Made by Zoologist Perfumes (Toronto, Canada)

Perfumer: Céline Barel

The Fragrance Foundation Awards 2020, “Perfume Extraordinaire of the Year”

The Art & Olfaction Awards 2020, Independent Category Finalist

Zoologist Squid sings a song of the sea, a melancholy tale told through tangy brine, crisp incense, and sweet, cloudy ink, all united by the moody aroma of ambergris. Like the endless depths that inspired it, this elegant scent ripples with mystery.

Notes—
Top: Pink Pepper, Solar Salicylate, Incense
Heart: Black Ink Accord, Salty Accord, Opoponax
Base: Ambergris*, Benzoin, Musk*

*Synthetic notes. Zoologist Squid does not contain animal products.

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The vast ocean swells and contracts, caught in the relentless tug of the moon. Beneath the surface, a school of squid emerges. Strange, elastic forms propel from the deep in a frantic search for sustenance. They are not alone. Their predators lunge, only to be foiled by blinding jets of murky ink. The hunt ends abruptly as a monolith materializes, greedily engulfing all in its path. The massive sperm whale dives, leaving a temporary peace bobbing in its wake. Decades on, relics of the battle resurface. Lumps of ambergris, expelled by the whale and polished by the salty currents, wash ashore. Waste? Flotsam? To the perfumer this elusive substance is nothing less than treasure.

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Name: Zoologist Squid Deluxe Bottle Extrait de Parfum 60ml
Brand: Zoologist
SKU: 22386
Availability: InStock

Zoologist Perfumes

Zoologist Perfumes is a Toronto-based niche fragrance house founded in 2013 by Victor Wong. What began as a passion project has grown into an internationally acclaimed brand, celebrated for its imaginative storytelling, animal-inspired concepts, and daringly unconventional approach to perfumery.

A former 3D artist in the video game industry, Victor longed for a more expressive outlet. His fascination with animals and growing love of fragrance inspired him to create perfumes that capture the wildness of nature in olfactory form. Collaborating with renowned independent perfumers, he has built a collection that goes beyond imitation—transforming creatures like Bat, Hummingbird, Panda, and Squid into complex, wearable narratives.

The brand’s visual identity is just as distinctive: ornate illustrations of anthropomorphic animals in elegant attire reflect Zoologist’s playful yet sophisticated spirit. True to Victor’s values, the perfumes are entirely cruelty-free, relying on synthetics and natural alternatives rather than animal-derived ingredients.

Launching an independent fragrance brand in Canada came with its share of hurdles. With limited infrastructure for small-scale perfume production, Victor personally took on every aspect of the process – diluting, filtering, bottling, and labelling perfumes himself. His commitment and hands-on approach became part of the brand’s DNA, reinforcing Zoologist’s identity as a true indie house built from the ground up. That dedication has since earned the brand international recognition, with fragrances like Bat winning the Art & Olfaction Award in 2016 and Squid earning Perfume Extraordinaire of the Year in 2020.

Today, Zoologist continues to expand its universe of scents while remaining true to its roots: bold, inventive, and evocative perfumery that invites wearers to explore new worlds through fragrance. Victor’s vision is clear—to create perfumes that inspire wonder, spark imagination, and bridge the worlds of art, nature, and humanity. In an industry often defined by trends and repetition, Zoologist stands apart as a brand unafraid to experiment, to provoke, and above all, to tell unforgettable stories.

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