Jaime B's Blog

Perfumers use a lot of different materials derived from the citrus family of trees, also called "hesperides." The name hesperides is from the Greek ἔσπερ [read: hésper], a word meaning both "evening" and "west" (because the evening sun sets in the west). The association with the west is probably that citrus fruits and trees were first introduced to Europe by explorers returning from East Asia to Spain and Portugal, the extreme western countries of continental Europe. This will become more obvious when we see that terms like Seville and Valencia oranges and Oil of Portugal come up in the names of some citrus sources and products, and even in perfume names containing the word "Portugal," as in Bois du Portugal and Eau de Portugal, where the word "Portugal" refers to orange-derived perfume notes.

OK, here goes the list of citrus-based perfume terms, with names, descriptions, and etymologies:

Bigarade is the essential oil obtained by the expression of the rind of the fruit of the bitter orange (or Seville orange) tree, Citrus aurantia (var. amara). "Bigarade" is the French name of the bitter orange.

Neroli is the product obtained from the blossoms of the bitter orange tree by enfleurage. The name is traditionally ascribed to the seventeenth century Italian Anne Marie Orsini, Duchess of Bracciano and Princess of Nerola, who introduced the essence of the flowers of the bitter orange tree as a fashionable fragrance by using it to perfume her gloves and her bath.

Petitgrain is the name generally applied to the oil obtained from the leaves, buds, and twigs of the same bitter orange tree; this is more specifically named Petitgrain Bigarade. There are other types of Petitgrain: Petitgrain Citronnier, which comes from the same parts of the lemon tree (Citrus limon); and Petitgrain Mandarin, from the leaves and twigs of the Mandarin tree (Citrus reticulata). "Petit grain" is French for small seeds, a reference to the materials used to produce the essential oil.

The essential oil obtained by expression or steam distillation from the rind of the fruit of the sweet orange (or Valencia orange) tree, Citrus aurantia, var. dulcis, is called Oil of Portugal. "Burtughal" is modern Arabic for both Portugal and orange; the classical Arabic word for orange is "naranj," from which the Spanish word "naranja" and the Portuguese "laranja" are derived.

Orange blossom (Fleurs d'Oranger) as a note description in perfume can denote oil obtained by enfleurage from the blossoms of the sweet orange tree, to distinguish it from Neroli, which is obtained from the flowers of the bitter orange tree. "Fleurs d'Oranger" is French for orange tree flowers.

Oil of Lemon (Citronnier) is an essential oil obtained by expression of the rind of the fruit of the lemon tree (Citrus medica, var. limonum). "Citronnier" is French for lemon tree.

Fleurs de Citronnier can refer to the oil of lemon blossoms. "Citronnier" is the French name of the lemon tree; "fleurs" is flowers.

Oil of Cedrat is a name given to a mixture of oils from various citrus sources. The word "cédrat" in French refers to the citron tree and fruit. ("Citron" is the French word for lemon.)

Bergamot Oil is the oil obtained by expression from the (inedible) fruit of the Bergamot tree (CItrus aurantia, var. bergamia). There is also a Bergamot absolute, refined from the oil, and having a semi-solid, slightly waxy character. It is probably the most important (and most expensive) of the citrus oils. Most of the world supply comes from southern Italy. The name is said to come from a Turkish phrase, "beg-armudi," meaning the prince's pear, owing to the pear-like shape of the fruit. Bergamot oil a hallmark of the formulation of chypre scents, but it is also used in many other formulations. It is especially prized for the green and resinous character it combines with the citrus note.

Limette refers to the oil of the rind of the fruit of the lime tree (Citrus medica, var. acida). "Lime" or "limette" is French for lime fruit; "limette" also refers to perfume oils derived from limes.

To summarize:

Bitter Orange tree:

Rind: Bigarade
Flowers: Neroli
Leaves, buds, and twigs: Petitgrain Bigarade

Sweet Orange tree:

Rind: Oil of Portugal
Flowers: Fleurs d'Oranger (Orange Blossom)

Mandarin Orange tree:

Leaves, buds, and twigs: Petitgrain Mandarin

Lemon Tree:

Rind: Citronnier
Flowers: Fleurs de Citrionnier

Mixed Citrus oils: Oil of Cedrat

Bergamot tree:

Rind: Bergamot Oil, Bergamot Absolute

Lime tree: Limette

I hope that about covers it.

(Sources for this post: Nigel Groom, The New Perfume Handbook (2nd Ed.), London:Chapman and Hall,1997 [ISBN 0-7514-0403-9], and Roja Dove, The Essence of Perfume, London:Black Dog Press, 2008 [ISBN 978-1-906155-49-0])