Comme des Garçons — Comme des Garcons Series 5 Sherbet: Cinnamon
Essence
Series 5 Sherbet: Cinnamon is a cinnamon fragrance that rejects the usual winter-spice formula. Bertrand Duchaufour makes cinnamon airy, cool, and lightly powdery over white musk, cedar, and vetiver. The result is more fresh-spicy than gourmand or oriental.
Scent Profile
The opening gives cinnamon a fizzy lift with bergamot, cedar, and a dry saffron edge. The effect can feel slightly harsh or powdery at first, a deliberate part of the sherbet concept. Carnation, a clove-like spice, and benzoin add a little warmth without turning the fragrance dense. The drydown is the key: white musk, vetiver, and teak create a clean, pale woody base, while cinnamon remains as a light dusting. Development is modest, and the scent stays closer to cinnamon-over-clean-musk than to a traditional warm cinnamon perfume. The spice is noticeable but never heavy.
Performance
Wear can range from brief and close to surprisingly persistent, but the trail is usually soft. It is sensible to expect a light veil and plan to reapply if needed. That modest diffusion becomes an advantage in warm weather, where a conventional cinnamon oriental could feel too thick.
Wearing Context
Sherbet: Cinnamon works for casual daytime wear across seasons and is especially unusual in heat. It is unisex, with the clean musk and dry spice balancing any sweetness. It is better for an easy personal signature than for formal evenings, nightlife, or a dramatic spiced statement.
Comparisons & DNA
The simplest comparison is cinnamon chewing gum: the scent can suggest Big Red or Dentyne, depending on the wearer. That makes it unlike rich cinnamon benchmarks such as Cinnabar, JHL, or Ambre Cannelle, which are warmer and more opulent. Within the Sherbet trio it is the warm-spicy counterpart to Rhubarb and the less minty alternative to Peppermint. Its real identity is a cool, clean abstract spice.
Reception
The fragrance has a divided following. Fans enjoy its unexpected cool cinnamon and understated elegance. Critics find it diluted, childish, or too close to chewing gum, and soft performance is the most repeated reservation. It offers fair value only for someone specifically interested in a fresh cinnamon idea; it will disappoint anyone seeking a lush spicy oriental.
Versions & Reformulation
The 2003 fragrance was released as a compact EDT and perfume solid in the Sherbet series. It is discontinued, with no documented reformulation. Rhubarb and Peppermint complete the trio.
Acquisition Notes
Availability is limited to decants, older bottles, and resale. Sampling is the best route because both the gum association and light performance are central to the experience. The small pale blue bottle is the most useful visual identifier.
Notable Facts & Lore
- Sherbet: Cinnamon is part of the 2003 Sherbet trio by Bertrand Duchaufour.
- The trio translated everyday flavor themes into cool, abstract perfume accords.
- Its pale icy blue presentation deliberately contrasts with conventional warm cinnamon imagery.