Ginger

Fresh, sharp and spicy, with a lemony, slightly woody warmth.

Ginger comes from Southeast Asia and has been cultivated for thousands of years. Almost half of the world's harvest today comes from India; Nigeria and China are also major producers.

The rhizome is harvested, washed and usually dried. Steam-distilled, it gives a fresh, lemony-spicy oil; the CO₂ extract comes even closer to the scent of the fresh root. The heat on the tongue stays behind – gingerols are barely volatile.

Ginger is the spark in the opening: fresh, sharp, lemony, with a warm, woody trail. In our range it sits in the top notes of 60 out of 92 fragrances. It gives citrus more bite and spicy scents a lively freshness.

Fresh-spicy, with a lemony side.

Ginger is harvested after eight to ten months, when the leaves wither. Younger ginger, harvested earlier, is milder and juicier.

In our fragrances, it often appears alongside Bergamot, vanilla, patchouli, jasmine, pepper, ambergris accord, akigalawood.

Ginger was among the first spices to reach Europe from Asia – the Greeks and Romans already knew it. In the Middle Ages it was one of the most widely traded spices of all.

• Almost half of the world's ginger comes from India – around 45 % of 4.9 million tonnes in 2023.
• Botanically, ginger is not a root but a rhizome – an underground stem.
• Ginger is a close relative of cardamom and turmeric – all three belong to the ginger family.

The main component of the essential oil is zingiberene; in fresh ginger the heat comes from gingerols, which turn into shogaols when dried.