Bergamot’s sheer, dry, citrusy feel is one of the most popular perfume notes, especially in mens’ cologne. It’s a Mediterranean fruit grown mainly in Calabria, Italy, and its aroma and taste is slightly between grapefruit and orange. Bergamot is a year-round pleasure to wear, and will blend well with any other note, making bergamot fragrances versatile and a sophisticated option for citrus fragrance fans.

Pepper’s hot, spicy attack can focus the drama in a perfume instantly. It’s dry, tangy, nose-crinkling personality sharpens other notes in a fragrance and boosts their olfactory signal. Black pepper is best with leather, suede, and tobacco. Black pepper also heightens lighter citrus notes like lemon, lime, orange, green apple, and citron. Pink pepper is best in aromatic or floral blends, where it’s warm, fruity facets can bring an airy white floral perfume into focus, or underline masculine notes such as lavender, basil, musk, etc. Pepper’s insistent heat can be worn either day or night, and it’s fruity/spicy shadow makes it ideal for any season.

A sunny, joyful scent that pops in top notes with a citrus vibrancy. This lively note has a fuller character than bergamot and dances delightfully alongside citrus notes. It is tangy yet soft and adds an acidic sparkle to hesperidic accords. The mandarin tree is native to China and grows as tall as 3-6 m. It was introduced to Europe at the end of the 18th century, and now grows in all Mediterranean countries. Italy and Brazil are primary producers of mandarin essence, which is obtained through cold expression of the fruit peel.

An aromatic and deeply camphorous note used in masculine scents, most notably in eaux de toilettes and toiletries. It’s herbaceous and fresh, with woody undertones that evoke the fresh scent of incense oil.