Bat Zoologist 2015

Although Zoologist has only been on the market for a few years and until recently, one could only access testing opportunities with moderate effort or the friendly support of the Parfumo community, this brand has become one of my favorites, especially since the second wave of releases. Bat plays a crucial role in this, because, let me clarify right from the start, this fragrance is truly avant-garde.

It is not unusual for scientists to find their way into perfumery through roundabout paths, but in the case of Ellen Covey, it should be mentioned that she is a renowned bat researcher who has written numerous articles on the subject (particularly about the complex echolocation system of bats) and has crawled around in bat caves in the jungles of Jamaica for her research. Additionally, she has already released several dozen fragrances with her brand Olympic Orchids. Regarding Bat, I find these are quite fortunate coincidences. Moreover, she also teaches psychology at the University of Washington and runs a professional orchid nursery.

From the very beginning, Bat eliminates any attempt to categorize it. Turbulent and very moist, heavy and dark earth rolls in, and within a few seconds, the humidity rises to one hundred percent. Following the bass-heavy opening is the tangible impression of a slowly settling mass of earth, very enveloping and dominant. However, a clear contrast is set with a rather bright and sweet banana, making it initially difficult to shift attention away from this alien and quite moldy earthiness. One should be prepared for that.

Bat is a room-filler, provocative, demanding, and dark. However, it is not gloomy or grim; quite the opposite. The banana soon transforms into a mango-like fruit mash, making the fragrance appear warm and friendly along with the consistently high humidity. Ellen Covey mentions in an interview that certain species of bats resemble hummingbirds in their behavior and diet, thus occupying the same niche at night as hummingbirds do during the day - in fact, I find that the fruity mash aspects of Bat have parallels to the nectar-like fruitiness of Hummingbird from the same brand. The interplay of tropical fruits and moist earth remains dominant for the next few hours; nevertheless, Bat is an extremely evolving fragrance: beetroot-like roots weave through the earth, the air becomes more mineral and cooler, and the fruit component fluctuates greatly. Over time, Bat becomes increasingly calm and rounded, the atmosphere shaped by contrasts such as moist and mineral, warm and cool, earthy and fruity. It seems to me like a love ode to bat life, an attempt to explain why it is cool to be a bat.

Bat is avant-garde for a very specific reason: it contains a very high dose of geosmin. Geosmin is rarely found in note pyramids; the Parfumo database knows only two fragrances with this substance, plus five more if you search for "petrichor," which refers to the aroma in the air after a rain shower; geosmin is a key component of this scent impression. I suspect that The Smell of Weather Turning by Lush (in small amounts) and Coven by Andrea Maack (in somewhat higher dosage) also contain geosmin. It is also found in earth and mold, the moldy-green aroma that rises from compost bins or heaps, that is geosmin. And Bat contains a lot of it.

I liked Bat from the very beginning, although the association with mold stands out very strongly for me. Even patchouli seems like a choirboy compared to this archaic and grumbling earthiness. My brother associated it with a paper test as moldy banana. Bat is not office-friendly: colleagues asked me if I had just been "somewhere" or if something "weird" was lying around - the hint that the fragrance causing the irritation is actually a perfume led to lasting head-shaking. However, one (moderately perfume-affine) colleague was so taken with Bat that I have to bring her a sample soon.

I find Bat wonderful on my girlfriend. This fragrance creates an authentic tropical atmosphere entirely without leafy or floral components, warm, exotic, and also sensual. Extremely present and thus an entertaining protagonist. It is fun to discuss it. It is nice to hug someone who wears Bat.

But as I said: one should be prepared for it. Geosmin has an extremely low perception threshold. The 25% perfume oil content that Bat actually indicates as an extrait impregnates clothing for days and weeks, causing the fragrance to unexpectedly reappear. To understand it or even be ready to approach it, knowledge of its context is necessary. This fact does not speak against this fragrance for me at all, because once its context is known, a comprehensive and consistently implemented palette of images and moods reveals itself. However, its presence forces the surroundings of the wearer to engage with it. In contrast, the hardly fulfillable task of explaining the concept of a Canadian indie house brand to every fellow passenger on the subway or the fact that it is actually a perfume. One should be able to accept irritation.

Irritation should not stand for disgust here; I was able to evoke a variety of reactions with Bat, but no one felt immediately repulsed, with wonder and interest always prevailing. Over time, Bat becomes quite wearable, softer, resinous, and increasingly rounded. The humid, sultry fruit mashiness feels warm, relaxing, and compact, the mineral earthiness unusually clean and airy, the beautiful contrasts make the fragrance dynamic and interesting. As difficult as this fragrance is to handle, I do not see it as mere play or conceptual art.