Collection: Orange Blossom Fragrances

Orange blossom is a fragrant distillation of fresh bitter orange blossom. This orange, also known as sour orange, is usually too sour to appreciate straight away, but that same bitterness makes this type of orange much more aromatic than the rest of the orange varieties. Almost all parts of the bitter orange are used to produce beautiful aromatics for the perfume industry: the essential oil is derived from the rind of the fruit, the orange leaves are used in the production of Petitgrain oil, while the delicate white flowers are used in the production of Neroli and Orange Blossom absolute. The bitter orange tree Citrus aurantium is widely cultivated in the western regions of India, East Africa and the Himalayas. The Spanish introduced bitter orange to St. Augustine, Florida in the mid-1500s. By 1763, bitter oranges were exported from St. Augustine to England, laying the foundation for what is today. Florida, one of the largest orange producers in the world. This state has even used the orange blossom as an official state symbol since May 5, 1909. During the orange blossom season, in the spring, millions of delicate waxy white flowers perfume the air in the center. and southern Florida. Being one of the most fragrant flowers, orange blossom is an indispensable material in the perfume industry. Orange blossoms have been used in wedding traditions since the days of ancient China. In Chinese tradition, orange blossoms were portents of purity, innocence and moral virtue, but also a symbol of fertility and fertility. Brides of all nations have always worn some sort of floral ornament on their wedding day, and the tradition of using orange blossoms spread from East to Europe during the days of the crusades. Young girls used fresh orange blossoms to decorate their hair on their wedding day, and this custom was so widespread that the phrase picking orange blossoms took on a whole new connotation when it began to mean looking for a wife . The fragrant bitter orange flowers are used in the production of orange blossom and neroli extracts. Even though these scent notes have different scent characteristics, the only thing that sets them apart is a different extraction process. This example illustrates the importance of the technology used in the production of raw materials since these two materials, even from the same type of flower, have completely different properties. Orange blossom absolute is obtained by solvent extraction in the form of concrete, and by washing and filtration with alcohol in the form of an absolute. Neroli is obtained by steam distillation of freshly picked flowers. Neroli oil has a lovely aromatic scent that leans a bit towards the fresh, green petitgrain. Orange blossom absolute, on the other hand, has a deeper, sweeter scent that is strongly reminiscent of the heady scent of fresh flowers. Intoxicating and overwhelming, it resembles the scent of jasmine and it actually shares some of the common chemicals with this flower, methyl anthranilate, for example. Orange blossom absolute is used in many types of perfumes and in particular in colognes, chypres, amber, floral bouquets and heavy Orientals. It beautifully complements all other citrus notes and acts as a natural fixer, allowing the original composition to last longer while retaining its true scent. An astonishing scent of orange blossom is Fleurs D'Oranger by Serge Lutens. Soft, delicate, gentle and feminine, this scent offers an intoxicating bouquet of white flowers paired with a single fresh green rose. Jo Malone's Orange Blossom Eau de Cologne, with its heart of orange blossom and water lily, is another prime example of this note, while Yardley's Orange Blossom, designed to showcase the modern notes of fragrance-inspired scents. English flowers, offers a wonderful and sophisticated combination of orange blossom and sensual musk. Fleur du M�le by Jean Paul Gaultier, named after Baudelaire's collection of poems, uses orange blossom in a decadent, flowery, slightly feminine composition designed especially for men. To find other amazing scents with the orange blossom note, please use our rating search. To learn more about the raw materials of neroli and orange blossom, see Sandra's informative article Orange blossom or neroli. By Marina Milojevic