Orange Blossom & Neroli: 64 posts

The bitter orange tree is one of the most useful for perfumery—every part yields an interesting raw material. The flowers provide orange blossom absolute and neroli oil, the leaves and tender buds give petitgrain, while the fruit peel contains the wonderfully rich and complex bitter orange oil.

Orange blossom and neroli are extracted from the flowers of the bitter orange tree (Citrus bigaradia), with the different methods of extraction determining the type and olfactory characteristics of the resulting oils. Orange blossom oil is extracted with volatile solvents, while neroli is steam-distilled. The former is warm, jasmine-like, with a sweet grape and indolic twist, while neroli is greener and spicier. The fruit of the bitter orange tree produces bitter orange oil (the distinctive note in Frédéric Malle Cologne Bigarade), and its leaves give the sparkling verdancy of petitgrain oil.

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Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

Few women are happy to have only one little black dress in their wardrobe. I suppose this was the reasoning behind Guerlain’s introduction of La Petite Robe Noire Modèle 2, which follows La Petite Robe Noire originally launched in 2009. At this point, I wish I had an emoticon conveying my general disaffection with flankers so that I do not have to waste space on yet another rant. At any rate, when I originally posted the news of La Petite Robe Noire Modèle 2, the mention of marshmallow seemed to put off quite of us. After all, the original La Petite Robe Noire was such a high-voltage gourmand that smelling it made one hungry for sweets instead of inspiring longings for sartorial elegance. As it turns out, these fears were perhaps unnecessary, though that may not offer much consolation. La Petite Robe Noire Modèle 2 is not a candy-coated, sugary gourmand; instead, it is a rather wan fresh green floral.

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Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

Green like unripe mirabelle plums, tart like lemon meringue and sheer like a silk scarf, Annick Goutal Le Chèvrefeuille is one of those fragrances that makes me smile contentedly. It is the essence of everything serene and lighthearted, a fragrance that satisfies yearnings for those first mild days of spring. On the other hand, its lightness and the lack of sharpness associated with citrus makes it ideal for the warm days of summer. Among Annick Goutal single flower compositions (Néroli, Des Lys, Le Jasmin, Le Muguet and La Violette), which were created by perfumer Isabelle Doyen and Camille Goutal in 2002, Le Chèvrefeuille is undoubtedly my favorite, both for its effervescent personality and impressionistic rendition of honeysuckle. …

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Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

The presence of orange blossom in Jean Paul Gaultier Fleur du Mâle is no more unexpected for a masculine perfume than the presence of Pelé in a list of world’s greatest footballers. After all, the classical eau de cologne relied on the bright sparkle of neroli (steam distilled oil of bitter orange flowers) in order to provide a fresh accent. However, while masculine blends like Yves Saint Laurent Kouros Fraîcheur and Creed Néroli Sauvage rely upon bracing citrusy and woody notes to frame the sweetness of orange blossom, Fleur du Mâle takes this radiant and bright note into a completely different realm—ornate, sensual and languorous. …

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Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

This review is for the Eau de Toilette version. Please also see my Eau de Parfum review (a superior interpretation, in my opinion.)

Guerlain Insolence is a curious study of contrasts. Upon the first inhale, the fragrance bursts into shades of Barbie doll pink, which would no doubt surprise a die-hard Guerlain lover. However, after a wild strawberry tinged 15 minutes, the composition pirouettes into an elegant heart dominated by violet, which rests on a creamy base of musk and woods. Initially, the nail polish remover sharpness of the top notes proved to be quite distracting, preventing me from making up my mind on Insolence. And yet, just when I thought that I had figured it out, Insolence managed to present an interesting facet. It revealed its Guerlain heart when given a fair trial. …

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