Against the backdrop of a mountainous terrain, two communities share a peaceful coexistence. Yet despite their proximity, the societies are distinctly unique. Macaques cavort among the trees, grasping with delight at nature’s bountiful pleasures. From the quiet solemnity of a nearby temple, their human neighbours regard them, coveting the monkeys’ playful abandon. The macaques are all but oblivious, sparing only the briefest of curious glances at the pensive faces below before surrendering once again to their carefree revels.
Sweet notes of Fuji apple dance through a pine forest, welcoming you to Zoologist Macaque. Incense adds gravity with aromas of Hinoki woods and myrrh. The delicate balance between heavy and light results in an austere woody scent with mild hints of creamy sandalwood. Macaque is exuberance tempered by calm, sublimity buoyed by joy, a happy harmony of meditative bliss.
This perfume is a new interpretation by perfumer Mackenzie Reilly. The original version, designed by Sarah McCartney, is discontinued and no longer available.
Perfumer: Mackenzie Reilly
All about this fragrance
Vibe check
This is for close, thoughtful company rather than loud rooms: a scent that feels most natural when the atmosphere is calm, the conversation unhurried, and the air carries a little coolness. It gives off a composed, slightly mischievous presence.
How to wear
Best in mild to cool weather, where the apple and incense stay distinct and the woods can breathe. Apply lightly to keep the extrait’s brightness from becoming dense; one or two sprays are enough for a clear, elegant trail that settles into soft sandalwood and resin on skin.
Who it’s for
For wearers who like woody fragrances with a fresh opening, a resinous core and a restrained, contemplative finish. It suits people drawn to unusual niche compositions that feel natural, textured and quietly playful rather than sweet or overtly polished.
Release year
2021
The nose
Mackenzie Reilly
Collaborators
Victor Wong, Zoologist’s founder and creative director, shapes the house’s animal-inspired concept and overall brief, giving the fragrance its narrative frame of temple monkeys, mountain air and human contemplation. The original Macaque was created by Sarah McCartney, whose earlier composition provided the starting point for this reinterpretation.
Zoologist’s story
Zoologist builds fragrances around the habits, habitats and symbolic lives of animals, turning them into imaginative olfactory portraits rather than literal nature studies. The house is known for bold, unconventional compositions and for working with independent perfumers to create distinctive, ethically minded scents.
Macaque Fuji Apple’s concept
Macaque Fuji Apple Edition reimagines the discontinued original Macaque as a brighter, more transparent study of fruit, woods and incense. The concept evokes Japanese macaques in a mountainous temple landscape: playful movement in the trees set against the stillness of nearby ritual space, with Fuji apple, hinoki and myrrh creating a balance of joy and gravity.
Extra info
This is a 2021 reinterpretation of Zoologist’s discontinued Macaque. It is made in Canada at extrait concentration and is presented as a non-animal-derived composition. The apple note is Fuji apple, not the banana cliché often associated with monkeys.
Against the backdrop of a mountainous terrain, two communities share a peaceful coexistence. Yet despite their proximity, the societies are distinctly unique. Macaques cavort among the trees, grasping with delight at nature’s bountiful pleasures. From the quiet solemnity of a nearby temple, their human neighbours regard them, coveting the monkeys’ playful abandon. The macaques are all but oblivious, sparing only the briefest of curious glances at the pensive faces below before surrendering once again to their carefree revels.
Sweet notes of Fuji apple dance through a pine forest, welcoming you to Zoologist Macaque. Incense adds gravity with aromas of Hinoki woods and myrrh. The delicate balance between heavy and light results in an austere woody scent with mild hints of creamy sandalwood. Macaque is exuberance tempered by calm, sublimity buoyed by joy, a happy harmony of meditative bliss.
This perfume is a new interpretation by perfumer Mackenzie Reilly. The original version, designed by Sarah McCartney, is discontinued and no longer available.
Perfumer: Mackenzie Reilly
All about this fragrance
Vibe check
This is for close, thoughtful company rather than loud rooms: a scent that feels most natural when the atmosphere is calm, the conversation unhurried, and the air carries a little coolness. It gives off a composed, slightly mischievous presence.
How to wear
Best in mild to cool weather, where the apple and incense stay distinct and the woods can breathe. Apply lightly to keep the extrait’s brightness from becoming dense; one or two sprays are enough for a clear, elegant trail that settles into soft sandalwood and resin on skin.
Who it’s for
For wearers who like woody fragrances with a fresh opening, a resinous core and a restrained, contemplative finish. It suits people drawn to unusual niche compositions that feel natural, textured and quietly playful rather than sweet or overtly polished.
Release year
2021
The nose
Mackenzie Reilly
Collaborators
Victor Wong, Zoologist’s founder and creative director, shapes the house’s animal-inspired concept and overall brief, giving the fragrance its narrative frame of temple monkeys, mountain air and human contemplation. The original Macaque was created by Sarah McCartney, whose earlier composition provided the starting point for this reinterpretation.
Zoologist’s story
Zoologist builds fragrances around the habits, habitats and symbolic lives of animals, turning them into imaginative olfactory portraits rather than literal nature studies. The house is known for bold, unconventional compositions and for working with independent perfumers to create distinctive, ethically minded scents.
Macaque Fuji Apple’s concept
Macaque Fuji Apple Edition reimagines the discontinued original Macaque as a brighter, more transparent study of fruit, woods and incense. The concept evokes Japanese macaques in a mountainous temple landscape: playful movement in the trees set against the stillness of nearby ritual space, with Fuji apple, hinoki and myrrh creating a balance of joy and gravity.
Extra info
This is a 2021 reinterpretation of Zoologist’s discontinued Macaque. It is made in Canada at extrait concentration and is presented as a non-animal-derived composition. The apple note is Fuji apple, not the banana cliché often associated with monkeys.