Ingredient Guide
Bergamot is a citrus fruit in the Rutaceae family. According to one theory, its name comes from Berga, a town north of Barcelona in Spain where it was cultivated. Another theory traces the name to Turkish (Osmothèque’s account). Its flesh is sour and bitter, so it is rarely eaten. It is used to flavour Earl Grey tea.
Calabria in southern Italy accounts for 90% of global production, and bergamot is regarded as the best-performing of the citrus notes because it offers volume, depth and roundness of scent that other citrus fruits do not. In his account of its use in perfumery, Gérald Ghislain dates bergamot’s first use to a cologne formula in 1750.
The oil is extracted by expression to preserve its freshness and quality. As this is labour-intensive, machines are now used instead of manual methods. Producing 1 kg of essential oil requires 200 kg of fruit.
Despite its widespread use, bergamot still holds a mystery for scientists: its botanical ancestry is uncertain. Bergamot does not occur in nature. And if you plant a bergamot seed, a bitter orange tree will grow. This is why it must be cultivated by grafting.
Gérald Ghislain
What Does It Smell Like in Perfume?
In perfume, bergamot has a bright citrus scent, like a burst of oil from the peel, with floral and herbal nuances and a hint of bitterness. Natural oil cold-expressed from the peel of Citrus bergamia gives the top notes a juicy freshness and creates an airy transition to floral or herbal scents. Some natural oils are rectified after expression to reduce their furocoumarin content; the processing method affects both the scent profile and the composition. Alongside natural oil, reconstructed bergamot accords may also be used in perfume.
How to Choose Bergamot Fragrances
Bergamot has peel-like bitterness and floral softness as well as citrus brightness. Grapefruit gives it a different kind of freshness from lemon and ginger. The woods and musk that linger afterward can be just as important to your choice.
Comparing Bergamot Fragrances
Bergamote 22 (Le Labo)
Bergamot, grapefruit and petitgrain create bright, pleasantly bitter citrus. Amber, musk and vetiver take the fragrance beyond citrus alone.
Bergamotto di Calabria Eau de Toilette (Acqua di Parma)
Calabrian bergamot is joined by lemon and red ginger. Cedar, vetiver, musk and benzoin follow in this eau de toilette. Citrus and spice offer a different combination from the grapefruit in Bergamote 22.
Find Your Next Fragrance
To explore more perfumes, open our Fragrance Finder. Choose “Favorite fragrances & notes” on the home screen, then search in the “Favorite notes” field. Select a note you like from the results and press “Next” to continue. You can start with notes even if you do not yet have a favorite perfume.
