ZOOLOGIST
HUMMINGBIRD

2015

PERFUMER
Shelley Waddington

Lilac
Cherry
Pear
Plum
Lily-of-the-Valley
Apple
Violet
Rose
citrus notes

Honey
Honeysuckle
Mimosa
Ylang-Ylang
Tulip
Peony

Whipped cream
Musk
Coumarin
Moss
Sandalwood
Amber
White Woods

The florals are the star of the show here, opening with a strong floral and slightly sweetened scent. Now as a guy with a balcony and strictly articial flowers in his house (partially due to my cats eating flowers, partially due to my gift to let even cactuses die within a week), I’m not able to distinguish most florals. My initial connection with Hummingbird was the smell of orchids.

The second main note here is honey, but in the opening I only got the sweetness and not so much the creamy or smooth texture that sometimes comes with a honey accord. Most surprisingly, when looking at the listed notes, is that I barely got any of the fruits in the opening. Pear, apple, cherry and plum are listed, but I wouldn’t say this has a fruity opening. It’s not until the drydown, where fruits become a more prominent player, turning into a sweet pear fragrance to my nose. Whereas the first hours have a slight musky and powdery undertone, the drydown also becomes much creamier, which I really enjoyed. Overall, this is a beautiful, smooth fragrance, but it leans overly feminine for my personal taste. Obviously, everyone should be able to wear any kind of fragrance, but the opening reminded me of female hair shampoos and I would highly recommend this to female readers, for the guys I’d suggest getting your hands on a sample first.