Five O'Clock Au Gingembre (2008)
by Serge Lutens Les Salons du Palais Royal Shiseido

I've been waiting to try this for a long time, but I havent found anywhere that sells it. Finally, I found it in Harvey Nichols in Leeds. I sprayed once on the back of my hand, and it is absolutely exquisite fragrance, its beautiful, its masculine enough for a man to wear, yet delicate enough for a woman to wear, its indeed a very smooth, delicious scent, long lasting notes of honey, very warm ginger notes, and cinnamon. I can smell a sweet tabacco, though im not sure if theres a tabacco in this one, but its on there to me.

Its a very well put together perfume, it projects extreemly well even with one spray, without being protentious, and the silliage is good, leaving a warm, sweet, spicy trail.

I reccomend two sprays one on eah wrist with this, its more than enough. It will last you a long time. I've yet to try the loved Chargui, which im sure i'll like as much.

27th January, 2012.

Really love this. It's a very warm, comforting and strikingly uplifting scent. Spicy, lemony, with just a hint of smoky muskiness, it evokes for me a bright, clear day in late September, when you're sitting in the warm, in front of an applewood fire, whilst a cake bakes in the oven. The only drawback, to me, is the name, which I think is bizarrely clumsy. The perfume itself, however, is a delight.

25th October, 2011.

Perhaps I'm not an orientals person. I loved the reviews , the lists of notes, and I do like the scent of ginger. So I was disappointed that I couldn't discern the ginger at all. Was it actually the dentist scent I remember from those terrifying trips as a child, in the top notes? Was it there in the middle where I mainly smelled flowers and an 'old' spicy mixture that made me think of the thick dark bitterness of my mum's Youth Dew? For me it did pick up as it progressed onwards, though I'm not sure I actually liked this. My BF could spot the ginger without any problem, so it must be me. One worth trying a few more times to see if I can get from it whats apparently there - come on 5 o'clock - I love tea and cakes. I want to love you!
Second attempt 2 weeks later- much better! I still can't spot the ginger, but a much more harmonious whole. Just goes to show you can't go on one impression. I'm warming to this, it makes me think of warm woolly jumpers, wood fires and a cold autumn Sunday afternoon, a time when you can laze snugly and smugly around. Sometimes it's good to have a scent that enfolds like a favourite old quilt, with it's familiar comforting scent, and places no demands upon you.

13rd October, 2011. (Last Edited: 24th October, 2011.)

This is a very nice
Masculine Fragrance....
A fine gift idea for that special guy,
When you want to get him "a special something" for his Birthday or Christmas.
I like it ... but not enough zing!
so I thought ... hmmmmmm
let me re-try the sample I have ...

so last night I wore it to bed ...
ahhhhhhh! Rich, Molasses,Gingerbread
and Cloves....
it was there on my wrists and arms
when I woke up this morning ...

So ... I rethought it out ...
I might just buy this for myself .....
as a comfort fragrance.....

but to receive it as a gift ...
I'd still say a very content
...."Yes, Let's Rendez-vous at 5pm!"

8th October, 2011.

A mix of spices with a touch of honey and ginger. Delicious? Yes, but I would not buy it as a first SL fragrance. The house have a lot of fragrances better than this one (no, I'm not saying this one is bad, it isn't just as good as Chergui, for example)... lasts an eternity by the way...

21st August, 2011.

I absolutely adore this fragrance. I think at first I was just in love with SL because it's a pretty cool line. BUT, I am starting to really appreciate the incredible "nose". 5 o'clock is my very fave at the moment. I am dragging my feet on getting a full bottle because...well, I actually don't know why.

I used up the last of my sample and, because I can not ever pick out notes in a fragrance unless they are uber obvious ( vanilla, frankincense ) I still cannot tell what is in there unless I read the actual description.

My previous favorite was Feminite Du Bois, but after finishing up that sample it really does seem a LOT different from the original version which I gave away like the worlds biggest idiot, about 18 years ago!!!! ( GIANT L on the forehead!!!!)

Does anyone know of any other "natural " niche fragrances that are oddly scented ( no vanilla's and no florals please )...thanks all. 8-)

4th May, 2011.