Neroli

Neroli oil is an essential oil produced from the blossom of the bitter orange tree. Neroli is distilled from the blossoms, whereas bitter orange oil is typically cold pressed from the rinds of the fruits.

The bitter orange tree

The bitter orange is the hybrid citrus tree species Citrus × aurantium. It is a cross between the pomelo and the wild type mandarin orange. It is native to Southeast Asia and has been spread by humans to many parts of the world. The trees require little care and may live for as long as 600 years, and they grow in subtropical regions but can tolerate a brief frost. The tree produces substantial flowers from the tenth year and reaches its maximum production around the 20th year.

Neroli vs orange blossom

The difference between neroli and orange blossom is a result of the different extraction processes used to obtain the oil from the blooms. Neroli is extracted by steam distillation, whereas orange blossom is extracted through either enfleurage or solvent extraction.

Orange flower water is a clear aromatic by-product of the distillation of fresh bitter-orange blossoms for their essential oil. Orange flower water has traditionally flavoured Mediterranean desserts, such as the gibassier in France and the pastiera in Italy. Petitgrain is an essential oil extracted from the leaves and green twigs of the bitter orange tree via steam distillation. Though distilled from the same botanical species as neroli, petitgrain bigarade oil possesses its own characteristically unique aroma. The name petitgrain means little grain in French and dates from the time when the oil was extracted from the unripe small green fruits of the plant.

So "orange blossom" can point to several materials, while "neroli" names one specific oil. Insuline Safrine lists both neroli and orange blossom, next to saffron, vanilla and bitter almond. For the flower itself, read the Orange Blossom entry.

How neroli is made

The blossoms are gathered, usually by hand, in late April to early May. Neroli production has long been limited, and its cost on the market is considerably high.

Chemistry and sensitisation

Like many raw materials, neroli can cause sensitisation due to a high content of aromatic terpenes. These terpenes include linalool, limonene, farnesol, geraniol, and citral.

In Egyptian neroli oils, the composition seems to depend on the period of production. The amount of linalool decreases from March to April while linalyl acetate increases in the same period. Analysis of five Egyptian neroli oils produced in 2008 and 2009 quantified 86 components.

Other uses

Neroli is a flavouring ingredient of open source cola recipes, although some variants treat it as optional because of its high cost.

Where does neroli come from?

Tunisia, Morocco, and Egypt are the leading producers of neroli.

This note in PREMIEREPEAU. Insuline Safrine. Sample the extraits in the Discovery Set.