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Do you like bitter orange?

post #1 of 30
12/11/07 at 2:14pm
Thread Starter 
Orange notes are extremely popular in and out of Basenotes. However I like bitter orange notes also and I have a feeling I'm in the minority - since I rarely see them mentioned here.

I've encountered bitter orange in Bigarade Concentree by Frederic Malle, where it really shines in the hands of JC Ellena: it weaves in and out of a 'dirty' orange peel note and then vanishes into thin air (!) I've also smelled it in Play by Comme des Garcons, where it's appearance caused many to compare it to the smell of Tang (a popular US artificial orange powder drink). And...well Eau d'Orange Verte by Hermes, of course.

Today - I was lucky enough to encounter it again in Eau de Elide by Diptyque (thanks stuigi). In EdE it's folded into a wild lavender note that's dry, quite aromatic and extremely addictive. I'm not quite sure if I want to smell like this all of the time (this is one of those Diptyque scents that I would instantly like if I smelled a candle scented like this), but I'm willing to give it a few more wearings to see how this wears.

Are there any other scents I'm missing here?
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post #2 of 30
12/11/07 at 3:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeperez23 View Post

Orange notes are extremely popular in and out of Basenotes. However I like bitter orange notes also and I have a feeling I'm in the minority - since I rarely see them mentioned here.

I have the essential oil, and I prefer it to sweet orange; it smells more complex and lively to my nose. However, Bigarade Concentree was just moldy, decomposing orange as far as I could smell...
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post #3 of 30
12/11/07 at 4:01pm
I love it.

Bitter Orange=bigarade=seville orange

Eau D'orange Verte
Creed Citrus Biggarade

Anything with bigarade in the name. Many mixed citruses have some bigarade, as do other scents.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bigarade
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post #4 of 30
12/11/07 at 5:42pm
Eau d'Orange Verte is an old classic, while Citrus Bigarade is just wow - its the bigarade note rendered at 1080p !
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post #5 of 30
12/11/07 at 5:57pm
I love bitter orange. Bigarade Concentree was my SotD today and I was rather impressed by it. I got it as a sample when I ordered some Musc Ravageur and have been loving it ever since. It reminds me a lot of Terre d'Hermes, but with more bitter orange emphasis, and I think I like the overall scent of it more.
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post #6 of 30
12/11/07 at 6:06pm
I'm enamored by this note. Today I combined Terre d'Hermes with Eau d'orange Verte and it was a very good day indeed! Since I haven't smelled Bigarade Concentree I've been curious if this combination might come close. I'm dying to try it. I'm curious if people here think, for a person on a limited fragrance budget like myself, if Bigarade Concentree is worthy of the expenditure if one already owns T d'H.
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post #7 of 30
12/11/07 at 6:18pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by nthny View Post

I'm enamored by this note. Today I combined Terre d'Hermes with Eau d'orange Verte and it was a very good day indeed! Since I haven't smelled Bigarade Concentree I've been curious if this combination might come close. I'm dying to try it. I'm curious if people here think, for a person on a limited fragrance budget like myself, if Bigarade Concentree is worthy of the expenditure if one already owns T d'H.

At the prices of Bigarade Concentree, please try before you buy.

Have you done the 'online quiz' that the Frederic Malle has on their website and submitted your responses? When I did, and I stated that no retailers in my city sold Malle products they sent me 3 samples in the mail, free. Try it, if you haven't: http://www.editionsdeparfums.com/mallesite_gb/index.htm
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post #8 of 30
12/11/07 at 6:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeperez23 View Post

At the prices of Bigarade Concentree, please try before you buy.

Have you done the 'online quiz' that the Frederic Malle has on their website and submitted your responses? When I did, and I stated that no retailers in my city sold Malle products they sent me 3 samples in the mail, free. Try it, if you haven't: http://www.editionsdeparfums.com/mallesite_gb/index.htm

THANKS! I'll do it!
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post #9 of 30
12/11/07 at 7:49pm
Which is in Oscar for Men? Bitter orange, or sweet orange?
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post #10 of 30
12/11/07 at 8:02pm
It's not a mystery here: I love bitter orange among all the citrus palette.
Bitter orange has the aromatic and thick quality of bergamot but shines and dares with its bitterness without being piercing like grapefruit (which I do like too), it's the perfect balance. But it's also a not very popular note due to its particular temper unless it's used in small quantities, probably due to the bitterness: I suppose that people expect to smell sweet and fruity thinking of orange, even like a candy (think of Happy) and the thick, sometimes "dirty" aromatic bitterness messes them.
I do love how JCE used this longtime forgotten fruit to make it the star of Bigarrade concentré: I've never understood the body odor connection though, I just can feel some spicy cumin in it combined with a warm skin effect. If there's someome with body odor equal to bigarrade concentrée, please, tell us the secret!!
Other scents featuring a trong presence of bitter orange are Creed Citrus Bigarrade and Eau d'Orange Verte but both fade so quickly, specially the Hermès. what a pity.
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post #11 of 30
12/11/07 at 8:33pm
I am not a big fan of citrus notes but Ellena works wonders with bitter orange and wins my admiration. Terre d'Hermes, Cologne Bigarade and Bigarade Concentree are among the best I've worn. Bitter orange notes have an edginess about them that energizes me. Definitely a feel good note for me.
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post #12 of 30
12/11/07 at 10:10pm
Hey Mike, didn't I send you a bit of Maharanih? Overdose of persistant and puckering bitter orange there.
And btw, cashmere weather here. I can actually wear it while you have to pet it sadly in the closet and turn away. But you can revenge yourself by reminding me that the sun isn't actually pale and white and low in the sky.
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post #13 of 30
12/11/07 at 10:20pm
I also enjoy bitter orange and can detect it in scents like Azzaro Chrome, Baldessarini, and Romeo Gigli.

Actualy, despite having just swapped a full bottle of C&S Cuba with another BN'er, the only note i DID like in the opening was the unusual blood-orang-esque notes in the top.

I dont think theres a citrus that Im NOT fond of.
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post #14 of 30
12/11/07 at 11:54pm
Doesnt anybody get the bitter orange in Declaration?
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post #15 of 30
12/12/07 at 1:09am
Quote:
Originally Posted by sshak13 View Post

Doesnt anybody get the bitter orange in Declaration?

Yep... a very strong, long lasting bitter orange note ..... in L'Essence de Déclaration !!!
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post #16 of 30
12/12/07 at 1:42am
I lover the bitter orange smell.

To my nose Santa Maria Novella "Colonia Russa" is one of the best achievement in this field, a slightly dirty/ambery bitter orange, which is suitable for winter time.

Cheers, W
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post #17 of 30
12/12/07 at 7:58am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kyra View Post

Hey Mike, didn't I send you a bit of Maharanih? Overdose of persistant and puckering bitter orange there.
And btw, cashmere weather here. I can actually wear it while you have to pet it sadly in the closet and turn away. But you can revenge yourself by reminding me that the sun isn't actually pale and white and low in the sky.

You sent me the other PdN scent that starts with an M: Maharadjah. Not sure if this one has bitter orange...I'll smell it when I get home.
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post #18 of 30
12/12/07 at 8:04am
Bigarade Concentre is the only one I've tried with a bitter orange note, and I really enjoy it.
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post #19 of 30
12/12/07 at 8:43am
As with many other notes, it totally depends on what they do with it. Bigarade Concentree--nope. Too much like fruit rotting on the tree in my parents backyard. Eau d'Orange Verte--I don't feel like I'm sniffing a bitter orange so much as a 'reminder' of bitter orange, which works a lot better for me.
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post #20 of 30
12/12/07 at 8:52am
I do like bitter orange, but i prefer a semi sour (not the very sweet ) type of blood orange.
I also didn't think of Eau d'Orange Verte as a very bitter version of it as grizzlesnort mentioned.
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post #21 of 30
12/12/07 at 8:55am
I love it too. Creed Citrus Bigarade...

Very nostalgic scent for me that reminds me of some sort of toy, candy, or eraser from my childhood in the early 1980's. I like that extra dry, but still crisp and refreshing bitterness. The CB has the juicy citrus on top too, and this combination makes for one of the best citruses around.
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post #22 of 30
12/17/07 at 9:55pm
Thread Starter 
I guess I also realized (thanks shadesofbleu) that Eau des Merveilles also has a bitter orange note in it also, compliments of the seville orange note. Honestly I thought EdM just had a regular orange note, not a bitter one - but I stand corrected.
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post #23 of 30
12/18/07 at 12:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scentronic View Post

I love it too. Creed Citrus Bigarade...

Very nostalgic scent for me that reminds me of some sort of toy, candy, or eraser from my childhood in the early 1980's. I like that extra dry, but still crisp and refreshing bitterness. The CB has the juicy citrus on top too, and this combination makes for one of the best citruses around.

Creed Citrus Bigarade is one Creed that I don't own and haven't tried yet that sounds really appealing to me. I wonder if it shares much of a similarity with Creed's Santal Imperial which I bought this past week. Santal Imperial also reminded me a bit of some pencil erasers and I know that Citrus Bigarade has sandalwood in the base. The citrus top notes in Santal Imperial are odd-- I barely know how to describe them. I wonder if anybody knows what the topnotes in Santal Imperial really are...

Does anybody think these two are similar? Citrus Bigarade is on my short list of future buys.
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post #24 of 30
12/18/07 at 2:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeperez23 View Post

I guess I also realized (thanks shadesofbleu) that Eau des Merveilles also has a bitter orange note in it also, compliments of the seville orange note. Honestly I thought EdM just had a regular orange note, not a bitter one - but I stand corrected.


chyeah
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post #25 of 30
12/18/07 at 12:03pm
Does D&G Masculine have it? I love itanyway.
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post #26 of 30
12/18/07 at 1:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Indie_Guy View Post

Creed Citrus Bigarade is one Creed that I don't own and haven't tried yet that sounds really appealing to me. I wonder if it shares much of a similarity with Creed's Santal Imperial which I bought this past week. Santal Imperial also reminded me a bit of some pencil erasers and I know that Citrus Bigarade has sandalwood in the base. The citrus top notes in Santal Imperial are odd-- I barely know how to describe them. I wonder if anybody knows what the topnotes in Santal Imperial really are...

Does anybody think these two are similar? Citrus Bigarade is on my short list of future buys.

Not similar really. Citrus bigarrade has a big bitter citrus and a light base. You have to use lots of it, think of it more as a cologne. If you accept that, it is very fine.
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post #27 of 30
12/18/07 at 1:39pm
Yuck.

Bitter Orange = Sweat Smell

To me anyway in BC........
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post #28 of 30
12/18/07 at 1:49pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by hirch_duckfinder View Post

Not similar really. Citrus bigarrade has a big bitter citrus and a light base. You have to use lots of it, think of it more as a cologne. If you accept that, it is very fine.

Indie I agree with hirch - when I smelled Citrus Bigarade I immediately thought of Eau de Verte Orange by Hermes and other 'colognes' that are light, gentlemanly, slightly tangy and yet have low longevity. I remember when I sprayed some on my wrist at Neimans I sniffed my hand just about all afternoon.
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post #29 of 30
12/18/07 at 2:36pm
Yes, I do. I think Creed Orange Spice has this in it. A little bit like Kouros.
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post #30 of 30
8/2/08 at 3:02am
Thread Starter 
Thanks to Turin's review in The Guide, I just realized that those top notes of Numero Uno by Carthusia, one of my favorite chypres in my wardrobe, is bitter orange. Mixed with the mossy notes, it almost smells 'peachy'.
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