Zoologist Rhinoceros - On the Dusty Road

First of all, in my humble opinion, this is an absolute masterpiece. A complete perfume statement. There are so many layers here, almost like a layered cake, yet nothing sticks out or feels separate. The fragrance never falls apart into individual notes. Everything works together as one complete picture:

Peaty whisky. Wormwood and bitter medicinal herbs. Then comes creosote: old railway stations, trains, rails heated by the sun. Lots of raw leather - saddles, riding boots, horse tack, the smell of a stable. Then incense, as if incense sticks were burning somewhere in a Buddhist monastery. Sandalwood, dry warm woods.

But the strongest image for me is a dusty road through the steppe. Crushed wormwood and bitter dry grasses underfoot, dust rising with the wind and carrying their smell along the road.

As it develops, the leather becomes softer and slightly more animalic. The whisky begins to feel as though it has been aged in an oak barrel, and something almost like cherry liqueur appears, perhaps with a touch of tonka. 

What surprised me most was how beautifully Rhinoceros opened even in Lisbon heat, at over 30°C. In hot weather, it develops this dry, almost oud-like minimalism. Still, in my head it belongs to a different setting: autumn, evening, a chalet, a fire, a dark bar. It leans a bit masculine to me, but I can absolutely imagine it smelling incredible on a strong woman.

In any case, it’s a magnificent perfume, and right now – in this warm, dry autumn with its already cool evenings – it’s more fitting than ever.