{"id":8735,"date":"2022-12-20T09:42:23","date_gmt":"2022-12-20T09:42:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/masterparfums.com\/?p=8735"},"modified":"2026-10-28T11:13:47","modified_gmt":"2026-10-28T11:13:47","slug":"bergamot-perfumery-use-olfactory-family","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/masterparfums.com\/en\/bergamot-perfumery-use-olfactory-family\/","title":{"rendered":"Bergamot in Perfumery: Use and Olfactory Family"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Bergamot is a citrus fruit that is one of the most commonly used raw materials in perfumery. Where does this plant come from? How is it processed, and what are its properties? We explain it all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Plant: The Bergamot Tree<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Unlike orange and lemon, which are widely used in cooking, bergamot, whose flesh is very bitter, is far less well known.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is the fruit of the bergamot tree (Citrus bergamia), of the Rutaceae family, growing up to 4 metres in height. This citrus fruit is green in colour but turns yellow when ripe. It has a thick skin and a very bitter pulp that does not taste very good. The bergamot tree is mainly cultivated in Calabria, in the south of Italy, but it is also found in other parts of the world, such as Brazil or the Ivory Coast. Its origin is not very clear; some attribute origins in Asia to it, others in Turkey or Spain\u2026 And it is indeed its Mediterranean character and its freshness that come to mind immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are four species of bergamot tree: the Fantastico, the Castagnaro, the Calabraise and the Femminello. It is the Fantastico variety that is favoured for its superior quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bergamot is a hybrid fruit, a fusion of the lime tree (lime) and the bitter orange tree (bitter orange). The flesh of the fruit is little consumed owing to its acidity and bitterness. If you are a lover of this very particular aroma, you will like Earl Grey tea and the famous bergamotes de Nancy (sweets).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is said that keeping a few of its leaves in our purse might ward off poverty!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bergamot Essential Oil<\/h2>\n\n\n
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Bergamot is a fruit known for its olfactory properties but also for its essential oil, to which many virtues are attributed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bergamot essential oil is extracted from its zest by cold pressing. After harvest, the fresh fruits are kept for 48 to 72 hours to soften the peel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After this step, the fruits are placed in large machines called “Pelatrices.” These peel the citrus rind, which contains all the benefits and its essence, without altering the flesh. Then comes the filtration step using a centrifuge to extract the essential oils encapsulated in the zest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This elixir is originally dark green in colour and gives off a rich, intense aroma. But its treatment, which consists of removing the furocoumarins\u2014photosensitising components such as bergapten, which can stain the skin in the sun\u2014changes its colour, making it more transparent and golden. Nowadays, these furocoumarins are removed from all citrus fruits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It takes on average 200 kg of fresh fruit to obtain 1 litre of bergamot essential oil. Bearing in mind that a kilo of bergamot can cost up to \u20ac25!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Depending on the ripeness of the fruit, different results are obtained: when the fruit is still green, it is acidic, invigorating facets that come through. As it ripens, the fruit turns yellow, and it is rather floral notes that emerge. At the end of the season, the fruity aspects of the fruit come out freely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bergamot essential oil has medicinal properties<\/a>: relaxing virtues, helping to lower blood pressure, antiseptic, preventing infections, relieving depression. It is also effective against insomnia. Its benefits are manifold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Use of Bergamot in Perfumery<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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