Signed by Christopher Sheldrake for Serge Lutens, Five O'Clock au Gingèmbre was inspired by the idea of late-afternoon English tea. It was launched in 2008. Five O'Clock au Gingèmbre opens with a bright, fresh note of bergamot, paired with smoky, earthy black tea. This citrus/smoky accord is joined by a kick of ginger - not raw, wet ginger, but chewy, sticky, candied ginger. The ginger is spicy, but a drop of honey links to its sweet sugar coating and mellows out any sharpness. A note of cinnamon is warm and familiar. It’s joined by a note of cozy and comforting vanilla. Together, they add a touch of sensuality to the mix. As it moves to the base, vetiver appears. It’s smoky, earthy and woody. A note of patchouli bolsters the vetiver's woodiness, adding warmth. Notes of balsamy cedarwood and creamy sandalwood amp up the woodiness of Five O'Clock au Gingèmbre. A note of dark cacao is slightly bitter, smoky and sensual. It’s linked to a note of warm, gently sweet amber that completes the fragrance. Five O'Clock au Gingèmbre dries down to a refined, elegant and comforting scent. This is not a gourmand scent. It’s not a heavy scent or a dark scent. Five O'Clock au Gingèmbre does not smell like a ginger cookie or cake, but the ingredients - tea, ginger, spices and woods – suggest the aromas of a time and place, maybe one that has been experienced or maybe one that’s imagined. Five O'Clock au Gingèmbre translates into English as Five O'Clock with Ginger, but this fragrance works its magic any time of day. Notes: Bergamot, black tea, ginger, honey, cinnamon, vanilla, vetiver, patchouli, cedarwood, sandalwood, cacao and amber.
