Gingerbread, Vetiver, and Black Clove

[suki]

I’ve run away from a little old woman,
A little old man,
And I can run away from you, I can!

In the Bottle: Very thick, very dark, black strap molasses. That's it. Really!

Wet On Skin: Okay, now that's it's warming up, the notes are beginning to reveal themselves. The gingerbread is front and center but it's still got that dark, chewy molasses thing going on. I suspect it's the vetiver having it's say in the equation, lending some deep, deep darkness to the mix. I get no clove at this point.

Dry Down: The vetiver and clove combine into the gingerbread maelstrom to create a richer, darker, spicier gingerbread than the usual Lab gingerbread note, and it's PHENOMENAL. It's still a bit foodie, but this is a very adult, kinda sexy gingerbread. I'd wear this out for an adult holiday gathering where people like get a little tipsy and handsy

In All: I predict this will be very popular, especially as it ages.

[sarandipitee]

In the bottle it's a strong vetiver, but one that's sweetened and almost syrupy.

 

On my skin, it's starts as a clovely vetiver but the gingerbread starts to come out after about 5 min of wear. Vetiver is a note I amp above all else, but gingerbread and clove can also stand out so it feels like all three notes are warring for dominance.

 

Eventually it smooths out and it's a spicy, smoky gingerbread - but not like any gingerbread I've tried before.

 

I like it, but I think it needs some aging to even out a bit. It's different from any vetiver blend I own. I wouldn't recommend this to a traditional foodie fan, but if you like perfume that skirts the edge of being foodie and you enjoy vetiver, this is for you.

[patina]

Lovely dark spicy gingerbread. the usual smokiness of vetiver isn't distracting here, I can hardly smell any smoke but there seem to be undertones of peanut butter. It's the weirdest thing. As if someone smeared gingerbread cake with peanut butter.

 

I like this, but Gingerbread Zombi is my one true gingerbread love.

Edited January 6, 2017 by patina

[mistressfizz]

Sniff: Whoa, this is a spice bomb - the clove really stands out

 

Wet: Definitely spices, with clove still being the dominant note. The vetiver lends more texture than scent, giving this a thick, dusky feel. It's not harsh or scratchy, and the darker base plays well with the warm spice. It's very atmospheric and sophisticated, a grown-up gingerbread, refined and subdued, not really too foodie

 

Dry: Mmmm, smells like clove cigarettes and hot spiced cider. It doesn't have much throw, but hours later, I catch hints of it, wafting in a most pleasant way. This is delicious and should age quite well, and also would make a great holiday room scent.

[LizziesLuck]

I love clove, so I had to at least grab a decant of this

 

Wet: Wow, this is dark. At first it smells like gingerbread and vetiver, which is actually a disconcerting combo - like evil, dirty, gingerbread men. Then the clove amps WAY up, and it's evil, dirty little gingerbread men with glowing clove eyes (don't ask me what that's the visual I'm getting, but it is. And it's creepy). There is a ton of clove in this, backed by the sweet gingerbread, and the whole thing gets some grit from the vetiver. Well blended. This is not a sweet innocent little gingerbread man - this guy is ANGRY. And I like him.

 

 

Dry: Sadly, both the clove and vetiver fade away, and I am left with some stale gingerbread. Now instead of angry, it's pathetic. I had forgotten why I sold my gingerbread poppet - gingerbread no longer really works well on me as a note. I may put some age on this decant and try again, it was great for the first hour or so!

[DiesMali]

In the bottle: Syrupy molasses gingerbread.

 

Wet on my skin: EVIL GINGERBREAD. I know Shub is also evil gingerbread, but this one is darker and even sexier.

 

Dry: The richest, spiciest, chewiest, smokiest evil gingerbread and I'm in love. LOVE. May need backup. I am going to wear this next time I see that one person, because if I can't resist myself in it, how could they? Unholy heck, this is the standout winner of Yule 2016, at least on my vetiver-and-clove-loving skin. It's so good. SO. GOOD. If I was a gingerbread person made of this stuff, forget the little old woman and the little old man - I'd eat myself and give Stephen King some new material regarding auto-cannibalistic evil gingerbread people.

[kajacana]

In the bottle: Syrupy molasses gingerbread.

 

Wet on my skin: EVIL GINGERBREAD. I know Shub is also evil gingerbread, but this one is darker and even sexier.

 

Dry: The richest, spiciest, chewiest, smokiest evil gingerbread and I'm in love.

 

Totally concur!!

This is like Shub's older sister. Whereas Shub still has an edge of sweetness, this one is completely over to the dark side.

 

I was worried because the Lab's gingerbread note has a tendency to turn into cinnamon Red Hots on my skin. Thankfully, that didn't happen. All I get is gorgeous, rich gingerbread, spicy clove, and a little bit of smokiness from the vetiver. Exactly what it says on the bottle! I wouldn't say it's gourmand, but it dances on that line.

 

Very happy with this one.

[ammolite]

In the bottle: Spicy and a littler buttery with darker hints of molasses and something vaguely smokey. Definitely more of a cookie/foodie smell than I was expecting, and not a lot of the clove I was hoping for.

 

Wet on skin: Still a very foodie scent. However, the lovely murkiness of the vetiver is coming through a lot more. Still not a lot of clove (which my skin tends to amp).

 

Dry on skin: Ah, there's the clove! The buttery cookie scent has mellowed and is more of a sugary, spicy ginger. The vetiver and clove are finally coming through, and blend beautifully with the spiciness of the gingerbread. Definitely a unique scent, but I really like it! It's one of those "tasty" scents that's not quite foodie or gourmand, but that definitely makes someone hugging you hold on for just an extra second and ask, "What ARE you wearing? You smell delicious!"

[zankoku_zen]

Thick, clove heavy gingerbread with a touch of vetiver. This one is less foodie actually, slightly more masculine, and very enticing. Good throw and wear length.

[Blood onmy hands]

All of this year's Gingerbread blends had a strong cinnamon scent on me. Gingerbread-Vetiver has the same sharp cinnamon potpourri as the others, but the darker notes manage to claw their way through the cinnamon and give this one some complexity at first.
The clove is sharp and almost black peppery smelling, and I get the same thick, dark molasses feel that others have mentioned. It's intense and slightly bitter & medicinal. Vetiver lends a dark, damp woodiness to the whole thing. So it's like cinnamon potpourri with strong, sticky molasses and damp, rotting wood, with a sharp, peppery clove note.

After an hour, this is still going strong, but it has lost the darker notes and smells just like red hots cinnamon candies on me... gives me a headache, unfortunately.

Edited February 14, 2017 by Little Bird

[SophieCedar]

I wanted this to smell like goths stuck at a family holiday party, rolling their kohl laden eyes and frequently sneaking outside to suck down clove cigarettes. Yep. That's exactly what I got.

[soniahgreen]

I love all of these notes but the smokiness of the vetiver is mixing with the clove and reminding me of clove cigarettes. So if you want a scent that smells like you've been smoking clove cigarettes while eating gingerbread cookies, then this is the scent for you.

[torikitty]

Very peppery gingerbread, very sweet clove. The vetiver adds a woodsy note. I would wear this with a big, warm sweater, on days when I'm not feeling great. This is very comforting and slightly melancholy.

[gloame]

Honestly I love this so much. I wasn't getting the cloves cigarettes at first, but when I took a really focused sniff, yep, there it was: that burning leaf smell of a clove roll, the spark of fire against the herbs. It smells good. Better than smoking cloves ever did, but still reminiscent of it. Ahh, youth. LOVE.

Wear I'd wear this: a concert in December, when I'm tryna be edgy

[Lucchesa]

I was fortunate enough to swap for a bottle of this and LOVE!!! It's not really morphing much on me at all; it's just big spicy dark sexy smoky wicked gingerbread goodness. Vetiver is not always my friend, but this is the deep molassesy vetiver, not the dirty barbecue pit vetiver. If that's the vetiver you groove on, this is gorgeous.

 

This checks a lot of boxes for me -- warming winter scent, comfort scent, confidence scent, sex goddess scent. I'm thrilled to have it and will wear it often until mild weather arrives.