Orange Blossom-The Other White Flower
I usually pass on most white flower perfumes, especially soliflores; the gardenias, the freesias, the tuberoses and the jasmines others adore, I abhor. I find them overwhelming and not suitable for my chemistry. Ladies, love your Fracas, celebrate your Carnal Flower, or inhale the indoles of Jasmine, but I reach for fragrances that bring out the aromatic perfection of the ‘other white’ flower...
The Masculine: Making its debut exclusively at Nordstrom’s, John Varvatos introduces Artisan, a new masculine bursting with the juices of freshly cut oranges. Created by Rodrigo Flores-Roux of Givaudan, Artisan is a real departure for Varvatos; a clean cologne redolent with a heart of orange blossom and Indian murraya, (orange jasmine tree), which according to the Company has never before been used in a men's fragrance. A warm woody accord is at the base. An exceptional, affordable and fragrant scent for him (and her) Available at www.nordstrom.com
It is not known precisely when or where the oil from neroli was first extracted for use in scent. Legend has it that during the 17th century in Italy, Anne Marie de la Trémoille (Orsini), Duchess of Bracciano (a town located about twenty one miles from Rome) and Princess of Nerola (TomKat’s glam nuptials were held at the Castle of Nerola), first introduced neroli oil as a fashionable fragrance to high society. She used it while bathing and also to perfume her stationary, scarves and most famously, her gloves.
Anne Marie de la Trémoille (Orsini)
Castle of Nerola
The fragrance obviously caught on, as at the beginning of the 18th century, Johann Maria Farina, the Italian perfume maker, created a new fragrance which he named Eau de Cologne, a blend of neroli, bergamot, lavender, lemon, Petitgrain and rosemary. And the rest as they say - is history.
Orange blossom and Neroli are extracted and distilled from the flowers of the bitter orange tree (Citrus bigaradia), with the different methods of extraction determining the type and olfactory characteristics of resulting oils. Orange blossom oil is extracted with unstable solvents, while neroli is steam-distilled. The former is a white floral, with a sweeter aroma, while neroli is heavier, greener and spicier. The fruit of bitter orange tree produces bitter orange oil and its leaves give the sparkling grassiness of petitgrain oil. Each fragrance has a special or unique quality and I hope you try them all and find one you love.
The Tour De Force: If you can afford to buy more than one, Serge Luten’s Fleur D’Oranger deserves an heir and a spare. It’s the most unabashedly feminine of the orange blossom fragrances I tested.
Orange blossom and the barest hint of those other white flowers are enhanced with traces of warm spice. A floral fantasy. Available at www.barneys.com and at The Scent Bar, Los Angeles.
The Discovery: Hidden in my sample stash was the ‘gem’ of this article. Created by a master tailor with the unlikely name of Gianni Campagna, a Sicilian native who cuts cloth for the international glitterati (the website shows him with Diddy and other celebs), Neroli is rumored to be a personal favorite of George Wuchsa of www.first-in-fragrance.com and it is mine as well. Only Sicilian neroli is used in this fragrance, and the addition of the peony note is delightful and unexpected. The drydown is a marvel; amber base notes cut neroli’s natural tendency towards bitterness.
The Organic: Blooms de Nuit, created by Jane Hendler, the owner of Ajne is a soft spoken orange blossom pure perfume, complimented by the subtle addition of green leaves and orange fruit. An added benefit; according to aroma therapist; the essential oils used in Blooms de Nuit are known to calm and balance the nervous system. I gaze at the gorgeous gold filigree bottle, and feel rather Zen (despite its steep price) and a drop or two lasts for hours. Available at www.ajne.com and at Bergdorf Goodman
Gianni Campagna Neroli
Blooms de Nuit by Ajne
The Perfect Presents: Who doesn’t welcome a gilded candle from Cire Trudon, the world’s oldest producer of wax candles?
Odalisque is scented with pure orange blossom woven with notes of bark and vanilla. Available at www.first-in-fragrance.com and at www.aedes.com.
There are always the naysayers. I DON”T LIKE ORANGE BLOSSOM. NO! NO! NO! Anyone who believes that hasn’t experienced the pure pleasure of Redflower’s Intensely Scented Organic Orange Blossom Diffuser that wafts continuously throughout my apartment. This Demeter-Certified diffuser is one of the best I have tested; after three months the scent is as distinct as the day I placed the palm reeds into its recycled Spanish glass spherical bottle. Available at www.redflower.com and www.beautyhabit.com
Odalisque candle by Cire Trudon
Redflower Intensely Scented Organic Orange Blossom Room Diffuser
The Limited Edition: When L’Artisan Parfumeur creates their limited edition harvest series, trust me, they are ‘must haves’.
In 2005, Fleur D’Oranger was the first of this new series of outstanding perfumes to celebrate a sublime harvest, from the Nabeul Orchards in Tunisia. 2007 was also a year that yielded an extraordinary harvest, one that was used to create another limited edition of orange blossom perfume (the first edition was exhausted in just a few weeks).
Since I have a trace left of the original, 2005 was THE year, but 2007 is certainly bottle worthy. It is the embodiment of a fleeting moment in time, when the orange blossom was at its peak.
Lush and honeyed; it is amazingly fresh. This freshness is emphasized by other parts of the orange tree (neroli, orange essential oil, the seed, extract of the twig, the bud and the leaves). Everything in this fragrance is near perfection.
A luscious and giddy scent with its hint of almond sweetness,
it is a favourite, and I hoard it.
Fleur D’Oranger 2007-Exceptional Harvest Series by L’Artisan Parfumeur
Le Labo’s Fleur D’Oranger 26 and Neroli 37
The Duo: From the fragrance scientists and artists at Le Labo’s, Fleur D’Oranger 26 ( the number next to each fragrance is the number of ingredients used for each scent) is composed of natural and extremely rare Orange Blossoms that took over 3 years to cultivate. This is my personal favorite of the two, as this blend of fresh florals, musk, bergamot, petit grain and lemon is somehow the more ‘honeyed’ of the two and very feminine. Neroli 37 is very different. It includes rose, musk, mandarin orange, jasmine and vanilla -- yet is somehow ‘greener’ and perhaps not quite as beguiling, although its drydown is so fresh and clean I would like to smell this on the back of a man’s neck. Each scent is made to order and personally labeled for you. Available at www.lelabofragrances.com
John Varvatos Artisan
Diptyque Eau de Neroli
The Classic: For those who mourn the passing of several Diptyque fragrances into the never never land of DISCONTINUED, the company serves up Diptyque Eau de Neroli, a nostalgic, straightforward neroli based cologne with notes of bergamot, petitgrain, verbena, tarragon, neroli, orange blossom, geranium, beeswax, white musk and cedar). It is a sunlit and cheery citrus, eminently wearable and not overly complex; nuances of tarragon and beeswax are of special interest. This is the perfect ‘neroli for beginners’. Available at www.beautyhabit.com
By Michelyn Camen
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