# Zoologist — Macaque Yuzu Edition

> The citrus-forward twin of the 2021 Macaque reinterpretations, also by Mackenzie Reilly, released alongside the Fuji Apple Edition. It opens with a sparkling, tart-but-soft yuzu (plus juniper and mand

## Essence

The citrus-forward twin of the 2021 Macaque reinterpretations, also by Mackenzie Reilly, released alongside the Fuji Apple Edition. It opens with a sparkling, tart-but-soft yuzu (plus juniper and mandarin) and quickly becomes a dry, austere hinoki-wood-and-frankincense incense scent - "a Japanese spa," "onsen," or "temple" in a bottle. Compared to the Fuji Apple it is brighter, less sweet, more overtly incensey and more "classic," and it's the more critically and wearers-beloved of the two for incense lovers. Like its sibling, it shares almost nothing with Sarah McCartney's green-galbanum 2016 original beyond the macaque concept.

## Scent Profile

The opening (first 10 - 20 min) is the yuzu showcase: a sparkling, fizzy, effervescent citrus - soft and almost floral rather than sharp-lemony - supported by mandarin and a notably crisp, gin-like juniper berry. The yuzu is brighter and more persistent than the Fuji's apple, lingering "for over an hour" by some accounts, though others find it fades fast. The heart (1 - 3 hours) is where it becomes serious: Colognoisseur's Mark Behnke described it not as crisp lemon but "a diffuse version of yuzu lilting among the hinoki wood," like a winter-solstice onsen bath where hot water makes citrus "less brilliant while giving it more expansiveness," with "a soft resinous accord" forming "a lovely harmonic." Myrrh and labdanum add weight; the incense grows stronger as it dries. The drydown (3+ hours) is dry, austere frankincense/olibanum, oakmoss "gather[ing] up the yuzu... Into a soft green carpet," and an austere New-Caledonia sandalwood "add[ing] roundness to the stern hinoki." Perceptible: yuzu (early), juniper, hinoki, frankincense/myrrh, oakmoss, sandalwood. Submerged/divisive: a minority gets a "urine"/zoo-cage or detergent facet; sweetness is minimal. Signature accord: bright watery yuzu over dry hinoki-frankincense incense. Fairly linear after the citrus burns off; dries down nearly identical to the Fuji Apple Edition. Multiple wearers liken the result to high-quality Japanese temple incense - "more Catholic Church incense than any other churchy incense fragrance."

## Performance

Modest projection, better longevity - the consensus is "small projection" that's office-safe, sitting close as "a small bubble around you" rather than a true skin scent. Longevity reports range widely: some get average/short wear and wish "that first spray would last a bit longer," while others report the woody-incense base lasting "the entire day" or even around 10 hours from a sample on a second wearing. The bright citrus is the most fleeting element; the incense-woods endure. Behnke implied solid extrait staying power consistent with the line. A recurring note is that performance reads "like an EDC" for the price to some, yet a green-cooling effect lets it cut summer heat while the incense suits winter. Best strategy: apply generously to compensate for the soft projection, and expect to enjoy it close-up.

## Wearing Context

Genuinely versatile and four-season per its fans - the dry woody incense works in winter, while "a cooling green effect... Can cut through the summer heat," making several call it a potential signature worn "all year in all settings." Best in mild-to-cool weather where the yuzu stays vivid, and excellent for daytime, office, and contemplative wear given its quiet projection and "clean (NOT soapy)," "very masculine"-leaning but fully unisex character. It shines for incense and hinoki devotees - one wearer who'd hunted a Le Labo hinoki match found Zoologist "absolutely nailed" it. It falls flat for those wanting a juicy citrus all the way down (the yuzu leaves quickly), anyone who finds the juniper too sharp/gin-like or the base too monotonous, or who reads church-incense as off-putting. Some frame it as a "youthful summer scent for people who want to appear more unisex/masc."

## Comparisons & DNA

Its defining deltas are to its siblings and to incense classics. Versus the Fuji Apple twin: shares most notes and a near-identical drydown, but Yuzu is brighter, less sweet, more woody/citrus and "more classic," where Fuji is fruitier and rounder; wearer preference splits, with a slight edge of admiration for Yuzu's opening among incense fans. Versus the 2016 original: "completely different... While the original is much greener, this Yuzu version is heavy on the woods with a squeeze of yuzu and tons of juniper berries on top." Beyond Zoologist, wearers anchor it to: Comme des Garcons incense series (Avignon, etc.) - "if you love the incense series by Comme des Garcons, then you will love Macaque Yuzu," though one found it smoother than Avignon's "self-service car wash"; Tom Ford Costa Azzurra (a "much more incense focused and higher quality" relative); Les Liquides Imaginaires Sancti ("a less fizzy Sancti," to the point of redundancy for one owner); Loewe 7 ("but less clove spice"); and Zoologist's own Cardinal (a wearer found the non-citrus portion "pretty much a sacred Cardinal"). No designer/clone dupes exist. Lineage: a 2021 sibling-reinterpretation of Macaque from Reilly's incense/pine mod, the citrus counterpart to the apple edition.

## Reception

A few critics covered it favorably, admiring Reilly's "deft way of creating space in her compositions," the onsen-like diffuse yuzu, and the brighter, increasingly incensey shape versus Fuji Apple. Common praise: the marriage of sparkling yuzu to clean hinoki-incense, versatility, wearability, and a meditative, transportive calm - multiple wearers rank it a top-3 or even best Zoologist and a daily-wearer despite its character. Common criticism: weak-to-average longevity and projection ("performs like an EDC"), the citrus leaving too soon, the base verging on monotonous/"sacred Cardinal," sharp juniper, and an occasional detergent or zoo-cage facet; a few prefer the original or find it the better-but-still-redundant flanker. Polarization axes: performance, citrus longevity, Yuzu-vs-Fuji, and incense tolerance. Blind buy? Reasonable for committed incense/hinoki fans who accept soft projection - but sample given the price, limited availability, and the citrus's fleeting nature.

## Versions & Reformulation

A 2021 reinterpretation, not a reformulation, of the discontinued McCartney original - a distinct Mackenzie Reilly composition released as the citrus twin to the Fuji Apple Edition. It launched as a 20% extrait (some listings cite 25%) in a 60 ml deluxe bottle, with travel sprays and around 1.5 ml samples. Like the Fuji, it was a limited edition with initially tight (Japan-leaning) distribution before wider availability. The "Yuzu" label on the bottle was a deliberate way to distinguish it from both the apple edition and the original, since the house chose to release the two mods as named editions rather than rename and discontinue. No known sub-reformulations of the juice.

## Acquisition Notes

The cataloged full-bottle reference is 200 USD / 60 ml. This version has historical or edition-specific availability, so confirm the exact name, perfumer, and release year before buying. Samples or small formats are the sensible first step when available, especially for discontinued or similarly named Zoologist editions. Buy through official or authorized channels when possible.

## Notable Facts & Lore

- Shares its origin story with the Fuji Apple Edition: founder Victor Wong loved an "incense/pine modification" Reilly created during Macaque's development and asked for a fruity opening; she returned two mods - yuzu and Fuji apple - and Wong "loved both," releasing them as twin editions framed around macaques and their human temple-neighbors sharing a mountain.
- The conceit lets the Yuzu portrait macaque read as a robe-wearing temple monk to some wearers - the "liturgical and warm incense part" paired with a "steamy watery and mildly fruity hot spring environment" where a real macaque might bathe.
- A piece of practical lore: because all three Macaques share name and portrait, the bottle's "Yuzu" label exists specifically to help buyers tell the editions apart - a point buyers note approvingly while still wishing Zoologist had given the reinterpretations wholly new names.