Native to Southern Italy, bergamot is a yellow lemon-like fruit that’s too sour and bitter to consume, but perfectly electrifying when scented. Bergamot’s perfume oil comes from the rind of the fruit – the essential oil is pressed into a sea sponge by hand – the same rind that gives Earl Grey tea its distinctive flavor and smell.

Some people refer to bergamot as ‘the finest flower of citrus’ because of its very subtle yet sophisticated scent. Bergamot smells super fresh, as expected, but also zingy, bitter, tart, and mildly spicy. We really like how it’s both balanced and unique; sweet, yet incredibly complex all at once. It’s multi-faceted, never dull, and truly one of the more interesting citrus notes we’ve ever encountered.

You’ll find bergamot almost everywhere. The citrus note is used in many perfumes and colognes (particularly those of heavier and rounder formulations) for its energizing and uplifting properties. It’s a common top note in many floral, ambery, woody, and even oriental fragrances. The note is especially prevalent in Chypre accord fragrances, too, where it’s combined with oakmoss, patchouli, labdanum, rose, and jasmine. By definition, however, bergamot is a very weak scent (great for colognes, not so much for others), making it less ideal as a primary note in perfumes.