(!) Limited edition white boxes/bottles are NOT available any longer.
Perfumer: Pascal Gaurin
Before we had modern synthetic musks, perfumers had to rely on a few animalic materials to give perfume formulas structure, longevity and artistic dimension. For example, the original 1920s formulation of Chanel No 5 had more than half its formula dedicated to deer musk, civet and castoreum hiding beneath jasmine and aldehydes.
It’s now possible to produce molecules identical to these animal secretions in a lab, recreating accurate accords of vintage base notes.
Nowadays, the task of providing the structure has mostly been given to clean macrocytic musks, and replicas of animalic materials are mostly used for their odor profile: warm, leathery, sensual and retro.
Musk Deer is an amazing modern reconstruction of the aroma of musk of the Siberian deer. It’s flowing, radiant and voluminous, alluring but elusive, just like the animals themselves.
Zoologist do not use animal products, and the deer musk note in this perfume is a clever accord.
All about this fragrance
Vibe check
Coming indoors from the cold, coat still on, this is a scent for conversation that gradually draws closer. Cedar and oud give it a reserved exterior; the warm, leathery musk underneath makes that restraint feel intimate rather than distant.
How to wear
Cool weather suits the contrast between dry woods and warm musk. Start with one or two sprays on skin beneath clothing, letting body warmth bring the softer ambrette and sandalwood forward. In warmer conditions, apply lightly to keep the animalic undertone measured.
Who it’s for
For those drawn to woody musks with a leathery, animalic undertone rather than a freshly laundered finish. It offers a composed approach to Zoologist’s animal themes, with florals and sandalwood softening the darker cedar and oud.
Release year
2020
The nose
Pascal Gaurin is a perfumer at IFF in New York. For Musk Deer, he translated an animalic subject into a composed woody musk, bringing together synthetic musks, natural oud and florals. The composition balances the warmth of the animal’s scent with the austere woodland setting that informed the brief.
Collaborators
Zoologist founder Victor Wong shaped the creative brief around the musk deer’s environment, including the impression of musk left on tree trunks. His direction asked Gaurin to evoke an inhabited forest rather than create an isolated animalic musk accord.
Zoologist’s story
Founded by Victor Wong in Toronto, Zoologist translates animals’ habitats, behavior and distinctive characteristics into perfumes that range from playful to challenging. Its animal subjects are creative inspiration, not ingredient sources: the house replaces animal-derived musks with synthetic alternatives.
Musk Deer’s concept
Musk Deer imagines a cold Siberian forest, where bare trees carry scent markings and the animal searches for lichen and moss. Synthetic musks, natural oud and florals recreate the warmth of its presence within that landscape, setting a sensual musk impression against a woody backdrop.
Extra info
Musk Deer completed Zoologist’s five-fragrance exploration of animalic materials, following Beaver, Civet, Hyrax and Squid. These were conceptual associations, not animal-derived ingredients. Its winter launch also included a limited-edition frosted-white bottle and white box, which are no longer available.
(!) Limited edition white boxes/bottles are NOT available any longer.
Perfumer: Pascal Gaurin
Before we had modern synthetic musks, perfumers had to rely on a few animalic materials to give perfume formulas structure, longevity and artistic dimension. For example, the original 1920s formulation of Chanel No 5 had more than half its formula dedicated to deer musk, civet and castoreum hiding beneath jasmine and aldehydes.
It’s now possible to produce molecules identical to these animal secretions in a lab, recreating accurate accords of vintage base notes.
Nowadays, the task of providing the structure has mostly been given to clean macrocytic musks, and replicas of animalic materials are mostly used for their odor profile: warm, leathery, sensual and retro.
Musk Deer is an amazing modern reconstruction of the aroma of musk of the Siberian deer. It’s flowing, radiant and voluminous, alluring but elusive, just like the animals themselves.
Zoologist do not use animal products, and the deer musk note in this perfume is a clever accord.
All about this fragrance
Vibe check
Coming indoors from the cold, coat still on, this is a scent for conversation that gradually draws closer. Cedar and oud give it a reserved exterior; the warm, leathery musk underneath makes that restraint feel intimate rather than distant.
How to wear
Cool weather suits the contrast between dry woods and warm musk. Start with one or two sprays on skin beneath clothing, letting body warmth bring the softer ambrette and sandalwood forward. In warmer conditions, apply lightly to keep the animalic undertone measured.
Who it’s for
For those drawn to woody musks with a leathery, animalic undertone rather than a freshly laundered finish. It offers a composed approach to Zoologist’s animal themes, with florals and sandalwood softening the darker cedar and oud.
Release year
2020
The nose
Pascal Gaurin is a perfumer at IFF in New York. For Musk Deer, he translated an animalic subject into a composed woody musk, bringing together synthetic musks, natural oud and florals. The composition balances the warmth of the animal’s scent with the austere woodland setting that informed the brief.
Collaborators
Zoologist founder Victor Wong shaped the creative brief around the musk deer’s environment, including the impression of musk left on tree trunks. His direction asked Gaurin to evoke an inhabited forest rather than create an isolated animalic musk accord.
Zoologist’s story
Founded by Victor Wong in Toronto, Zoologist translates animals’ habitats, behavior and distinctive characteristics into perfumes that range from playful to challenging. Its animal subjects are creative inspiration, not ingredient sources: the house replaces animal-derived musks with synthetic alternatives.
Musk Deer’s concept
Musk Deer imagines a cold Siberian forest, where bare trees carry scent markings and the animal searches for lichen and moss. Synthetic musks, natural oud and florals recreate the warmth of its presence within that landscape, setting a sensual musk impression against a woody backdrop.
Extra info
Musk Deer completed Zoologist’s five-fragrance exploration of animalic materials, following Beaver, Civet, Hyrax and Squid. These were conceptual associations, not animal-derived ingredients. Its winter launch also included a limited-edition frosted-white bottle and white box, which are no longer available.