Buysblind's Review of Bat (original) by Zoologist Perfumes

Bat, as anybody who's reading this probably knows, was constructed as an interpretation of a bat cave, complete with damp stone walls, dark musty corners, and bat-food--deposits of tropical fruits the furry little creatures can feast on as they hang upside down and do bat stuff. And Zoologist nailed it. Or more specifically, Ellen Covey, perfumer and avid bat enthusiast, nailed it. The first thing you'll notice about Bat is that it smells different. The opening is almost cold in its effect--immediately conjuring mineralic properties of stones and earth. It feels damp and has a sort of mustiness about it that contributes to the dark, cave-like atmosphere that's established. This seems mostly achieved by a very earthy, rooty vetiver. But this isn't a dreary, foreboding cave; there are signs of brighter things ahead. Namely, a kind of general tropical fruit (papaya, guanabana, etc.) that starts to appear shortly after the opening. The fruit is ripe and fresh, but as indicated in the pyramid above, it's soft. It's not sharp. It doesn't jump out and bite you or reach into a very high register. In fact, as the fruit develops it takes on the smell of bananas, which blend surprisingly well with the earthy vetiver of the cave. Still, this would not work without the final element in place--the bats! A very warm musk develops in the base, almost seamlessly, and it holds everything in a very comfortable embrace. This "furry musk" as described by the perfumer does indeed have a warm, living sort of quality. But it's not animalic in the typical sense of the term. It lacks any kind of objectionable stink--civet, castoreum, cumin--they're not here. Instead it's just a very warm, soothing musk that takes any impersonal element from the cave and draws it in to a more comfortable space. This is the perfect conclusion to a very dynamic and interesting perfume.

While the development of bat is certainly interesting, and really flawless as far as its transitions and stages, it's also important to note the quality of the perfume itself. It is completely void of any harsh synthetic elements. The vetiver is raw and real, as if uprooted from the soil and the fruit has a soft, natural sort of glow. The musk is fantastic, exuding an incredible warmth and depth, melding with the skin just as it should. It feels as though it was made with very carefully chosen, high quality ingredients, and an eye toward avoiding a synthetic edge which would pull it out of character. As far as its performance is concerned, I would give Bat a 10/10. It projects very strongly for the first couple of hours (you really have to watch how heavy you go). And even after it settles in, it still projects with significant intensity. Regarding its longevity, Bat lasts over 10 hours.

In conclusion, this is an excellent fragrance as it's not only unique and made with quality ingredients, but it's also fun to wear. While you may need an open mind, and some affinity for the strange and different, Bat really isn't that difficult to pull off. If you can wear a true vetiver fragrance you can wear Bat. The same goes for those who can wear hardcore fruity scents, or unique stuff like Fahrenheit. As long as you don't over-apply it and choke everyone out, Bat shouldn't be an easy, enjoyable wear. Thumbs up! with a 9/10 rating.

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