Summery Mandarin
While bergamot (a cross between a lime and Seville bitter orange) and lemon get the most attention in modern day perfumery, mandarin is equally uplifting and energizing. Scent experts often describe it as ‘sunny’ for its joyful character. It’s the perfect note to wear during summer months.
Mandarin essential oil smells sweet, fruity, citrussy and fresh – just the first impression perfumers look for when composing a fragrance. The wonderful fragrance is extracted from the rinds of the mandarin oil through a cold press process. And while you can buy green, yellow and red mandarins, it is the traditional orange variety that remains the most popular – grown and harvested in China, Italy, Spain and even South America. Mandarin trees are grown in tropical and subtropical regions.
Botanical name of mandarin: Citrus Reticulata
Botanical family of mandarin: Rutaceae
You’ll always find mandarin in the top notes of a fragrance since it makes such a strong first impression. What’s special about mandarin is that it is longer-lasting than lemon and grapefruit. It blends beautifully with spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg.
Here are seven of our favourite fragrances that contain great quality mandarin notes:
19-69 Capri
This fresh light citrus-inspired scent for him or her is inspired by Villa Malaparte and the 1963 film Le Mépris which was filmed on the picturesque island of Capri. Notes of sweet and bitter orange swirl with fragrant ylang-ylang oil and white musk to beautiful effect
Michael Kors Gorgeous
Michael Kors Gorgeous is a floral woody-musk fragrance for her with notes of mandarin orange, juicy pink pepper, tuberose, tobacco, jasmine sambac, orange blossom and ylang-ylang. The smooth drydown adds suede, cashmeran, tonka bean, cedar and guaiac wood.
Mine Perfume Lab Good Morning Sir
Mine Perfume Lab Good Morning Sir is a citrus-spicy scent for him that blends the finest Italian citrus: bergamot and orange with heady orange blossom. But it is the clever combination of patchouli, vetiver, cedarwood and spices that make this scent the perfect way to start you day.
Chabaud Orangie Musicale Lux
Chabaud Orangerie Musicale Lux is a citrus amber-floral scent for her or him created by perfumer Patrice Revillard. He layers notes of neroli, bergamot, orange and spicy star anise with a bouquet of white blooms: French orange flower and Egyptian Jasmine. It’s the base notes that add a sweet kick with almond, sugar, benzoin, musk and vanilla
Jimmy Choo I Want Choo
I Want Choo is a sparkling floral-amber fragrance for her the blends notes of velvet peach, mandarin juice, red spider lily, jasmin sambac, vanilla and benzoin (that smells like caramel)
Coach Floral
Coach Floral is a floral-woody-musk fragrance for her that balances zesty fruity notes with a bouquet of floral ingredients and a hint of vanilla and woods. The pairing of tea rose and sandalwood is particularly well done.
Van Cleef & Arpels Collection Extraordinaire Orchidee Vanille
Van Cleef & Arpels Collection Extraordinaire Orchidee Vanille is a an exquisite floral-gourmand scent for her created by perfumer Randa Hammami. She precisely balances notes of dark chocolate, vanilla, sweet tonka bean and bitter almond with mandarin orange, litchi and vanilla orchid. A little white musk and cedar round out the composition
September Dee
August 16, 2023 at 12:43 pmOoooh love a good citrus!
Brenda Cremer
August 15, 2023 at 8:38 pmIt’s very interesting that Mandarin scent lasts longer than grapefruit and lemon.