Bergamot
Odor Profile
Bergamot offers a bright, complex, and highly refined citrus note, prized for its earl grey tea-like quality. It combines zesty, fresh lemon and orange facets with a distinctive bitter, aromatic, and slightly spicy undertone. It is essential in Eaux de Cologne and serves as a luminous, elegant top note, adding lift and sophistication to all fragrance types.
History
Bergamot is a citrus fruit primarily cultivated in the Calabria region of Italy. Its essential oil has been used in perfumery since the early 18th century, with the first record dating to 1714. It became a foundational ingredient in the original Eau de Cologne, securing its place in fine perfumery for its light, crisp, and refreshing scent.
Famous Perfumes
Bergamot is recognized as arguably the most essential citrus note in perfumery, acting as the luminous opening for the entire fresh fragrance category. It is most famously associated with the traditional Eau de Cologne structure. Its scent—sparkling, slightly tart, and possessing a floral-tea-like aroma—provides an invigorating lift that is both classic and universally appealing, making it the defining ingredient for light, clean, and refreshing scents.
- In contemporary high-end perfumery, Bergamot’s function has evolved to support sophisticated, modern compositions. Fragrances like Le Labo’s Bergamote 22 celebrate the note itself, expertly combining its signature zestiness with green elements and woody bases to create a complex, long-lasting citrus experience. Furthermore, its role extends beyond pure citrus scents; it is utilized to add brightness and dynamism to diverse fragrance genres, including sweet scents like Prada Infusion de Vanille, modern chypres, and orientals, preventing the final composition from becoming heavy.
The enduring popularity of Bergamot stems from its use in classic cultural applications, such as Earl Grey tea blends, and its indispensable historical presence in classic perfume formulas. Today, whether it is used as a clean, fresh component in everyday products like body mists (Salt & Stone Bergamot & Hinoki) or as the vibrant, energetic opening of high-end designer fragrances such as YSL Libre l’Eau Nue Eau de Parfum and Henry Rose Windows Down Eau de Parfum, Bergamot remains a standard ingredient for invoking an aura of expensive, sun-drenched Italian sophistication.
Extraction Method
Bergamot essential oil is primarily extracted through cold pressing (expression) of the fruit’s peel, which preserves its delicate aromatic compounds. While traditional hand-sponging and historical devices like the “calabrese machine” were once standard, modern commercial production utilizes mechanical peelers (pelatrice) that rasp the skin under water spray to create an emulsion. Recent developments include the use of fractional distillation to create bergaptene-free oil, removing phototoxic compounds for safer skin application, and advanced techniques like isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS) to verify purity. Experimental methods also explore solvent extraction with alcohol or encapsulation using cyclodextrins and lyophilization to stabilize volatile components for solid dosage forms.
Trivia
Bergamot is the signature flavor and aroma of Earl Grey tea, and it was one of the original ingredients in the first Eau de Cologne developed in the early 18th century.
Sustainability
Sustainability of Bergamot
- Promoting a circular economy by repurposing waste, such as using juice and remaining peels as fertilizer or for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products
- Adoption of organic farming practices and underground irrigation to conserve water and resources
- Establishing producer consortia and cooperatives to ensure fair income and socio-economic resilience for smallholder farmers
- Implementation of responsible sourcing policies and third-party audits by major fragrance houses to ensure ethical labor conditions and biodiversity protection
- Research and education initiatives, such as the Adopt-an-Herb program, to support sustainable development and clinical study of bergamot derivatives
Seasonality
Seasonality of Bergamot
\Blooming typically occurs during the winter months for the bergamot orange tree
\Fruit ripening and harvest are carefully timed to optimize essential oil yield and juice quality
\Wild bergamot flowers primarily from midsummer to early fall, often between July and September
\The plant remains of interest through late summer and early autumn as seed heads develop and mature
\Dormancy occurs in late fall and winter, with new growth appearing in the spring
\
Top Perfumes
Le Labo Bergamote 22, Guerlain Bergamote Fantastico Extrait 11, Tom Ford Venetian Bergamot, Jo Malone Oud & Bergamot, Dior Sauvage, Maison Francis Kurkdjian Aqua Universalis, Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Bergamote Calabria, Creed Aventus, Acqua di Parma Bergamotto di Calabria, Atelier Cologne Bergamote Soleil
FAQ
Q: What is bergamot?
A: Bergamot is a fragrant citrus fruit primarily grown in Italy, prized for its aromatic peel which is a staple in perfumery and the signature flavor of Earl Grey tea.
Q: How is bergamot oil extracted?
A: The essential oil is primarily extracted through cold pressing (expression) of the fruit’s peel to preserve its delicate and complex aromatic compounds.
Q: What does bergamot smell like?
A: It offers a fresh, complex citrus scent characterized by bright top notes with distinctive floral, herbal, and slightly spicy undertones.
Q: What are some top perfumes featuring bergamot?
A: Popular fragrances featuring bergamot include Le Labo Bergamote 22, Dior Sauvage, Creed Aventus, Guerlain Bergamote Fantastico, and Acqua di Parma Bergamotto di Calabria.
Q: When is bergamot in season?
A: The bergamot orange tree typically blooms and its fruit is harvested during the winter months, which is when the oil yield and quality are most optimal.