Neroli is a fresh, bright white-floral note made by steam-distilling the blossoms of the bitter orange tree, Citrus aurantium. It sits between the citrus and floral families: green, sparkling and softly honeyed, with a clean, almost soapy lift that has made it a cornerstone of eau de cologne for more than three centuries.

What does Neroli smell like?

Neroli smells like orange blossom with the lights turned up and the heaviness taken out. The opening is zesty and slightly bitter, then a green, leafy freshness gives way to a delicate floral heart with hints of honey and a faint metallic, almost mineral edge. Compared with orange blossom absolute, which is dense, sweet and animalic, neroli is airy and transparent. Compared with petitgrain, which comes from the leaves of the same tree, it is more floral and less woody-green.

Where Neroli comes from

The oil is produced from freshly picked flowers of the bitter orange (bigarade), harvested for a few weeks each spring and distilled quickly before they wilt. Yields are tiny: roughly a tonne of blossoms gives about a kilo of oil, which is why neroli is one of the more expensive citrus-tree materials.

• Also known as: Neroli bigarade, orange flower oil
• Fragrance family: Floral / Citrus
• Type: Natural (reconstructions are also widely used)
• Main origins: Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt; small volumes from southern France and Italy
• How it's obtained: Steam distillation of fresh bitter orange blossoms
• Key aroma molecules: Linalool, limonene, linalyl acetate, beta-pinene, nerolidol, geraniol

Neroli in perfume history

The name is usually traced to Anne-Marie Orsini, Princess of Nerola, who is said to have popularised the scent in late 17th-century Italy by perfuming her gloves and bathwater with it. Neroli then became part of the original Cologne waters of the 18th century, alongside bergamot, lemon and rosemary, and it has remained central to the cologne tradition ever since.

Neroli in modern perfumery

Today neroli anchors luxury "Mediterranean" colognes and summery unisex scents, and it brightens the top of many floral and woody perfumes. Supply depends heavily on North African harvests, so weather and labour costs affect price. Reconstructions built from synthetic materials are common in shampoos and body care.

How Neroli wears and what it pairs with

Neroli behaves as a top-to-heart note: vivid in the first half hour, then settling into a soft floral glow that fades within a few hours unless supported by musks or woods. It pairs naturally with bergamot, petitgrain, lemon, rosemary, jasmine, orange blossom, white musk and ambergris-style materials.

Fragrances featuring Neroli

• Guerlain Eau de Cologne Impériale (1853)
• Tom Ford Neroli Portofino (2011)
• Hermès Eau de Néroli Doré (2016)

Safety and regulation

Natural neroli contains linalool, limonene, geraniol and farnesol, which must be declared on EU labels above set thresholds. As a flower distillate it lacks the phototoxic furocoumarins of pressed bitter orange peel oil.