Zoologist Macaque is a new release in 2016, a woody aromatic created by Sarah McCartney. This is the reworked 2021 Yuzu edition, a move to a little brighter scent with added yuzu, incense and green tea
Macaque has notes of cedar, green apple, red mandarin, frankincense, galbanum, honey, rosewood, ylang, jasmine tea, cedar moss, green tea, white oud and musk* (*denotes a synthetic note).
Created by Sarah McCartney, it is described: "High upon the mountain, a group of macaques rest and play, the young mentored by exacting elders. Inside a solemn temple in the ancient mossy forest below, a ceremony takes place – a quest for inner peace. Frankincense, oud, and jasmine tea chant in meditative harmony, their light florals and sweet offerings falling into rhythm with sweeping aromas of nature. Observing the macaques’ orderly, hierarchical society we can almost see our own hopes mirrored in their eyes."
Macaque is an extrait de parfum, edp.
Fragrantica - "This one however feels like a thematic home run, having essentially completely revamped it from dusty, sour apple and galbanum to lots and lots of woods and lots of Comme des Garcons-style incense (and also a short-lived but super-zingy yuzu opening, freshly zested). This might be too specific a reference, but the particular mix of citruses and juniper on the sweet incense background give the impression of Chinese Nin Jiom herbal sweets (they have a tangerine-lemon flavour that really does feel funnily similar to the opening of Macaque). There's no mentholated touch here obviously, but there is something here (maybe the cypress, maybe the resinous aspects of the incense) that vaguely opens the sinuses and as others have pointed out really gives the impression of hot steam—whether it be from a cup of tea or a hinoki wood spa.
Fragrantica - "There's a bright juniper and yuzu opening that slowly fades behind wood and incense. I'm holding hot tea with a slightly zesty citrus in it... sitting in a spa among trees, water flowing nearby over mossy rocks and wood. I can close my eyes and that's exactly where I am. Clean and peaceful and beautiful. No one evokes an environment like Zoologist. This is a love."
Fragrantica - "Macaque Yuzu is quite different to the original and I’ll say straight off the bat, I love this one. It essentially gives what I imagine a Japanese spa would smell like type of vibe off me, it has an effervescent mineral watery like feel that I think is a typical spa-like smell with a citrus twist, but it has a green mossy feel too which I would guess is the hinoki (and maybe a bit from the juniper). The lightness of that watery mossy citrus is balanced against the darkness of smoky incense which comes into play not long after spraying, and gets stronger as it dries. As a big incense fan this is where the full bottle worthy line is crossed for me."
From Basenotes - "Opens with a slightly tart apple-woody aroma, rich with white oud. It's slightly musky (lighter than many of the other offerings from this line) and green-the galbanum is with the scent during all phases, as it should be, adding lush green imagery to the scent. I can envision a Macaque sitting tranquilly among the bamboo, airy and light. As it dries down, sweetness from the honey and the tea add a nice, deep richness to the overall scent. All of Zoologist's scents are complex, and this one is no different-but for me, this is all about balance. Not too light, and not too heavy-a sort of zen mixture. The tartness and sweetness combine throughout for a wonderful combination, a true balancing act that works to Macaque's benefit."
From Perfume Posse - "Pulsing with green life, it pulls you a little out of yourself. A little cold and foreign in some ways, but warmed in its base, it takes two things and pulls them apart enough without severing them. You know, I’m never entirely sure I want to walk around smelling like this at the office, but I’m so entertained and amused wearing this around the house. Unique and original, two of the finest things an indie perfume company should be, that is Zoologist Macaque."
From the Fragrant Journey - "Macaque smells rooty, dank and humid and I can imagine I am walking through the forest, sweat beginning to mist my body, tuned in to the sounds and smell of nature. In addition to the mandarin in the opening I smell cedar, although the apple note escapes me. As the green note softens the frankincense and jasmine tea take the tartness down a notch and add meditative resin and floral notes. In the later stages of wear mossy and musky notes predominate on my skin and the scent gently fades away. I think the perfume succeeds in presenting a scent picture of the macaque's habitat, and offers an easy escape to the green jungle for those currently residing in a concrete jungle."
