturated the environment of the leathery, woody and well-used room. Once the Kyphi phase ends this perfume becomes fresh and bright where the aldehydes finally bubble up to the surface, and a tropical lotus remains to impart a spent, heady sweetness with a soapy, lemon and musky, rich civet accord. Sacred Scarab is both domestic and wild in equal measures but somehow never feels gimmicky in its representation. A perfume that is a different journey with every wearing. Even though I think Egypt has been overdone as a concept in perfumery and a surface level approach to Africa, I excuse Zoologist because: Hyrax and I do excuse Sacred Scarab since much risk, research and concern seems to have been taken on perfecting this composition. Sultan Pasha has undoubtedly created an artifact for Zoologist that can sit on equal ground as the best from the house. Unisex, with great lasting power on me and hefty sillage that gets larger overtime. I just hope Sultan Pasha can distance his ego from this creation and continue to take as much care in creating more great perfumes as he did here. Viciously artistic, challenging, musky, uncompromising and original like Zoologist does best. Sample it! I will wait for the attar to release before making a purchase! 🪲🐞🌸 10/10

FIRST HOUR: Another Zoologist fragrance I was excited to try, while suspecting based on the scent profile that it would not be for me, and indeed it is not. This is an intense fragrance, and the aldehydes, florals and dense composition all code it as squarely "feminine" to me, or, as another reviewer has said and others have upvoted, a "masculine" take on Chanel No. 5. I find it overpowering because the specific notes being accented are not the ones I typically seek out, but for a woman who appreciates a scent that's classic, bold, and somewhat Middle Eastern, this would be beautiful. I also suspect that this would be an excellent scent in hotter climates. SECOND HOUR: As expected, the intense floral and aldehyde wave is just the first phase in its evolution. The wine/plum/jasmine middle notes as they begin to lead are more sumptuous, and unisex. A Tunisian former boyfriend of mine could have easily pulled this one off. Hmmm, I could see this one being a dark horse favorite for me over time, even though its style is not my typical one today. THIRD HOUR: As the animalic, myrrhy base notes start to bloom, this is beginning to become more masculine, pleasing and delicious to me. At this stage, it would not be overwhelming in a social setting, though is still quite lush. It is still intense enough, and in a specific way, to make my nostrils feel slightly fiery, "irritated" in the way that pepper and other perfectly safe things can irritate. But I would be mindful of my environment before picking this as my fragrance of the day. Not for date night, a plane, or the opera. Also not one I would pick for a personal journey while I work on the computer. This is an elegant and bold fashion statement that sets someone apart. "Regal" as others have said. Good for a gala or outdoor cocktail party. FOURTH HOUR: Settling into something quite wonderful, heavenly. FIFTH HOUR: Sweet and pleasing yet spicy. Strong, but no longer intense. Would be appropriate anywhere. Keeps right on going. SEVENTH HOUR: Still incense-y and spicy. Very present. This perfume has officially blown my mind and reframed how I think about chypres, and fragrance in general. -- This is an A++ in craftsmanship and very memorable. I suspect based on the one review here on Fragrantica that the attar version is even-better, since without the alcohol to project the scent in the same way, it would be a bit less assertive, a bit more involving, which would make it hard to resist. This has put Sultan Pasha on my radar in a big way. A high point for Zoologist. --- p.s. So far of the Zoologist fragrances I've tried... NICE but not for me: Rabbit, Elephant, Cow (with Cow as the favorite in this class). I think these are all good fragrances but the scent profiles are very safe, playful, and in two cases a bit Beatrix Potter. I can appreciate the wit, craft, and marketability, but wouldn't choose these scents for date night. FOR ME but safe: Tiger, King Cobra, Bat, Beaver Maple, Northern Cardinal (with Northern Cardinal being one I'd buy). Other than Northern Cardinal, everything in this class smells perfectly nice, and I wouldn't give away my samples lightly. But they are safe and not ones I'd jump to buy a full bottle of. Northern Cardinal though is a winter, must-have scent. A bewitching and pleasing journey. FOR ME, amazing, and edgy: Portuguese Man O' War, T Rex (love), Squid (love but quite daring). I would be exceptionally sad if T Rex or Squid is ever discontinued. The former is very me, and the latter is freaky and addictive. If anyone bought me one of these, I would be ecstatic. And Portuguese Man O' War is just slightly less-weird, but still excellent. EXCEPTIONAL but not for me: Snowy Owl (weird/wonderful), Civet (classic), Sacred Scarab (dark horse). These are far outside my go-to scent profiles but I can appreciate the craft. I read each of these as feminine and the latter two as classic and educational if one is interested in the history of perfume. These are all too high-personality to gift easily to someone, but they are excellent fragrances. [UPDATE: Hour by hour, Sacred Scarab has brainwashed me and now it's officially a favorite.] TOO CHALLENGING, TOO NOT-ME: Moth. (I accede that Moth is objectively good. Eager to meet someone one day for whom this is their signature scent.)

I have noticed that some people think anything with aldehydes smells alike. I think it’s just the nature of aldehydes and how they can play tricks on your nose in the opening due to the dominance. Because otherwise, I am completely baffled by the comparisons to Chanel No 5. I’m a Chanel No 5 lover and have it hoarded in different strengths and from different decades and nothing about this perfume other than the aldehydes reminds me of it in any way. I wear No 5 regularly and have for many years, and not once have I been reminded of Chanel No 5 while wearing Sacred Scarab. I was reminded of Paloma Picasso a bit during the opening and initial phase but there is so much more going on that the PP reminder is just one part of it. Sacred Scarab is a combination of brightness, joy and solemness, there is a 70s or 80s glamorous vibe to it initially, very energetic and exciting. This is what I would call the “birth” period representing youth. It’s golden and floral with a beautiful citrus and there is a green aspect coming from the galbanum and oakmoss. As it dries down, the darker aspects come into play, particularly the red wine note that is almost like a plummy merlot sweetened with raisins. But the golden feel is still there. Further in the drydown is where the sacredness comes in. The brightness leaves and the darker aspects take over, more animalic and resinous and incense becomes more prominent, and there is an earthiness with an almost ashy gray feel to it. At no point does it feel “churchy” or anything like that but more like a tomb. There is an unmistakable somber feel and I’m surprised I am not seeing this mentioned. It seems so many people are missing what this perfume is actually about. It’s about birth, life and death. It feels unmistakable to me so I asked Sultan if that was his intention and he confirmed that it was. I knew it couldn’t be my imagination. So this perfume does take a big turn mid-point...and it’s supposed to. In my opinion, Sacred Scarab is exactly what Zoologist is all about. Artistic perfumes that tell a story, and this one is hardly “mainstream”. I think some feel that an unwearable perfume without structure that smells of goat hair is “artistic” when really that’s just what people do when they don’t know how to make structured, multi-layered, classic French perfume with a polished feel. They’ve become used to the disjointed and unpolished and they mistake quality materials thrown together with quality perfume. So then a structured perfume seems “mainstream”. This is hardly mall perfume lol. For many it will even be challenging. But for me, it’s a work of art put together by a true artist, not just a perfume maker. But that’s just *my* opinion of course. We all smell fragrance differently. But *for me* this perfume is exceptional in a sea of far too many forgettables. It stands out. It’s a true piece of artistry. Okay, I’ll shut up now.

I have always wanted to explore the Egyptian pyramids. Call it a bucket list item I’ll likely never get to. The mythic romanticism of Egyptian burial rights is a story all to its own, unlike anything else in human history, that I find truly fascinating and alluring - and parts of it in a horrific way. Sometimes when a person died, their spouse and/or their servants would take their own lives in order to stay with their beloved into the afterlife. They were sent on their way with food, usually bread, wine, amber colored gold, gems, and other finery to make sure they entered the afterlife with wealth providing prosperity. I always found this last part kind of funny with any belief system that employed it: material things that supposedly matter in this life also matter in a completely different life to follow? It doesn’t seem like the afterlife is much of an improvement, does it. Anyhow.... Rolling back the entrance to the mummy’s tomb brings an exchange of today’s air with that which has been untouched in the tomb for centuries as a gentle whoosh of softly powdery aldehydic lemons and a cloud of civet. Light glints yellow off of the gold offerings in the tomb, and the smell of decay is present. The fecal/civet/decay note is quite powerful and realistic to the vintage stuff that used to be used in abundance in perfumes, but it stays on the pleasant side of the line, with both it and the powdery lemon staying lightweight and wafting like a breeze. The heart brings one of the deepest, darkest, bitterest fruit accords I’ve smelled in quite a while. As a wine accord, it is mostly believable but there is no alcohol-like heat or barrel notes coming off of it, and to my nose it strikes as more of a slowly stewed black and blue fruit type accord subtracting sugary sweetness as well. No alcohol aroma, no fermentation aroma, and no sugary aroma either; odd and very intriguing in a mysterious sort of way. The dry down to the base is an animalic amber. More of the black and blue fruit from the heart remains while a musky animalic base of styrax, mosses, incense, woods, and labdanum blooms. It’s a classic amber that is leathery animalics forward, but beautifully balanced between the incense, balsams, and labdanum, very rich but lightweight, smooth, and diffusive. It’s an excellent dry down. I am completely sold on Sacred Scarab. It’s delivered the creative brief in a very convincing way, it’s been interesting from the start to the finish, while also giving us a very well done classic animalic amber that feels sufficiently modern. This sits easily towards the top-end of the list of my favorites from Zoologist.

Dadaism, in practice, is what happens when you take a meaningful object, rip it out of context, and dare people to still find “the point”. Sacred Scarab does exactly that with ritual: it smells like classic French perfumery fumes drifting through an ancient ceremony, but does not tell a linear story. Sultan Pasha frames the composition around Kyphi (an atavistic Egyptian incense built on sweetened frankincense, myrrh, wine, plum, and resins...) not to explain the ritual, but to suspend it in mid-air. The opening is a deliberate clash: citrusy aldehydes against a slight civet edge. It’s bright/clean for about five seconds, then the “museum display” glass cracks and you’re suddenly smelling something animal-adjacent. In the heart, Sacred Scarab pivots into a wine accord + plum, while a (not so floral, but rather “aquatic cherry-like”) blue lotus floats above it like a symbol you’re supposed to understand. The essence here is “half sacred” and “half strange”. After the 4-hour mark, the base emerges by fulfilling the Dada collage. It is a resinous amber accord supported by raisins, a green bite (galbanum and juniper), and mild smokiness. The performance is OK. Longevity-wise, it’s 6 to 8 hours with a contained projection. It will be enough to be noticed by others in close proximity for the first couple of hours at least. In my opinion, Sacred Scarab is one of the most intriguing and complex releases in Zoologist’s line-up. It also offers a peculiar take on the overplayed chypre-revival obsession. It feels like what Papillon could have been aiming for with the (overhyped?) Anubis. Usually, I find Zoologist releases a bit too crowd-pleasing and/or synthetically leaning, especially once the rather ambitious RRP is factored in. This one is different. Sacred Scarab isn’t weird for the sake of it: it’s meaning with the labels removed. Some fans of the Canadian house may be taken off guard, though. With aldehydes and civet in play, sampling is key: your appreciation may vary, and your symbolism certainly will.