Rind Bergamot

NaturalCITRUSfresh · aromatic

TopPyramid

4/5Strength

24hTenacity

1Origins

Specimen

Citrus bergamia

Definition

Cold-pressed bergamot peel oil from Citrus bergamia. The backbone of countless fougeres and colognes.

FLORAL CITRUS SWEET WARM FRESH CREAMY RESINOUS

BERGAMOT ORANGE BERGAMOT PEEL

Type: Ingredient
Olfactive family: Citrus
Subfamily: Zesty citrus
Cluster: Bergamot-like aromatic citrus
Source: fruit peel
Chemical class: complex natural (expressed oil)

Instruments

Pyramid

TTop

HHeart

BBase

4/5Strength

High

odour strength

Tenacity on blotter

24hours

1 h6 h24 h3 d7 d400 h

Producing countries

Italy (Calabria)

Scent

The first second on a blotter is a sharp, almost stinging freshness — a bright acid flash, like pressing a fingernail into citrus peel and catching the spray. Within thirty seconds the linalyl acetate softness appears: floral-adjacent, slightly soapy, cooler than the opening hit.

By fifteen minutes the acid bite has calmed. What dominates is a clean, aromatic brightness — tea-like, faintly petally, with a dry bitter edge underneath. This is the bergamot character that perfumers build on: structured enough to carry a top note, transparent enough not to compete with what follows.

After several hours on a blotter: a soft, warm, slightly resinous dryness. The citrus is a memory. What lingers is a quiet, clean warmth — the base of bergamot oil, stripped of its volatile top, surprisingly woody.

In PREMIEREPEAU

DISCOVERY SET7 × 2 ml →EXTRAIT DE PARFUMThe seven extraits →

Terroir & Expressions

The Full Story

Rind bergamot is the essential oil obtained by cold pressing the peel of Citrus bergamia, a hybrid between lemon (C. limon) and bitter orange (C. aurantium). Nearly all commercial bergamot oil comes from a narrow coastal strip in Calabria, southern Italy, where the microclimate — mild winters, high humidity, alluvial, clay-limestone soils — produces an oil containing 22–36% linalyl acetate (ISO 3520:2022).

Explore all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.

The "rind" specification emphasizes the peel-only extraction: the oil is pressed from the fresh pericarp, the outer skin of the fruit. Cold pressing preserves the delicate terpenes and esters that heat-based extraction would destroy.

Bergamot oil is one of perfumery's most-used raw materials. It opens Eau de Cologne (the original Farina formula, 1709) and anchors the fougere family (Jicky, 1889). It is also the flavoring in Earl Grey tea.

Sample all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.

Sources

Did You Know?

Rind Bergamot is a key ingredient in perfumery and famously used in Earl Grey tea, imparting its particular flavor.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method

Cold pressing

Formula: Complex mixture: linalyl acetate (C₁₂H₂₀O₂, 22–36%), linalool (C₁₀H₁₈O), limonene (C₁₀H₁₆)
CAS: 8007-75-8
Botanical: Citrus bergamia
Appearance: Yellow to golden mobile liquid
Odour strength: High
Lasting power: 24 hours
Synonyms: BERGAMOT ORANGE BERGAMOT PEEL

IFRA status

No restriction

Restricted: the IFRA Standard (Amendment 49) caps expressed bergamot oil at 0.40% in the finished product, fine fragrance (category 4) included, because of phototoxicity. The limit applies when the furocoumarin content is unknown; rinse-off products (category 9) are not restricted.

Physical properties

Specific gravity: 0.868–0.878 @ 20 °C
Refractive index: 1.465–1.470 @ 20 °C

In Perfumery

In perfumery, Rind Bergamot is primarily used as a top note because of its bright and refreshing qualities. It pairs exceptionally well with floral notes like jasmine and rose, as well as with aromatic herbs and spices. Rind Bergamot's uplifting character makes it a popular choice in both men's and women's fragrances, often serving as the opening note that captures the wearer's attention.

Role in the formula

01modifier

02signature note

03lifting agent

04blender

05freshness

Available as

expressed oil