Hummingbird by Zoologist Perfumes

This perfume immediately evokes hummingbirds and their way of life; it has nothing in common with other fragrances I’ve tried. Blindly, it smells of dew, pollen, nectar, flowers, and tropical greenery, but above all, honey. The opening is dominated by that potent honey, while the dry down reveals lilac, valley lily, apple, mimosa, and honeysuckle. Later, on my skin, woody and mossy hints emerge along with a soapy breath. I don’t perceive the many other listed notes. It feels more feminine and spring-like; it could overwhelm those who aren’t fans of florals or honey. It has moderate sillage and lasts over 12 hours. I find it lovely and charming. I sympathise with the brand’s idea of evoking animal species and their habitats, which is very interesting. Scent 8/10, Longevity 10/10, Sillage 7.5/10, Value for money 7/10, Versatility 8/10, Packaging 8/10. Would I buy again? I didn’t purchase it.

It is a floral fragrance with a noticeable yet soft scent of ylang and white flowers, accented by a light citrus touch. Like the ‘Dragonfly’, it is a well-blended floral without a single dominant note, but this one projects much more strongly. It leaves a long, enchanting trail. Over time, it becomes fresher and slightly woody, perhaps due to oakmoss. It is elegant, composed, classy, delicate yet not shy. A true hummingbird. Although I am not a huge fan of white florals, this is so well-crafted that it wins me over. It is simply delightful to smell on others.

Like others from this house, I perceive Hummingbird very differently depending on the temperature. In temperate seasons, it opens with an intense honey note, followed by the astringency of lilacs, honeysuckle, and the fruity sweetness of apple and cherry, all over a woody base. As it dries, the fruits disappear, leaving woody chords, honey, and honeysuckle with a soapy rather than green touch, with oak standing out in the late dry-down. It can last over 12 hours, projecting for the first 2 or 3. In summer, the sweet notes intensify while the woody ones recede. The opening is similar, but the red notes of cherry and apple overwhelm everything and become cloying. Fortunately, it settles within an hour close to the skin into a pretty, feminine fruity-floral scent of boozy cherries and plump red apples, with soapy honeysuckle, astringent lilacs, and a hint of honey. The woody dry-down never arrives, as in heat it doesn’t last beyond 4 hours. It’s not my style, but I recognise it’s well-executed. It has an innocent touch, like a girl playing at being a woman. It reminds me of Nina Ricci’s Manzanitas. I see it as feminine, coquettish, and daytime, ideal for informal occasions in good weather, perfect for spring. I wouldn’t buy it, but I’ll happily finish the sample having tried it. Note: in autumn it lasts much longer, and after 4 hours the base emerges—a woody, creamy moss, like whipped mousse of moss, extremely original and charming, though very close to the skin.

For me, the main note is honey; I thought it would be more floral, but the honey mutes the rest. This often happens with this note when it’s given such prominence. I was tempted to buy it blind based on the scent notes, but I hesitated due to the honey and I’m glad I did: although it’s a good perfume, it smells too much like honey for my taste. Performance is good, and while I consider it unisex, I think it leans more feminine, so I recommend men try it before buying. Scent: 8, Longevity: 8, Projection: 6, Value for money: 5, Versatility: 7, Originality: 8, Overall: 8.

Quite realistic honey accented with floral and fruity notes. It’s decent and the performance isn’t bad, though not particularly outstanding either. $125 for 60ml… well, the usual madness.