Sacred Scarab - Honeyed Flowers, Incense, Hot Skin in a Desert Heat

Sugary honeyed rose and rich, animalic jasmine. A garden in the desert, an oasis surrounded by scorched earth. Goats wander nearby, leaving very obvious traces of their presence, while Bedouins brew strong tea with mint, lemon and plenty of sugar served with dates and prunes.

The air feels electrically charged - dense, physical, almost oily. Incense, musk and the smell of hot skin underneath layers of clothing protecting it from the heat.

What fascinates me most is what happens as Sacred Scarab develops. As the animalic and resinous notes grow darker and richer, a floral note remains right at the centre, almost like a needle running through the entire composition. It keeps changing, shimmering between the smell of a fresh flower that hasn’t yet been picked and a thick, sweet preserve made from its petals.

That contrast is incredibly beautiful. Something fresh and alive surrounded by heat, incense, skin, musk and animalic darkness. I think, i feel - this is one of the most beautiful Zoologist fragrances. Magnetic, sexual, bold, complex and wonderfully layered. It suddenly made me think of Bertolucci’s The Sheltering Sky. Sacred Scarab feels like the perfect olfactory soundtrack to that film. Now I want to put it on and watch the whole thing again.