Description
“Their days are spent secluded in camouflage, the intricate pattern of their wings disguising them against a coarse backdrop of barks and rocks. When they finally stir, even their flight is concealed, shrouded beneath the cover of night. Moonlight ripples off a delicate coating of tiny hairs as their feathered antennae guide them in their search for a mate. Only one temptation can lure them from their quest. Should they succumb to the attraction of the flame, their urge to procreate may be quashed in a wisp of smoke and a smattering of ashes.
At first encounter, the rich, gothic scent of Zoologist Moth may surprise but soon it hypnotizes. A heavy dose of dark spices jolts your senses before settling into a dusting of honey-sweet rose and powdery florals. Slowly, it tests its wings, taking flight on an exotic journey of nagarmotha, guaiac wood and patchouli. Beneath it all lingers a smoky undertone that serves as a constant reminder of the danger within the tantalizing flame.” – Zoologist
Moth was launched in 2018. The nose behind this fragrance is Tomoo Inaba.
ClirtyUtteria – :
A heady swirl of honey, smoke, and mimosa. Delicious.
freedom1 – :
Wow! I actually don’t know what this is. At all. And a moth is a very ugly and unfortunate insect that is constantly on the verge of being murdered in any house or thrown out by all means. This fragrance is so unexpected and elegant and eerie that I would have called it White Swan. It’s an aquarelle of lilac, light pearl grey, old rose and ivory. But like a 10×10 meters ceiling high aquarelle as it stays and stays and hours after it’s still there. When it settles a bit I start to distinguish flowers in the aquarelle : mimosas, iris, powdery rose. This is powdery and sweet, concentrated to death but still light and feathery and at some point just when I thought I would die of overdose, crossed by a slight camphory refreshing note like a very slight breeze. And then….some oud comes through. Yes, oud. In this pastel. Same DNA oud as the one from Camel which gives a dusty taste to all the prior sweetness. Nothing I’ve seen before. I think it can be a love or hate and nothing in between. And considering it’s staying power you should better love it if you try it on skin (I did and don’t complain at all. Just not sure if I could pull it off to wear it).
kudivik – :
Aww… Don’t really know… First impression was little chaotic. Is that supposed to smell like a car mechanic covered with honey? I mean… Ok , maybe that was a parfumers idea. Don’t know. I’ll take it.
After 15 minutes is changing into mainly honey and flowery. Gaso-petrol-oil is very weak now, still there but weak.
After an hour getting honey and flower only ,car mechanic went home.
Not a bit dark as I would expect from “Moth” ,only if I turn off a lights in my room but as mentioned before… Perfumer’s idea.
I love Zoologist’s “Bat” love love love
Moth is big no no for me. I want to be fair, I’ll ask my partner what he think about Moth.
He made a sour face a said : “did you mix more scents together? That’s sweet and nasty”
arci – :
Honey gunpowder, & smoky oud.
The gunpowder is definitely there till it’s gone. It has that balsamic oudi note with an oriental smoke and big doses of cloves, musk, resins, heliotrope, and patchouli.
I could classify this as an oriental blend because of that Arabian style smokey oud. Nice.
APOLON75 – :
In terms of interpretation I would say that Moth is one of the most challenging Zoologits creations to be deciphered. The perfumes from the brand may not have a literal interpretation of the animal that serves as a concept but there is a symbolism related to the environment or characteristics of the animal that fit well with the proposed olfactory form. Already in Moth I feel kind of blind in this sense, with a very abstract perfume to be understood in this meaning.
Perhaps the idea is just that, since moths are masters in the art of disguise. I also believe that this is the result of the collaboration proposed – Victor Wong works for the second time with Tomoo Inaba, the creator of the acclaimed Nightingale, one of the best perfumes of the brand. In a way this is a reflection of Tomoo’s style, since Nightingale also had a certain degree of abstraction and a romantic and mysterious air, characteristics that can be seen here again. However, Moth is different from Nightingale by having an olfactory structure that is not totally straightforward in its design.
We are facing a complex creation, a strong spicy oriental floral in these 3 characteristics. In terms of style, there is a blend of past and future influences and is a creature that seems to move intermittently between the two worlds as it progresses in the aroma on the skin. The opening is surprising because the spicy description and the use of cumin create the expectations of a very spicy aroma with an animalic sweaty touch perhaps, though the spicy appearance of Moth despite being warm and sweet does not seem to go in a defined direction, something that allow to say clove, cinnamon, pepper or even the cumin. There is simply a warm blend of spices that contrasts with a fruity floral narcotic ylang aroma. The flowers bloom and lead to a body with vintage perfume aura – a powdery scent mixed with roses, sweet honey-like aroma and what looks like an almond and bitter heliotrope floral. Finally, the fragrance ends on a woody basis, but again breaking expectations. The Oud does not give an Arab face to the composition and much less stands out and the aroma of the base has a mineral, moist and earthy texture. I feel that the promised smoky aspect turns out to be very discreet and could certainly be amplified.
As a whole, Moth is certainly an interesting scent and maintains the unusually high-quality perfumery pattern that the Zoologist has maintained over the years. As a concept I feel it could have a little clarity in the interpretation of the Moth , which remains essentially disguised in the constant transformation of fragrance notes. I also feel that the idea of Moth’s transition into the flames and the fatality it causes could be explored more intensely in the scent itself.
valikoo – :
Confession: I have a moth phobia and almost didn’t even order this sample! Well, Moth is weird, at first it’s creepy. Moth is an old lady’s mansion with dark, fine furniture and curving stairs covered in thick dust. Old gowns (not quite clean) still smell faintly of her talcum powder and perfume. But, then, the dust starts to clear enough to let flowers bloom and honey glisten. Still, though, there’s that dust and smoke and weirdness. I keep sniffing my arm. It intrigues me, but I don’t think I can wear it. What’s that slight body odor smell after awhile…is that the cumin, the ambergris? Maybe. I’m so confused by you, Moth!
You’ve got to sample this, kids!
Two weeks later: I had the nerve to try again and I am surprised to find I like it better. I still don’t love it, but it scares me less. The predominant impression for me is still of old, dusty wood and clothes, powdery, but now a bit more floral…or, I guess singed flowers dipped in a slightly sour honey. Something you might like wearing when you’re in mourning, or at least deeply sad. A Gothic scent, that’s it! But, the Gothic era, not in the modern pierced-teen sense. As for the rest of it, there are just too many notes listed for me to differentiate them all, but if you’re more experienced than I am (and I’m sure you are), many of them might jump out for you.
In any case, I happily repeat, you’ve just got to sample this! You might not love it, but you’ll never forget it. And, my compliments to henri345que above for a knowledgeable, lush, knock-out of a review!
serjksomov – :
Dusty dark honey and powder kissed with florals- old jammy rose in particular. Hints of spices and patchouli. Great staying power but constantly changing. One of the most wearable Zoologist fragrances. Slightly more feminine than masculine but certainly unisex.
kepilssteem – :
What an intricate beauty.
While the initial blast is overwhelming and a bit unexpected – stale ash mixed with fetid moss – it only lasts for about 1.5 seconds (thankfully). Then, Moth takes flight…
This composition has so much movement! Spice and smoke flood the senses first, followed by an intoxicating floral heart. The individual floral notes sparkle in the limelight, one at a time, like a blooming arpeggio. The drydown is complex, with many intricate stages. I was surprised by the strength of the honey when I reached the last stages, but it creates voluptuousness without adding cloying sweetness and really anchors the scent. This works perfectly amid the patchouli, ambergris, oud and smoke; the final dimension is truly exquisite.
VERY impressed by the longevity – it was detectable on my skin for at least 16 hours. Sillage is merely moderate, but this journey is for the wearer, not bystanders; there’s something intimate and personal about it. That being said, I did receive compliments! I can easily wear this during the day, but believe me, it’s far more magical at night.
While some of Zoologist’s unique “creature” creations work better than others (Beaver is a hard pass for me), Moth is a shining example of a wearable, beautifully crafted concept fragrance. Well-played, Zoologist. Well-played.
pavel_bogdashin – :
This fragrance reminds me a lot of “Chergui” by Serge Lutens. They share many of the same notes.
It’s a smoky honey scent, with powdery florals.
I actually dislike both of these perfumes.
Honey might sound nice and romantic on paper, but it can venture into sour puke, urinous territory. After all, honey is regurgitated nectar.
After sampling both Zoologist Moth and Chergui, I couldn’t figure out at first which note just didn’t belong. It’s the honey. The smokiness mixed with the sweet/sour of the honey just makes me a bit nauseous.
Oblom666666 – :
Deep, deep, dark purple retro 70s fantasia, redolent of delicious decadence. Smoky, smouldering, hippie joss-sticks done to the highest standards of Paris haute couture style, laden with flower-powered sweetness but funkily weird down the bottom (and up top as well) too. For me it conjures powerful powerful images of that era’s Art Nouveau revival posters and fashion, peacock feathers, plushy upholstery, macrame, fringed or Tiffany hanging lamps, slightly reeky kilim rugs, and even a few flashbacks-within-flashbacks to 40s film-noir femme-fatale glamour too. Faye Dunaway dressed to kill as Bonnie, for sure.
And like the style of those eras it’s a fine line to walk for me, between attraction and repulsion. Undoubtedly complex and masterful and nuanced, but almost choking at times … I keep flip flopping between ‘no, it’s way too much, too cloying’ and ‘wow, it’s serious business though, isn’t it?’. Negatives for me are that it’s a little too heavy on the honey, especially as that sweeter honey-mimosa goes pretty strongly urinous on my skin for a phase. The funky fug gets so thick I thought there was some sort of animalic in there too – while being very different it has the same sort of unapologetic dirt to it as say Papillon Salome. Authentically cheesy-filthy whiffs of ambergris, not overwhelming, but not at all scrubbed-up to play nice, either. The cypriol and other aromatics get so camphorous that the whole effect is too far down the road to smelling of straight mothballs – which with the overall 70s aura really does start evoking old suitcases full of your ma’s (or grandma’s) sartorial leftovers of the time kept for the dressing-up box… which can be a great sensory mind trip but not necessarily a mood I want to wear. Heady, weird, almost ghostly-spooky stuff, a nocturnal animal for sure … certainly not a safe blind buy and likely to polarise.
But so compelling! The mellower end down in the bass is really rich and morphs to a softer, more manageable wood a few hours in. Spices are true and lovely. And the control of so many apparently dominant and ‘difficult’ notes is a true work of art, as nuanced and interlocked as the most complex moth-wing pattern. Real beauty but won’t be to everyone’s taste… it’s possibly not even to mine, and isn’t my favourite Zoologist (Rhino / Nightingale / Elephant) … but oh my. What an experience.
Longevity fine but not astonishing on me; evolution complex and completely non-linear, which keeps it even more interesting; sillage pretty assertive.
kostya751 – :
Zoologist’s Moth has a sultry ‘nature’ smell that is strangely wonderful. Similar to the site of the moth’s transformation, it takes you through transitions echoing this nighttime creature’s secret world.
Opening with verdant growth, just above dusky wood and the humus of earthy hollows. The moth emerges from its cocoon to a world of dangerous desire. Longing for light it cannot touch, there’s honey with the smell of the sun. Heedless of predators, the moth searches . . . the aroma of flowers a reminder of its blinding imperative to procreate. Suddenly, tremendous excitement! You smell the musky allure of a mate . . . her scent trail strong in the air. It’s sensual attraction becoming stronger through the powdery frenzy of beating wings. More traces of disturbed green foliage, wild sap scent mixed with honey and musk.
This is a great homage to these nocturnal creatures, and the natural ecology they live in. Artistic, symbolic, and riveting. Its otherworld-liness really does remind me of a moth. I woke up this morning still smelling the honeyed musky accord. Half asleep, it was like I had spent the night outside in a hypnotic trance with the scent of woodland travels clinging to my skin.
спесев – :
I found this unpleasant. Mulchy and floral.
casaslarvilla5 – :
i completely agree with six previous reviews, this is divine…
slavyni – :
Mmm…loving this. It was worth the wait. On the opening it smelt like a disinfectant from way back in my past as a kid. Very medicinal and almost camphory but I really like it. I will guess that this the accord created by all the spices. The saffron definitely adds an extra unique dimension to this masala. If I had a cold then I’d be very pleased to inhale this.
This wondrous spice mix starts to relax and ease off a little allowing the honey, mimosa and iris to surface a bit. If you are now wondering if a guy could carry this off then don’t worry. It’s bang on unisex even with the soft sweetness because the spices and wood notes most definitely hold court in this lovely.
The musky aspect of this scent only really reveals itself after an hour or two. It is softly animalic so thankfully low key. The closing is sort of a soft sweet, camphory and animalic cloud. Quite extraordinary. It really is very well named. I like the joke of the camphor as we all know moths avoid it like the plague.
This is the love child of Francesca Bianchis Angels Dust and Dark Side. What a heavenly moonlit beauty it is to. A diaphanous creature that is happily dancing around in a moonlit garden occasionally taking sips of honeyed nectar from the honeysuckle flowering along its way whilst also trying to dodge the bats!
Its sad that although I love the scent I just can’t see myself wearing it. Civet and Nightingale on the other hand are great scents that suit me and so very wearable.
Good longevity and sillage.
budakwa – :
I blind bought this which is dangerous considering it is Zoologist and they are a brand that is not shy about going outside of the box. I guess that is part of the reason I love the brand so much. As much as I like designer fragrances I hated the fact that I could so easily identify Chanel Coco Mademoiselle or Prada Candy on everyone and by God the stuff is everywhere. It is like Axe body spray at your local High School boys gym locker room. I read several reviews saw a few You Tube reviews and decided to take that oh so scary blind buy plunge. That spicy listed top note and vetevier in the base scared me, but at first sniff I thought what does this remind me of and then it hit me MFK Cashmere Oud. This is a softer version. Not as blast in your face as MFK but by George is this stuff smokey,campfire smokey, in the Spring with all the Spring flowers in bloom in the back ground. Now granted I’m no fume head aficionado. I just love fragrance. Nightingale is my favorite Zoologist scent and this is by the same perfumer and he definitely has a gift. This is a beautifully haunting and it does tell a story. I guess it is fitting that for me I get smoke since moths are so known for flying into a flame.
Александр АБВ – :
This is absolutely stunning. The opening is gorgeous and the name seems to fit the fragrance just perfect. This is absolutely worth every penny of a full bottle.
NoseofJ
Gothenburg, Sweden
mauss – :
Running through the gamut of Zoologist Perfumes with a sample pack of all their fragrances. The first one that caught my attention was Moth, since it has all the spices I absolutely adore. The whimsical moth illustration is also very cute!
The spices punch you all once with their intoxicating prowess. You’re left bewildered at first as your nose tries to make sense of the scentgasmic orchestra playing before you. After the initial crescendo, it settles down into a soothing sonata with the spices intertwining seamlessly with the base components. Absolutely magnificent!
@scentgasms
Mefoa604bedyWelty – :
I recently ordered the complete sample set from Zoologist, so I could try them all with a neutral playing field. This was my first one, and I’m WOW’d. It’s very rich, dark, and sultry. Complex sweetness, with a underlying spicy oud note. I get a lot of honey, rich florals from the rose, some clove/cinnamon business, and an underlying freshness that’s peppery and spritzy at the same time.
It reminds me a lot of Chanel’s Cuir de Russie, having that leathery yet sweet vibe. Think: coca cola meets biker gang meets Catholic Funeral in the jungle.
I’m in LOVE! It’s definitely more of a cool weather fragrance, since it could probably bother people in hot weather. This’ll be on my wishlist for this fall.
jwsvqvylrrt – :
This is wonderful! It’s been a long time since I tested a fragrance and immediately went to buy it (it’s not available until May 4).
It starts a bit muddied on me, that’s not the right word but the best I have. It’s just a little much at once in the first blast. But almost immediately it settles into a beautiful honey floral.
I get some powder but not face powder,or makeup. It’s more like pollen. It doesn’t reduce the glorious flowers or the dripping honey either.
This feels more like a butterfly to me but I don’t care. It is beautiful and wearable.
Закиров – :
Zoologist Moth opens up dusty, which is what I imagine when I think of this particular insect. However, after about 10 minutes, the smokiness and dustiness subsides, letting the mimosa and loads of honey to come through. The heart of this fragrance is sweet and, to my nose, very feminine and old-school. Indeed, this feels something that a more mature woman would wear, 40+ years of age at least. I commend the artistry, however for a man in his 20s, I feel it would not represent my age at all. So, this is a pass for me. The longevity is outstanding, like with most Zoologist fragrances, I get at least 10 hours with strong, to then moderate projection. This did not leave my skin until I had a shower. I do recommend trying it, even though this is not for everyone.
REI32 – :
One of the best openings I’ve ever smelled, period. Some Musc Ravageur vibes for sure. Then it turns more fem, on paper at least. Can’t wait to try it on my skin to see how it does for a man. On paper, the heart notes are all there and it’s pretty feminine due to that
dengod – :
Once again Zoologist has captured the complexity of the animal world in a bottle of juice with Moth. The opening is heavy anise and pepper, morphing into smoke and incense with a sort of decayed powdery aspect. Then the honey comes out in a very animalic, wild way, yet subtle and understated.
For the next 10-15 minutes there’s a lot of pepper, honey, and waxy iris with a mentholated undertone. Then, surprisingly, I get a shadow of the florals from Nightingale, like her quiet wings have swooped away in the dusk, leaving a whisper of her memory as moths silently perk up in the porchlight and bats begin their night dances.
I’m waiting for it to get pleasant when the beauty kind of sneaks up on me. I’m left with dusty, somewhat sweet-sour incense with a blush of oud. Still not sure if this is ever supposed to get comforting or pleasant in any way as I would expect from the notes, but at this point it doesn’t matter, because it is what it is: the most powdery oriental I’ve ever smelled, dark and light at the same time, with the gothic tone and haunting sillage of Opium but a lot more manners. Thoroughly modern, a unique take on oud, with a devastating and addicting strangeness. 9.5/10
Edit: A few hours later, the full drydown is 90% guaiac wood and 10% pepper to my nose. I’d recommend this to those who love woody perfumes if they’re okay with the opening.
dem4ik – :
Mmmmm…so strange at first, but after 15 minutes or so it started to make a beautiful kind of sense. Moth is like the dark reflection of Dragonfly. Lighter florals are given more body with the waxier mimosa and jasmine, while counterbalanced by a delicious honey (though for me, this was honey from the animal kingdom and not the candy store), oud, resins, and smoke. Moth was not at all what I expected and I couldn’t be more pleased. This is fragrance brimming with character and admirable finesse, I fervently recommend at least a sample.
P.S. Practical info: A little goes a long way and it lasts all day… a l l d a y.
dmitrij k – :
The opening sort of smelled like baby wet wipes which I neither liked or disliked. It sort of confused me of which scent it tried to take on before settled down to a baby powder-ish feel to the fragrance. But if I smelled behind all the powderiness, flowery notes definitely was the most apparent. The iris, jasmine, and mimosa combined with cumin, pepper, and smokiness to create a very nocturnal feel to the overall experience. Definitely a colder weather scent for the mesmerizing individuals.
sawow – :
I really don’t know how this was done, what black magic was used, but this is exactly how a moth should smell like. This is light and a bit powdery, sweet and floral, but this is a night creature. It has Oud and patchouli, rose, and resins. This is mysterious and dark despite it’s delicacy.
rober193 – :
A beautiful, artistic interpretation of a moth. I feel that this one leans feminine with so many dominant florals, but the honey, musk, and ambergris could be suitable for a man. It’s a dusty scent. It reminds me of crumbled plaster, sea air, sweet and sour florals, and a touch of antique store from the honey. It’s definitely artistic and I very much appreciate it for that, but I wouldn’t say that it’s very sexy. It’s more to be worn for yourself than for others. I can see wearing this to make myself feel comforted and creative.
oleg258789 – :
Be careful! A little goes a long way with this extrait.
Right out of the sprayer it’s a bit on the chemical side. The drydown is worth it!! I get mostly heliotrope, mimosa, vetiver, wood, very nice honey and musk after many many hours. This scent is still detectable after 20+ hours on me. Lingering, high quality light musk and honey. I’m addicted to it in the middle and drydown stages.
pompyamb808intitytek – :
I adore moths! I will definitely be trying this one. Zoologist fragrances have been beautiful and complex especially the Hummingbird one and the Panda as well. I look forward to trying this one soon!