Snowy Owl

Zoologist perfectly exemplify the age old question of art vs. wear-ability in perfumery. They nail their concepts with refined creativity and an uncanny realism, but at the end of the day you're likely to be left wondering when and where you can actually use this stuff. Like it's predecessors Bat and Elephant, Snowy Owl has a grueling start. There's an unsettling soil note that takes me right back to the aforementioned Bat. As always, there's no question as to the high quality of their ingredients. And it's also blended with a master's touch, but it's just so...literal. When Zoologist hit you with a concept, you're gonna get that concept through and through. Subtlety is not something they seem to be interested in. Snowy Owl presents crystal, snowy streams straight out of some vintage fantasy artwork, but lo and behold, there's also an owl. Normally I don't shy away from animalistic notes, but I get pet shop vibes from this. Fur, woodchips, an afterglow of urine amidst the moisture-laden soil. It's a fascinating experience, but it's quite the price to pay in exchange for smelling like a dirty, little Siberian rodent.

The coconut in this is the most prominent note to me! It is a very green, dry woody coconut, the type you'll find in Heeley Coccobello. The mint is secondary to this, creating a slightly mentholated sunscreen feeling. It's interesting, like all Zoologist creations, it's art. But not something I would want to smell like on the day to day. There really is that implied animalic note in the musk base, making me think of downy soft owl feathers on a cold wet day.

Frosty iris, coconut and cucumber concoction. I get it, I just don't know that I like it

The sight and sound of melting snow dripping from branches, a just-thawed stream burbling, and snowdrops unfolding in timelapse. Starts out cold and floral then develops to watery with the florals becoming more prominent over time. A tiny earthy undertone remains. Slight animalic whiffs among the woody final drydown. Honestly, has some of the best developmental flow my untrained, pedestrian nose has experienced. I don't like florals beyond the simplest soliflores, but I think I'd wear it quite a bit in spring.

Fresh cool dewy grass and a hint of expensive department store smell (at first). This scent is already a lot more wearable than many Zoologist perfumes, in fact I'd like to smell like this. The opening is a pretty grassy scent, and the sample says it has 'Snow Accord' in it, which I see Fragrantica says is 'Calone.' I don't think I particularly smell "snow" here, but I do imagine crisp winter air on a sunny day with the snow beginning to melt and shining. There is something there that also reminds me of the smell when you walk into a department store and there is this sort of fresh new leather-y smell around. I know there isn't any leather in here, but it's the closest I can think of how to describe this scent relating to a department store. I also feel like the mint and coconut are not in your face and just subtly give a hint of coolness and sweetness to this. I can smell it within 4" of my skin, but it's lighter. 10 minutes later and it's become a bit more 'earthy' green scented. It makes me think of winter turning into spring, with again some snow melting and some greenery starting to make its appearance finally. This may be the snowdrop. 20 minutes later and I feel like this smells more nature-y and I imagine the ground of woods mostly. Like others have mentioned, having the autumn leaves from the previous year now exposed out of the cool wet ground among some melting snow. 30 minutes later and it's a skin scent, but stronger and I feel like I can imagine a "dirty" smell of the wings or feathers of the owl. It still absolutely has a freshness to it, but there's also this natural "dirtiness" to the scent as well now, which may be the oakmoss and the musk. There's still a coolness and sweetness to it as well. By dirty, I don't mean like a dirty patchouli, it's more like just what you would smell in the air in nature, not unwashed human dirty. I do feel this leans slightly more feminine, especially with the touch of sweetness and coolness, but I'm sure this could smell elegant on a man as well, especially the "musky dirty" dry down. I'll see how long this lasts, but I'm really enjoying this one. 2 hours later and it's a cool sweet musky vanilla scent with some woodiness and a lightness to it. 5 hours later and it's a faint skin scent I can only really smell with my nose to my arm, but it still smells the same. 8 hours later and it's gone