Mirabelle is a sunny, honeyed fruit note inspired by the small golden plum of Lorraine in north-eastern France. Sweeter and lighter than dark plum, it brings a juicy, apricot-like brightness to fruity-floral and gourmand perfumes, and is always recreated by the perfumer as an accord.

What does Mirabelle smell like?

Mirabelle smells of warm late-summer fruit: sweet, honeyed and gently tart, with apricot and yellow-plum facets and a soft, almost floral glow. It is less inky and wine-like than purple plum and less creamy than peach, sitting somewhere between them. Some interpretations lean towards the clear, fiery aroma of mirabelle eau-de-vie, adding a boozy, almond-kernel sharpness to the fruit.

How perfumers create Mirabelle

With no mirabelle essential oil available, perfumers build the note from lactones for its velvety, apricot-like body, fruity esters for juiciness and a light touch of damascone or honey-like materials for sun-ripened sweetness. A trace of benzaldehyde can evoke the stone and the fruit brandy.

• Also known as: Mirabelle plum, Prunus domestica subsp. syriaca
• Fragrance family: Fruity
• Type: Accord (created by the perfumer)
• Main origins: Inspired by the mirabelles of Lorraine, France
• How it's obtained: Reconstructed from lactones, esters and honeyed notes
• Key aroma molecules: Gamma-undecalactone, fruity esters

Mirabelle in perfume history

The mirabelle is closely tied to Lorraine, which grows the large majority of the world's crop and holds a protected geographical status for its fruit. Harvest runs over a few weeks from mid-August, and much of it is turned into tarts, jams and a clear fruit brandy. As a perfume note it has a limited history, appearing mostly in recent niche and regional French creations rather than in the classics.

Mirabelle in modern perfumery

Mirabelle suits the modern appetite for specific, place-evoking fruits over generic berries. Perfumers use it for a golden, less sugary fruitiness in fruity-florals, pair it with tea or woods in niche compositions, and occasionally use it in gourmand accords that recall French pâtisserie.

How Mirabelle wears and what it pairs with

Mirabelle is a top-to-heart note: bright at first, then soft and honeyed. It pairs with apricot, osmanthus, jasmine, honey, almond, black tea, sandalwood and musk.