It's a numbingly cold February day, and I'm wearing the warmest perfume I could find: Five O'clock au Gingembre. Sweet, spicy and cuddly, FOaG is the perfect antidote to winter.
FOaG starts with a chewy, sweet ginger. The ginger is gradually surrounded by hot cinnamon and pepper and sweetened with honey, turning it into gingerbread cookies. FOaG drifts back and forth between this ginger-spice aspect and a bergamot-tea aspect, making it seem like the gingerbread cookies are served with a steaming cup of Earl Grey tea. The slightly astringent smell of black tea balances the sweet ginger. The perfume dries down to a nice woody amber.
I don't know how I missed FOaG when it was released in 2008. Its woody, spicy comfort is exactly my cup of tea.
If you like Five O'Clock au Gingembre, you might also like Like This and Omnia.
Nose: Christopher Sheldrake
Notes: Top notes are tea and bergamot; middle notes are ginger, cinnamon and woodsy notes; base notes are cacao, honey, amber, patchouli and pepper.
Where to buy: In Toronto, you can find Serge Lutens at Andrews, or online from The Perfume Shoppe
Photo: Tea Party by Charlyn W
I have a sample of this and the last time I tried it, I was surprised that it reminded me more of ginger beer than gingerbread (more like crystallized ginger than dried ginger). And I love ginger beer!
ReplyDeleteHi Elisa, I love ginger beer too. I think one of the reasons I find ginger so comforting is that my mother always gave me gingerale when I was sick.
ReplyDeleteI like this too. It is a great comfort scent, but like almost every Lutens it can get head-achey on me sometimes. :(
ReplyDeletewhy do I not have this? I think I need this.
ReplyDeleteI'm really enjoying your posts as you go back from vintage to modern perfumery!
Hi olfactoria: That's too bad? Do you know what accord he uses in particular that affects you?
ReplyDeleteHi JoanElaine: I know! i felt the same way when I tried it. I think I might even like it better than my current ginger perfumes. Oh dear, another bottle for the list.
ReplyDeleteThis is a masterpiece! One of my favorite spices.
ReplyDeleteI also like DSH Perfumes Gingembre, less tea but lots of nice spice.
I have an untried sample of this that I've been saving for a future "Serge Lutens Month"... which, after reading this review, can't come fast enough! :D
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