FRAGRANCE | Night Flyer Parfum by Olympic Orchids Perfumes: The bat is back!

If you know Zoologist's award-winning Bat, chances are you also know that it's been "reformulated" c/o a new perfumer, with that popular banana note replaced with guava. Speculations, of course, point to a falling out between the house and Bat's original perfumer, Dr Ellen Covey. But we're not going there.

As it turns out, Covey's formula is proprietary to her and it was only a matter of time before we saw a reincarnation, more so since she says, Art and Olfaction Award aside, it's the fragrance she's most attached to because it's inspired by her decades-long study of bats. Then came the COVID-19 (the Corona virus) pandemic, and stay-at-home restrictions afforded her time to create a new batch of the original formula. The result is Night Flyer (aka The Original), released just this April under her own Olympic Orchids Perfumes brand.

Night Flyer is one of my first three bottles from this house. Presentation isn't much—generic bottle, regular laminated box, basic graphic design—but lest we forget, this is an indie brand. I get vibes very similar to Rogue Perfumery, which I adore, and I feel the care given in every packaging. Each box is further wrapped with Japanese paper and slapped with the fragrance's sticker label. A handwritten thank you note also came with the package. Nice!

As for the scent, I was hooked the minute I smelled it. I get damp earth in the opening—cold, strong, and very realistic. I feel the rawness, its unpolished beauty, and it made me smile. Fragrances with earthy accords I've tried are mostly dry, so this one feels really different. The association with these flying mammals has never been clearer because the scent calls to mind the cold and damp earthiness of caves, their typical habitat.

The smell of a very ripe banana creeps up almost immediately, later joined by a medley of different fruits, furthering the association with bats. The earthiness persists, projecting strongly, with the banana and other fruits playing support. Only after an hour or two does it start easing, slowly, until what's left is the fruitiness, its projection softened considerably. I'm getting a very tropical feel here, like I can almost smell a creamy coconut with all the fruit. The fragrance's woody and musky facets are also played up by now. They're not overpowering, though, just enough to keep all the fruitiness grounded. Longevity-wise, I'd say it's moderate, something that can last you from morning till afternoon.

I have not smelled the OG Zoologist Bat, so I can't say whether that and Night Flyer are indeed one and the same. But then it doesn't really matter because with Night Flyer I get a magnificent work of art. Granted it's not for everybody, that it may not be the easiest to wear, that it may not be the most versatile frag out there, but you got to try this at least. I'm just happy the dark knight has returned. 🦇

Night Flyer is available in various sizes, from 1 ml samples to 100 ml bottles, on their website: orchidscents.com.