If I had to pick only one perfume to wear throughout winter, it would be neither a smoky incense nor a warm amber. I could even survive the cold days without sumptuous white florals or dark spices. I couldn’t, however, go through winter without a citrus cologne. More precisely, my ideal winter fragrance is based around the zesty, bright note of mandarin. In preparation for my Citrus and Cologne classes, I decided to offer my perfect citrus selection.
The reason I pick citrus for these months is that it feels uplifting and bright on days when nothing else does. In addition mandarin is unique because it’s the only citrus essence with a pronounced floral facet. Mandarin shares aromatic compounds with orange blossoms, tuberose and Concord grapes, which is why even the simplest mandarin compositions have an unusual complexity.
Take for example, Prada’s Infusion de Mandarine. Its philosophy is to keep mandarin simple, and its refined minimalism is rewarding. The top notes combine all of the best elements of a citrus cologne—the green vibrancy of mandarin leaves, the sweetness of mandarin zest and the warmth of orange flowers. You notice the delicious bitterness of the peel and then the sweetness of pulp, and the contrast remains vivid into the drydown. Perfumer Daniela Andrier is a master of playing with nuances, and her choice of grounding mandarin into a velvety finish hinting at incense and vanilla makes for a fragrance that lingers for many hours.
The brand specializing in modern colognes, Atelier Cologne, took a slightly more involved route to creating their perfect mandarin. Mandarin remains the main star of Mandarine Glaciale, but it’s accented with jasmine and moss. Jasmine enhances the floral elements of mandarin, while delicately powdery mossy notes tone down the bitterness of citrus. In the drydown, sweet mandarin meets a layer of salty vetiver. If you know how addictive salted caramel can be, you’ll understand why I find Mandarine Glaciale irresistible.
To select the most baroque of mandarins, I need not look further than L’Artisan Parfumeur Mandarine Corsica. Perfumer Quentin Bisch took inspiration from the village of San Giuliano in Corsica to pair mandarin with immortelle, the flower of the dunes. Immortelle has a sweet-savory aroma, reminiscent of maple syrup and bitter herbal liqueurs. Though an intense material, it doesn’t hide the floral nuances of golden citrus fruit, but rather amplifies their sweetness. Mandarine Corsica seems so full of sunshine and languor that wearing it I want to repeat after Camus, “in the depths of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.”
What are your favorite citrus perfumes for this time of year? Do you have fragrances with mandarin notes?
Online Classes
Perfume Fundamentals Online: Citrus
Location: Online, Zoom
Date: January 18th, Saturday, 12:00pm-1:30pm EST/6:00pm-7:30pm CET
Price: €60 Book Now (Recording will be available)
Perfume Fundamentals Online: Spices
Location: Online, Zoom
Date: January 22nd, Wednesday, 12:00pm-1:30pm EST/6:00pm-7:30pm CET
Price: €60 Book Now (Recording will be available)
Perfume Fundamentals Online: Dark Woods
Location: Online, Zoom
Date: January 25th, Saturday, 12:00pm-1:30pm EST/6:00pm-7:30pm CET
Price: €60 Book Now (Recording will be available)
3-Class Package: Citrus, Spices, Dark Woods
Price: €165 Book Now (Recording will be available)
In the Perfume Family classes, we will learn about accords that comprise the key perfume families. We will study how such accords are created and you will receive practical guidance on how to create your own accord, recognize perfume families and find a fragrance that suits your style and tastes.
Perfume Families Online: Chypre
Location: Online, Zoom
Date: February 1st, Saturday, 12:00pm-1:30pm EST/6:00pm-7:30pm CET
Price: €60 Book Now (Recording will be available)
Perfume Families Online: Cologne
Location: Online, Zoom
Date: February 5th, Wednesday, 12:00pm-1:30pm EST/6:00pm-7:30pm CET
Price: €60 Book Now (Recording will be available)
Perfume Families Online: Florals
Location: Online, Zoom
Date: February 8th, Saturday, 12:00pm-1:30pm EST/6:00pm-7:30pm CET
Price: €60 Book Now (Recording will be available)
3-Class Package: Chypre, Cologne, Florals
Price: €165 Book Now (Recording will be available)
14 Comments
Fiona: I remember Yves Rocher eaux de toilette, from over 30 years ago. One was Eglantine, another Chèvrefeuille, and my favourite was Mandarine. I discovered them when I lived in France. They were simple, elegantly packaged and wonderfully fresh. I don’t know if Yves Rocher still manufactures them, I’m looking for something similar. January 17, 2025 at 9:27am
Marina Sofia: Aqua di Parma’s Arancia di Capri is more orange than mandarin, so not sweetly citrussy, but extremely citrussy. However, their Mandarino di Sicilia is precisely that – unfortunately, it seems to be quite elusive, I can never find it at online retailers or duty frees. January 17, 2025 at 10:07am
Victoria: I like all of their citrus perfumes, including the bergamot one. They’re quite sophisticated, elegant. And you’re right, Arancia di Capri is somewhat of a misnomer. It also seems more like a mandarin to me. January 17, 2025 at 10:16am
Barbara: I have and love Aqua Allegoria Mandarin Basilic. I really enjoy the opening- it’s very sweet and lively! January 17, 2025 at 10:54am
Alityke: I miss the weirdness of Luten’s ode to mandarin & celery, Mandarin Mandarine. A richly woven silken tapestry of citrus, salty green celery & typical Luten’s spices. Gorgeous but truly weird!
I break out Guerlain AA Orange Soleia in winter. It’s one of the few fragrances that always gets complements January 17, 2025 at 12:50pm
Nina Zolotow: For some reason, my skin doesn’t like most citrus scents–they go sour. But the way you’ve described the mandarine ones as more floral I think that might work better for me. I’ve never tried the three you recommend, but now I’m dying to, especially the Prada because I often love their perfumes (especially the old Exclusives).
These days I’ve been using the Nuxe Neroli body oil (and energizing soap, which smells the same) as a way to get that upfliting experience that citrus can provide. Highly recommend both! January 17, 2025 at 1:10pm
Aurora: Thank you very much Victoria for a sun-filled post. I’ve had Infusion de Mandarine for years now and wear it in all seasons, it has a perfect balance of tart and sweet and I love it’s drydown, you describe it well, ‘velvety’. It is very timely for me that you list Mandarina Corsica too because I acquired it last quarter, I’m still getting to know it, Quentin Bisch is not a perfumer I know well. I also enjoy the now classic Hermès Eau de mandarine ambrée and Prada l’Eau Ambrée, inexplicably discontinued, has exhilarating citrus at the top, another testimony to Daniela Andrier’s skill with hespérides. January 17, 2025 at 7:28pm
rickyrebarco: I like Laboratorio Olfattivo’s citrus trio by Jean-Claude Ellena, Mandarino, Bergamotto and Pomelo. My favorite is the tart mandarin. January 17, 2025 at 10:44pm
Shan: The most recent mandarin note I’ve tried is quite literal in Byredo’s Tobacco Mandarin – its very beautiful to me but its so literal that the price point makes me wince! It may be one of my favourite tobacco fragrances though, it has a very good depth but without being cloying and isn’t boring at all despite being literal. A contradiction 🙂 January 18, 2025 at 1:15am
Noemi: The tangerine mandarin in Loewe’s Aire Fantasía has been with me for several winters. January 19, 2025 at 7:23pm
Jenni Swain: My husband and I received a gift box of Honey Bell Oranges from Florida last week. OMG. The aroma has a beautiful, almost therapeutic sweet orange essence – your post reflected all the feelings I had peeling and eating one. Yes, orange in the dead of winter is magical. I want to run out and smell each of the perfumes you profile. Oh how I wish I had them all. 🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡 January 19, 2025 at 9:32pm
Jenni Swain: My husband and I received a gift box of Honey Bell Oranges from Florida last week. OMG. The aroma has a beautiful, almost therapeutic sweet orange essence – your post reflected all the feelings I had peeling and eating one. Yes, orange in the dead of winter is magical. I want to run out and smell each of the perfumes you profile. Oh how I wish I had them all. 🧡 January 19, 2025 at 9:33pm
Jennifer: I really needed a lift today, with my fragrance. I ended up blending three different brands to create a sparkling citrus scent. Tocca’s Stella, Bastide Neroli Lumiere, and Diptyque Vetyverio. Of the three I ended up spraying the Diptyque in the air and walked through it. I really love this combination. It is the first time that I have tried it. January 21, 2025 at 6:01pm
Tam: I bought Isfarkand 20 years ago when it first launched by Ormonde Jayne …mandarin is the predominant note here, with pink pepper and cedarwood and bergamot.
.I adored it but went violently off it when I was pregnant….it took about 18 years to return to it but I adore it even more now, especially in the crisp cold January days over my scarf. Smells better and better each day January 23, 2025 at 3:33am